Document Document Title
US08500135B2 Rollerski or skate with braking system and method for braking said sports item
A wheeled sport item, such as a roller ski or a roller skate, is suited to be applied to the foot of a user in order to allow the foot to slide in relation to the ground according to a movement direction parallel to the foot. The sport item includes an elongated body associated with two wheels; a platform associated with the elongated body, defining a supporting surface for the foot; and a brake for braking the wheels. The item also includes a connector for connecting the platform to the elongated body, which defines a rotation axis orthogonal to the supporting surface, in order to allow a rotation of the foot, and a controller sensitive to the rotation of the foot for the operation of the brake.
US08500134B2 Toy vehicle convertible between two use configurations
A toy vehicle is adaptable for use as a ride-on vehicle or a scooter, and includes a support frame provided with a user supporting mechanism and having a first portion and a second distal portion, and a grip handlebar for the user mechanically connected to the support frame. The support frame is mechanically connectible/disconnectible to/from the grip handlebar in order to assume first and second use configurations such that the grip handlebar is connected to the first and second portions, respectively, and such that the user support mechanism assumes different positions.
US08500133B2 Wheel suspension for a motor vehicle
The invention relates to a wheel suspension for a motor vehicle, comprising a wheel-side carrier part (12) holding a vehicle wheel (1) in a rotatable manner, and an axle-side guiding part (14) between which mutually rotating rotary parts (16, 18) are arranged. The guiding part (14), the rotary parts (16, 18) and/or the carrier part (12) interact with first and second effective areas (18a, 36a; 18b, 16b; 16a, 54a) facing each other. According to the invention, the first effective area radially defines a conical or spherical hollow profile into which the corresponding second effective area protrudes in an essentially form-fitting manner.
US08500131B2 Exhaust manifold gasket
An exhaust manifold gasket having at least two layers and a series of tabs and recesses. The gasket has a first outer layer and a second outer layer each with an outer surface, an inner surface, two bolt hole flanges, and a central aperture. The surfaces are bounded by an outer perimeter portion, with locator tabs and recesses. A first inner layer having an outer surface, an inner surface, two bolt hole flanges, and a central aperture. The surfaces are bounded by an outer perimeter portion with two sets of foldable tabs. The first inner layer also has a bead circumferentially around the central aperture. A second inner layer may be provided having an outer surface, an inner surface, two bolt hole flanges, and a central aperture. The surfaces are bounded by an outer perimeter portion with foldable tabs and recesses, and a bead circumferentially around the central aperture.
US08500130B2 Radial shaft seal, radial shaft seal assembly and method of installation
A radial shaft seal configured for receipt in a housing and about a shaft to sealingly isolate an air side of the seal from an oil side of the shaft seal is provided. The seal includes a mounting portion and a seal lip having an annular sealing surface extending between an oil side end and a free air side end. An annular bridge is connected to the oil side end of the seal lip by a first hinge and to the mounting portion by a second hinge. The bridge extends from the first hinge to the second hinge in radially overlying relation to the seal lip. A projection extends from the first hinge away from the bridge toward the oil side of the seal to prevent the seal lip from inverting during the oil-side installation assembly.
US08500127B2 Bi-directional metal-to-metal seal
A wellhead seal assembly that forms a metal-to-metal seal between inner and outer wellhead members. A metal seal ring has inner and outer legs that are threaded to each other and separated by a slot and provide bi-directional sealing. The threaded connection provides a pathway for annular pressure into the slot. The inner and outer legs have inner and outer walls, respectively. Inner and outer legs have a soft metal inlay on their interior surfaces. Wickers may be located on the outer surface of the inner wellhead member and on the inner surface of the outer wellhead member. An energizing ring is moved into the slot to force the outer and inner walls of the seal into sealing engagement with the inner and outer wellhead members. The soft metal inlays deform onto the energizing ring. If present, wickers on the wellhead members embed into the walls of the seal ring.
US08500126B1 Methods of playing a multi-variant poker game
Methods of playing a multi-variant poker game using a standard 52-card deck of playing cards are described herein. In one embodiment, the poker game comprises hands associated with a specific combination of poker game variants that include Badugi, Badeucy, Pot Limit Omaha, Razz, Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw, Razzdugi, Crazy Pineapple Hi-Lo, Fixed Limit Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Kansas City Lowball, Stud Hi-Lo, and Seven Card Stud.
US08500125B2 Medal game apparatus
A medal game apparatus with which a player can sequentially insert a plurality of medals easily and quickly is provided.A medal apparatus 100 according to this invention includes a station 1 having a medal insertion portion 12, a medal feeding mechanism 14, a medal base 31, a base board 35, a medal receiving unit 4, and a medal payout unit 11. The medal insertion portion 12 is provided so that it can be moved. The medal feeding mechanism 14 is connected to the medal insertion portion 12 and extends in a specified direction. The medal insertion portion 12 is provided next to the medal payout unit 11 and includes a medal placement area 19 on which a plurality of medals M can be laid out flat; a medal alignment groove 16 that is connected to the medal placement area 19 and in which the medals M can be aligned in an upright state; and a medal insertion opening 17 provided at the end of the medal alignment groove 16. In this way, a player can insert medals sequentially.
US08500122B2 Sheet conveying apparatus, sheet processing apparatus, and image forming apparatus
A roller separating mechanism rotates an upper roller-moving cam and a lower roller-moving cam at the same time, and swings the upper roller arm plate and the lower roller arm plate such that a pair of folding rollers separate from each other. When the pair of folding rollers are to be abutted against each other, the upper roller arm plate and the lower roller arm plate are swung with different timing in a direction in which the pair of folding rollers abut against each other.
US08500121B1 Driven nip rolls for sheet stacker infeed
In a sheet downstacker of a corrugator dry end, sheets are delivered by a drive system driving both the bottom and top nip rolls with a single motor that also drives the last flat belt sheet conveyor to the nip.
US08500114B2 Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus
A sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus are provided. When sheets are adsorbed to an adsorption conveyance belt, a suction shutter is switched from a block position to block a negative pressure to an adsorption position to adsorb the sheets by the negative pressure. When the sheets conveyed in an overlapping manner reaches a predetermined number and the next sheet is adsorbed, the timing to switch the suction shutter to the adsorption position is delayed compared to the timing at which a preceding sheet adsorbed in advance and a subsequent sheet overlap.
US08500112B2 Printed material holding device and printer with the printed material holding device
A printed material holding device includes a printed material tray for receiving printed material and a transmission mechanism. A first claw is disposed on the printed material tray. The transmission mechanism includes a mounting plate attached to a main body of a printer. A clipping hole is defined in the mounting plate. The first claw is configured to move between a first configuration, where the first claw is engaged in the clipping hole, so that printed material tray is secured to the mounting plate, and a second configuration, where the first claw is disengaged from the clipping hole, so that the printed material tray is withdrawn from the mounting plate.
US08500111B2 Sheet processing apparatus, image forming apparatus and sheet processing method
A sheet processing apparatus includes a folding roller unit configured to form a fold in a sheet while the sheet passes through a nip of rollers, and a fold-enhancing roller unit having a first roller, a second roller, and a third roller, the first roller being provided facing a first surface of the sheet, orthogonal to a direction of transport of the sheet, the second and third rollers being provided facing a second surface of the sheet orthogonal to the direction of transport of the sheet and different from the first surface, the second and third rollers forming nips with the first roller, in which the fold-enhancing roller unit is moved along the fold with the sheet nipped in the nip between the first roller and the second roller and in the nip between the first roller and the third roller, to form a fold.
US08500106B2 Humidifier, filter unit and rotation drive structure
A disc-shaped filter unit including a filter main body having a water absorbability and a holder having a non water absorbability is disposed in a vertical orientation, with a part of a circumferential portion thereof immersed in water reserved in a water tank, and is rotated by a rotation drive mechanism in a circumferential direction. The filter unit has an absorptive region and a non-absorptive region arranged adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction. Therefore, in accordance with rotation of the filter unit in the circumferential direction, a state where the absorptive region is immersed and the filter main body of the filter unit absorbs water through a water-conduction hole and a state where the non-absorptive region is immersed and water absorption of the filter main body is prevented by a watertight section having a non water absorbability are continuously alternated.
US08500103B2 Yielding post guardrail safety system incorporating thrie beam guardrail elements
A guardrail safety system includes a guardrail beam operable to contain and redirect an errant vehicle to prevent the vehicle from leaving a roadway. At least a portion of the guardrail beam includes a thrie beam. A support post is coupled to the guardrail beam and includes a lower portion, a mid portion, and an upper portion. The lower portion is installed below grade adjacent the roadway. The mid portion lies substantially adjacent the grade and is weakened about a first axis without being substantially weakened about a second axis that is generally perpendicular to the first axis. An upper portion is releasably coupled to the guardrail beam such that the upper portion is uncoupled from the guardrail beam when the mid portion yields about the first axis.
US08500098B2 Elevation mechanism
An elevation mechanism includes a platform, a base assembly, a scissor lift assembly and a sliding assembly. The base assembly includes a threaded rod having two threaded portions and two threaded members threadedly engaging with the threaded rod. Rotation directions of the two threaded portion are opposite to each other. The scissor lift assembly includes a plurality of articulated first scissor legs and a plurality of articulated second scissor legs pivotedly coupled to the respective second scissor legs. The sliding assembly includes two fixing members fixed to the platform, a sliding rod fixed between the two fixing members, and two sliding members slidablely connected to the sliding rod. The two sliding members are correspondingly pivotedly connected to the upmost first and second scissor leg. The two threaded members are pivotedly connected to the lowermost first and second scissor legs.
US08500097B2 Flooring element locator including a substantially circular spacing member
A method of locating a flooring element includes: laying a flooring element; providing a spacing member; positioning the spacing member between the flooring element and a fixed element; providing a separating member, the separating member having first and second faces inclined at an angle to one another so that at least a part of the separating member is in the form of a wedge having a wider end and a narrower end; positioning the separating member so that one of the first and second faces contacts the flooring element and the other of the first and second faces contacts the spacing member; and driving the separating member between the flooring element and the spacing member in a direction passing from the wider end of the wedge to the narrower end thereof, thereby exerting forces on the flooring element and the spacing member in directions to separate the flooring element and the spacing member.
US08500094B2 Battery removal apparatus for a vehicle, in particular an electric industrial truck, and a locking device for such a battery removal apparatus
A battery removal apparatus for a vehicle, comprising a mobile lifting device with vertically adjustable load-handling means, and a locking device mounted thereon for locking engagement of an exchangeable battery unit of a vehicle in its engagement member. A locking device for a battery removal apparatus wherein the locking device is a sub-assembly combined to form a one-piece module comprising, a base frame to be mounted on a load-handling means of a lifting device, said base frame comprising two ramp portions and two locking hooks, wherein the locking hooks are arranged side by side at a given lateral distance apart on the base frame, are pivotable about a common pivot axis between a locking position and a release position, and are coupled by a common pivot shaft.
US08500087B2 Magnetic control valve
A magnetic control valve is to block an outlet end of a water inflow passage and an inlet end of a water outflow passage of a connection pipe by using a rubber ring. A valve of the rubber ring is opened or closed by a magnetic control switch. The magnetic control switch mainly takes a valve rod carrying permanent magnetic force that completely controls direction of electromagnetic pole as a power source for moving. When a valve plug at an end of the valve rod seals the valve, a metal plate capable of being sucked by magnetic force is combined with the rubber ring to allow both to generate magnetic sucking effect, thereby firmly closing.
US08500083B2 Device for a moving object's vibration damping
This invention concerns a device for vibration damping of an object (1) moving along a trajectory arranged on a frame (7), whereas the object (1) involves spaces filled-in with magnetorheologic fluid which moves towards the object (1) and the device contents at least one control electromagnet (2,12) for achieving magnetorheologic fluid condition change to which a signal for vibration damping is fed from a control unit, whereas the control electromagnet/s (2,12) is/are arranged firmly on the frame on which the object's (1) trajectory is positioned. The control electromagnets (2,12) are arranged evenly with regard to the object's (1,5) trajectory (4,14), in case of need evenly to one another. In case of an object (1) pivoted on a frame (7) and fitted with at least one centrifugal pendulum (6) connected to the object (1) through a damper (11) with magnetorheologic fluid which moves towards the object (1) and the device involves at least one control electromagnet (12) for achieving magnetorheologic fluid condition change, to which a signal is fed from a control unit, at least one control electromagnet (12) regulated by controllable power supply for electromagnetic field intensity control is arranged along the circular trajectory (14) of the dampers (11) on the frame (7).
US08500081B2 Seat tube of a bicycle
A seat tube of a bicycle has a tubular body and a tightening block. The tubular body has an insertion hole and a stationary block. The insertion hole is defined in the tubular body and has an inner surface and a tightening recess. The inner surface is formed in the tubular body. The tightening recess is defined in the inner surface. The stationary block is embedded in the tightening recess and has an oblique surface and a fastener hole. The fastener hole is defined in the oblique surface. The tightening block is mounted slidably on the oblique surface and has a tightening surface, a through hole and a fastener. The tightening surface is shaped to correspond to the inner surface. The through hole is defined through the tightening block. The fastener is mounted through the through hole and engages the fastener hole.
US08500073B2 Hinged bushing suspension clamp and method for using said clamp
A clamp with a first clamp halve with a hinge portion and a first opening for a fastener; a second clamp halve, with a hinge portion and a first opening for a fastener; a cable opening; and a hinge device for connecting the two hinge portions. The clamp may also include a first clamp halve with a second opening for a closing insert.
US08500068B2 Arrangement of a circumferential joint of structural elements with a coupling element manufactured in composite material
A joint construction for an aeronautical structure made from composite material having an internal structural element and an adjoining skin element which define the aeronautical structure, which includes a coupling element disposed between and contiguous with the internal structural element and the adjoining skin element, wherein the coupling element has opposing adjoining diagonally configured end portions which form a wedge shaped diagonal joint therebetween which terminates at the internal structural element at one end and the skin element at the other end, and a plurality of rivets extending from the internal structured element to the adjoining skin, across the coupling element and across the diagonal joint.
US08500067B2 Modular miniature unmanned aircraft with vectored-thrust control
An aircraft for unmanned aviation is described. The aircraft includes an airframe, a pair of fins attached to a rear portion of the airframe, a pair of dihedral braces attached to a bottom portion of the airframe, a first thrust-vectoring (“T/V”) module and a second T/V module, and an electronics module. The electronics module provides commands to the two T/V modules. The two T/V modules are configured to provide lateral and longitudinal control to the aircraft by directly controlling a thrust vector for each of the pitch, the roll, and the yaw of the aircraft. The use of directly articulated electrical motors as T/V modules enables the aircraft to execute tight-radius turns over a wide range of airspeeds.
US08500064B2 Hybrid power system architecture for an aircraft
A hybrid power distribution system for an aircraft generates hydraulic power from one of a plurality of power sources based on which power source provides energy most efficiently. Power sources includes an electric power distribution bus that distributes electrical energy onboard the aircraft, a pneumatic distribution channel that distributes pneumatic energy onboard the aircraft, and mechanical power provided by one or more engines associated with the aircraft.
US08500063B2 Hydraulic apparatus for aircraft actuators
A pump unit installed inside a wing, and a panel body constituting part of a wing structure portion forming a surface structure of the wing are provided. The pump unit includes a backup hydraulic pump that can supply pressure oil to an actuator when a loss or reduction occurs in the function of an aircraft central hydraulic power source and an electric motor that drives this pump. Except for at least the panel body, the wing structure portion is formed from fiber reinforced plastics. The panel body is formed of a metallic material.
US08500060B2 Aircraft with a pressurized vessel
An aircraft comprising a fuselage, a vessel associated with the fuselage, a propulsion system associated with the fuselage, and a lift system. The vessel is capable of storing a pressurized gas compressed to a density that allows the aircraft to operate under water. The lift system is capable of providing the aircraft lift to fly in air.
US08500058B2 Paper roll fixing device of printer
A paper roll fixing device of a printer includes a first supporting base, a second supporting base, a first fixing member and a second fixing member. The first fixing member comprises a rotatable first fixing slab. The second fixing member comprises a rotatable second fixing slab. When the first fixing slab and the first fixing slab are pushed by a paper roll, the first fixing slab and the first fixing slab are rotated to the position without stopping the paper roll from entering or leaving the space between the first supporting base and the second supporting base. As a consequently, the paper roll can be smoothly introduced into or removed from the paper roll fixing device. By the paper roll fixing device, the paper roll can be introduced into or removed from the paper roll fixing device with a single hand or in a single step.
US08500057B2 Method and apparatus for threading a fibrous material web in a winder
A method of adhesive-free threading of a fibrous material web for winding around a winding body includes the steps of diverting the fibrous material web in the circumferential direction of the winding body, guiding the fibrous material web with its unfolded leading edge ahead in the direction of a nip formed between the winding body and a drum and catching the leading edge of the fibrous material web by interaction with the fibrous material web and/or the winding body. An apparatus for adhesive-free threading of a fibrous material web for winding around a winding body has a diverting device for diverting the fibrous material web in the circumferential direction of the winding body and a mechanical guide for guiding the fibrous material web with its unfolded leading edge ahead in the direction of a nip formed between the winding body and a drum.
US08500053B2 Food processor bowl cover dynamic sealing assembly
A lid 1 that is adapted to cover a food processor bowl 2 has a flexible sealing ring assembly 3 that is mounted to a lower surface of the lid 1, along the perimeter. The sealing assembly 3 includes resilient springs 4 that compress and relax in order to provide a downwardly biased force between the sealing assembly 3 and the upper rim 5 of a bowl 2 to which the lid 1 is mounted.
US08500052B2 Roller mill for grinding particulate material
A roller mill includes a substantially horizontal grinding table, at least one roller operating interactively therewith which is configured for rotation about its centerline by means of a roller bearing and being connected to a roller shaft. The roller mill also includes a force device for at least partial absorption of an axial force originating at least from the roller and acting in the longitudinal direction of the roller shaft. The force device comprises a first part mounted on a machine component which is stationary relative to the longitudinal direction of the roller shaft and a second part mounted on a machine component rotating about the centerline of the roller and co-rotating therewith. The first and second parts comprise opposing pressure surfaces which both extend substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the roller shaft and form between them a compartment. The pressure surface on the first part is oriented in the opposite direction to the axial force acting in the longitudinal direction of the roller shaft and the pressure surface on the second part is oriented in the same direction as the axial force acting in the longitudinal direction of the roller shaft. An apparatus configured to introduce a pressurized viscous medium into the compartment between the opposing pressure surfaces is also included.
US08500050B2 Food waste disposer with restricted grind chamber discharge
A food waste disposer has a grinding mechanism that improves fineness and speed of grinding food waste, and also controls or meters the size of the comminuted food waste particles that are discharged from the food waste disposer. It does so by utilizing a more aggressive grind ring of the grinding mechanism that includes horizontal shredder elements in addition to openings, and blocking all except the openings in a minor circumferential portion of the grind ring from discharging comminuted food waste and water to a discharge outlet. In an aspect, a resilient seal is used to seal the adapter ring to a housing of an upper end bell of the grinding section and also provide a seal for a rotating shredder plate assembly of the food waste disposer.
US08500048B2 Process and apparatus for drying and powderizing material
An apparatus for drying and powderizing organic material. The apparatus includes at least one chamber including: an intake adapted to receive warm air and the material into the at least one chamber, and an outlet adapted to transport warm air and powder out of the at least one chamber; at least one rotatable drive shaft in the at least one chamber adapted to rotated; and at least one blade assembly on the at least one drive shaft. The blade assembly includes a blade hub about the rotatable drive shaft and at least one blade coupled to the blade hub, wherein the at least one blade is adapted to powderize the material to expose a surface of the material to the warm air so that moisture in the material evaporates into the warm air.
US08500043B2 Device for spraying on pigmented liquids
In a device for spraying on pigmented liquids by means of an air flow comprising a base body, a spray nozzle disposed at the front side of the base body, said spray nozzle having a needle acted upon by a spring disposed in the center thereof, a compressed air inlet and an adjacent compressed air duct, an inlet for a pigmented liquid, with a controllable compressed air flow supplied via the compressed air duct being guided past an inlet for the pigmented liquid where it is loaded with droplets of liquid, said droplets of liquid being discharged by the spray nozzle as long as the compressed air flow is maintained, it is provided that the nozzle (5) and the needle (12) are positioned in a nozzle carrier (10), with the nozzle carrier (10) being provided with the inlet (17) for the pigmented liquid, and with the nozzle carrier being removable or replaceable, respectively, as a whole.
US08500042B2 Configurable rotary spray nozzle
A configurable rotary spray nozzle having lower manufacturing and maintenance costs through the use of an external shell providing strength and resistance to damage such that molded internal components can be utilized to provide the desired spray characteristics. The molded internal wet components can comprise molded polymeric structures that allow for the formation of complex flow geometries and structures that are either impossible or economically impractical to achieve with conventional tooling and machining operations. The use of an external shell provides for use of replacement kits to maintain or otherwise replace worn and/or damaged internal wet components while reusing the external housing. The use of the external shell also allows a user to customize and change spray performance of the configurable rotary spray nozzle by swapping internal wet components having selected flow geometries and characteristics so as to provide a desired spray performance.
US08500039B2 Remote actuation device for spray cans
A remote spray nozzle actuating device for spray cans has a spray can holder assembly for holding a spray can, the further including a wireless activator assembly; and a wireless transmitter for remotely activating the wireless activator assembly causing the spray nozzle to be actuated. The spray can holder assembly further has a trigger. The trigger is connected to the wireless activator assembly wherein movement of the trigger actuates a spray nozzle. The wireless activator assembly has a wireless receiver; a power supply; a control circuit; and an actuator. The actuator is connected to the control circuit and wherein upon activating the wireless transmitter a signal is received in the receiver and transmitted to the control circuit to activate the actuator causing the trigger to move activating the nozzle of the held spray can. A remote spray nozzle actuating device for spray cans wherein the device holds a spray can and the held spray can contains one of the following, paint, insecticide, smoke or simulated smoke.
US08500038B2 Gas splattered fluid display
A fluid display includes a fluid source, a gas source, and a light source. The fluid source coherently emits fluid along a first trajectory. The gas source emits gas along a second trajectory that intersects the first trajectory. The light source is directed toward the intersection of the first trajectory and the second trajectory. The second trajectory may intersect the first trajectory at an oblique angle. The fluid source and/or the gas source may emit intermittently. The fluid source may emit a laminar jet or spherical fluid globules. The gas source may intermittently emit a gas vortex. The gas may be a flammable gas. The fluid may be water and the gas may be air. The fluid display may provide a “water sparkler” effect.
US08500032B2 Multi-tool protection device
An apparatus and method for protecting merchandise items is presented. In the preferred embodiment, a merchandise protection device includes first and second portions. An EAS tag is contained in the first or second portion. The first and second portions are connected together to form a head at a first end of the merchandise protection device and a base at the other end of the merchandise protection device. An opening is formed between the head and the base. The head is placed in a first recess of a merchandise item to be protected and the base is placed in a second recess of the merchandise item to be protected. The opening is configured to receive a portion of the merchandise item between the first recess and second recess.
US08500031B2 Wearable article having point of sale payment functionality
A wearable article is configured for providing payment information to a point of sale terminal during a transaction. The wearable article, in some embodiments, includes a band configured for wrapping around a body part of the customer and for carrying an electronic device. In some embodiments, the band has an attachment system for removably securing the band to the body part of the customer. The electronic device includes an energy storage element, a memory device, a communication device and a processing device. The processing device is configured for receiving a communication from the point of sale terminal requesting payment information for completion of the transaction. The processing device reads account information from the memory device and communicates payment information to the point of sale terminal. In some embodiments, the wearable article receives power from a field generated by the point of sale terminal.
US08500014B2 System and method for quality management utilizing barcode indicators
A quality management system for products including a multiplicity of barcoded quality indicators each operative to provide a machine-readable indication of exceedance of at least one threshold by at least one product quality affecting parameter, a barcode indicator reader operative to read the barcoded quality indicators and to provide output indications, the barcoded quality indicators being readable by the barcode indicator reader at all times after first becoming readable, including times prior to, during and immediately following exceedance of the at least one threshold by the at least one product quality affecting parameter, and a product type responsive indication interpreter operative to receive the output indications and to provide human sensible, product quality status outputs.
US08500013B2 Systems and methods for accessing charging capabilities of electric vehicle charging stations
Embodiments of the invention can provide systems and methods for accessing charging capabilities of electric vehicle charging stations. According to one embodiment of the invention, a system can be provided. The system can include a computer processor. The system can also include a memory operable to store computer-executable instructions operable to receive a readable code associated with an electric vehicle charging station, and further receive a unique identifier associated with a mobile device; and based at least in part on the readable code and unique identifier, authorize a consumer associated with the mobile device to access charging capabilities associated with the electric vehicle charging station.
US08500009B2 Real-time internet method for tracking number and gender of patrons in bar and night club establishments
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for a computer to perform a method for tracking visitors at bar or night club establishments having scanners capable of scanning the driver's license of each visitor entering the establishment. After scanning, the validity of the license is verified, as is whether the visitor is above the legal drinking age, and an identification code is associated with each such visitor. The time that the scan took place is recorded and the gender of the visitor is ascertained. The information is sent to and stored on the system server. The system server tallies the gender information for visitors associated with an identification code at each establishment. The population, tallied gender ratio and a calculated gender rate ratio for each establishment are displayed on a system website. System subscribers are permitted to access the displayed information on the system website.
US08500004B2 Obtaining a resource to read a symbol
In a method for obtaining a resource to read a symbol, an image containing at least one of the symbol and an indicator of the symbol is obtained. At least a portion of the obtained image is sent to a symbol identification service and the resource from the symbol identification service is received, wherein the resource enables the symbol to be read.
US08500003B2 Method and device for accessing microforms
A method for reading analogue and/or digital data, which are stored in fields on a microform, includes using a device for accessing the microform, which device is connected to a data processing system via a hardware interface. In order to make it possible to further process the data acquired by the device in a conventional personal computer, the analogue and/or digital data stored on the microform are represented by a control unit of the device of the data processing system as if the microform were a conventional replaceable data storage medium. Finally, the microform has a structure that allows the data stored thereon to be read quickly and is also suitable for the long-term and secure archiving of digital data.
US08499991B2 Driving device
According to one aspect of the application, a device for driving a fastening element into a substrate has an energy-transfer element for transferring energy to the fastening element. The energy-transfer element can move preferably between a starting position and a setting position, wherein the energy-transfer element is located, before a driving-in procedure, in the starting position and, after the driving-in procedure, in the setting position.According to another aspect of the application, the device comprises a mechanical-energy storage device for storing mechanical energy. The energy-transfer element is then suitable preferably for transferring energy from the mechanical-energy storage device to the fastening element.
US08499987B2 Support element for a carry strap
A strap has an extension element and a support element. The extension element joins with an article, such as a bag, backpack, or purse. The support element is secured to the extension element and has a plurality of sipes that enhance the flexibility of the strap. In another configuration, the support element has a central area formed from a foam that is more compressible than a foam forming end areas. In yet another configuration, the support element has a wedge-shaped cross-section.
US08499981B2 Bifurcated stem foam pump
Foam dispensers having a housing and an air compressor connected to the housing are disclosed herein. The air compressor releasably mates with a refill unit. The refill includes a container and liquid pump housing. The liquid pump housing includes: a liquid reservoir; an inlet valve; an outlet valve; an air inlet opening through the liquid pump housing; a foaming screen; and a foam dispensing nozzle secured to the liquid pump housing. The liquid pump housing is configured to releasably mate with an air compressor that is not part of the refill unit but is secured to a foam pump dispenser housing, and the refill unit is configured to be removed from the foam dispenser without removing the air compressor from the foam dispenser.
US08499972B1 Clamping of bulk storage bag discharge spout
A clamping system secures a discharge spout of a bulk storage bag to an outer surface of a process interface connection. The clamping system includes a first clamping arm and a second clamping arm. Each clamping arm has a fixed end and a free end arranged such that the free end can pivot about the fixed end between a clamping position and an open position. Each clamping arm has an inner clamping surface configured to clamp a portion of the discharge spout against a portion of the outer surface of the process interface connection when the clamping arm is in the clamping position. The inner clamping surfaces are arranged such that when the first and second clamping arms are in the clamping position, the inner clamping surfaces cooperate to clamp the discharge spout against substantially the entire outer surface of the process interface connection.
US08499970B2 Cosmetic container having an airless pump and enabling the quantity of content remaining in the container to be checked
The invention relates to a cosmetic container with an airless discharge pump, and, more specifically, relates to a cosmetic container with an airless discharge pump in which content amount remaining in the container or content exhaustion level can be confirmed without a separate operation before the content in the container has been completely exhausted and further the state when the content in the container has been completely exhausted can be clearly indicated. To this end, with this cosmetic container, the content exhaustion level is indicated based on changes in projection definition with which the indicator is projected to the transparent window when the transparent compression disk approaches the indicator.
US08499967B2 Methods and apparatus for dispensing solid articles
An apparatus for dispensing solid articles includes a housing and at least one vacuum source. The housing defines a hopper chamber to hold the articles and a dispensing channel fluidly connected to the hopper chamber. The dispensing channel has an inlet and an outlet defining a dispensing flow path therebetween. The vacuum source is adapted to provide a vacuum pressure and induce a gas flow in the housing. The apparatus is configured to generate a forward drive gas flow from the vacuum pressure and induced gas flow, and the forward drive gas flow conveys articles through the dispensing channel along the dispensing flow path in a direction from the inlet to the outlet to dispense the articles.
US08499966B2 Method of moving a delivery member of a dispensing device for administration of oral transmucosal dosage forms
A method of administering small, bioadhesive drug tablets includes moving an end portion of a delivery member. A surface of the delivery member can be positioned to prevent movement of the drug tablet from a tablet cartridge channel to a delivery passage of a delivery device when the end portion of the delivery member is in a first stopped position. The end portion of the delivery member can be moved to a second position within the delivery passage such that the tablet cartridge channel is in communication with the delivery passage. The drug tablet can be conveyed into the delivery passage via the tablet cartridge channel. The end portion of the delivery member can be moved to a third position within the delivery passage to convey the drug tablet through an exit opening of the delivery device.
US08499964B1 Snow collector device
A snow collector device for the collection and disposal of snow before the snow collects on a driveway, sidewalk, or parking lot, including a storage container having concave first and second walls to prevent the snow compaction against the storage container and having an internal cavity accessed through an open top end for receiving snow therein; an access door disposed on a front wall, an a strap pivotally attached to the front and rear walls; and magnets on the rear wall to secure the storage container to a vehicle exterior. A flag having an elongated post is vertically disposed on the top end perimeter at each corner thereof for high visibility. A large version is mounted to a pallet configured for lifting by a forklift to dispose of snow collected in the storage container.
US08499963B2 Culinary article having a corrosion-resistant and scratch-resistant non-stick coating
The present disclosure relates to a culinary article including a metal substrate having a concave inner face intended to be placed on a side in which food can be introduced into the article and a convex outer face intended to be placed facing a heat source. The inner face being coated in succession, starting from the substrate, with a hard enamel base, which is rough and contains no lead or cadmium, and then with a non-stick coating covering the hard layer. The present disclosure also relates to a method of manufacturing such an article.
US08499962B1 Rail car unloading catch pan system
A system for catching and containing a spill of a liquid from a rail tank car consisting of a series of catch pans attached end-to-end and placed between the rails of a railroad track is provided. The end walls of each catch pan are shorter than its side walls, with the catch pans located at either end of the series having an end wall extension attached to raise the height of the end wall to that of the side walls. A sealing gasket is placed between adjacent catch pans, and at least one opening extends through the end walls and the sealing gasket between adjacent catch pans. A drain is located in the bottom of at least one of the catch pans.
US08499961B1 Egg caddy system
An egg caddy system for holding eggs in an immobilized position featuring a base with a plurality of egg protrusions disposed in the top surface. The egg protrusions may be arranged in a linear fashion or in parallel sections or groups. A flange extends downwardly and perpendicularly from the bottom surface of the base and forms a T-shaped cross-section. The flange can be inserted between two surfaces such as countertops, sinks, and stoves.
US08499960B2 Integral container having concentric compartments for multiple distinct fluids
An integral storage apparatus for containing multiple distinct fluids is disclosed. The integral storage apparatus comprises an outer spherical structure having a plurality of vents, a plurality of spherical layers inside the outer spherical structure, a plurality of tubings designed to insert into the plurality of vents and a capping vent capped onto each of the plurality of tubings. The plurality of vents protrudes from the outer spherical structure and the plurality of tubings is radially arranged on the outer spherical structure. The plurality of spherical layers has a concentric arrangement inside the outer spherical structure and each of the plurality of spherical layers includes at least one opening for receiving the plurality of tubings. The integral storage apparatus is adaptable to store multiple fluids thereby providing iterations of multiple fluids stored within to a user at the same time.
US08499959B2 Packet with a closure for its outlet, e.g. for articles storage and dispensing
A packet including a closure having a base portion and a flap portion which is at least in use pivotable with respect to the base portion about a pivoting axis; and a face with a flap area corresponding to the flap portion.
US08499957B2 Rubber plug for a medical vial container
A rubber plug for a vial container containing medicinal chemicals according to the present invention can be smoothly conveyed by a part feeder while preventing each other's adhesion.The top surface of a discoid cap portion 1A has a Shore A hardness of 25-55 and a surface roughness Ra of 2.5-10.5 μm. Adherence of the top surface of the discoid cap portion 1A is reduced by synergy effect. The rubber plug 1 can be smoothly conveyed by a part feeder in an inverted position which turns the top surface of the discoid cap portion to the conveying surface.
US08499954B2 Packing mechanism
A packing mechanism includes a plurality of first connecting members connecting end to end to form a polygon; and a plurality of sidewalls mounted on the first connecting members. Each first connecting member includes a main body, and a fixing portion mounted on an end of the main body. The main body defines at least two latching portions and at least one connecting portion. Each sidewall includes a base body and at least one positioning portion formed at an end of the base body, and the positioning portion latches with the connecting portion of the corresponding first connecting member. The fixing portion engages with one of the latching portions of an adjacent first connecting member; such that a volume of the packing mechanism is adjustable by engaging the fixing portion with another one of the latching portions of the adjacent first connecting members.
US08499951B1 Bottle holder
The bottle holder is formed of a synthetic fiber rope, allowing various portions of the rope to be fused together by heat or solvent. The ends of the rope are melted and pressed together to form a relatively large endless loop. The facing portions of this loop are then partially melted and pressed together to form a single fused handgrip portion having loops extending from opposite ends thereof. One loop is preferably larger than the other, the larger loop being adapted to fit around the base of a beverage bottle and the smaller loop being adapted to fit about the bottleneck. The fused central or handgrip portion of this structure is then helically wound with a smaller diameter cord to form a handgrip, the ends of the cord being captured by the juncture of one of the rope loops and by a bight in the cord.
US08499947B2 Insulating container
The current invention relates to a thermal-insulating container (100) comprising a vessel (105) and a wrap (125) wherein the vessel comprises one or more protrusions (108) extending from a sidewall (115) wherein the wrap and the protrusions cooperate to form one or more void spaces (120) between the wrap and the sidewall.
US08499946B2 Expandable preformed liners
A preformed liner that expands when filled is provided. In one embodiment, the preformed liner includes a central section having a plurality of flutes that allow the liner to expand. In other embodiments, the preformed liner includes at least a central section that is made of an expandable or stretchable elastomeric material. In still other embodiments, the preformed liner includes a central section having a plurality of flutes and is made of an expandable or stretchable elastomeric material.
US08499945B2 Crane, in particular mobile crane with a narrow track and enlarged supporting base
A mobile crane includes an undercarriage with a middle section and two parallel crawler carriages; a superstructure on which a boom is mounted, the superstructure being connected to the undercarriage by a rotary joint; two longitudinal outriggers connected to the undercarriage and extending in the longitudinal direction between the crawler carriages; and two transverse outriggers connected to the undercarriage and extending outside the crawler carriages. One of the longitudinal outriggers has an end with a transverse beam supported by spaced apart outrigger cylinders which provide an extended tipping edge to further stabilize the crane.
US08499944B2 Baking stone rack
A rack for an appliance comprises a main section including a support frame having a front wire, rear wire, and opposed side wires. A plurality of intermediate wires are attached to the support frame and at least one cross member is provided across a portion of the intermediate wires. The rack also includes a recessed section defined by a portion of the intermediate wires and for removeably receiving a baking stone. In one example, the recessed section has a depth sufficient to accommodate a baking stone substantially completely therein. In addition or alternatively, an arrangement for supporting items within an appliance includes a rack having a main section and a recessed section, and a baking stone which can be received substantially completely within the recessed section of the rack.
US08499942B1 Reinforcement system for an extra-wide display shelf
A system and method of reinforcement of an extra-wide display shelf for a gravity-fed display system. The shelf includes a front rail, a rear rail and two side rails disposed between the front rail and the rear rail, a plurality of cross-rails extending from the front rail to the rear rail parallel to and between the side rails, and a plurality of horizontal rails disposed under the plurality of cross-rails. The reinforcement system includes a plurality of support rails disposed under and perpendicular to the plurality of horizontal rails, and a plurality of reinforcement rails disposed perpendicular to and under the plurality of support rails. The reinforcement system puts the surface of the shelf in tension or otherwise bends a center region of the surface of the shelf upward when unloaded (or when free of product) to offset downward deflection due to weight of product to be displayed.
US08499941B2 Gravity-fed retail display hook
A gravity-fed display hook for displaying retail merchandise. The gravity-fed display hook includes a metal wire having first and second bends. The metal wire includes a label-holding wire with a horizontal bar attached at one end, the horizontal bar configured to hold a product label. The metal wire includes a hang wire substantially parallel to the label-holding wire, and a bridge wire connecting the label-holding wire to the hang wire. In an embodiment, the bridge wire is substantially perpendicular to the label-holding and hang wires. A cross wire is attached to the bridge wire and has two bends that form upturned portions configured to fit into openings in a vertical support structure. In an embodiment, the label-holding and hang wires project outwardly from the vertical support structure. The cross wire is configured to position the label-holding and hang wires at a downward angle between 10 and 20 degrees from horizontal.
US08499937B2 Suspension packaging system
A suspension packaging system can include a foldable member configured to form a cavity as well as a suspension device for suspending an article to be packaged within the cavity. The suspension portion can include foldable portions configured to cooperate with a retention member having pockets. The foldable portions can fit into the pockets and then be folded so as to generate tension in the retention member. The entire device, with the exception of the retention member, can be made from a single piece of material, such as corrugated cardboard, which thus reduces waste and simplifies bulk distribution of such a suspension packaging system.
US08499934B2 Package structure with a flat display unit packed therein and package structure for packing a flat display unit
There is provided a package structure for packing a flat display unit which improves workability in taking a flat display unit out of a packing box. A lower cushioning material which supports a display portion of the flat display unit from below has a manual insertion portion so that the display portion can be held at a portion close to a lifting person's body when the display portion is taken out of a lower part of the packing box. A reinforcing rib is provided on a front side of the lower cushioning material to prevent damage to the lower cushioning material due to a reduction in strength. To prevent the lower cushioning material from being taken out together with the display portion when the display portion is taken out, a recess is provided in the lower cushioning material so that the recess is caught on a bending portion in the lower part when the display portion is taken out.
US08499933B2 Compartmentalized protective case for portable handheld electronic devices
A compartmentalized protective case houses a portable electronic device and personal care items that are organized and held securely therewithin. The compartmentalized protective case has a major compartment for receiving and housing an electronic device such as a smart phone, cellular phone, music player, or other digital media device. At least one cell compartment constructed within the case receives and houses personal care items removably integrated therein. Personal care items include a plurality of interchangeable replacement cells containing beauty items, cosmetics, hygienic items, oral care products such as floss or breath strips, medications, vitamins, breathe fresheners and/or health care products. A second cell compartment is preferably provided as a removable pouch or restraining system for holding identification cards, currency, visa or bank cards, and/or keys.
US08499921B1 Adjustable guide rail assemblies
An adjustable guide rail assembly for a conveyor system includes an adjustable guide member having a face extending between opposite sides, a large radius face segment and a small radius face segment. The large radius face segment and the small radius face segment extend widthwise between the opposite sides of the adjustable guide member and each define an arcuate guide path for a three dimensional article. A radius of the arcuate guide path changes by rotating the adjustable guide member from a large article configuration where the large radius face segment having a larger radius defines the arcuate guide path to a small article configuration where the small radius face segment having a smaller radius defines the arcuate guide path.
US08499920B2 Conveyor device
In a conveyor device including a branch path, the number of articles sorted to the branch path is counted accurately. The conveyor device conveys a plurality of articles and includes a main conveyor, a first branch path, a first detector, a second detector, a detection information processing section, and a charging conveyor. The first branch path branches from the main conveyor at a first branch point. The first detector and the second detector are arranged upstream and downstream, respectively, of the branch point along a conveyance direction and are arranged to detect articles on the main conveyor. The detection information processing section is configured to calculate the number of articles sorted to the first branch path based on a difference between the number of articles detected by the first detector and the number of articles detected by the second detector.
US08499919B2 Machine for the production of pharmaceutical products
A machine for the preparation of pharmaceutical products has a pocket conveyor, mobile along a loop-shaped path and provided with a plurality of pockets, each adapted to receive and withhold a respective container, and a transfer device for transferring the containers with a rectilinear motion between the respective pockets and at least one operating station for executing an operation on the containers themselves.
US08499916B2 Rotational coupling device with flux leakage path insulator
A rotational coupling device is provided that minimizes flux leakage from a magnetic circuit that engages the device. The device includes a rotor and an armature defining opposed engagement surfaces. The rotor, the armature and a field shell disposed on one side of the rotor and housing an electrical conductor comprise members of a magnetic circuit that, upon energization of the conductor, draws the armature into engagement with the rotor. A torque transmission member is coupled to the armature and supported by a bearing. In one embodiment a sleeve is disposed radially inwardly of the bearing. To prevent flux leakage through the torque transmission member, the sleeve has a magnetic permeability that is lower than a magnetic permeability of the members of the magnetic circuit. In another embodiment, a support cup of the torque transmission member has a radially outwardly turned flange to distance the cup from the rotor.
US08499915B2 Quick disconnect coupling
A quick disconnect coupling including a first hub, a shaft fixedly connected to the first hub, the shaft being non-round in cross-section, and a second hub having a non-round recess extending therethrough, the non-round recess being sized to closely receive the shaft such that the second hub is capable of sliding along the shaft and is prevented from rotating about the shaft, wherein rotation of the first hub results in corresponding rotation of the second hub.
US08499912B2 Torque converter with lock-up clutch
A torque converter for an automatic transmission includes a first fluid flow path for supplying a fluid to a pump cavity, a second fluid flow path for removing the fluid from the pump cavity, and a third fluid flow path for supplying a hydraulic signal to a lock-up clutch. The third fluid flow path is separate and distinct from the first fluid flow path and the second fluid flow path. A sleeve divides a stepped axial bore in the turbine output shaft into an inner stepped axial bore cavity, which is part of the third fluid flow path, and an outer stepped axial bore cavity, which is part of the first fluid flow path. The torque converter further includes an isolator assembly having a twenty degree rotational travel dampening distance.
US08499908B2 Non-newtonian fluid (NNF) filled cable and method
A composite cable and method provides for control of the cable, and particularly its vibration modes, in response to a wide range of resonant and non-resonant energy input. The cable comprises a non-Newtonian fluid (NNF) in a cavity of a flexible tube. The NNF is characterized by viscosity that varies with shear stress. A load applies shear stress to the NNF changing its viscosity to dampen motion of the cable. The cable may comprise inner and outer tubes that are separated by a NNF. The inner tube may be filled with the same or different NNF, a Newtonian fluid or void. A magnetic field magnetic field may be applied to further control the viscosity of the NNF. The magnetic field may be controlled in response to a sensed condition of the cable indicative of shear stress in the NNF to provide either positive or negative feedback.
US08499898B2 Braking system for a stroller
A braking system for a stroller includes: a brake pedal positioned near a first rear wheel of the stroller; a braking cam operationally coupled to the brake pedal and rotatable around a pivot point from a first position to a second position; and a brake lever having a first end configured to contact the braking cam when the braking cam is in the second position, and a second end having a plurality of teeth configured to engage at least one gear driven by the first rear wheel of the stroller when the braking cam is in the second position. A depression of the brake pedal causes the braking cam to rotate around the pivot point from the first position to the second position, thereby causing the teeth of the brake lever to engage the at least one gear to prevent rotation of the first rear wheel.
US08499894B2 Lubrication structure for multi-speed transmission
A lubrication structure for a multi-speed transmission has a lubrication structure in which a gear shaft is provided with cam guide grooves in an inner cavity thereof. A lubricating oil is introduced into the inner cavity by way of oil feed introducing holes which are bored in one end portion of the gear shaft so as to provide communication between the inside and the outside of the gear shaft. The lubricating oil is led in the axial direction along the inner peripheral surface of the inner cavity by axial oil feed grooves formed by cutting along the inner peripheral surface of the inner cavity in parallel to the cam guide grooves. The lubricating oil is led out to the engagement switch-over mechanism by radial oil feed holes bored in radial directions so as to communicate with the axial oil feed grooves at axial-direction positions where pin members are located.
US08499893B2 Oil scavenge system having churning damper for gas turbine engines
An oil scavenge system of a gas turbine engine in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, comprises a housing defined about an axis of rotation, the housing confining an air/oil mixture in motion within the housing and defining an oil scavenge area below the axis of rotation. The housing further includes an outlet at a low location of the housing. A churning damper is supported within the housing and is located in the oil scavenge area. The churning damper includes at least one plate, allowing the air/oil mixture in motion to pass over or through the plate only in a peripheral area of the at least one plate to cause flow energy dissipation.
US08499890B2 Personal escape device
A personal escape device which can be used by men, women, and children, including physically disabled persons, to descend in a controlled and secure manner from high structures such as office buildings, multistory homes, and the like. The device is designed for a relatively low-cost, small size which may be used by payloads of variable weights. The rescue device of the invention may be a single-use device or a multi-use device.
US08499888B2 Rack attachable to scaffolding
One or more rack modules may be semi-permanently attached to a deck to provide storage for material. Each rack module comprises a top horizontal member which may be adjusted in length to accommodate decks with different widths. A vertical member is attached to the top horizontal member; one or more horizontal arms extend out from the vertical member. One or more of the horizontal arms may be adjustable in length. Material may be stored on an arm or arms of a single rack module or may be disposed across multiple such arms, including across multiple such arms of multiple rack modules.
US08499885B1 Motor drive apparatus
A power transducer failure detection device detects a failure on a power transducer, making a power transducer control device stop driving the power transducer. A first switching control device turns off a first power supply relay of a power supply source switching device and turns on a second power supply relay of the power supply source switching device. While the power transducer stops driving, a motor may rotate due to an external force to generate a regenerative voltage. The regenerative voltage is then regenerated in a battery through a route from the power transducer via the second power supply relay being turned on and a parasitic diode of the first power supply relay. This can protect elements such as switching elements and a smoothing capacitor of the power transducer against a regenerative voltage and prevent the elements from being destroyed or reducing the useful life due to overvoltage.
US08499884B2 Ring-mount joint
A ring-mount joint between two vehicle units of an articulated bus, with the joint comprising two cantilevers, wherein each cantilever is arranged on one of the vehicle units, with each cantilever comprising a slewing ring, wherein the two slewing rings of the cantilever are mounted in each other so that they can be pivoted, wherein a damping device is provided for damping the rotational motion of the two cantilever relative to each other, wherein in the space enclosed by the inner slewing ring, there is arranged an annular chamber damper, wherein the annular chamber damper comprises two inter-mounted housing parts that are rotatable relative to each other, wherein the one housing part is in connection with the one cantilever and the other housing part is in connection with the other cantilever.
US08499881B2 Vehicle
An upper pipe 55 includes a single front pipe portion 68, a branch portion 69 bifurcated from the rear end of the front pipe portion 68, and two left and right rear pipe portions 71L, 71R extending vehicle-rearward from the branch portion 69. A cylinder head cover 58 is located between the two left and right rear pipe portions 71L, 71R as viewed from above. Therefore, the cylinder head cover 58 can be accessed from above and removed from a cylinder head, whereby a valve train chamber can be inspected and maintained.
US08499877B1 Suspension architecture for a snowmobile
A rear suspension architecture is provided for coupled rear suspension systems.
US08499876B2 Snowmobile having front tracks with brakes
A central endless drive track is disposed below the seat of a snowmobile. At least two left wheels are operatively connected to a left track frame disposed forwardly of the seat. A left track engages the left wheels. A left brake is connected to the left track frame and selectively engages one of a first left wheel and the left track to brake the left track. At least two right wheels are operatively connected to a right track frame disposed forwardly of the seat. A right track is disposed around the right wheels. A right brake is connected to the right track frame and selectively engages one of a first right wheel and the right track to brake the right track. A brake lever causes the left and right brakes to brake the left and right tracks respectively.
US08499875B2 Energy storage system for a hybrid vehicle
An energy storage system, for a hybrid vehicle including an internal combustion engine having an output shaft and a transmission operably coupled to the output shaft, includes a reservoir containing working fluid, a reversible pump/motor in fluid communication with the reservoir, a first clutch selectively drivably coupling the output shaft of the engine and the reversible pump/motor, a second clutch selectively drivably coupling an output shaft of the transmission and the reversible pump/motor, and an accumulator containing working fluid and gas. The accumulator is in fluid communication with the reversible pump/motor to deliver pressurized working fluid to the reversible pump/motor when operating as a motor to drive one of the respective output shafts of the engine and the transmission, and to receive pressurized working fluid discharged by the reversible pump/motor when operating as a pump driven by the one of the respective output shafts of the engine and the transmission.
US08499873B2 Motor device mounted on mobile body and mobile body having the motor device mounted thereon
In a motor device 300 mounted on a mobile body, a pressurizing mechanism for increasing the pressure in a motor chamber 14 in which a motor is installed has a compressor 30, which is driven to rotate by an engine 20 serving as driving means for driving the mobile body, to produce compressed air for motor chamber pressurization, and the compressed air coming from the compressor 30 is fed into the motor chamber 14 through a pipe 72 almost constantly while the engine 20 is being driven.
US08499872B2 Steering device for a self-propelled construction or utility machine and construction and utility machine having such a steering device
The present invention relates to a steering device for a self-propelled construction or utility machine. The construction or utility machine includes a cab having a carriage, which is adjustable transversely to the travel direction, on which operating and/or actuating elements and at least one steering wheel for steering the construction or utility machine are situated. The steering wheel is coupled via a steering drive shaft, which is mounted on the adjustable carriage, and is carried along upon adjustment, to a steering output shaft, which is situated fixed in place on the construction or utility machine and runs transversely to the steering drive shaft. The steering movements applied to the steering wheel are transmitted by means of a direction change gearing, which is also mounted on the carriage, from the steering drive shaft to the transversely running steering output shaft, the direction change gearing also being carried along upon adjustment of the carriage and being situated so it is axially displaceable to the steering output shaft.
US08499867B2 Control method of a hybrid drive assembly for vehicles and a hybrid drive assembly using said method
The present invention relates to a management method of the functioning mode of a hybrid drive assembly for vehicles, in particular scooters, and a hybrid drive assembly, comprising at least one internal combustion engine and an electric machine, using the method. The method according to the invention comprises the phases of determining a desired torque and a vehicle state on the basis of a set of received input parameters and/or commands and is characterized in that it comprises the phases of operating the internal combustion engine so that it does not provide torque and operating the electric machine so that it functions as generator for charging an accumulator.
US08499856B2 Small core generation and analysis at-bit as LWD tool
The present disclosure is related to an apparatus for taking a sample in a wellbore during drilling operations. The apparatus may include a drill bit configured to form a core and at least one retractable cutter internal to the drill bit for taking the sample from the core. The apparatus may also include equipment for analyzing the sample, extracting fluid from the sample, testing fluid from the sample, encapsulating the sample, and/or tagging the sample. The present disclosure is also related to a method for taking a core sample without interrupting drilling operations. The method includes taking a core sample using a drill bit configured to take a core sample using internal cutters. The method may also include analyzing the sample, extracting fluid from the sample, analyzing fluid from the sample, encapsulating the sample, and/or tagging the sample.
US08499855B2 Devices and methods for horizontal directional drilling with a boring tool library
Various embodiments are directed to a method and apparatus for horizontal directional drilling with a tool library. Various methods include storing a plurality of operational tool profiles in memory, the operational tool profiles of the plurality respectively associated with a plurality of boring tools attachable to a drill string for HHD and each of the operational tool profiles of the plurality including operating parameters for the boring tool of the plurality with which the operational profile is associated, and selectively displaying the operational tool profiles on a display screen based on user input.
US08499849B2 Roller cleaning assembly
A roller cleaning assembly for a grass processing apparatus, such as a grass or turf roller, has a roller housing releasably mountable in a hollow cavity in the body of a smoothing head, where the smoothing head contains idler or smoothing rollers. A pair of roller brushes is rotatably journalled in the roller housing, and are driven by the idler or smoothing rollers via friction drive rollers. Each brush roller has at least one spiral brush and/or spiral wiper blade to clean the external surfaces of the adjacent idler or smoothing rollers and deposits the clippings or other waste in collector sections in the roller housing.
US08499846B2 Fire extinguishing device
The present invention provides a fire extinguishing device including an upright standing hollow body. An air compressor pump is connected to the hollow body for providing pressurized air to the hollow body. At least one heat activated fluid release valve is connected to the hollow body. The present invention further provides a method of configuring a tree display.
US08499845B2 Method and device for controlling a fire-extinguishing system of the high-pressure gas type
The invention relates to a fire-extinguishing system of the high-pressure gas type, in which the gaseous extinguishing agent is stored under high pressure in at least one high-pressure gas bottle (1). The bottle valve operates, with interposition of a container attachment for the extinguishing gas, as a pressure-controlled, reducing and self-regulating control valve (3). By means of a predetermined control pressure which corresponds to the pressure in the extinguishing line system (2), the pressure of the extinguishing gas is reduced from, for example, 150 to 300 bar within the control valve to, for example, 60 bar. This makes it possible to dispense with all the high-pressure components used to date between the bottle valve and the extinguishing line system. Furthermore, a computational software is no longer required.
US08499844B2 Expandable packer
Methods and apparatus include tubing expanded to create a seal in an annulus surrounding the tubing. The tubing includes a sealing material selected to cause forming of undulations in a diameter of the tubing upon expansion of the tubing. Various factors of the sealing material such as deviations in its thickness influence sealing performance of the tubing with the sealing material.
US08499843B2 System and method to seal using a swellable material
The invention is a sealing system, such as a packer, that is used in a wellbore to seal against an exterior surface, such as a casing or open wellbore. The sealing system includes a swellable material that swells from an unexpanded state to an expanded state thereby creating a seal when the swellable material comes into contact with a triggering fluid.
US08499842B2 Dual barrier plug system for a wellhead
A dual barrier plug system includes a frac spool, having a dual barrier plug disposed within the interior of the frac spool; a valve selector member disposed within the interior of the dual barrier plug; and the plurality of seals are used to seal fluid flow from below the frac spool, and the seals provide two barriers to each fluid flow.
US08499841B2 Frac sleeve with rotational inner diameter opening
The present application is to a method of sequentially drilling a number of frac sleeves in a down hole well. The design enables the removal of fracture sleeve pistons from between treatment zones without requiring drilling or milling of the sleeve while allowing for full flow of fluids after treatment. A number of plugs or pistons having sequentially smaller central bores allows for balls to sequentially be inserted through the tool to selectively close off the pistons to isolate one zone from another. A release tool may inserted into the tool to engage and unthread the plugs to open up the inner diameter of the tool to allow greater production flow through the tool. The plugs may have mating tabs and holes so that as each plug is unthreaded it falls to the next plug and engages so that each plug may sequentially be unthreaded from the sleeve.
US08499837B2 Nanoparticle-densified Newtonian fluids for use as cementation spacer fluids and completion spacer fluids in oil and gas wells
Cement spacer fluids may be densified for use in conjunction with drilling fluids and cement slurries for cementing operations involving oil and gas wells, wherein such densifying is done via the addition of nanoparticles to the spacer fluid. The disclosure is directed to analogous methods of densifying completion spacer fluids using added nanoparticles and to systems for implementing the use of such nanoparticle-containing compositions in well cementing operations.
US08499831B2 Mud cake probe extension apparatus and method
In a formation pressure tester tool, an elongated filter piston possibly having a tapered or sharp edge configured to penetrate mud cake while the probe is being set. At the end of the setting sequence, the filter piston is retracted, thus opening a flowpath from the formation, through the mudcake, to the probe.
US08499825B2 Method for manufacturing heat transfer member, power module, vehicle inverter, and vehicle
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a heat transfer member which method allows peel-off and cracking possibly caused by thermal expansion to be inhibited. That is, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a heat transfer member 10, the method at least including a step of forming metal powder into a coating film 12 on a surface of a base material 11 by spraying the metal powder in a solid state onto the surface of the base material 11 together with compressed gas. In the film forming step, a spraying pressure at which the metal powder is sprayed onto the surface of the base material 11 is set so that the coating film 12 has a porous structure.
US08499824B2 Heat sink
A heat sink assembly comprises a base having one or more slots, and further comprises one or more fins, each having an end configured for insertion into a respective one of the slots. Each fin end has a first surface that is configured for conformally engaging a first slot sidewall for good thermal conduction from the base into the fin, and has a second surface configured for cold welding to a second slot sidewall for good mechanical fastening of the fin to the base. The combined thermal bonding and cold-welding engagement are produced by pressing the fin ends of the fins into the base slots at a controlled pressing rate. Further, leading and/or trailing edges of the fins may be beveled to improve airflow directed edgewise across the fins.
US08499815B2 Louver turning mechanism and hollow glass doors or windows with built-in magnetically controllable louver
A louver turning mechanism and a hollow glass door or window with a built-in magnetically controllable louver, comprising a turn traction member, a turn transmission member and a slat turning member which are connected in turn, wherein the turn transmission member comprises a slat turning wheel and a joint interlocking mechanism which are used in cooperation, the joint interlocking mechanism is, at one end thereof, eccentrically fixedly connected to the slat turning wheel to drive it to rotate, and, at the other end thereof, connected to the turn traction member through a connecting push rod; the slat turning wheel is coaxially fixedly connected to a horizontal rotation shaft of the slat turning member is provided.
US08499814B2 Chain locking device for window blind chain
The invention is a chain locking mount for mounting the roller chain portion of a roller blind to a support surface such as a wall or window frame. The mount is configured to prevent the chain from being operated when the mount loosens from the support surface. The mount includes a housing with an aperture formed therein which is dimensioned to permit the roller chain to pass through the aperture. The mount further includes a lock member mounted adjacent the aperture, the lock member being movable between a locked position wherein the chain is prevented from moving through the aperture and an open position wherein the chain is free to move through the aperture. The mount is secured to the surface by a screw, the screw being coupled to the lock mechanism to retain the lock member in its open position when the screw is tightened to the surface. The lock member is biased towards its locked position so that the lock member moves towards its locked position when the screw is loosened from the surface.
US08499808B2 Vehicle tire
A tire comprising a carcass-type reinforcement structure formed from reinforcing elements anchored on each side of the tire to a bead, the base of which is intended to be mounted on a rim seat, each bead being extended radially outwards by a sidewall, the sidewalls joining, radially outwards, a tread and having, beneath the tread, a crown reinforcement structure consisting of at least two layers of reinforcing elements called working layers, said reinforcing elements of the working layers being of identical nature. In a given circumferential plane, the extensional stiffness per unit width of a first working layer measured along the principal direction of the reinforcing elements of said first layer is strictly higher than the extensional stiffness per unit width of a second working layer measured along the principal direction of the reinforcing elements of said second working layer, the second working layer being radially further away from the carcass structure than said first working layer.
US08499804B2 Cable lock bag
A bag includes a body portion defining a pouch having an open end and a strengthening rib. A strap of the bag has a first end connected to the body portion adjacent a first side of the open end, and a locking mechanism is connected to the body portion adjacent a second side of the open end. The locking mechanism is arranged to releasably engage a second end of the strap such that the bag can be connected to immovable objects to prevent theft of the bag. Further, a closing mechanism is disposed on the body portion and arranged to close the open end. The closing mechanism has a moveable head that is arranged to engage the second end of the strap when the strap is engaged with the locking mechanism, such that unauthorized access to the contents of the open end is prevented when the bag is locked.
US08499802B2 Fuel pump nozzle with manually operated switch lever and hold-open aid
A fuel pump nozzle for delivering fuel, with a manually operated switch lever which is movable between a closed position, in which there is no delivery of fuel, and an open position, in which fuel is delivered, wherein the switch lever is biased by a restoring spring in the direction of the closed position and automatically returns to the closed position when the manual force applied declines, wherein the pump nozzle is provided with a hold-open aid which reduces the force required to hold the switch lever in a particular open position compared to the forces required to hold the switch lever open in other open positions.
US08499799B2 Flexible pipe with in-built end pieces
This flexible pipe comprises a versatile and flexible tubular body (PP) which comprises, from the outside toward the inside, a pressure arch (1b-1c) with filaments (10) submerged in a layer of elastomer and wound in a helix with an angle of 54.7° in relation to the profile plates and an attached sealing layer (1a), as well as a pair of rigid end connector tips (EC) which comprises two coaxial cylindrical sleeves, an inner one (2) in which the sealing layer (1a) is fitted and held, and an outer one (7) which extends axially from the body side (PP) beyond the inner sleeve (2) while surrounding the transitional area, with variable diameter, of the pressure arch; the connector end is provided with a pair of flexible annular support elements (5, 6) with variable profile, arranged at this transitional area and inserted between the sealing layer (1a) and the pressure arch (1b-1c), and between the pressure arch (1b-1c) and the flange (7), respectively, avoiding shearing of the filaments upon inflation.A pipe of this type is intended in particular for the oil industry, for the transport of liquids or gases.
US08499796B1 Pipeline pressure stabilization apparatus and method
A pressure stabilizer for mediating changes in pressure within a pipeline is provided. The pressure stabilizer incorporates a plurality of perforations about a central pipeline and a circumferential enclosure about the perforations. This structure allows excess fluid to flow from the central pipeline into the space provided between the central pipeline and the circumferential enclosure. As the pressure increases within the overflow space, the medium applies a pressure to an elastomeric membrane, which in turn transfers the pressure to a plurality of dampening materials. The elastomeric membrane can be filled with a porous material providing a smoother transition within the pressure dampening process. The elastomeric membrane and respective dampening materials can be placed within the circumferential enclosure assembled about the central pipeline or utilized with a pressure-stabilizing chamber.
US08499792B2 Activatable nanoparticle composite valve
Compositions, systems and methods for using a nanoparticle composite to act as a valve within a microfluidic conduit to regulate fluid flow therethrough are provided. The nanoparticle composite includes a core having magnetic particles and Au particles and includes a hydrogel coating surrounding the core. The size of the nanoparticle composite is controlled by causing the hydrogel coating to lose water or absorb water, thus decreasing or increasing the size of the nanoparticle composite within the microfluidic conduit.
US08499791B2 Quick coupler
A quick coupler has a coolant supplier seat and a transmission seat that can be optionally connected or disconnected. When the coolant supplier seat is connected to the transmission seat, the coolant can flow automatically from the coolant supplier seat to the transmission seat, so as to cool down electronic components inside a rack. When the coolant supplier seat is disconnected from the transmission seat, the coolant instantly stops flowing into the transmission seat. Because of the quick coupler, the rack installed inside a narrow space is convenient to set up or disassemble.
US08499790B2 Adjustable coolant quick coupler
An adjustable coolant quick coupler has a coolant supplier seat and a transmission seat that can be optionally connected or disconnected. The coolant supplier seat has a regulator assembly. The regulator assembly is able to adjust quantity of flow-in coolant and quantity of flow-out coolant. When the coolant supplier seat is connected to the transmission seat, the coolant can flow automatically from the coolant supplier seat to the transmission seat, so as to cool down electronic components inside a rack. When the coolant supplier seat is disconnected from the transmission seat, the coolant instantly stops flowing into the transmission seat. Because of the quick coupler, the rack installed inside a narrow space is convenient to set up or disassemble. Furthermore, by adjusting the quantity of flow-in coolant and the quantity of flow-out coolant, the electronic components can have a better effect of heat-dissipation.
US08499788B2 Dry air fuel vent breather
A dry air fuel vent breather to remove the moisture from air entering a fuel system is provided. When air flows in to the breather from the outside, it is forced through a desiccant cartridge. When air is exhausted from the system, it bypasses the desiccant cartridge.
US08499787B2 Pressure control valve
A pressure control valve has a non-uniformly tapered valve bore that has an increasing diameter as it extends downstream. An interface angle, defined in part between a valve ball and the valve bore in the area of the smallest gap between them, increases as the valve ball is increasingly displaced away from a valve seat of the valve bore.
US08499783B2 Gate valve with seals
A gate valve for mounting in a pipeline comprises a valve body and a gate mounted in the valve body so as to be movable between an open position, and a closed position where a valve opening formed in the valve body is closed by the gate. The gate comprises two opposed faces spaced from the transverse plane of the gate, at least one face being provided with at least two seals that each extend around the face one seal being located within the periphery of the other such that both seals, when the gate is in the closed position, seal against a seat of the valve body to seal against the pressure of fluid acting on the gate in use. In one embodiment, a gate has four seals in total, two on the upstream gate face and two on the downstream gate face.
US08499782B2 Fluid delivery system
A fluid delivery system for delivering at least one service fluid to at least one construction type equipment. The fluid delivery system includes a modular body including a main platform with a variety of different sizes of fluid vessels and at least one pump associated therewith. The fluid delivery system further includes hoses to facilitate the transfer of the fluids to construction equipment and hoses to facilitate the transfer of used fluids from construction equipment. A containment component is integrally formed with the modular body so as to provide the retaining of the fluid reservoirs during transit. An optional additional platform containing additional fluid vessels is capable of being attached to the front portion of the main platform, thereby increasing the total fluid storage capacity.
US08499780B2 Cassette system integrated apparatus
A cassette integrated system. The cassette integrated system includes a mixing cassette, a balancing cassette, a middle cassette fluidly connected to the mixing cassette and the balancing cassette and at least one pod. The mixing cassette is fluidly connected to the middle cassette by at least one fluid line and the middle cassette is fluidly connected to the balancing cassette by at least one fluid line. The at least one pod is connected to at least two of the cassettes wherein the pod is located in an area between the cassettes.
US08499778B2 Tent and control device of tent connecting rod
A tent is safely unfolded or folded when used and requires less time to unfold or fold and can be pitched automatically as well as manually to solve the problems of the prior art. In the tent, a worm gear and worm wheels are combined and tent connecting rods are attached to the worm wheels, respectively, so that when the worm wheels are moved, the tent connecting rods are moved to fold or unfold the tent. The worm wheel can be manually moved within the tent or the worm wheel can be automatically operated by providing a motor controlled through a remove controller so that the tent connecting rods can be unfolded or folded. In the tent, a central cavity part of a worm wheel body may be used as an air vent, and used as a passage for a smoke outlet from a heater in the winter.
US08499776B2 Stick
A stick that is excellent in shock absorption and is also excellent in stability is provided.A stick body is provided with a telescopic extension pipe formed by fitting an outer tube and an inner tube together in a nesting manner. Inside the extension pipe, a velocity-dependent damper that damps the relative sliding movement between the outer tube and the inner tube, and a compression coil spring that concentrically fits onto the damper and urges the extension pipe so as to be extended are connected in parallel. According to such a stick, the shock transmitted to the hand can be mitigated as the compression coil spring contracts upon landing. Also, since the damper suppresses unwanted vibration of the extension pipe, the length of the stick quickly becomes stable after landing, allowing the user to keep stable balance with the stick.
US08499771B1 Fingernail polish protector
The fingernail polish protector includes an adjustable ring portion along with a ventilated protective shield which snaps into the adjustable ring portion. The adjustable ring portion is designed to fit over the distal end of the finger of a wearer whose fingernail has been recently polished such that the ventilated protective portion overlies the fingernail thereby protecting the polish from being damaged while it dries and cures. Ventilation openings allow airflow and can be formed to be both functional and decorative. A positive stop prevents the ventilated protective shield from tilting downward onto a wet nail, while downward curved sides of the shield limit side-to-side movement which also helps prevent damaging newly polished fingernails. A plastic injection molding process allows the two interlocking portions to be formed in various sizes and colors.
US08499763B2 Connector for coupling a tracheal tube to an auxiliary device
Various embodiments of a connector assembly are provided to removably couple a proximal end of a tracheal tube to components associated with a ventilator or an anesthesiology machine. The disclosed embodiments include a compression fitting, which creates an airtight seal between walls of the tracheal tube and components of the compression fitting, thus allowing air to flow to and from a patient.
US08499758B2 Inhalation device
The present invention relates to an inhalation-activatable device for administration of medicament in powder form to the respiratory system of a patient.
US08499757B2 Dry powder inhaler and system for drug delivery
A breath-powered, dry powder inhaler, a cartridge, and a pulmonary drug delivery system are provided. The dry powder inhaler can be provided with or without a unit dose cartridge for using with the inhaler. The inhaler and/or cartridge can be provided with a drug delivery formulation comprising, for example, a diketopiperazine and an active ingredient, including, peptides and proteins such as insulin and glucagon-like peptide 1 for the treatment of diabetes and/or obesity. The dry powder inhaler is compact; can be provided in various shapes and sizes, colors, and comprises a housing, a mouthpiece, a cartridge placement area, and a mechanism for opening and closing the medicament cartridge. The device is easy to manufacture, provides a pre-metered single unit dose, it is relatively easy to use, and can be reusable or disposable.
US08499755B2 Mobile kitchen
A mobile kitchen comprises a housing disposed atop one or more wheel axles and a plurality of appliances disposed within the housing. Each appliance is heated by combustion of a distillate fuel. One or more air channels are disposed about each of the appliances, such that each air channel substantially isolates excess heat from combustion of the distillate fuel from a workspace within the housing. One or more first air blowers are associated with the air channels, and each is adapted to force air through the air channels and vent the excess heat to the exterior of the housing. One or more second air blowers are coupled to the housing, and each second air blower is adapted to vent a predetermined volume of air from within the workspace at least once per minute.
US08499754B2 Arrow securing devices and quivers and methods of use thereof
Arrow securing devices and quivers along with various methods of using and making the same are disclosed herein. An exemplary arrow securing device typically includes a cord, one or two nock coupling end. Additionally, the exemplary arrow securing device typically includes a locking mechanism and a one of an anchor point and an anchor member operatively coupled to the cord. Each nock coupling end is typically located proximal an end of the cord. The locking mechanism can be connected to the cord and is releasably lockable. The one of the anchor point and the anchor member is adapted to couple the cord to a portion of a quiver. Arrow securing devices having the locking mechanism or the one of an anchor point and an anchor member, such as a hooking mechanism, can be attached to various portions of a quiver.
US08499751B2 Internal combustion engine ignition coil device
An ignition coil device according to the present invention is provided with a primary coil to which a primary current is applied; a secondary coil that is magnetically coupled with the primary coil and generates an ignition voltage when the primary current is cut off, so as to produce a spark discharge between a pair of electrodes of an ignition plug; a noise suppression element electrically connected between the secondary coil and one of the electrodes of the ignition plug; and a case made of an insulating material having a noise suppression element containing unit. The device is characterized by including ribs disposed in the noise suppression element containing unit and arranged in such a way as to face the outer circumferential surface of the noise suppression element and a resin insulating material that is filled into the containing unit and makes contact with the ribs and the noise suppression element.
US08499750B2 Oil mist separator for internal combustion engine
An oil mist separator (100) for an internal combustion engine that separates an oil component in a gas, which is introduced from a crankcase of the internal combustion engine, from the gas, includes a porous filter (150) that separates, from the gas, the oil component in the gas, the porous filter (150) being provided in a passage, through which the gas passes, and being coated with a counteragent for neutralizing an acid substance.
US08499749B2 Aerosol separator; components; and, methods
Arrangements for use in crankcase ventilation are described and shown. Included are serviceable crankcase ventilation filter cartridges which include a media pack axial drain arrangement, for preferred, efficient, operation. A crankcase ventilation filter arrangements including a housing and such a serviceable cartridge is shown. Also shown and described are methods of assembly, operation and use.
US08499743B2 Skip fire engine control
A variety of skip fire engine controllers and control techniques are described. In some preferred embodiments, a skip fire engine controller is provided that includes a firing fraction calculator, an engine settings controller, a firing fraction adjuster and a firing controller. The firing fraction calculator determines a reference firing fraction indicative of a firing fraction suitable for delivering a desired engine output at a reference working chamber firing output. The engine settings controller is arranged to set selected engine settings. The firing fraction adjuster determines an adjusted firing fraction that scales the reference firing fraction appropriately such that the engine will deliver the desired engine output at the current engine settings even when the actual working chamber firing outputs do not equal the reference working chamber firing output. The firing controller direct workings chamber firings in a skip fire manner that delivers the adjusted firing fraction.
US08499742B2 Valve train of internal combustion engine
A valve train of an internal combustion engine having a swing of a link mechanism that is stabilized to stabilize the operating characteristics of an engine valve. A camshaft is provided together with a valve operating cam pivotally supported by the camshaft so as to operatively open and close an engine valve. A link mechanism allows a drive cam rotated integrally with the camshaft to swing the valve operating cam, and a drive mechanism swings the link mechanism, wherein opening and closing of the engine valve are started in a buffer section of the valve operating cam, and opening/closing timing of the engine valve is controlled by the drive mechanism swinging the valve operating cam via the link mechanism, without the provision of a buffer transition section and a buffer constant-speed section encountered at the time of transiting from a base circle to a cam lobe of the drive cam.
US08499741B2 Throttle control device
A throttle control device includes a throttle body having at least three air-intake passages aligned in line as being opened and closed respectively by a throttle valve, plural motors including a first motor which commonly operates the throttle valves placed at bilateral end sides among the throttle valves aligned in line and a second motor which operates a throttle valve placed at the inner side between the throttle valves at the bilateral end sides, and a transmitting portion which transmits operational force of the first motor to a first throttle shaft fixed to one throttle valve of the throttle valves at the bilateral end sides and to a second throttle shaft fixed to the other throttle valve thereof so as to rotate the first throttle shaft and the second throttle shaft in synchronization with each other.
US08499730B2 Two cycle engine and two cycle engine tool
The invention provides a two cycle engine which effectively suppresses an intrusion of a combustion gas into a crank chamber. Further, the invention provides a two cycle engine tool provided with the two cycle engine mentioned above. An engine is provided with a cylinder having two scavenge air ports at different positions in a cylinder circumference direction, and scavenge air inflow ports communicating individually with these two scavenge air ports via a scavenge air passage, and a piston in which two scavenge air communication ports are formed at positions corresponding to the scavenge air inflow ports, and is structured to swirl the gas flowing into the piston from the cylinder through the scavenge air passage, in an upper portion of the internal space of the piston, and retains the gas in the upper portion of the internal space of the piston.
US08499721B2 Apparatus and method for nasal delivery of compositions to birds
Apparatus and methods for delivering a composition to a bird. A selected dosage of the composition may be delivered directly to one or both nostrils of the bird. The deliveries are performed through one or two fluid passages that are preferably in direct fluid communication with the birds' nostrils. Delivery of the composition may limited to only one nostril or both nostrils of each bird. The nostril or nostrils to which the selected dosages are delivered may be isolated from fluid communication with ambient atmosphere during the delivery process. The isolation may be provided by a conformable seal. The beak of the bird may be restrained in a closed position during delivery of the composition.
US08499716B2 Portable spray containment enclosure
A portable overspray painting containment enclosure with an air curtain seal formed between the enclosure and a surface being painted that entrains overspray inside an air flow that is directed into the interior of the enclosure and through a filter system to prevent overspray from escaping into the atmosphere.
US08499715B2 Coating appratus having two coating devices for successively coating same surface of substrate
A coating apparatus includes a first coating device, a number of second coating devices and a number of substrate holders. Each of the substrate holders is rotatable relative to the first coating device and the second coating devices such that one of two opposite holding surfaces of the substrate holder alternately faces the first coating device and the second coating devices.
US08499711B2 Towing rope for water skiing
A tow rope for a water ski which provides a manner to communicate a majority of the force from a tow rope engaged to a boat directly to the water ski during deep water starts by a skier. The force is transferred to a handle held by the skiers hands once the skier has reached a substantially standing position and is on top of the water. A quick release is provided which will disconnect the tow rope should the skier activate it or fall.
US08499705B2 Stern structure of ship
A stern structure of a ship includes a plurality of propellers, a plurality of propeller shafts and a stern structural body. A plurality of propeller shaft tubes is provided correspondingly to the plurality of propellers, and the plurality of propeller shafts connected to the plurality of propellers is inserted into the plurality of propeller shaft tubes. The stern structural body extends backwardly from the stern body, spreads externally with respect to a ship body center line C, and contains portions of the plurality of propeller shafts extending backwardly from the stern body. An inner side of the stern structural body is equivalent to an interior portion of a ship body. The stern structural body supports the plurality of propeller shaft tubes in the interior portion of the ship body.
US08499702B2 Char-handling processes in a pyrolysis system
Char-handling processes for controlling overall heat balance, ash accumulation, and afterburn in a reheater are provided. Carbonaceous biomass feedstock is pyrolyzed using a heat transfer medium forming pyrolysis products and a spent heat transfer medium. The spent heat transfer medium is separated into segregated char and char-depleted spent heat transfer medium. The char-depleted spent heat transfer medium is introduced into a dense bed of heat transfer medium fluidized by a stream of oxygen-containing regeneration gas. All or a portion of the segregated char is combusted in the dense bed using the stream of oxygen-containing regeneration gas. A portion of the segregated char may be exported out of the pyrolysis system to control the overall heat balance and ash accumulation.
US08499698B2 Worksurface assembly with personal carry item storage shelf
A worksurface assembly includes a worksurface member having an upper surface, a bottom surface, a forward edge, a rearward edge, and an aperture that opens both upwardly and forwardly from the worksurface member, and a storage member including a pair of sidewalls, a rear wall and a bottom wall that cooperate to form an interior storage area having a height to width ratio of greater than or equal to about 1:1 at at least one position along a length of the storage member, wherein the storage member has a forwardly facing opening and an upwardly facing opening, and wherein the storage member is readily detachably secured to the worksurface member such that the interior storage of the storage member is accessible through the aperture of the worksurface member and such that access to the interior space is uninterrupted between the forwardly facing opening and the upwardly facing opening of the storage member.
US08499695B1 Railroad rail retaining clip staging and removal apparatus and method
A rail-tie connecting clip engagement/disengagement apparatus for slidably attaching opposite bottom portions of a rail to a tie thereunder with clips each having an outer portion having opposite lateral openings; wherein a first rail side of said apparatus, used to engage/disengage one bottom side of the rail to the tie with one clip, comprises: a) a pair of similar opposite lateral arms, each having an inner hooked end portion to engage one of the lateral openings, a central pivot portion, and an outer end portion carrying one of a cam and a cam follower; b) the other of the cam and the cam follower, being an actuating arm, motivated by the outer end portion thereof to cause appropriate engagement/disengagement of the hooked end portions in the opposite lateral openings of the clip; c) bias means to maintain the cam in contact with the cam follower; and, d) lateral arm longitudinal movement means to jointly move the arms to and away from the rail, to thereby push/pull the clip when engaged by the hooked end portion of the arms. After the hooked end portions of the pair of arms jointly engage the U shaped clip, the clip may be alternatively pushed over engaging the bottom portion of the rail, or alternatively pulled therefrom, disengaging the bottom portion of the rail from the tie.
US08499689B2 Kit including multilayer stencil for applying a design to a surface
Compositions, methods, apparatuses, kits, and combinations are described for permanently or temporarily re-designing, decorating, and/or re-coloring a surface. In one embodiment, a kit may include a stencil with a low-slip bottom layer and a colorant composition. Useful compositions include a décor product that is formulated to be applied and affixed to a surface. A décor product may be removed from the surface before being affixed thereto. Permanent or semi-permanent affixation of the décor product to the surface may be accomplished by applying heat, pressure, emitted waves, an emitted electrical field, a magnetic field, and/or a chemical.
US08499688B2 Screen printer
There is provided a screen printer capable of concurrently, efficiently subjecting a plurality of substrates, including different types of substrates, to printing operation. In a screen printer 2 that makes up an electronic component mounting line 1 and that prints electronic component bonding paste on a substrate, a substrate conveyance section 8 that conveys a substrate 5 forwardly or backwardly in a direction of conveyance of a substrate is disposed at an intermediate position between a first screen printing section 7A and a second screen printing section 7B arranged symmetrically with respect to a center line CL. It thereby becomes possible to adopt a variety of substrate conveyance forms, as required, such as return conveyance for returning the substrate 5 from a downstream machine to an upstream side of the screen printer 2 and bypass conveyance for letting the substrate sent from an upstream side pass through the screen printer, to thus be conveyed to a downstream machine. The plurality of substrates 5, including different types of substrates, can concurrently, efficiently undergo printing operation.
US08499680B1 Return to neutral device for a hydraulic apparatus
In a hydrostatic device using an axial piston pump, a yoke is mounted so that it contacts the movable swash plate of the hydrostatic transmission. The yoke is biased by a spring-type mechanism to force the swash plate to return to neutral, and the set position of the yoke plate may be externally adjusted. A bias or load arm rotatably fixed to a housing at one end and connected to a spring at the other end is engaged to the yoke to provide the return force to the yoke plate. The yoke plate may have two legs to provide a return to neutral force to the swash plate in either direction, or one leg to provide the return to neutral force in only a single direction.
US08499678B2 Armoring elements for a structure, such as a military vehicle
An armoring element for a structure, such as a vehicle, and comprising a case integral with said structure and enclosing at least two passive or reactive armoring modules, separated by a layer of shock-absorbing material, said case containing two fixed lateral walls parallel to one another and integral with a back wall intended to be positioned on said structure, wherein said armoring modules are mounted sliding on slides integral with the lateral walls of said case, and wherein they may thus be individually introduced or removed from said case via a front opening positioned opposite said back wall and delimited by said lateral walls, stop means ensuring the retention of each of said armoring modules with respect to said lateral walls when it is put into place on said lateral walls.
US08499676B1 Coupler system for attaching blank adaptor and the like to a flash hider
A coupling system attaches a device such as a blank adaptor or a sound suppressor to the flash hider of a firearm. The device is slid over the flash hider until a set of flat surfaces on it are aligned with a set of holes in the device. Camming latches are held in the holes in the device. The collar carried by the device is then threadably advanced to a locking position with respect to the device where it presses the camming latches into secure engagement with the flat surfaces on the flash hider. Unthreading the collar to the unlocked position allows the camming latches to be moved radially when the device is to be removed or rotated. A spring lock prevents the collar from rotating during use, particularly during firing of the firearm but may be released to rotate the collar between locked and unlocked positions.
US08499673B2 Microsurgical cutting instruments
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for self-sharpening micro surgical blades, knives and assemblies including those having a cutting edge that is less than 500 angstroms thick where the cutting edge is an exposed section of a thin planar layer or region that is supported on one or both sides by a material having a higher wear rate.
US08499672B2 Power miter saw with hinge linkage linear guides
A power miter saw comprises a saw base having a fence for positioning a work piece, a table rotatably connected to the saw base; a miter arm assembly for angularly positioning the table relative to the saw base, a saw blade and motor assembly operatively connected to the table, a linear guide mechanism attached to the table and being configured to support the saw blade and motor assembly and enable movement of the assembly along a predetermined linear path in either forward or rearward directions, the mechanism having a horizontal shaft about which the assembly is pivotable to move a saw blade vertically into and out of cutting position, the mechanism also having a multiple link hinge pivotally interconnecting the motor assembly and the table with horizontal shafts that are parallel to one another.
US08499671B2 Panel saw
A supplemental frame and adjustable edge stop assembly are mounted to a front lower edge of a panel saw. A first quick release mount on the supplemental frame cooperates with a second quick release mount on the edge stop assembly to enable quick interchange of assemblies. One form of edge stop assembly includes a movable panel for movement as a unit of multiple edge stops into and out of operative position. A mounting plate for a cutting tool has workpiece rise limiters for pressing the workpiece against the panel saw face. Adjustable hold-downs engage a top edge of the workpiece to hold it down against support rollers. The edge stops, rise limiters and hold-downs form a pocket supporting the workpiece along three mutually perpendicular axes. A stand-off panel removably positioned on a front face of the panel saw supports thin workpieces closer to the cutting tool.
US08499666B2 Dual pawl ratchet mechanism and reversing method
A dual-pawl ratchet wrench mechanism is disclosed having a stop mechanism for limiting over-travel of a reversing lever for selecting drive directions. In one form, the wrench mechanism includes a ball and spring assembly that cooperate with recesses to define proper positions for the reversing lever, and one or more ramps are provided between the recesses to promote tactile feel and to promote the reversing lever being rotated to a proper position. In some forms, the stop mechanism is formed on a stationary portion, such as a spacer or the wrench body, and a portion of the reversing lever. The design simplifies manufacturing, such as by simplifying assembly and minimizing the need for securements. Additionally, the reversing lever is assembled with the mechanism in a manner to improve sealing.
US08499665B2 Torsion control hammer grip
A manually operable impact tool is provided that includes an elongated rigid handle and an impact head disposed at one longitudinal end portion of the handle structure. A cushioning grip is disposed over a second longitudinal end portion of the handle structure. The cushioning grip includes an inner layer of thermoplastic rubber having a Shore A durometer in the range of about 10 to about 40, and an outer layer of thermoplastic rubber disposed over the inner layer having a Shore A durometer in the range of about 55 to about 90.
US08499662B2 Pull handle structure of a hand puller
A pull handle structure of a hand puller contains a base including two opposite holes to insert two shafts respectively, with each hole including a ratchet. A pulling handle includes a rotating member with two side plates, each including first and second ends. Each first end includes an axial connecting portion on which a circular opening is formed so that the rotating member swings axially relative to the base. The side plate includes a sliding rail. Between the two side plates is defined a movable retaining element to contact with the ratchet. A movable bar includes two elongated stems and a grip rod defined between the two elongated stems. Each elongated stem is fitted in the sliding rail to move slidably. Between the rotating member and the movable bar is defined a locking device to obtain a positioning purpose when the movable bar is expanded and retracted.
US08499661B2 Selector lever having actuating change of position
An operating device for shift-by-wire transmission comprises a selector lever which has a detent mechanism. The detent mechanism comprises bevel and notched contours that can be displaced for automatically returning the selector lever back to the first lock position or shift gate. The notched contour is spring-biased toward the selector lever detent element and overlaps the bevel contour in its first position, and an actuating block is provided for locking the notched contour in its first position near the detent element. The spring-loading of the notched contour is weaker than the spring-loading of the detent element, and the shape of the first detent position of the notched contour matches that of the first detent position of the bevel contour when the notched contour is located in the first position. The operating device enables actuator-controlled automatic return, and optional locking of the selector lever with little design effort, while simultaneously having low space requirements and minimal generation of any disturbing noise.
US08499657B2 Transmission for work vehicle
A multi-shaft transmission is mounted on a work vehicle for performing loader work, and includes a power transmission mechanism for transmitting power from an input shaft through a countershaft to an output shaft. A shifting part shifts a drivetrain from the input shaft to the output shaft. The power transmission mechanism includes a forward clutch and a reverse clutch for forward-reverse shifting, and a plurality of speed stage shifting clutches for changing speed stages, wherein at least one of the forward clutch and the reverse clutch has a plurality of speed region shifting clutches. The shifting part shifts only one clutch among the plurality of speed stage shifting clutches and the plurality of speed region shifting clutches to change speeds when a plurality of speed stages are used in be loader work.
US08499656B2 Eight speed dual clutch transmission
A transmission is connectable to an input member and includes an output transfer gear, first and second shaft members, first and second countershaft members, a plurality of co-planar gear sets, and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. The torque transmitting devices include a plurality of gears, synchronizer assemblies and a dual clutch assembly. The transmission is operable to provide at least one reverse speed ratio and a plurality of forward speed ratios between the input member and the output member.
US08499655B2 Multistage transmission
A multistage transmission includes a lost motion mechanism for regulating the operation for a downward shift in acceleration and for an upward shift in deceleration. Regulating rods are integrally moved with a control rod. A cutout into which a pin can be fitted together with a cam groove of the slidingly touched cam rod is formed corresponding to each cam groove in the regulating rods. The cutout of the regulating rods corresponding to the cam groove of the cam rod for normal rotation is formed longer than the corresponding cam groove on the reverse side to a moving direction of the control rod in an upward shift in a state in which shifted speed is established. The cutout of the regulating rods corresponding to the cam groove of the cam rod for reverse rotation is formed longer than the corresponding cam groove on the reverse side to a moving direction.
US08499649B2 Testing a torque tool
An apparatus and associated method for gaging the repeatability of a tool is provided by a pivot assembly. The pivot assembly has a pivot member with a tool engagement feature to selectively receive a torque from the tool at a pivot axis. The pivot assembly also has a first magnetically permeable member fixed in movement with the pivot member. The pivot assembly further has a second magnetically permeable member. An abutment member abuttingly engages the pivot member to limit its pivotal travel at a position where the first and second magnetically permeable members are magnetically coupled together, without contacting each other for being separated by a gap, by a magnetic force of attraction urging the pivot member toward the second magnetically permeable member.
US08499645B2 Stress micro mechanical test cell, device, system and methods
The invention provides a stress micro mechanical system for measuring stress and strain in micro- and nano-fibers tubes, and wires as well as for measuring the interface adhesion force and stress in nanofibers and nanotubes embedded in a polymer matrix. A preferred system of the invention has a substrate for supporting a MEMS fabrication. The MEMS fabrication includes freestanding sample attachment points that are movable in a translation direction relative to one another when the substrate is moved and a sample is attached between the sample attachment points. An optical microscope images surfaces of the MEMS fabrication. Software conducts digital image correlation on obtained images to determine the movement of the surfaces at a resolution much greater than the hardware resolution of the optical microscope. A preferred method for measuring stress and strain in micro- and nano-fibers, tubes, and wires, and/or measuring the force required to pull-out individual micro- and nano-fibers, tubes, and wires from a polymer matrix and to therefore measure interfacial adhesion is also provided. In the method a sample is attached between freestanding platforms in a MEMS device. Relative translational movement between the platforms is created and motion of the platforms is imaged with an optical microscope. Mechanical and adhesion properties of the sample are determined by applying a digital image correlation algorithm to the image data.
US08499643B2 In-situ sensors and methods for monitoring environment assisted cracking of structural components
Sensor assemblies, units and methods are provided to determine crack development of components of interest associated with a monitored structure. According to preferred embodiments, a sample sensor bolt is provided having a shank with a threaded end, the sensor bolt being formed of a material serving as a surrogate of the material forming a component of interest associated with the monitored structure. A frame surrounds the shank of the sensor bolt and has fluid ports therein to allow fluid to contact an exposed portion of the sensor bolt shank in registry therewith. A load cell is operatively connected to the sensor bolt. A preload nut is threaded onto the threaded end of the sensor bolt shank and contacts an end of the frame so as to place the sensor bolt under an initial tensile stress. Crack formation within the sensor bolt shank caused by fluid acting upon the exposed portion thereof responsively relieves the initial tensile stress of the sensor bolt which is thereby sensed by the load cell, whereby crack formation in the shank can be used to sense the propensity for crack development in the component of interest associated with the monitored structure.
US08499640B2 Measuring apparatus for determining a pressure difference
A measuring apparatus for outputting a measurement signal representing the difference between a first pressure and a second pressure. The apparatus includes a first pressure measuring transducer module for outputting a sequence of first signals representing the first pressure; a second pressure measuring transducer module for producing a sequence of second signals representing the second pressure; an evaluation module for ascertaining a sequence of difference values between the two pressure values and for outputting a sequence of fourth signals, which, in each case, represent the pressure difference; a first cable connection between the first and second pressure measuring transducer module; and a second cable connection between the second pressure measuring transducer module and the evaluation module. The modules are separated spatially from one another. The second pressure measuring transducer module has a mapping unit, which is provided for receiving the sequences of first and second signals, and for outputting to the evaluation module via the second cable connection a sequence of third signals, which, in each case, contain the pressure values.
US08499635B2 Transducer array imaging system
Embodiments contemplate methods and devices for conducting ultrasound interrogation of a medium. An ultrasound echo wave may be received at a first transducer element of a transducer array in a handheld probe. The ultrasound echo wave may also be received at a second transducer element of the transducer array. The ultrasound echo wave may also be received at a third transducer element of the transducer array. The handheld probe may process into digital data the ultrasound echo wave received at the first transducer element and the ultrasound echo wave received at the second transducer element. The processing may preclude data representative of the ultrasound echo wave received at the third transducer element from being included in the digital data. The processing may include reducing the digital data and the reduced digital data may be transmitted to a location relatively remote from the handheld probe.
US08499634B2 Transducer array imaging system
The disclosed embodiments include a method, system, and device for conducting ultrasound interrogation of a medium. The novel method includes transmitting a non-beamformed or beamformed ultrasound wave into the medium, receiving more than one echoed ultrasound wave from the medium, and converting the received echoed ultrasound wave into digital data. The novel method may further transmit the digital data. In some embodiments, the transmitting may be wireless. The novel device may include transducer elements, an analog-to-digital converter in communication with the transducer elements, and a transmitter in communication with the analog-to-digital converter. The transducers may operate to convert a first electrical energy into an ultrasound wave. The first electrical energy may or may not be beamformed. The transducers also may convert an echoed ultrasound wave into a second electrical energy. The analog-to-digital converter may convert the electrical energy into digital data, and the transmitter may transmit the digital data.
US08499631B2 Nondestructive inspection of aircraft stiffeners
Nondestructive inspection of a plurality of aircraft hat stiffeners includes exciting cavities of the stiffeners with electromagnetic radiation, and analyzing electromagnetic field responses of the cavities to detect state changes of the stiffeners.
US08499629B2 Mounting system for torsional suspension of a MEMS device
A mounting system for a MEMS device includes a proof mass selectively coupled to a substrate using a centrally located, single anchor mount that minimizes sensitivity to strain variations experienced by the MEMS device. The mounting system may include isolation cuts arranged in the proof mass to advantageously achieve a desired amount of strain isolation and to produce hinges that extend in opposite directions from the anchor mount. The single anchor mount is arranged to reduce a separation distance from a mid-point or centroid of the anchor mount to its perimeter as compared to conventional mounting schemes that have multiple anchor mounts positioned distally from a common mid-point.
US08499627B2 Power generator, fluid sensor, and fluid sensor net
A pressure-receiving cylinder (11) is in a columnar shape extending in the direction of a center axis (O), and having an orthogonal cross section to the center axis (O) that defines a rotationally symmetrical contour. In a piezoelectric ceramic structure (12), piezoelectric ceramic modules are arranged in a rotationally symmetrical manner around the center axis (O), each piezoelectric ceramic module including a pair of piezoelectric ceramic and electrodes connected thereto in the polarization direction. Containers (8, 10) are connected to respective ends of the piezoelectric ceramic module (15) in the polarization direction, and apply a stress corresponding to an external force received by the pressure-receiving cylinder (11) to the pressure-receiving cylinder (11) and the piezoelectric ceramic structure (12). Respective voltages output by the plurality of piezoelectric ceramic modules are added together.
US08499626B2 Device to adjust the pitch angle of propeller blades for a model engine
A device for adjusting the pitch angle of propeller blades for a model engine including at least one rotor, the blades extending radially on the surface of the rotor to form a propeller. It includes a tool-holder including a base designed to be fixed to a part of the outside of the engine housing and an upper part, the aforementioned upper part being fitted with means of support movable horizontally along a longitudinal axis (XX′), the aforementioned axis being parallel to the main axis of the model engine, contactless means of optical measurement, the aforementioned means of measurement being mounted on the movable means of support by using means of travel in rotation around an axis of rotation, the aforementioned axis of rotation being the blade's axis of rotation.
US08499625B2 Process and machine for identification and working of defects on used tyres
An automatic process for the identification and working of defects (12) on used tires (6) is disclosed, comprising the steps of assembling the used tire (6) on rotative support and centring means (7), starting the rotation of the tire (6), automatic scanning of the working surface (30) of the tire (6) to identify the morphology of defects (12) by means of automatic identification means (8, 41) of defects (12), comparison between the morphology of the defect (12) identified and a virtual library of defects (12′) of reference for the selection of the working and of the tool (9) to be used, charging the tool (9) chosen on an anthropomorphic robot (31), and executing the selected working on the defect (12) to form a crater (13) that is suitable for being coated, said steps being managed by a computerized control unit (11) comprising said virtual library of defects (12′).
US08499622B2 Device for checking a turbomachine engine
A device for non-destructive in situ inspection of parts of a turbine engine, the device including a stick carrying at its distal end a pivoting finger carrying at one of its ends a blade for supporting an inspection probe, and at its opposite end a skid for bearing against and/or catching on an element of the engine, the skid being movable in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the finger.
US08499619B2 Process and rheometer for determining the rheological properties of materials
A process and an apparatus determine the rheological properties of medium samples. The normal forces arising in a measuring gap perpendicular to the measuring surfaces are recorded with a recording unit and the height of the measuring gap is adjusted with a positioning unit and with positioning elements actuated by the positioning unit. During the measuring procedure the initial height of the measuring gap is kept constant, by the values of the normal forces arising being linked with a calibrating function, and in that, upon detection of normal forces arising, values derived from the calibrating function are drawn upon as control signals, with which at least one sliding actuator acting on at least one of the two measuring elements is driven, which by position adjustment or height adjustment of the respective measuring element performs an immediate resetting of a height of the measuring gap, changed by the normal forces exerted by the medium sample to be examined, to the initial spacing set originally.
US08499615B2 Gas chromatograph comprising a controllable switching device
A gas chromatograph comprising two separating devices disposed one behind the other, and through which a material sample is conducted by a carrier gas. A pressure regulator regulates the pressure of the carrier gas introduced into the first separating device. A controllable switching device is arranged between the two separating devices. The switching device contains a main gas path lying between the two separating devices and two auxiliary gas paths, which are connected to the main gas path through connecting gas paths and are both fed with the carrier gas and contain flow resistors and a controllable valve for setting different pressure conditions. The auxiliary gas paths are supplied with the carrier gas through the same pressure regulator to reduce the design and adjustment effort in setting the pressure conditions, where fixed resistors are used for the flow resistors.
US08499614B2 Field gas chromatograph with flame ionization
The invention relates to a field gas chromatograph with flame ionization for the analysis of a gaseous mixture of hydrocarbons, extracted, in particular, from oil drilling mud. Said mixture consists of a fraction of heavy hydrocarbons (beyond pentane) dissolved in mud in gaseous form. Said field gas chromatograph is made up of two independent analysis circuits, dephased by half a cycle and synchronized one with the other. Said analysis circuits are comprised of at least one sampling cell in a preferred design layout, at least one capillary separation chromatography column, at least one flame ionization detector, and at least one electrometer for the conversion of an electrical current, collected by the flame ionization detector, into a voltage signal describing a chromatogram.
US08499611B2 Disk drive emulator and method of use thereof
A disk drive emulator for testing a test slot of a disk drive testing system includes an emulator body, an interface connecter disposed on the emulator body, and at least one vibration sensor disposed on the emulator body. The emulator body comprises a material having a tensile modulus of at least 40×10^6 Psi.
US08499607B2 Forming of complex shapes in aluminum and magnesium alloy workpieces
A billet of an aluminum alloy or magnesium alloy is formed by a combination of forming operations into a desired article of complex, but open shape. In a first step a billet is heated and extruded to form an extruded workpiece profile having at least first and second sections of different thicknesses. The extruded workpiece may be shaped so that the respective sections are at an angle to each other. The extruded workpiece is then further formed against a forming surface so that the shape of least one of the sections is further formed toward the shape of the article. The methods are suitable for efficient manufacture of many like complex shapes such as brackets and reinforcement members, and even container pans for computers and other electronic devices.
US08499605B2 Hot stretch straightening of high strength α/β processed titanium
A method for straightening a solution treated and aged (STA) titanium alloy form includes heating an STA titanium alloy form to a straightening temperature of at least 25° F. below the age hardening temperature, and applying an elongation tensile stress for a time sufficient to elongate and straighten the form. The elongation tensile stress is at least 20% of the yield stress and not equal to or greater than the yield stress at the straightening temperature. The straightened form deviates from straight by no greater than 0.125 inch over any 5 foot length or shorter length. The straightened form is cooled while simultaneously applying a cooling tensile stress that balances the thermal cooling stress in the titanium alloy form to thereby maintain a deviation from straight of no greater than 0.125 inch over any 5 foot length or shorter length.
US08499602B2 Decorative hollow tubing for use in furniture manufacture and method for manufacturing
Hollow decorative tubing fabricated from thin walled metallic stock material, the stock material preferably being stock tubing. Tubing is cold worked to impart any desired design such as simulated bamboo having realistic culm and node characteristics. The tubing is preferably formed into serial or repeating sections, each characterized by the desired design. For simulated bamboo, a realistic node is worked into the tubing between adjacent sections. The invention may be regarded as a method for manufacturing the resultant elongate hollow decorative tubing or, alternatively, an article of manufacture such as a chair incorporating the resultant elongate simulated bamboo article.
US08499590B2 Filter assembly of washer
A filter assembly of a washer is disclosed, by which particles contained in water can be efficiently filtered off in the course of washing the laundry and by which the filtered-off particles are prevented from being discharged from the filter assembly. In a washer including an inner wall having an outlet and a circulation passage provided between the inner wall and a wash tub to enable water to circulate to the outlet from a bottom of the wash tub, the present invention includes a closed-type filter unit configured to filter off particles from the water discharged from the outlet and to prevent the filtered-off particles from being externally discharged.
US08499583B2 Method of manufacturing magnetic-disk glass substrate and method of manufacturing magnetic disk
A process for producing a glass substrate for magnetic disk through chemical strengthening operation, in which the distribution of compressive stress is uniformed at a surface layer portion of the glass substrate to thereby, while preventing failures such as head crash and thermal asperity, realize a low flying height of magnetic head, attaining high-density information recording. In particular, the provided glass substrate for magnetic disk is suitable for application to compact magnetic disks for portable information equipment. The chemical strengthening operation includes the first step of bringing the glass substrate into contact with a first treatment solution (chemical strengthening treatment solution) containing first ions with an ionic radius larger than those of ions within the glass substrate and either the second and subsequent steps of bringing the platy glass into contact with treatment solutions containing second and subsequent bivalent ions, or the second and subsequent steps of bringing the glass substrate into contact with second and subsequent chemical strengthening treatment solutions containing second and subsequent ions exhibiting an ion exchange rate with ions within the glass substrate greater than that of the first ions to thereby decelerate the ion exchange.
US08499582B1 Interchangeable jewelry strand
A method, apparatus and kit for the construction of jewelry and jewelry systems having interchangeable jewelry strands.
US08499580B2 Air conditioner
A centrifugal fan mounted in an air conditioner has the following relationship: outer diameter of a side plate of the centrifugal fan>outer diameter of the blade rear-edge part on side-plate side>diameter of the blade rear-edge part on main plate side>outer diameter of the main plate. In the centrifugal fan, the blade rear-edge part is positioned inside from a straight line connecting the connection point between the blade rear-edge part and the main plate, to the connection point between the blade rear-edge part and the side plate, as viewed from the rotation axis. The blade rear-edge part has a shape such that the distance from the rotation axis becomes larger from the main plate toward the side plate.
US08499579B2 Built-in refrigerator provided with a water and drinks dispenser
A built-in refrigerator includes a water and drinks dispenser, or an ice maker, placed on the outside of the refrigerator door. The refrigerator is installed in a modular kitchen furniture unit provided with a door panel. A sliding connection between the dispenser and the door panel of the furniture unit allows the simultaneous opening and closing of the door and the door panel and, when the door is in the closed position, prevents residual liquids or solids from falling into the air space existing between the door and the door panel.
US08499576B2 Dewpoint cooling device
Airflow cooling device including a cooling channel, an evaporating channel separated from the cooling channel by a transfer wall, outflow from the cooling channel going to the evaporating channel, and a lower critical solution temperature polymer at least partially covering the cooling channel side of the transfer wall.
US08499575B2 Air-conditioning system for electronic components
The air conditioning device for electronic components features three channels (6, 7, 8) for two flowing fluids that are in heat exchange with one another. In the first operating mode these two fluids are guided by means of switchable flaps into two selected channels (7, 8) where they are in heat exchange with one another at a partition (12) that is equipped with heat exchange elements (12, 13). In a second operating mode the flaps are switched in such a manner that the two fluids are in heat exchange with one another at a Peltier element (9) that is equipped on both sides with heat exchange elements (9, 11). In a third operating mode the Peltier element is switched as a heating element. In the first operating mode on the other hand the Peltier element is deactivated and consumes no electric energy.
US08499573B2 Refrigerator and method of controlling the same
A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator may include first and second refrigerant paths that separately distribute refrigerant, a first cooling chamber connected with a first cold air duct, a second cooling chamber connected with a second cold air duct, and a third cooling chamber connected with a third cold air duct. Cold air generated by a first evaporator is provided to the first cold air duct to cool the first cooling chamber, cold air generated by a second evaporator, which receives refrigerant from the first evaporator, is provided to the second cold air duct to provide concentrated cooling to the second cooling chamber, and cold air generated by a third evaporator is provided to the third cold air duct to cool the third cooling chamber.
US08499571B2 Drive unit for automatic ice maker
A drive unit for an automatic ice maker may include a drive part provided with a motor for driving an ice tray and an ice detecting member, a position detecting device for detecting positions of the ice tray and the ice detecting member, a control section for controlling drive of the motor on the basis of detection signals of the position detecting device, and a unit case in which the control section, the drive part, the position detecting device are accommodated. The automatic ice maker may be installed in an ice making compartment of a refrigerator.
US08499568B2 Pulse tube refrigerator and regenerative refrigerator
Pulse tube refrigerator including pulse tube, regenerator, compressor, supply side valve, a filter at a first joint point, suction side valve, four self seal joints, and an orifice connected to a pipe between a second joint point and the high temperature end of the first pulse tube.
US08499565B2 Axial diffusor for a turbine engine
A turbine engine having a plenum for passing fluids from an outlet of a compressor to an inlet of a combustor that may increase the efficiency of the turbine engine. The turbine engine may include a combustor, a compressor positioned upstream of the combustor, a transition channel extending from the compressor to the combustor, and a shell extending between the compressor and a combustor portal and positioned around the at least one transition channel. The turbine engine may also include an axial diffusor in the shell near the at least one transition channel, wherein the axial diffusor may include a fluid flow recess in a trailing edge of the axial diffusor. The turbine engine may also include a wave protrusion extending from a surface positioned radially inward of the axial diffusor. The fluid flow recess and the wave protrusion may reduce fluid flow loss within the shell.
US08499563B2 System for generating and transporting electric power from hydrothermal vents
An electric generator includes a channel for directing a flow of a first fluid and a thermoacoustic resonance chamber that penetrates the channel, including a first heat exchanger inside the channel and a second heat exchanger outside the channel, wherein the thermoacoustic resonance chamber has a toroidal shape configured to enclose a second fluid adapted to create a resonance of and carry an acoustic pressure wave to transfer heat between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger. The thermoacoustic resonance chamber includes a plurality of channels to provide a plurality of resonance cavities capable of supporting standing thermoacoustic waves around the toroidal shape. The plurality of channels are configured to partition the thermoacoustic resonance chamber into a plurality of tubular channels extending around the toroidal shape.
US08499562B2 Geared boiler feed pump drive
A geared fluid drive arrangement in which a constant speed motor is used to start a “full-size” boiler feed pump, and is able to operate the pump at a limited speed and correspondingly limited power adequate to fill, pressurize and feed water to a boiler such as would be used for an electrical generating plant to start-up and to operate stably at part load, but not necessarily full load. After the boiler is operating stably, steam from the boiler or from an extraction point of the main turbine is admitted to a mechanical drive steam turbine in order to drive the same “full-size” pump to the normal operating range.
US08499559B2 Two-stage turbo-charger engine system
A turbine housing for a high-pressure turbo-charger of a turbo-charger engine system for an internal combustion engine is provided that includes, but is not limited to a low-pressure charger opening for taking up a low-pressure turbo-charger and a high-pressure charger opening for taking up a high-pressure turbo-charger. A high-pressure exhaust opening is attached to a corresponding flange at an exhaust manifold of the engine and there is a short-cut exhaust opening with a high-pressure turbine by-pass valve area attached to a corresponding flange at the exhaust manifold. An external connection opening is attached to a muffler, a waste gate valve area being provided in the close vicinity of the external connection opening.
US08499552B2 Method and hydraulic control system for supplying pressure medium to at least one hydraulic consumer
The invention relates to a hydraulic control arrangement and to a method for controlling a hydraulic consumer that comprises a pressure chamber on the input side and on the return side, said pressure chamber being connected to an adjusting pump or a tank via a valve device. The valve device is controlled by means of a control unit via which it can be adjusted in a regeneration mode, in which both pressure chambers are connected to the adjusting pump. According to the invention, the adjusting pump is pressure controlled, whereby in the regeneration mode, it is automatically switched to the normal operation in which the supply side of the pressure chamber is connected to the adjusting pump and the return side of the pressure chamber is connected to the tank when the pumping rate falls below the demand for the pressure medium.
US08499551B2 Exhaust heat recovering method, exhaust heat recovering apparatus and cogeneration system
A first heat medium is circulated in a first circulating path (engine cooling circuit) of a heat source (engine) to cool the heat source down by the first heat medium, and exhaust heat from the heat source is absorbed by the first heat medium. A second heat medium is circulated in a second circulating path (exhaust heat recovering circuit) to exchange heat of exhaust air with the second heat medium, and heat of the first heat medium is exchanged with the second heat medium circulating in the second circulation path. The heat of the second medium to which heat is applied due to these heat exchanges is stored in heat storage means (heat storage tank).
US08499550B2 Apparatus, system, and method for controlling particulate accumulation on an engine filter during engine idling
According to one representative embodiment, an apparatus disclosed herein includes a regeneration event timing module, an engine speed module, an exhaust gas temperature module, and a thermal management module. The regeneration event timing module is configured to determine a regeneration event timing strategy for implementation during extended idling of the engine. The regeneration event timing strategy includes a first time period and a second time period following the first time period. The engine speed module is configured to determine a desired engine speed for the second time period and operate the engine at the desired engine speed during the second time period. The desired engine speed is greater than an idling engine speed associated with the first time period. The exhaust gas temperature module is configured to determine a desired particulate matter filter inlet exhaust gas temperature. The desired particulate matter filter inlet exhaust gas temperature corresponds to a particulate matter filter temperature for achieving a noxidation regeneration of particulate matter on the particulate matter filter. The thermal management module is configured to modulate at least one engine system component to achieve the desired particulate matter filter inlet exhaust gas temperature during the second time period.
US08499548B2 Flow device for an exhaust system
A flow device for an exhaust system includes a body that defines an interior cavity. An exhaust inlet passage is disposed in the interior cavity. An exhaust outlet passage is disposed in the interior cavity so that at least a portion of the exhaust inlet passage circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the exhaust outlet passage. A doser is adapted to inject reductants into the interior cavity of the body such that the reductants are injected in the same general direction as the direction of flow of the exhaust gases.
US08499547B2 Hybrid vehicle and control method thereof
Upon a system startup, a hybrid vehicle 20 determines whether a catalyst warm up operation of an engine 22 is to be executed or not based on a catalyst bed temperature Tcat of an exhaust gas purifying catalyst 141 and a state of charge SOC of a battery 50 (S110, S140) and determines whether a forced charging of the battery 50 with an idling of the engine 22 is to be executed or not based on the catalyst bed temperature Tcat, the state of charge SOC and an estimated intake air amount GAidl upon the idling of the engine 22 when the catalyst warm up operation is not to be executed, then controls the engine 22, motors MG1 and MG2 in accordance with determination results (S130, S210).
US08499546B2 Methods for reducing engine exhaust emissions
A method for controlling an internal combustion engine wherein, during an initial, relatively low temperature operating phase of the engine, the engine operates with a modulated air/fuel ratio established independently of the operating condition of the engine and wherein, during a subsequent higher temperature operating phase of the engine, the air/fuel ratio is modulated in as a function of the operating conditions of the engine.
US08499542B2 Flow balancing valve
A flow balancing valve for a multistage combustor includes a first pressure feedback line, a first burn line, and a first metering port fluidly connected to the first fuel injector. The flow balancing valve further includes a second pressure feedback line, a second burn line, and a second metering port fluidly connected to the second fuel injector. A metering land is located between and defines sizes of the first metering port and the second metering port. An increase in pressure differential between the first pressure feedback line and the second pressure feedback line causes a compensatory movement in the metering land to balance fuel flow for the first fuel injector and the second fuel injector.
US08499541B2 Method for starting premixed combustion in combustor for two-shaft gas turbine
A two-shaft gas turbine is capable of starting premixed combustion without extinguishing a flame. The two-shaft gas turbine includes a combustor and a gas generator controller. The combustor has a premix burner that includes combustion regions in which premixed combustion is to be carried out individually. The gas generator controller controls the combustor. In a method for starting the premixed combustion in the combustor, the gas generator controller selects at least one of the combustion regions in which the premixed combustion is to be carried out, on the basis of a fuel-air ratio, and starts premix combustion in the selected combustion region or separately in each of the selected combustion regions. Further, as the fuel-air ratio is increased, the controller increases the number of the selected region in which the premixed combustion is carried out.
US08499532B2 System and method for sealing packing containers
A method for clearing stalled containers in a taping or other container sealer includes the steps of (i) conveying a container to a sealing station, (ii) sealing the container with a sealer at the sealing station as the container travels through the sealing station, (iii) detecting a stalled container in the sealing station, and (iv) raising the sealer upon detection of a stalled container in the sealing station to relieve the stalled condition so that the container travels through the sealing station and is sealed by the sealer. Raising the sealer can clear the stalled container, thereby minimizing or eliminating events that require an operator's attention.
US08499531B2 System and method for packaging dental ingots
A method and system for producing, marking, and packaging ingots for use in fabricating dental prosthetics.
US08499529B2 Modular unit for applying opening devices to packages of pourable food products
A modular unit for applying opening devices to packages of pourable food products includes a first conveyor for feeding the opening devices successively along a first path, a second conveyor for feeding the packages successively along a second path, a transfer mechanism for transferring the opening devices along a third path from a pickup station located along the first path, to an application station for applying the opening devices to respective packages and located along the second path, and a processing device for performing specific operations on the opening devices prior to application of the opening devices to the respective packages. The transfer mechanism defines a base module of the unit, and the processing device includes different types of processing devices forming part of different auxiliary modules selectively connectable to the base module to define different units for applying the opening devices to respective packages.
US08499524B2 System for mounting objects to polymeric membranes
A mounting system and method to elastically attach an object to a support structure with an elastic membrane. The elastic membrane allows the object attached thereto to elastically extend in a direction away from the support structure as force is exerted on the object. The elastic membrane includes two surface areas, the first surface area extending peripherally along a perimeter a bottom surface of the elastic membrane and a remaining second surface area. The first surface area being thermally bonded to the support structure, while the second surface area remaining separable from the support structure.
US08499523B2 Frame assembly having stile and rail tabs for coupling stile and rail members together
A frame assembly supports a fenestration article. The frame assembly comprises a stile member and a rail member coupled substantially transverse to the stile member. A stile tab extends axially from the stile member and a rail tab extends axially from the rail member. The stile tab is bent around the rail member and the rail tab is bent around the stile member for coupling the stile member to the rail member.
US08499522B1 Lightweight concrete masonry veneer unit
A lightweight concrete masonry unit for veneering the face of a building. The veneer block includes a body with planar front, top, bottom, and side surfaces with the top, bottom, and sides perpendicular to the front surface. One or more channels are formed in the rear surface. The depth of the channels are restricted to maintain no less than one inch of remaining wall thickness between the channel bottoms and the opposite front surface. The novel shape and larger minimum wall thickness of the lightweight veneer block enables production on a commercial block machine within the standard cycle time, provides weight and raw material cost savings up to 50%, and allows block heights that are not attainable with conventional hollow core veneer blocks.
US08499519B2 Floor panel, as well as method, device and accessories for manufacturing such floor panel
Floor panel, more particularly a laminate floor panel, wherein this floor panel comprises a decor, a top layer on the basis of synthetic material, and an underlying substrate (13), whether or not composed of several layers or parts, wherein the floor panel (1), in the surface over which the decor (10) extends, is provided with embossed portions.
US08499515B1 Systems, methods, and components for the construction and disassembly of raised panel assemblies
Systems, methods, and components for the construction and disassembly of raised panel assemblies. These systems, methods, and components may include a flow-limiting structure that is configured to define at least one boundary of a channel that includes at least a portion of a gap between adjacent raised panels and is configured to receive a sealant material. The flow-limiting structure may limit a flow of the sealant material therepast, thereby decreasing an overall volume of sealant material needed for construction of the raised panel assembly and/or limiting undesired adhesion of the raised panels to other structures. These systems, methods, and components also may include an elongate disassembly aid that is configured to sever at least a portion of the sealant material from between adjacent raised panels upon removal from the raised panel assembly, such as to decrease a time needed for disassembly and/or repair of the raised panel assembly.
US08499514B2 Wire mesh screed
This invention relates to screed methods and building panels. According to the invention there is provided a construction panel comprising two outer wire mesh members and a middle member secured therebetween. The wire mesh members may have a plurality of V-shaped impressions along their length which serve as a built in visual and mechanical screed for finishing the panel with shotcrete or plaster. Alternatively, the wire mesh members may have a clipped-on-screed member attached thereto which serves as a visual and mechanical screed for finishing the panel. The middle member may comprises a composite of alternating layers of wire trusses and polystyrene foam. The middle member may be secured in a compressed state and released after attachment to the wire mesh members.
US08499512B2 Exterior wall construction product
The present application is directed toward slotted tracks, in particular slotted tracks for an exterior wall application. Embodiments can include tracks with elongate reinforcing ribs on the tracks' flanges and/or web, tabs and/or protruding ribs for supporting and positioning exterior sheathing elements, second slot patterns along the length of the web of the track to allow for attachment and drift movement of the track with another wall component, and guide marks to identify proper locations for attachment of fasteners.
US08499511B2 Precast composite structural floor system
A precast composite flooring system utilizes girders and floor panels having steel lower structures placed in tension and concrete upper structures places in compression. Openings through a stem wall allow ducts, pipes, and conduits to be run therethrough. The system provides reduced weight over conventional precast or pour in place systems, allowing further reduction in the weight and size of other building components. The floor deck does not use tensioning strands, allowing openings to be formed at nearly any stage of construction and with reduced concern over cutting steel reinforcement. The floor panels and girders bolt together and bolt to a steel column frame, allowing for more efficient assembly.
US08499506B2 Modular element for making fixed ladders
A modular element (10) for making fixed ladders, made of steel or other suitable material, having a surface (12) and two opposite shaped supports (14, 16), provided with at least one rib developed along the inner face and forming a shelf (36) for bearing a further surface (12).
US08499504B1 Prefabricated building and method for constructing a building
A prefabricated building and method for constructing a building are provided. The prefabricated building includes a base, a first module and a second module each configured to fit within a predetermined volume. Each module includes a plurality of beams and a plurality of studs. The method for constructing a building involves prefabricating a first module, prefabricating a second module, packaging the modules for transportation, transporting the modules, and constructing the building using the modules.
US08499500B2 Recreational structure having an inflatable support assembly
A shelter including a support assembly having a plurality of inflatable supports each having an elongated tube body and defining at least two separate longitudinal passages pneumatically separated by a bladder, wherein the tube bodies of each support is connected to the tube body of one or more of the other supports and wherein each of the passages of the each support is pneumatically connected to each of the passages of the other supports, and wherein the supports are spaced circumferentially apart as legs of the support assembly for forming a perimeter of the shelter, and a single port pneumatically coupled to only one of the supports, the port configured for passing air between an external pneumatic vessel and the support to which the port is coupled and a canopy including a plurality of wall panels, the wall panels being configured for being suspended from the support assembly.
US08499494B2 High traffic flow robotic entrance portal for secure access
Electro-mechanical and electronically controlled access devices are described for controlling access to a building, premises or area in a secure manner such that a subject who is deemed ineligible for access will be barred entry and may be optionally retained. The devices can contain multiple rotatable door panels, which can be positioned behind one another. The door panels can be controlled by mechanized arms or other control devices in order to control the passage through the device. The direction of flow through a device according to these embodiments is electronically controlled and may be changed at any point in time. At any instant in time, the flow through the device is unidirectional. Multiple devices can be stacked together to form clusters, which can be controlled according to traffic, time of day, or other factors.
US08499492B2 Support for plants
A plant support is assembled from a plurality of interchangeable parts that can be readily assembled together to form a complete plant assembly having a desired size, in either an open or closed configuration, and to readily permit disassembly for storage or reconfiguration of the support. The plant support may be made up of various horizontal and vertical members that are configured to readily attach and detach from one another in order to form supports in various shapes and sizes such as enclosures or trellis-type supports.
US08499490B2 Reticulated foam for use in horticultural applications
An air filtration apparatus for use in horticultural applications provides, in the exemplary embodiment, a coupling portion configured for engagement about an un-filtered air source in fluid communication with an enclosed plant growing area. The coupling portion defines an opening extending therethrough. A support portion is integral about a free end of the coupling portion. A reticulated foam piece is coupled to, and configured for covering, an opposing end of the support portion. The opposing end of the support portion has a diameter relatively larger than that of the coupling portion. Thus, with the coupling portion engaged about the un-filtered air source, the apparatus is capable of removing or trapping impurities—such as dust, dirt, pollen, mold spores, insects, pests, etc.—as the un-filtered air travels into the opening of the coupling portion and through the reticulated foam piece, thereby keeping said impurities out of the associated plant growing area.
US08499489B2 Method of killing organisms and removal of toxins in enclosures
A method and kit of components for destroying organisms and toxins in from an enclosure such as a building. Temperature sensing probes are installed in the enclosure to indicate structure temperature and a recorder is used to record the temperature of said sensing probes in real time. Hot air is introduced into the enclosure through one or more ducts to raise the structure temperature to at least about 120° F., as monitored by the temperature sensing probes. This is sufficient to kill essentially all insects, bacteria, virus, dust mites, spiders, silver fish, fungi and toxic molds such as aspergillus oryzae, aspergillus terreus, aspergills versicolor, cladosporium hergbarum, stachybotrys chartarum, penicillium aurantiogriseum, pencillium chrsogenum, pencillium glabrum and fusarium oxysporum. and the like. The air can exit through open doors and windows or through ducts to a filter assembly that captures the remains of the organisms. Ozone may be added to the heated air to improve efficiency. Preferably, air when extracted from an egress duct downstream of the filters improves air flow through the enclosure and filters. A typical building can be treated in six to eight hours.
US08499487B2 Fishing pole grip
The grip of certain embodiments includes a flexible mounting tube that can engage a rod and a sheet that including a polymer outside layer and inside layer and is attached to the tube. The sheet includes a friction enhancing feature and can have a seam joining edges of the sheet in either a substantially vertical or a substantially helical fashion.
US08499485B2 Sliding mount adapter device
A mount adapter device is disclosed which utilizes a sliding mechanism for repositioning accessories attached to a firearm between operative and inoperative positions relative to the firearm. The sliding mount adapter device generally includes a base member, a guiding member, and a sliding member. The base member is configured to be attached to a firearm. The sliding member includes an upper portion configured to receive and retain an accessory. The sliding member is slidably engaged with the guiding member such that the sliding member may be repositioned between a first position relative to the base member and a second position relative to the base member by being slidably moved across the guiding member which is connected to the base member.
US08499478B1 Gift card presenter
A card holder including a pop-up element for holding and presenting a card when the card holder is opened.
US08499475B2 Articulating footwear for sports activity
A boot includes an upper formed of articulating panels that permit portions of the boot to move in substantial independence from one another in response to loads experienced by the boot. The boot generally comprises a sports boot that is positioned around a wearer's foot for coupling to an external appliance, such as a snowboard, wakeboard, skating appliance (such as a blade or wheels), or any other appliance.
US08499469B2 Edge finder
An edge finder includes a housing having a power source included therein. The edge finder includes a probe extending outward from a bottom portion of the housing, the probe including a tip portion located at a distal end, a centrally-disposed spherical portion, and a columnar portion located at a proximal end. The edge finder includes a notification element disposed within the housing, the notification element including the ability to be engaged via the power source, such as for example a light source. The edge finder includes a contact element within the housing such that when lateral pressure is applied to the conical portion, the probe rotates about the spherical portion and columnar portion causes the contact element to engage the power source for activating the notification element. Thus, the edge finder is able to determine X, Y, and Z axes of an item using the notification element for guidance.
US08499464B2 Angle sensor arrangement
Method for detecting an angle of rotation of an angle sensor arrangement including at least one first element and one second element, which are designed and arranged such that they can be rotated relative to one another, and at least one capacitor element whose capacitance changes on the basis of the angle of rotation, the angle of rotation being detected or determined directly or indirectly on the basis of this capacitance of the capacitor element, the capacitor element having at least one first band, and the angle of rotation being detected or determined at least on the basis of the positioning of the first band.
US08499463B2 Saw box for preventing chain shot from a broken sawchain
A saw box for preventing chain shot from a broken sawchain of a chainsaw, the saw box including a stationary shield that covers a rear section of the saw. The shield has an end surface that extends between an outer surface and an inner surface of the shield and has such hardness and is designed with a convex curvature of such a radius that one part of the broken sawchain that comes to an external location during operation of the saw can slide around the end surface in an essentially unhindered manner in a direction towards the inner surface.
US08499457B2 Fixed constant velocity universal joint, method of manufacturing fixed constant velocity universal joint, and bearing device adapted for use in driving wheel and using fixed constant velocity universal joint
A fixed type constant velocity universal joint includes an outer joint member, an inner joint member, a plurality of balls interposed between the outer and inner joint members, and a cage to hold the plurality of balls. At least one of the plurality of track grooves of the outer joint member and the plurality of track grooves of the inner joint member is formed by cold-forging finishing. The outer joint member, the inner joint member, the balls, and the cage are assembled to each other based on matching in which the plurality of balls and the cage each having a rank corresponding to a measured value of a pitch circle diameter of the outer joint member and to a measured value of a pitch circle diameter of the inner joint member, which have been arbitrarily selected, are selected with respect to the arbitrarily selected outer and inner joint members.
US08499456B2 Method for producing a housing for a fluid bearing apparatus
A method for producing a housing for a hydrodynamic bearing apparatus includes forming a housing 7 which has a cylindrical shape and which includes a fixing face 7c for fixing the outer circumferential surface 8b of a bearing sleeve 8, and axial circulation grooves 7d for bringing both end faces 8c, 8d of the bearing sleeve 8 into circulation on the inner periphery. The method includes providing a groove molding portion 18a2 on the outer circumference of a rod 18 which serves as a forming mold for the inner periphery of the housing 7, and forming the circulation grooves 7d of the housing by forging with the groove molding portion 18a2 of the mold. Moreover, after a sealing face 107d and a cylindrical outer circumferential surface 107e provided on the outer periphery of the housing 107 are formed by forging, an inner circumferential surface 107c is formed by forging.
US08499453B2 Method of manufacturing liquid discharge head, and method of manufacturing discharge port member
There is provided a method of manufacturing a liquid discharge head having a substrate including energy generating elements, and a discharge port member, which is provided with discharge ports and is joined to the substrate, thereby forming liquid flow paths communicating with the discharge ports. The method includes, in the following order, preparing a conductive base on which a first insulating resist and a second insulating resist for forming the discharge ports are stacked in this order; performing plating using the first resist and the second resist as masks, and forming a first plated layer; removing the second resist; performing plating on the base using the first resist as a mask, thereby forming a second plated layer so as to cover the first plated layer; removing the base and the first resist, thereby forming the discharge port member; and joining together the substrate and the discharge port member.
US08499450B2 Three-dimensionally woven composite blade with spanwise weft yarns
A composite blade has a root and a tip in a spanwise direction and a leading edge and a trailing edge in a chordwise direction. The composite blade includes a three-dimensional woven preform having weft yarns and warp yarns. The weft yarns extend in the spanwise direction of the composite blade. The warp yarns interweave the weft yarns and extend in the chordwise direction of the blade.
US08499449B2 Method for manufacturing a turbine blade
A turbine blade growth pocket provides a feature to measure blade growth due to engine operation while maintaining dynamic characteristics of the turbine blade within acceptable limits by providing a variable radius fillet between the pocket and a side rail of the pocket.
US08499448B2 Method and device for the finish machining of composite camshafts and eccentric shafts
The invention relates to a method of producing a composite shaft comprising a shaft body (1), at least one first component (2, 9) connected to the shaft body (1) in a rotationally fixed manner, and at least one second component (3, 8) rotatable relative to the shaft body (1), in which method the at least one first component (2, 9) and the at least one second component (3, 8) are pushed onto the shaft body and assembled in the intended sequence. In order to be able to produce such shafts in a simpler and more cost-effective manner and in order to be able to finish-machine the components connected to the shaft body (1) in a rotationally fixed manner only after the complete assembly of the composite shaft, it is proposed according to the invention that at least the first component (2, 9) connected to the shaft body (1) in a rotationally fixed manner be subjected to a machining operation and that the at least one second component (3, 8) be screened from the at least one first component (2, 9) during this machining in such a way that chips produced during the machining of the first component (2, 9) do not penetrate into the space between the second component (3, 8) and the shaft body (1) or between the second component (3, 8) and a third component (21) connected to the shaft body (1) in a rotationally fixed manner.
US08499442B2 Process for fabricating a connector
A conductive elastomeric and mechanical pin and contact system for creation of a Elastromechanical Connector (1) that combines Mechanical Pins, an Insulator Array with Conductive Elastromeric Memory Material. This combination provides a low cost, high density, reliable, reusable electronic interconnect system. This system can be used in place of most connector systems in use today. It replaces any connector that uses pins and sockets and also supports the fine conductor pitch required in the semiconductor business like Ball Grid Array (BGA) Sockets and related devises. The inventive device includes mechanical pins (2), installed in an insulator (3), each mechanical pin is topped with conductive elastromeric compound (4). A mechanical pin is used for each connection point, the insulator positions the mechanical pins in an array pattern appropriate to the interconnection requirement. A conductive elastromeric compound is added to each metal pin to create the Z axis electrical coplanality to the mating unit. This connector will mate between printed circuit boards, packaged electronic assembles, BGAs or LGA type products, harnesses or cables without the need of solder or pins and sockets. Eliminating solder or pins and sockets reduces the pitch between connections. Mechanical pins are plated drawn, formed or machined conductive metal alloys. Insulator is molded or machined out of engineered plastic examples being, but not limited to, FR-4, Ultem®, Polyimide, Torlon®. Electrically conductive elastromeric compounds made up of flexible silicone and rubbers with conductive compounds added.
US08499441B2 Method of manufacturing a printed circuit board
A method of manufacturing a printed circuit board includes stacking a solder resist layer on one side of a carrier; forming a first circuit pattern, which includes a first electrode pad, on the solder resist layer; forming a conductive post on the first electrode pad; stacking and pressing the carrier onto an insulation layer stacked in an inner substrate, such that the conductive post faces the insulation layer; and removing the carrier. As the conductive posts are pressed into the insulation layers to implement interlayer connections, certain drilling processes for forming via holes may be omitted, so that the degree of freedom can be increased in designing the circuits, and the circuits can be made to have greater densities. As the circuit patterns are buried in the insulation layers, the board can be made thinner, and the attachment areas can be increased, to allow greater adhesion.
US08499437B2 Device and a method for aligning a panel having circuit elements with a driver
A device for aligning a LCD panel having circuit elements with driver circuit card assemblies, consisting of retractable pins located around a central platform. The retractable pins extend in order to receive the LCD panel and circuit element assembly and hold it in place as the circuit elements are aligned with driver circuit card assemblies. Once aligned, the drivers and LCD panel can be bonded together. Once bonded, the pins are retracted and the LCD panel and driver assembly is released. The present invention also relates to a method of aligning LCD panels and drivers using retractable pin tools.
US08499428B2 Method of repairing an array substrate of display panel
A method of repairing array substrate of display panel includes the following steps. An array substrate including a substrate, gate lines, data lines, common lines and repairing segments is provided. The gate lines and the data lines are intersected to define a plurality of pixel areas. The data lines include a first data line. The common lines include a first common line. The first data line has a broken line defect. A cutting process is performed to form a first cutting part and a second cutting part on the first common line, and thus the first common line between the first cutting part and the second cutting part forms a floating common repairing segment. A connecting process is performed to electrically connect the repairing segments, the first data line and the common repairing segment, so that the common repairing segment serves as a substitution line of the first data line.
US08499427B2 Expansion anchor setting apparatus
Objects of the present invention provide an attachment for power tools that places and sets expansion anchors. One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a new and improved attachment apparatus for a rotary-hammer type drill, the attachment including a first anchor setting end, a second attachment end, and a handle portion connecting the setting end to the attachment end. The attachment apparatus can be efficiently and easily mounted to the rotary-hammer type drill to simplify the installation of expansion anchors.
US08499425B2 Urn with front and rear interchangeable decorative panels
An urn with one or more removable and replaceable panels which allow for placement of an image, such as by laser engraving, to be done on the removable panel. The panel may be custom engraved and added to a partially complete urn. An urn with an extended base.
US08499424B2 Binding assembly
A binding assembly has a binding frame, a pulling tie and a tightening tie. The binding frame has a base, a pressing member, two tie fastening holders and two separating members. The tie fastening holders are connected pivotally to the base and each has a pulling tie hole and a tightening tie hole. Each separating member divides the corresponding tightening tie hole into a first hole segment and a second hole segment. The pulling tie is mounted through and compressed by the pressing member and has two ends mounted respectively through the pulling tie holes. The tightening tie has two ends mounted respectively through the first hole segments along a first direction, mounted respectively over the separating members and mounted respectively through the second hole segments along a second direction opposite to the first direction.
US08499423B2 Precision safety ring-shaped hook
A precision safety ring-shaped hook provides a timing gauge structure which is composed of a sliding groove, a pair of rail members, and a block pin. Each of the rail members has an arc surface. When a first locking axle is moved to an open slot, a first end of a hook body is moved away from the first guiding member and, at the same time, a block pin moves to the arc surface area, so that when the first locking axle is swung in a hook cavity of the hook body, a driving pin is able to position at the arc surface and thus a locking member can be guided by the arc surface to open the opening of the hook body. Accordingly, the opening or shutting of the opening of the hook body by the locking member can thus be precisely operated at one time to provide an advance precision value for the hook and eliminate the interference and impacting drawbacks.
US08499422B2 Safety device for a piece of luggage comprising a first outside zipper and a second inside zipper
A safety device for a piece of luggage includes a first outside zipper (1) and a second inside zipper (2). The two zippers (1, 2) are superposed in the immediate proximity of one another, such that the teeth (1a, 2a) of the zippers (1, 2) touch under the action of external pressure on the outside zipper (1) by a tip (P) or a pointed tool, by keeping the teeth of the outside zipper (1) from dislocating downward under the pressure of the tip or the pointed tool (P).
US08499421B2 Restraining device
A restraining device for restricting mobility an individual is provided. The restraining device includes an elongated strap having first and second ends. An attaching member, having first and second portions, is secured to the elongated strap, where the first portion is attached to the first end and the second portion is slidably attached to the second end creating a retaining loop for tightly wrapping around an individual's legs. The second end of the elongated strap is extended out a car door leaving the second end hanging outside the car. A retaining strap, defining a series of loops, is attached to a side of the second end of the elongated strap between the second portion of the attaching member and a ring which is attached to the second end of the elongated strap. A fastening member is attached to the ring and is used to adjust the length of the second end hanging outside the car.
US08499419B2 Releasable tie
A releasable tie includes a locking head and a strap body. The locking head includes a base plate, a pair of first side walls, a second side wall, and an operating rod. The operating rod is disposed above a window of the base plate, has a first top surface, and is bilaterally connected to the first side walls via connecting members. At least one first engaging tooth is provided at a predetermined depth extending vertically downward from the first top surface. The first engaging tooth has a second top surface which defines a first tooth depth. The operating rod includes an arm extending toward the strap body. The strap body has a bottom surface formed with plural second engaging teeth engageable with the first engaging tooth. The second engaging teeth have a predetermined tooth pitch smaller than the predetermined depth and a second tooth depth smaller than the first tooth depth.
US08499414B1 Spring member for industrial caster wheel
A spring-force-adjustable and height-adjustable industrial caster wheel includes spring assembly, a mounting plate, a swivel assembly that swivels relative to the mounting plate, and a spring housing having a spring space in which the spring assembly is located. The spring force of the spring assembly is adjustable by pre-loading the spring assembly along the top-to-bottom direction along which the caster load is applied. The spring assembly includes a spring member having one or more relief areas on one or more of its side and/or end surfaces and/or internally within the spring member. These one or more relief areas allow the spring member to easily deform under the pre-load force or under increasing caster load forces without compromising the ability of the spring space to constrain lateral movements of the spring assembly or the ability of the spring member to deform elastically and/or avoid undergoing plastic deformations.
US08499413B1 Castor braking and stopping rotating simultaneously
A castor includes a castor body, an operation unit, a locking unit, and two rollers. The operation unit includes a pressing plate and a rotation member. The locking unit includes a locking module, a stop ring, a locating member, and an upper positioning plate. The locking module has a locking member and a braking member. When the driving portion of the rotation member presses the first ramp of the pressing plate, the locating member is locked in the locking hole of the upper positioning plate. When the driving portion presses the second ramp of the pressing plate, the first engaging portion of the locking member engages the first locking portion of the stop ring, while the second engaging portion of the braking member engages the second locking portion of each of the rollers.
US08499407B2 Wiper for vehicle windows
The invention relates to a wiper for vehicle windows that comprises structural members comprising at least a longitudinal substrate (10); a stiffening rod (20) arranged as an extension of said substrate (10); a wiping blade (30) attached to said substrate (10); an accessory (40) including at least one tube (42a, 42b) for spraying a washing liquid, said accessory (40) being assembled on said substrate (10). According to the invention, the wiper further includes means (60a, 60b) for heating the washing liquid, said heating means being included in the tubes (42a, 42b) of the accessory (40).
US08499406B2 Microfiber sweep mopcloth cleaning device
The present invention relates to a microfiber sweep mopcloth cleaning device, is comprised of a receptacle member of a fabric strap loop along with a pair of Velcro® strips, permanently sewed into a square microfiber terry cloth and affixes and gives an adjustable custom fit to most any size, design, shape or angle of an ordinary nylon household broom, without the worry of shifting, twisting or falling off and ultimately keeps a broom a broom, only allocating the ability to sweep and wipe clean substances, wet, dry, gooey or otherwise on today's old and new surfaces, meticulously and with precision and accuracy like never before, eliminating multiple cleaning tools and supplies, saving time, money and the environment, ultimately bringing joy and making the task of housekeeping fun and addictive for everyone. “A gift for those who love to clean and one for those who have to.”
US08499404B2 Quick change squeegee assembly
The present invention relates to a quick change squeegee assembly for expeditiously replacing the blades of the assembly. A top rail is attached to a pole socket assembly. A hinged compression frame is attached to the top rail. The hinged compression frame includes hinge for coupling a pair of jaws to one another. A biasing member is positioned between the jaws for biasing the jaws away from one another. A plurality of springs can be used to bias the pair of jaws along the length thereof for holding within the jaws an inserted bladed securely along the length of the blade. Each spring can be associated with jaws using a T-bolt inserted through the threaded aperture of the spring, through an aperture of the hinged compression frame and through an aperture of the top rail. An adjustment knob is attached to the T-bolt. The adjustment knob can be activated by rotating in a clockwise or counterclockwise manner for closing and opening the jaws of the hinged compression frame.
US08499399B1 Adjustable in-pipe brush
A device for cleaning the interior of a pipeline includes an axial support, a first collar fixedly attached to a first location on the axial support, a second collar fixedly attached to a second location along the axial support, and a third collar slidingly engaged with the axial support. The second collar is located between the first collar and the third collar. A flexible support is fixedly attached to the third collar and the first collar and extends between the two. Brush members are disposed along an exterior surface of the flexible support. When the third collar is at a first position along the length of the axial support, the flexible support is distended. When the third collar is at a second position along the length of the axial support, where the second position is more distant from the first collar than the first position, the flexible support is flattened.
US08499397B2 Oral care implement with customizable element
An oral care implement with an oral care region having cleaning elements for engaging oral tissue and a body for gripping the implement including a handle with a front and a removable faceplate is described. The removable faceplate may be transparent or translucent and may also include design features. The faceplate may provide protection to a user inscription surface on one of the surfaces of the handle which is may be configured to receive user indicia that may later be removed and further indicia provided.
US08499395B2 Damage resistant bridge construction
A bridge assembly is made up of stackable components that are arranged together to span substantially any size and type of geological formation. The bridge assembly is made up of one or more support columns having respective saddle members at their upper ends. Each saddle member has a lower bearing surface that engages the support column and permits variations in their relative positioning. Each saddle member further has an upper bearing surface for receiving at least one cross beam having a lower bearing surface, which bearing surfaces permit movement between a given saddle member and the cross beams it supports. The bridge components can be pre-formed out of concrete, and are typically assembled by stacking the various components.
US08499389B2 Molded product and use thereof
In order to adjust the firmness of a shaped product in a targeted way, it is proposed to provide at least one section made of a thermoelastic and viscoelastic plastic, a temperature-regulating device placed in thermal contact with the at least one section made of thermoelastic and viscoelastic plastic, and a control device for the temperature-regulating device configured to adjust the firmness of the at least one section made of thermoelastic and viscoelastic plastic by changing the temperature. Such a shaped product can be used as a seat base or bed support.
US08499388B1 Folding chair pad
The folding chair pad includes a rectangular resilient foam cushion with an upper surface, a lower surface and four side surfaces. A fabric top panel covers cushion upper surface. A fabric bottom panel covers cushion bottom surface. A fabric band covers the side surfaces and is sewn to the top and bottom panels to encase the foam cushion. The cushion is compressed and tensions the fabric members when the pad is not in use. An envelope is formed on the bottom panel by a lower fabric panel and a partial fabric band. The envelope has a rearward facing opening that receives the front portion of a chair seat. A retainer flap is sewn to the rear end of the bottom panel and is attached to the rear of the chair seat.
US08499387B2 Treatment couch
A treatment couch (1) having a first headrest (2) and a second headrest (3), wherein at least one first armrest (4) is assigned to the first headrest (2) and at least one second armrest (5) is assigned to the second headrest (3) and wherein the at least one first armrest (4) is adjustable independently of the first headrest (2) and the at least one second armrest (3) is adjustable independently of the second headrest (5). Such a treatment couch is capable of providing flexibility and saving space.
US08499386B2 Adjustable cover for a massage device
A body support assembly (326A) for supporting the body of a user of a massage device (10) includes a frame (334), a pad assembly (336) and a cover assembly (338). The pad assembly (336) is supported by the frame (334). The cover assembly (338) secures the pad assembly (336) to the frame (334). The cover assembly (338) includes a top cover section (360), a bottom cover section (362), and a section connector (364). The section connector (364) selectively moves between an open configuration and a closed configuration. When the section connector (364) is in the open configuration, the top cover section (360) is not directly connected to the bottom cover section (362). When the section connector (364) is in the closed configuration, the top cover section (360) is directly connected to the bottom cover section (362). The cover assembly (338) can further include a middle cover section (366) that is connected to the top cover section (360) and the bottom cover section (362). The middle cover section (366) is visible when the section connector (364) is in the open configuration and the middle cover section (366) is not visible when the section connector (364) is in the closed configuration. The cover assembly (338) can be selectively adjustable to enable the pad assembly (336) to be selectively moved between an expanded configuration and a compressed configuration.
US08499385B2 Electrically operated bed and method for controlling same
A control unit controls a drive unit so that a back angle α, which is an elevation angle of a back bottom, and a knee angle β, which is an elevation angle of a knee bottom, change according to a pre-set pattern. The control unit comprises a memory unit for storing a plurality of patterns of linking a coordinate point (0,0) in a (α,β) coordinate, in which each of the bottoms is in a horizontal state, and a coordinate point (α0, β0), in which the back bottom is raised, with a plurality of points; a selection unit for selecting one pattern from the plurality of patterns stored in the memory unit; and a computation unit for controlling the drive unit so that the back angle α and the knee angle β change according to the pattern selected by the selection unit. Therefore, the patient can be prevented from being displaced on the bed and from being subjected to a sense of pressure on their stomach or chest.
US08499384B2 Pendant assembly with removable tether
A pendant assembly includes a pendant and a tether. The pendant and tether are configured so that the tether can be removed from the pendant when the pendant is secured to a person-support apparatus, and so that the tether remains attached to the pendant when the pendant is removed from the person-support apparatus.
US08499381B1 Sleeping bag for extended range cold weather use
Designs and methods are provided for an exemplary sleeping bag system comprising an outer sleeping bag having a first opening including a first zipper closure, a first integral hood including a first face opening, and a foot receiving region opposite said first face opening. The sleeping bag may further comprise an inner sleeping bag having a second opening including a second zipper closure, a second integral hood including a second face opening, and a foot receiving region opposite the second face opening. The inner sleeping bag may be connected to the outer sleeping bag by at least two connectors, one of which is proximate the foot receiving region.
US08499379B2 Robotic posture transfer assist devices and methods
Robotic posture transfer assist devices for assisting a posture transfer of a patient in a bed may include a device body, a stabilizer coupled with the device body and the bed, and at least one robotic arm having a plurality of degrees of freedom, wherein the robotic arm may be coupled with the device body. Robotic posture transfer assist devices may further include an end-effector removably coupled with the robotic arm, a controller module that provides a control signal to the robotic arm to control a movement of the robotic arm about the plurality of degrees of freedom, and a user input device that provides a command signal to the controller module to command the movement of the robotic arm, wherein the control signal provided by the controller module corresponds with the command signal.
US08499375B2 Washbasin
A washbasin includes: a washbasin body having a water containing space and comprising an insertion hole formed in a front surface thereof in a downward inclined direction and a drain hole formed on the bottom surface thereof; a water supply nozzle projected toward the water containing space through the insertion hole from a rear end of the washbasin body, wherein the projected portion of the water supply nozzle is rotated in a direction desired by a user so as to control a water supply direction and a water supply amount; a cold/hot water supply valve buried in a one-side edge of the washbasin body and coupled to the water supply nozzle through a pipe; and a cold/hot selection level installed on the top surface of the cold/hot water supply valve and selectively supplying cold/hot water to the water supply nozzle.
US08499374B2 Method and system for the therapeutic application of dry carbon dioxide gas
A sealable cabinet that permits a human or animal to experience a dry bath for carbon dioxide or other gases, with said cabinet fitted with gas, water, and power connections, and a controller to optimize the temperature, gas concentrations, and water vapor content of the interior, plus a switchable means for selecting between a sauna environment and said carbon dioxide bath, with a business method that enables a provider of services involving such equipment to achieve a profitable interface with patients and customers.
US08499372B1 Nozzle mounting assembly
A nozzle mounting assembly for an in-ground swimming pool cleaning system may comprise a plurality of mounting rings that are formed within the shell of a prefabricated swimming pool. The plurality of mounting rings may couple at a first end with a corresponding plurality of trim rings. The plurality of trim rings forms a flanged ring around each of the openings in the pool surface for cleaning nozzle mechanisms. The plurality of mounting rings may further couple with a corresponding plurality of nozzle retainer bodies, where the nozzle retainer bodies provide an interface for standard cleaning system fittings. Nozzle mounting assemblies may be adapted to a variety of pool types and surfaces, and may be sized for the floor surface, the steps or the walls of a swimming pool.
US08499368B2 Space-saving toilet system
The invention relates to a toilet system (1) for installation in a vehicle, wherein the toilet system comprises the following components indicated: namely a base (2) which is to be fixed to the vehicle and has a top wall portion, also a toilet bowl (3) which is borne by the top wall portion of the base and has a top peripheral portion preferably bearing a toilet-seat ring (6), further a sewage-retention tank (15) which, in the use position, is arranged, at least in part, beneath the top wall portion, and additionally a guiding, retaining and coupling device which is configured such that the user—preferably from the outside of the vehicle—can pull the correspondingly formed sewage-retention tank out of its use position, in which it can be connected in a liquid-tight manner to the outflow of the toilet bowl (3), remove it from the vehicle and then replace it in said use position, wherein the toilet system (1) is configured such that, even after the base has been fixed to the vehicle, it is possible to make a selection between different intended positions in which the user can sit on the toilet bowl (3) of the toilet system (1), wherein the toilet bowl (3) is fixed to the base (2) in a predetermined position relative to the base, and at least the top peripheral portion of the toilet bowl (3) is essentially round and the toilet-seat ring (6) can be secured on the toilet bowl (3) in different positions, in which it has been rotated at different angles in relation to the vertical axis of the top peripheral portion.
US08505109B2 Measuring probe device for a probe microscope, measuring cell and scanning probe microscope
The invention relates to a measuring probe device for a probe microscope, in particular a scanning probe microscope, with a measuring probe holder and a measuring probe arranged on the measuring probe holder, which is set up for a probe microscopic investigation of a sample, wherein on the measuring probe holder, a measuring probe chamber is formed, which receives the measuring probe at least partially and is open on a side away from the measuring probe holder, and is configured to receive a liquid surrounding the measuring probe. The invention also relates to a measuring cell for receiving a liquid sample for a probe microscope, a scanning probe microscope with a measuring probe device and a scanning probe microscope with a measuring cell.
US08505107B2 Cloud server and access management method
A cloud server stores information, such as a location data range, IP addresses, account names, and passwords of authorized clients. When receiving an access request from a client, the cloud server determines if location data of the client falls within the location data range and an IP address, an account name, and a password of the client matches corresponding information of any authorized client. If the location data of the client falls within the location data range and an IP address, an account name, and a password of the client match information of any authorized client, the cloud server determines that the client is an authorized client and permits the client to access the cloud server.
US08505105B2 Managing signature pages of a transactional deal using a taxonomy displayable by a computing device
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a computer-implemented method, system, and computer-readable medium for managing a collaborative deal transaction process that provides for tracking and managing signature pages of a deal transaction using a taxonomy displayable by a computing device, including receiving a list of users that are authorized to access the deal transaction, the list including an identifier associated with each of the users, storing the list of authorized users, parsing the identifier associated with each user, grouping the users according to parties based on the identifier, creating a taxonomy including a listing of documents relevant to the deal and a listing of the parties of the deal, receiving at least one document, and storing relevant pages of the at least one document, wherein each page is associated with at least one relevant party in the taxonomy.
US08505103B2 Hardware trust anchor
A target computing environment is secured by a hardware trust anchor that provides a trust state of the target computing environment based upon a security audit of the target computing environment. And diagnosing the target computing environment can be diagnosed by the hardware trust anchor according to the security diagnostic information.
US08505102B1 Detecting undesirable content
Systems, methods, routines and/or techniques for time delay on services (e.g., verification services) that detect undesirable content are described. In some embodiments, a flexible verification service prevents users (e.g., hackers) from using the verification service “as an oracle” to predict whether the user's application or software program will be detected by the verification service. The verification service, after receiving a verification request from a client device, may delay or prevent the communication of a verification response to the client device. The verification service may evaluate a verification request to determine a level of risk associated with the request. The verification service may communicate an initial response to the client device that submitted the verification request. The verification service may eventually communicate the verification response to the client device, for example, after a period of delay.
US08505093B2 Information processing device that verifies a computer program, and gaming machine
An apparatus for processing information includes a memory device and a controller. The controller is configured to: access to a memory area in the memory device in which information related to a location of data including a computer program is stored; store contents of the memory area as a first inspection code into a first memory area of the memory device; at predetermined timing, access to a memory area in the memory device in which latest information is stored; store contents of the memory area as a second inspection code into a second memory area; compare the first and the second inspection codes; if the second inspection code does not agree with the first inspection code, output an error signal indicating inconsistency between the first and the second inspection codes; and if the second inspection code agrees with the first inspection code, perform verification of the computer program.
US08505092B2 Dynamic provisioning of protection software in a host intrusion prevention system
Methods and apparatus for optimizing security configurations of a set of computers are disclosed. A set of local servers, each functioning as a deep-security manager supporting a respective subset of the computers, maintains protection software containing filters and rules for deploying each filter. A local server receives updated protection software from a central server. Each local server interrogates each computer of its subset of computers to acquire computer-characterizing data and applies relevant rules to determine an optimal set of filters for each computer. Each rule adaptively determines required characterizing data elements from each computer for determining an optimal security configuration. A local server updates the security configuration of a computer to suit changes in the operational environment of the computer.
US08505091B2 Method of protecting against denial-of-service attacks
An apparatus and method of protecting against a denial-of-service (DoS) attack are described. The apparatus comprises a classification engine, a meter engine, and a copy engine. The method comprises assigning a received packet to a meter based upon a classification of the network packet, determining that a DoS attack is in progress based upon a meter count, copying at least one packet from the meter to a processor; and suppressing the copying of subsequently received network packets to the processor.
US08505088B2 Key exchange for a network architecture
Provided is a method of providing secure communication between an initiator and a responder in a communication network. The method includes presenting a registration request with one or more proposals for dynamically establishing a security association between the initiator and the responder, and receiving a registration response indicating whether any of the one or more proposals have been accepted for the security association.
US08505084B2 Data access programming model for occasionally connected applications
Portions of a computing environment (such as a user's mesh) may restrict accessing to particular types of access by particular applications. The computer may support applications executing within a virtual environment (such as a web browser) by brokering such access through a token-based system. When an application requests a particular type of access (e.g., writing to a particular data object), the computer may contact an authorization server with the credentials of the application to request the specified access, and may receive and store an authorization token. The computer may then access the computing environment with the authorization token, and may return the results to the application within the virtual environment. Additional features may further support such applications; e.g., a programmatic interface may be provided in a familiar language, such as JavaScript, whereby applications can request access to particular data objects and identify authorized access capabilities.
US08505076B2 Proactive authentication
A system for proactively authenticating includes a server having media independent access functions including media independent authentication functions that authenticates other entities attached via an interface to an end of a link specific to a media. A plurality of heterogeneous networks each having media specific access functions including authentication functions corresponding to the other entities attached via the interface to the end of the link specific to the media and mobile devices connected to the plurality of heterogeneous networks, and the server having predefined media independent handover protocols and media independent handover identities based on the media independent functions related to handover, in which the server authenticates candidate access networks prior to the handover of the mobile devices from serving access networks to the candidate access networks each of which belonging to the plurality of heterogeneous access networks having the link specific to the media.
US08505069B1 System and method for updating authorized software
Disclosed are system, method and computer program product for updating software programs on a computer. The system detects an attempt by an update process to execute on the computer and retrieves information about authorized category of software programs to determine whether the detected update process is authorized. When the update process is authorized, the system (i) designates the update process as trusted process, (ii) allows the update process to download on the computer an update object, (iii) and designates the update object as a trusted object. The system then detects an attempt by an installation process to install the update object, and determines from the policy whether the detected installation process is associated to authorized category and related to the trusted update process. When the installation process authorized and related to the trusted update process, the system allows the trusted installation process to install the trusted update object.
US08505065B2 Access control policy in a weakly-coherent distributed collection
A system is disclosed for creating and implementing an access control policy framework in a weakly coherent distributed collection. A collection manager may sign certificates forming equivalence classes of replicas that share a specific authority. The collection manager and/or certain privileged replicas may issue certificates that delegate authority for control of item policy and replica policy. Further certificates may be signed that create one or more items, set policy for these one or more items, and define a set of operations authorized on the one or more items. The certificates issued according to the present system for creating and implementing a control policy framework cannot be modified or simply overridden. Once a policy certificate is issued, it may only be revoked by the collection manager or by a replica having revocation authority.
US08505062B1 Method and system for enabling users to suggest changes to video captions over the web
This invention relates to systems and methods for enabling users to create, to edit and to rate online video timed text over the web. A system embodiment of this invention includes a permission requester that enables a first user to make a permission request. The permission request requests permission from a second user to create a timed text track for a video. A permission granter enables the second user to make a permission response according to the permission request from the first user. A timed text editor enables the first user to create a timed text track for the video based on the response to the permission request and upload the timed text track to a server.
US08505060B2 Use of a feedback channel for image broadcasting
A method for broadcasting images from a video sequence, the method comprising, at the level of broadcasting equipment: including images in an output stream for transmission to at least one restoration equipment, receiving feedback from said restoration equipment of error messages relating to the restoration of the images from the video sequence, analyzing the error messages in order to identify images or parts of images not restored or badly restored and determining response messages including correction images or image parts. The method furthermore comprising determining a level of seriousness for each error message according to the analysis performed and deciding to return a response message relating to an error message according to the level of seriousness of that error message.
US08505059B2 Channel capacity estimation and prediction method and apparatus for rate adaptive wireless video
There is provided a channel capacity estimation method for adaptive video transmission, the method including: estimating a Bit Error Rate (BER) for a received video packet; and estimating channel capacity by using the estimated BER.
US08505057B2 Demand-based edge caching video content system and method
A method (300) and system (200) for of conserving resources in a video-on-demand environment are provided. The method (300) includes storing a stub file (223) on an edge storage device while storing content (110) at a central storage device (222). When a video-on-demand request (440) is received, a resource management system (206) reads (305) the stub file (223) to determine a storage location at the central storage device (222). The resource management system (206) then retrieves the content (110) from the storage location determined from the stub file (223) and either stores it at an edge storage device (111) or delivers it the a subscriber device (109) to fulfill the video-on-demand request (440).
US08505055B2 Enhanced simultaneous recording in multi-room digital video recorder
A computing device receives from a user, a request to simultaneously record two or more programs from a content server onto the computing device and initiates a streaming video session between the computing device and a video client. The computing device provides, to the video client, recording parameters for one of the programs and then receives, via the streaming video session, a video stream from the video client. The video stream includes the one of the programs from the content server based on the recording parameters that is then recorded by the computing device.
US08505054B1 System, device, and method for distributing audio signals for an audio/video presentation
The audio portion of an A/V signal is sent to one or more mobile devices and the video portion of the A/V signal is sent to one or more separate display devices in such a way that the signal provided to the display device(s) contains video information that is delayed by a predetermined amount greater than the expected amount of delay in a communication network over which the audio information is sent to the mobile device(s) so that the audio is received by the mobile device(s) at or before the time the video is displayed on the display device. The signal provided to the display device may include the audio information and/or other information. The amount by which the information provided to the display device (i.e., the video and optionally the corresponding audio and/or other information) is delayed may be fixed or variable/configurable. An application running in the mobile device provides for adding additional delay to the received audio information so that the audio can be synchronized to the corresponding video on the display device. The application may allow the user to manually add the delay to the audio, e.g., using various types of controls, and/or the application may automatically add delay to the audio pursuant to various synchronization protocols.
US08505053B2 User interface having reading lens
A user interface, such as a graphical user interface or other electronic displayable interface, is contemplated. The user interface may include a reading lens portion configured to facilitate providing expanded viewing of content from other portions of the display. The reading lens portion may be displayed according to a non-linear timeline as to facilitate identifying upcoming contents without being constrained by a linear timeline used in other portions of the user interface.
US08505043B2 Method and apparatus for providing metadata of content, and method and apparatus for limiting content usage authority
Provided are a method and apparatus for limiting a content usage authority scope of a client by using metadata in an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service. The method performed by a metadata server adds control information to the metadata and transmits the metadata, wherein the content usage authority scope of the client is defined in the control information. The client of a user limits a content control operation according to a user input by using the control information extracted from the metadata.
US08505041B2 Disk cartridge with internal rotatable locking mechanism
A disk cartridge includes a case body that can house a plurality of disk-shaped recording media and is joined or separated by making a first shell contact with/separate from a second shell in an axial direction, and a lock lever that is rotatably supported and locks the first shell and the second shell in a joining manner, in the inside of the case body. A disk inserting/ejecting slot is formed, a supporting shaft is provided to the case body, the lock lever includes a supported part, a lock part, and a lock-release part, the first shell is provided with an open/close panel that includes an insertion hole, an insertion protrusion part that is inserted into the insertion hole of the open/close panel is provided to an end part of the lock-release part, and an end face of the insertion protrusion part is formed as an inclined face.
US08505040B2 Adjustment mechanism for optical pickup head of optical disk drive
An optical disk drive including a case, a traverse, a guide rod, an optical pick-up head and at least a locking member is provided. The traverse is disposed in the case and includes at least a cantilever part and at least a locking hole. The cantilever part protrudes from a carrying surface of the traverse and is integrated with the traverse. The guide rod leans against a bearing end of the cantilever part. The optical pick-up head is slidably disposed on the guide rod. The locking member includes a leaning part and a locking part. The locking part is locked into the locking hole and the leaning part presses an upper side of an end of the guide rod for making the bearing end generate a bending displacement toward the carrying surface through the guide rod.
US08505039B2 Tray with a fitting convex portion
There is provided a tray including a tray main body that can be nipped by a driving roller rotatably driven and a plurality of driven rollers driven to rotate by making contact with the driving roller, the tray main body having a plate shape, a concave portion in which a thin plate shaped body can be set, the concave portion being formed in the tray main body, a fitting convex portion that is fitted in a fitting hole formed in the thin plate shaped body, the fitting convex portion being provided in the concave portion, and a plurality of elastic pieces for holding the thin plate shaped body by elastically making contact with an inner edge of the fitting hole, the elastic pieces being provided along an outer edge of the fitting convex portion.
US08505036B2 Unified application programming interface for a process control system network
An application programming interface schema, method and system for communicating between first and second application programming interfaces within a process control system includes processing a call from a first application programming interface for a data request, translating the data request from the first application programming interface into one or more methods of a unified application programming interface, and implementing the one or more methods of the unified application programming interface with a second application programming interface. A first unified layer receives a transmission request from a proprietary application programming interface, and translates the transmission request into one or more methods of a unified application programming interface. A second unified layer implements methods of the unified application programming interface with the wireless network application programming interface.
US08505035B2 Method for providing reference data for a diagnosis of a system dependent on an event trace
A method is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes providing a system specification of the system; deriving a number N1 of base patterns dependent on the system specification, a base pattern representing at least one service and having a number N2 of parameterisable events and a parameterisable control section representing a control flow and/or a data flow between the events; selecting a number N3, wherein N3≦N1, of base patterns and providing a control structure representing a control flow and/or a data flow between the selected base patterns dependent on an event trace expected as a result of the system run; and providing the reference data having at least the selected base patterns and the provided control structure.
US08505031B2 Method for sharing data
A method for sharing data includes creating a socket serviced by a server application executing within a central operating system environment and creating another socket serviced by a client application executing within a virtualized operating system environment. The central operating system environment and virtualized operating system environment run on a single computer and are separated by a secure boundary. The central operating system environment has administrative control over the virtualized operating system environment. The method also includes establishing a communication link across the secure boundary and between the sockets, requesting at least one element of a server array existing in a memory space of the server application and passing the at least one element to the client application via the communication link to mirror the server array into a memory space of the client application.
US08505030B2 Coordinating resources using a volatile network intermediary
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for coordinating resources using a volatile network intermediary. Embodiments provide a mechanism for an network intermediary to facilitate a state coordination pattern between an application and a communication medium when the communication medium does not support the state coordination pattern. In some embodiments, receiving applications can make use of this network intermediary by changing the receive location. However, the receiving application may not be able to distinguish the network intermediary from a native implementation of the state coordination pattern. Further, the network intermediary does not require deployment of a persistent or durable store to coordinate state between receiving applications and the original communication medium.
US08505028B2 Flow control protocol
A method and apparatus for processing message is described. In one embodiment, an application programming interface is configured for receiving and sending messages. A message credit account of a sender is maintained. The message credit account of the sender is debited when a message is received from the sender to a receiver. The message credit account of the sender is credited when a replenishment message is sent to the sender in response to the receiver processing the received message. The sender is prevented from sending any messages to the receiver when a balance in the message credit account of the sender becomes negative.
US08505020B2 Computer workload migration using processor pooling
An event calling for a migration of a workload from a source processor set of processing units to a target processor set of processing units is detected. Processes of the workload are allocated to a second processor set of processing units so that some workload processes are executed on the source processor set and some workload processes are executed on a second processor set of processor units. Then, some workload processes are allocated to the second processor set so that no workload process is executing on the source processor set and at least some of said processes are executing on the second process set. The second processor set can be the target processor set or an intermediate processor set from which the workload is migrated to the target processor set.
US08505016B2 Enhanced shortest-job-first memory request scheduling
In at least one embodiment of the invention, a method includes scheduling a memory request associated with a thread executing on a processing system. The scheduling is based on a job length of the thread and a priority step function of job length. The thread is one of a plurality of threads executing on the processing system. In at least one embodiment of the method, the priority step function is a function of ┌x/2n┐ for x<=m and P(x)=m/2n for x>m, where x is the number of memory requests in a memory request queue and n and m are integers. In at least one embodiment of the method, the priority step function is a function of 2n×┌ log2(x)┐, where x is the number of memory requests in a memory request queue and n is an integer.
US08505006B1 Resource management in virtual machines using dynamic table for performing resource queries
Systems and methods are provided for intelligent resource management for a virtual machine. A method for operating a virtual environment can comprise receiving a request for a resource from an application, processing the request to identify the resource, determining whether the resource is for the virtual environment, and modifying a part of a data structure for the request based on a reference to the resource in the virtual environment.
US08505005B1 Multi-platform network-based software distribution
Methods and systems are disclosed for automatically installing software applications on multiple target computers having different computing platforms from a central location. The methods and systems provide an infrastructure comprising a centralized repository and server and a plurality of remote target computers. The centralized repository stores platform-specific installation files for each software application and computing platform of interest, and one or more non-platform-specific deploy jobs for installing the software applications. The non-platform-specific deploy jobs allows a user to automatically install one or more software applications on any target computer regardless of computing platform, and to reuse any installation logic that may have been custom-developed for the software applications. A common command syntax is created that may be used to define and execute the deploy jobs across the multiple computing platforms.
US08504990B2 Middleware configuration processes
An improved middleware configuration process can include extracting parameters of a manually configured customized software instance to be implemented on a tenant that provides the customized software instance providing business process-specific support tailored to a specific organization. A configuration engine can perform the extracting and can receive a designation of a first part of the parameters as relating to tenant-independent content of the customized software instance and a second part of the parameters as relating to tenant-dependent content of the customized software instance. The tenant-independent content can relate to features of a core software platform, and the tenant-dependent content can relate to at least one organization-specific extension of the core software platform that provides the business process-specific support. The tenant-dependent content can have tenant-specific content formats and tenant-specific content data defined by and available to only the tenant. The tenant-independent content of the tenant can be modified according to the first part, and the tenant-specific content can be modified according to tenant-specific implementation input that implements the second part for the tenant in accordance with the customized software instance. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.
US08504988B2 Live component authoring system
Disclosed is a rules based editor configured to edit an equation related element where the rules based editor may use at least one rule related to a pre-built application module that is included in a viewer module. The viewer module may include rendering and equation evaluation instructions. The edited equation related element may be configured to be included in a component description file. The combination of the viewer module and the component description file may be configured to be used to display a version of the equation related element that is analytically related to an input value.
US08504986B2 Calling functions as methods
A method and apparatus for converting a method call to a function call. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving an argument list from a function that has been called by a subroutine call. The method further comprises determining whether the subroutine call is a method call from the argument list. In response to a determination that the subroutine call is the method call, the method comprises converting the method call into a function call.
US08504985B2 Context sensitive script editing for form design
Context sensitive script editing for form design is provided. In some embodiments, context sensitive script editing for form design includes receiving an indication to display a script editing interface, in which the indication includes a selected object within a sub-window of an editing application; obtaining a script associated with the selected object; and displaying a pop-up window that includes the script associated with the selected object, in which the pop-up window is displayed within the sub-window.
US08504981B2 Application development support device, program, and recording medium
The development of an application that includes a user interface (UI), which has a specific UI screen that is directly called through an external link and displays an execution result of a specific service, is realized without coding operations. Before constructing a UI using a first tool, condition starting buttons, which respectively correspond to a plurality of services that can be provided by programs generated using a second tool and which are respectively added call programs for calling corresponding service, are generated. When a specific condition starting button is placed in a UI screen under construction and the conversion for a unconditional starting is instructed, an attribution is changed so that the button becomes invisible and the specific condition starting button is changed to a unconditional starting button by changing a call program so that the call program is unconditionally executed when the UI screen is called through a link.
US08504980B1 Constraining data changes during transaction processing by a computer system
Data changes during transaction processing by a computer system are constrained. An outbound processing sub-component of a first processing component is enabled to change a value of a status variable relating to processing performed on a data object instance by the first processing component. The data object instance includes values for variables and methods capable of being performed by the data object instance. The outbound processing sub-component is configured to trigger subsequent processing steps in a second processing component. The outbound processing sub-component is permitted to change only the status variable and is not permitted to change any other variable.
US08504975B2 Reliability evaluation and system fail warning methods using on chip parametric monitors
A method of reliability evaluation and system fail warning using on chip parametric monitors. The method includes determining impact of parametric variation on reliability by identifying key parametric questions to be answered by stress, identifying parametric macros for each parameter, and identifying layout sensitive areas of evaluation. The process can also include a set of parametric macros in one of a test site or a product to be stressed, testing the set of parametric macros prior to start of stress and at each stress read out, and setting life time parameter profile for technology.
US08504973B1 Systems and methods for generating a test environment and test system surrounding a design of an integrated circuit
Systems and methods for generating and using a test environment and a test system surrounding a design are described. The systems and methods may involve using a same application software for creating a design and for receiving a selection to generate the test environment and the test system. In response to receiving the selection, the systems and methods may execute a verification tool to create the test environment and test system. Moreover, a user may not fill in templates of components of the verification tool. The verification tool is integrated within the application software.
US08504970B1 Method and apparatus for performing automated timing closure analysis for systems implemented on target devices
A method for generating a design for a system to be implemented on a target device includes compiling the design. Information used to make a compilation decision on the design is stored. A strategy to improve timing closure on a signal path on the design is derived using the information.
US08504966B2 Method and device for reordering scan chains considering plan groups
Reconfiguration methods and devices are disclosed for scan chains with the planned unit taken into consideration, the one method comprising a first phase reconfiguration and second phase reconfiguration. The first phase reconfiguration first classifies a number of scan chains, wherein scan chains with the starting point and the ending point in the same planned unit are classified as a first aggregation of scan chains; scan chains with the starting point and the ending point not in the same planned unit are classified as a second aggregation of scan chains; and scan chains with both the starting point and the ending point at the same top level are classified as a third aggregation of scan chains. In sequence the scan chains within the first aggregation are reconfigured, then the scan chains within the second aggregation are reconfigured, and finally the scan chains within the third aggregation are reconfigured.
US08504964B2 Through-hole layout apparatus that reduces differences in layout density of through-holes
A through-hole layout apparatus and method for reducing differences in layout density of through-holes. The through-hole layout apparatus includes an extractor, which extracts an existing through-hole from design data for a semiconductor integrated circuit, a calculator, which calculates a layout density of through-holes in a predetermined region for each through-hole extracted by the extractor, a selector, which selects a through-hole at the center of a predetermined region where the layout density is lower than a predetermined value as a target through-hole from among the through-holes extracted by the extractor and a through-hole adder, which determines a given position in a predetermined region centered on the target through-hole as a placement position at which a through-hole is to be added for each target through-hole selected by the selector.
US08504962B1 Through-silicon via admittance extraction
Aspects of the invention relate to techniques for extracting admittance values associated with through-silicon vias in an integrated circuit system. A function fitting process is performed to generate parameters of a representation for electro-quasi-static potential Green's functions at a plurality of frequencies of interest based on integrated circuit manufacturing process information. Based on the generated parameters, a set of electric potential basis functions, a set of electric displacement basis functions and layout information for a layout design of interest, matrix elements of a matrix for each frequency in the plurality of frequencies of interest may be computed. The matrix is a part of a linear system that formulates a relationship of electric displacement fields and electric potentials in various regions associated with through-silicon vias in the layout design. Based on the matrix, admittance values associated with the through-silicon vias are computed.
US08504960B2 Method and system for high speed and low memory footprint static timing analysis
The invention provides a method and system for performing Static Timing Analysis on SoC (System on a Chip) designs. The invention solves a longstanding problem with timing analysis of designs, namely, the ability to multi-thread the design under analysis. The invention provides for slicing a design into levels, further decomposing each level into gates, and the multi-threaded processing of gates so that the solution of large design analysis is generated significantly faster than current approaches. Further, the invention provides that only one level exists in the RAM at any time. Once the arrival time on the level is computed, the data is saved to disk immediately. Because the memory footprint is sub-linear to the size of the design, entire system-on-a chip designs may be nm on inexpensive, off-the-shelf hardware.
US08504956B1 Calculation of integrated circuit timing delay using frequency domain
Accurate circuit and system timing analysis is a critical tool for designing and analyzing complex modern semiconductor chips. While the accuracy and detail of dynamic electrical simulation may be desirable in theory, such analysis is not feasible due to extreme computational complexity and open-ended simulation times. Improved circuit modeling and timing analysis tools that can provide both accuracy and computational efficiency are required. Table look-up (TLU) and other techniques provide computationally efficient timing analysis but may be undertaken at the expense of simulation accuracy. Instead, the use of current waveform moments representing the frequency domain equivalents of signals can provide the required simulation accuracy and computational efficiency.
US08504955B2 Timing adjustment device and method thereof
A timing adjustment device includes a plurality of receive circuits that receive an input signal based on mutually different timings, a determination circuit that determines a first transition and a second transition of the input signal based on a received result by receive circuits, among the plurality of receive circuits, that receive the input signal with adjacent timings among different timings of the plurality of receive circuits, and an adjustment circuit that adjusts the receiving timing of the input signal so that the receiving timing of the input signal becomes close to a central timing of a period according to the first transition and the second transition.
US08504953B2 Schematic generation visualization aid for netlists comprising analog circuits
The invention concerns the generation of schematics from analog netlists. Various implementations of the invention provide that an analog netlist defining a number of hardware components and the connectivity between the hardware components is identified. Subsequently, the netlist is sorted and partitioned into component groups. The component groups are arranged and lines are routed between the component groups. The corresponding hardware components are arranged within the component groups and a schematic corresponding to the arranged hardware components is generated.
US08504951B2 Dose-data generating apparatus, dose-data generating method, and manufacturing method of semiconductor device
According to one embodiment, generating virtual data by mirroring data based on a dimension measurement result in a measurement region on an inner side of a shot region to a non-shot region on an outer side of a shot edge, and calculating dose data of the measurement region and a non-measurement region based on data in the measurement region and the virtual data are included.
US08504950B2 Modular array defined by standard cell logic
Disclosed herein is an ASIC having a base array of function blocks. Each function block includes a plurality of primitive cells. Each primitive cell is defined by a component from a standard cell library. The base array is prefabricated for use later with a custom circuit design.
US08504949B2 Hybrid hotspot detection
Aspects of the invention relate to hybrid hotspot detection techniques. The hybrid hotspot detection techniques combine machine learning classification, pattern matching and process simulation. A machine learning model, along with false hotspots and false non-hotspots for pattern matching, is determined based on training patterns. The determined machine learning model is then used to classify patterns in a layout design into three categories: preliminary hotspots, preliminary non-hotspots and potential hotspots. Pattern matching is then employed to identify false positives and false negatives in the first two categories. Process simulation is employed to identify boundary hotspots in the last category.
US08504947B2 Deletion gestures on a portable multifunction device
Deletion gestures for use on a portable multifunction device with a touch-sensitive display are disclosed. In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method for use in conjunction with the portable multifunction device comprises displaying a list of items on the touch-sensitive display, detecting a first gesture on the touch-sensitive display to edit the list of items, responding to the first gesture by displaying a first icon next to each deletable item in the list, detecting a second gesture on the touch-sensitive display to select one of the deletable items, and responding to the second gesture by displaying a second icon next to the selected item. If a third gesture on the second icon is detected, the selected deletable item is deleted. If a fourth gesture on the first icon next to the selected deletable item is detected, the second icon is deleted.
US08504941B2 Digital image magnification user interface
A graphical user interface for displaying and magnifying a source image about a focus point comprises an image frame with a background image and a zoomed-in image. The image frame is responsive to user input. The background image is created from the source image, and fills the image frame. The zoomed-in image is created by mapping at least a portion of the source image onto a curved surface as a texture, and superimposing a two-dimensional render of the resulting textured surface atop a region of the background image.
US08504939B2 Vertical click and drag to drill down into metadata on user interface for audio video display device such as TV
An initial vertical drag command input to a GUI of a display having a grid of content information panels causes metadata related to one of the content information panels to be displayed, typically overlaid on an information panel adjacent the selected panel. A subsequent vertical drag command causes enhanced metadata to be displayed in a larger window.
US08504934B1 Displaying a graphical keyboard
In general, this disclosure describes techniques for providing a mechanism for facilitating text entry by a user interacting with a graphical keyboard displayed at a presence-sensitive screen of a computing device. For example, a computing device having a presence-sensitive screen and a housing, the housing further having a plurality of touch sensors, receives touch input at the touch sensors. The computing device determines a usage mode, based on the touch input. The computing device also displays, based on the usage mode, a graphical keyboard at the presence-sensitive screen. If the usage mode is a one-handed usage mode, a unitary graphical keyboard is displayed. If the usage mode is a two-handed usage mode, a split graphical keyboard is displayed.
US08504931B2 Conversion service for data dragged on web-sites
A service performs transformation for material that has been dragged in one format from a web-site and has to be transformed first in order to be dropped onto a different web-page. The transformation makes it possible for the target (drop) page to understand and process the data. A target page need only support one format rather than numerous possible formats used by source pages.
US08504929B2 Editing user interface components
A system that executes a user editable application includes a user interface that includes a plurality of components organized in a tree structure. The system indicates which of the plurality of components may be editable by a user of the application. The system receives editing input from the user for an editable component, and then updates the component based on the editing input.
US08504925B1 Automated animated transitions between screens of a GUI application
A computer implemented method for transitioning a component between graphical user interface screens is provided. The method initiates with identifying a start state of the component within a transition panel. An end state of the component is identified within the transition panel and timer logic is triggered to periodically call a transition engine. An effects engine is called in response to the triggering and a next state of the component is rendered into an animation layer. The next state of the component is then displayed. A transition framework is also provided.
US08504919B2 Portable cross platform database accessing method and system
A user manages a database or other application through a remote graphical user interface on a server device through a client device. A cross platform database translation module resides on the client device. The client device may also store cross platform authentication, configuration, and report generating modules for validating a user id and presenting database results in a desirable format. The modules on the client device request applications from a server device, may request validation from an authorization server, may configure embedded devices, and may query a database. The database may reside on a server, on the client device, or on another device.
US08504917B2 Method and system for displaying contextual advertisements with media
Systems and methods have been developed for displaying contextually relevant advertisements to users as media objects are being rendered. One or more data sources with contextual information for different portions of each media object are maintained. From this contextual information, keywords may be generated and used to locate contextually-related advertisements. The advertisements are selected based on contextual information about the media object in order to match or otherwise be contextually relevant with the media content being rendered. As the subject matter of the media object changes during rendering, different advertisements related to the new context are provided that replace the prior advertisement. The advertisements are displayed in an area that could be used for other purposes when the rendering device is not rendering media objects.
US08504913B2 Client-side components
Generating web pages dynamically at a client is disclosed. In some embodiments, when a web application or other code determines that a page is to be displayed, a set of components required to generate the page dynamically at the client is determined. Any components not already available at the client is obtained from a server. In some embodiments each component includes a display portion and may include one or both of a set of binding declarations and a logic portion. The components are parsed at the client and used to generate the page dynamically at the client, e.g., by generating associated portions of the document object model (DOM), retrieving JavaScript™ or other functions/classes and linking them to the respective portions of the DOM to which they correspond, and using the browser to render the page so created.
US08504911B1 Facilitating access to data in network page generation code
Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating access to data in network page generation code supplied by customers of a hosting provider. A request for a network page is obtained from a client. The network page is associated with a network site hosted by a hosting provider on behalf of a customer. Page generation code supplied by the customer is obtained, and this code includes a dynamic data variable. One or more service calls are executed based at least in part on the dynamic data variable to obtain one or more data objects. The page generation code is executed to generate the network page in response to the request, where the page generation code is executed with the data objects in place of the dynamic data variable.
US08504910B2 Mapping a third-party web page to an object in a social networking system
A social networking system includes a mechanism for customizing display of content from an external web page. Nodes associated with a web page are included in the social graph based on one or more tags included in a web page, which contain meta-information for defining the node in the social networking system, such as the type of the node. The social networking system retrieves the tags from the markup language document and stores their information in connection with the node for the web page while using the tags to identify a template that describes display of content from the web page. The template may include user interface elements for receiving input, allowing a user to interact with a node in the social graph associated with the web page, allowing user interactions with the web page content to be tracked by and reflected back within the social networking system.
US08504909B2 Load-time memory optimization
Various embodiments can be used to process packages or documents that contain markup language describing one or more documents. Markup language descriptions can be processed to identify certain objects that reoccur or are repeated in the markup language description. If a re-occurring or repeating object is encountered in the markup language description, a resource dictionary can be used to catalog such objects and, an associated object model can include, from the resource dictionary, references to a re-occurring or repeating object. By using the resource dictionary as such, memory resources can be conserved when an in-memory representation of the object model is built.
US08504908B2 Computer-implemented methods displaying, in a first part, a document and in a second part, a selected index of entities identified in the document
Disclosed is a computer-implemented method of presenting data which has been automatically extracted from a digital representation of a document to a curator for review, the extracted data comprising annotation entity data concerning one or more instances of entities which have been identified in the digital representation of a document, the annotation entity data comprising data specifying the location of the identified instances of entities within the digital representation of a document, the method comprising the steps of (i) displaying in a first region of a display screen a user selectable portion of the digital representation of a document with said instances of entities which are specified by the annotation entity data as being located within the displayed portion of the digital representation of a document highlighted at the location specified by the annotation entity data; (ii) displaying in a second region of the display screen a list of a plurality of instances of entities which have been identified in the digital representation of a document, at least one of the listed instances of an entity having a user selectable user interface element associated therewith; and (iii) responsive to a user selecting the user selectable user interface element associated with an instance of an entity, adjusting the portion of the digital representation of a document which is displayed in the first region to include the location within the digital representation of a document where the instance of an entity associated with the selected user interface element is located.
US08504907B2 Generating page and document logs for electronic documents
A method and system for generating page and document logs for electronic documents. The system includes a plurality of portable electronic devices and a workflow server. The portable electronic devices display a document that receives stroke input and images. A stroke capture device and module generates a log of segments and updates the log in response to a user erasing stroke data. An image capture module captures an image and inserts the image into a document. A logging module generates page metadata for each page within the document and document metadata that includes changes made to the page data. The logging module copies the page metadata and document metadata in response to a request. The copying includes a copy of all the metadata, metadata for selected pages and metadata for redacted content.
US08504904B2 Validating objects in a data storage system
Objects stored in a storage system (such as a file server system) are protected by multiple levels of validation. Each chunk of an object is associated with a chunk validator, and an object validator is computed for the object based on the chunk validators. The object validator is stored in the storage system and may be used at various times to validate the object, for example, upon a startup of the storage system, upon taking a checkpoint or “snapshot” of the status of the storage system, or at other appropriate times.
US08504900B2 On-line discovery and filtering of trapping sets
A communication system (e.g., a hard drive) having a random-access memory (RAM) for storing trapping-set (TS) information that the communication system generates on-line during a special operating mode, in which low-density parity-check (LDPC)-encoded test codewords are written to a storage medium and then read and decoded to discover trapping sets that appear in candidate codewords produced by an LDPC decoder during decoding iterations. The discovered trapping sets are filtered to select a subset of trapping sets that satisfy specified criteria. The discovery and filtering of trapping sets is performed based on error vectors that are calculated using the a priori knowledge of original test codewords. The TS information corresponding to the selected subset is stored in the RAM and accessed as may be necessary to break the trapping sets that appear in candidate codewords produced by the LDPC decoder during normal operation of the communication system.
US08504898B2 Storage apparatus, controller and data accessing method thereof
A storage apparatus is provided. The controller of the storage apparatus includes an error correction module and a data disordering module. The error correction module is configured to perform an error correction procedure for a data packet to be written into a flash memory module of the storage apparatus for generating sequence data codes containing the data packet and corresponding error correcting codes, wherein the data packet includes a data area recording data to be written and a spare area recording data related to the data packet. The data disordering module is configured to convert the sequence data codes into non-sequence data codes, wherein the data of the data area and the spare area and error correcting codes are dispersed in the non-sequence data codes. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively increase the safety of the data packet.
US08504890B2 Scheduling for LDPC decoding
A codeword is decoded by receiving a codeword representation that includes a plurality of soft bits and iteratively updating the soft bits. Whether each soft bit participates in at least some iterations is determined according to a selection criterion, e.g., probabilistically, or according to iteration number, or according to the soft bit's iteration history. For example, each soft bit might participate in some or all iterations with a probability that is a function of both the iteration number and a reliability measure of that soft bit. Preferably, the iterations are LDPC iterations in which variable nodes are addressed sequentially for exchanging messages with corresponding check nodes.
US08504887B1 Low power LDPC decoding under defects/erasures/puncturing
This disclosure relates generally to low power data decoding, and more particularly to low power data decoders for use under defects, erasures, and puncturing, with a low density parity check (LDPC) encoder. Systems and methods are disclosed for decoding a vector with punctured, detected defect and/or erased bits. Systems and methods are also disclosed for decoding a vector with undetected defects and/or unknown error patterns. Low power decoding may be performed in an LDPC decoder during the process of decoding an LDPC code in the case of defects, erasures, and puncturing. The low power techniques described herein may reduce power consumption without a substantial decrease in performance of the applications that make use of LDPC codes, or the devices that make use of low power LDPC decoders.
US08504886B2 Method for partitioning scan chain
A system and method for scan partitioning for testing an embedded logic circuit in an integrated circuit (IC) device is provided. One or more scan partitions in the embedded logic circuit are identified. Each scan partition includes one or more scan chains of scan registers. One or more interacting registers connecting scan registers of a first scan partition and scan registers of a second scan partition are identified and combined to form an interacting scan chain. The embedded logic circuit is tested by selectively activating the scan chains of the first and second scan partitions and the interacting scan chain.
US08504883B2 System and method for testing integrated circuits
A method of testing a semiconductor memory device includes reading previously written test data from the semiconductor memory device simultaneously through at least two data I/O connections, e.g., pins or pads, of the semiconductor memory device. The signals from the two data I/O connections are combined to produce a compound output signal. The compound output signal is received by a single I/O channel of a tester. The tester compares the compound output signal to a predetermined voltage level, and determines whether the semiconductor memory device is operating properly based on the comparison of the compound output signal to the predetermined voltage level.
US08504881B2 Switch device, switch control method and storage system
A switch device includes a memory unit for storing therein an error response for each error event to be sent in response at the time of a failure with respect to a control signal that controls a storage device connected to the switch device, an error response output unit for receiving input of the control signal and sequentially outputting each error response stored in the memory unit, an operation information computing unit for detecting an operation of a calculating device, which is connected to the switch device, corresponding to each error response output by the error response output unit and for obtaining, as operation information, a condition defining the operation of the calculating device upon receiving each error response, and an operation setting unit for setting operation condition at the time of a failure based on the operation information.
US08504873B1 Method and apparatus for providing in-memory checkpoint services within a distributed transaction
A method and apparatus for performing in-memory checkpoint services as a callable resource within a distributed transaction. As such, in-memory checkpoint processes can be utilized by an application as the application would use any resource available to the computer network via a distributed transaction.
US08504872B1 Automated delayed message redelivery
Method and system are disclosed for redelivering failed messages in asynchronous communication systems. The methods and systems automatically delay redelivery of such failed messages in order to allow required system resources to become available. In one implementation, the methods and systems provide two levels of redelivery: a micro level in which redelivery is attempted right away for a certain number of times, and a macro level in which a predefined, user-selectable delay is imposed before any additional micro level redeliveries are attempted. After a certain number of unsuccessful macro level redeliveries, the message is backed out to a backout queue for manual intervention by a system operator. Such an arrangement reduces or eliminates the burden on the system operator to manually resolve failed message deliveries.
US08504870B2 Optimized recovery
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for restoring data. In some embodiments, this includes determining an object to be recovered, determining a representation of the object, and requesting the representation of the object from a data resource system. In some embodiments, the representation of the object is a hash value of the object. In some embodiments, the representation of the object is a segment of the object.
US08504867B2 High resolution clock signal generator
A clock signal generator having first and second coarse delay circuits connected in series delays pulses of a reference signal having period TP to produce pulses of the clock signal. The first coarse delay circuit delays pulses of the reference signal with a delay resolution of TP/N seconds over a range spanning TP seconds to produce pulses of an output signal. The second coarse delay circuit delays pulses of the output signal of the first coarse delay circuit over a range spanning TP seconds with a delay resolution of TP/M seconds to provide pulses of the clock signal with a timing resolution of TP/(M*N) seconds when the integers N and M are relatively prime.
US08504865B2 Dynamic phase alignment
A clock signal may be aligned with a data signal by delaying the signals relative to each other until an edge of one signal aligns with an edge of the other signal, and then causing an inversion of the clock signal. A further variation may limit the relative delay period to one-half clock cycle and may use a double inversion of the clock signal.
US08504863B2 Drift tracking feedback for communication channels
A communication channel includes a first component having a transmitter coupled to a normal signal source, and a second component having a receiver coupled to a normal signal destination. A communication link couples the first and second components. Calibration logic provides for setting an operation value for a parameter of the communication channel, such as by executing an exhaustive calibration sequence at initialization of the link. A tracking circuit, including a monitoring function, tracks drift in the parameter by monitoring a feedback signal that has a characteristic that correlates with drift in the communication channel, and updates, or indicates the need for updating of, the operation value of the parameter in response to the monitoring function.
US08504862B2 Device and method for preventing lost synchronization
A method and device for preventing a defect in a CDR circuit from hindering synchronization between connection nodes and for preventing connection failures. The CDR circuit generates a synchronization clock from received data. A connection failure processor performs a connection failure process if synchronization based on the synchronization clock between connection nodes is not established when a first predetermined time from when the reception of the received data is started elapses. A correction processor corrects operation of the CDR circuit if synchronization based on the synchronization clock between connection nodes is not established when a second predetermined time, which is shorter than the first predetermined time, from when the reception of the received data is started elapses.
US08504860B2 Systems, methods and devices for configurable power control with storage devices
Power is routed from one or more power supplies. As consistent with one or more example embodiments, a data storage device senses and/or is informed of the availability and voltage level of one or more power supplies. Based upon the availability and voltage level of power supplies, circuits in the memory device are powered using one or more of the sensed power supplies. In some applications, the power is drawn in a manner that emulates the behavior of one or more circuits that are respectively powered.
US08504859B2 Data interface power consumption control
Apparatus and techniques relating to data interface power consumption control are disclosed. Components of a data transfer module may be selectively moved between their normal operating states and reduced power states at times when the data transfer module is not to be used for transferring data. Decisions as to particular components that are to be moved to their reduced power states may be based on respective timing characteristics of the components and/or respective power consumption characteristics of the components, for example. In some embodiments, an action may be performed to reduce a powering up time of the data transfer module when normal operation of the data transfer module is to resume. In the case of a multiple-connection interface having respective data transfer modules for each connection, the interface may be partially shut down by moving a subset of the data transfer modules into reduced power states.
US08504858B2 Wireless input device with a power saving system
An input device with a power saving system is provided for reducing the power consumption of the input device when the input device is at rest. The input device may include a sensor, a rest mode switch, control logic and a current controller. The sensor may be configured to obtain an image data in response to a light incident on the sensor. The rest mode switch may be configured to set the input device to various levels of rest modes when it is inactive. The control logic may be coupled to the rest mode switch and the sensor. The control logic may be configured to set the input device to process a portion of the image data on the sensor array during a wake up detection operation when the input device is at rest. The current controller may be coupled to the control logic and the sensor and configured to control the current supply limited to a section of the sensor array containing the portion of image data that is being processed by the input device during the wake up detection operation.
US08504851B2 Electronic device having power consumption adjusting feature
An electronic device includes a central processing unit (CPU), a number of power supply units (PSUs), a north bridge, a south bridge, and a baseboard management controller (BMC). The number of power supply units (PSUs) supplies power to the CPU. Each PSU has a rated power. The north bridge is connected to the CPU. The south bridge is connected to the north bridge. The BMC is connected to the CPU by the north and south bridges. The BMC detects power supply states of each PSU and controls the north bridge to adjust a power consumption of the CPU according to the power supply states of the PSUs.
US08504850B2 Method and controller for power management
Power management of a system. A request may be received to enter a first sleep state for a system. One or more processes may be performed to enter the first sleep state in response to the request to enter the first sleep state. A system memory of the system may be stored in a nonvolatile memory (NVM) in response to the request to enter the first sleep state in order to enter a second sleep state. Power may be removed from the system memory after storing the system memory in the NVM in response to the request to enter the first sleep state. After removing power to the system memory, the system may be in the second sleep state.
US08504846B2 Method and apparatus for secure storing of private data on user devices in telecommunications networks
A system for securely storing data is provided. The system includes a transformation component operable to scramble or encrypt the data, a dissection component operable to divide the data into a plurality of segments, and a storage component operable to store the plurality of segments in a plurality of memory locations. These components can operate various schemes identified by encoded identifiers and new schemes can be added to the system at any time. A user device can use a combination of a transformation scheme, a dissection scheme, and a storage scheme to protect stored private data at any point in time. The combination can be changed quickly by the user device autonomously or upon receiving an instruction to do so.
US08504845B2 Protecting states of a cryptographic process using group automorphisms
In the field of computer enabled cryptography, such as a keyed block cipher having a plurality of rounds, the cipher is hardened against an attack by a protection process which obscures the cipher states and/or the round keys using the properties of group field automorphisms and applying multiplicative masks (instead of conventional XOR masks) to the states of the cipher, for encryption or decryption. This is especially advantageous in a “White Box” environment where an attacker has full access to the cipher algorithm, including the algorithm's internal state during its execution. This method and the associated computing apparatus are useful for protection against known attacks on “White Box” ciphers, by eliminating XOR operations with improved masking techniques and increasing complexity of reverse engineering and of attacks.
US08504838B2 Integrity protected smart card transaction
Systems, methods, and technologies for configuring a conventional smart card and a client machine, and for performing a smart card authorization using the configured smart card and client. Further, the combination of methods provides for mutual authentication—authentication of the client to the user, and authentication of the user to the client. The authentication methods include presenting a specified token to the user sufficient to authenticate the client to the user and thus protect the user-provided PIN. Security is strengthened by using an integrity key based on approved client system configurations. Security is further strengthened by calculating a PIN′ value based on a user-specified PIN and a modifier and using the PIN′ value for unlocking the smart card.
US08504834B2 Method and system for activation of local content with legacy streaming systems
A method and system for activation of local content with legacy streaming systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a storage device stores encrypted content. The encrypted content can be preloaded or downloaded into the storage device. To consume the content, a host device using the storage device receives a stream of data from a network. The host device then derives a key from the received stream of data and decrypts the encrypted content using the key derived from the received stream of data. Other embodiments are possible, and each of the embodiments can be used alone or together in combination.
US08504818B2 Method and system for reliable protocol tunneling over HTTP
The embodiments described herein generally relate to methods and systems for tunneling arbitrary binary data between an HTTP endpoint and an arbitrary destination. Such tunneling of data is valuable in an environment, for example, in which a browser-based client communicates in the HTTP protocol and desires to exchange data with a remote endpoint understanding non-HTTP communications. A relay server is used as a “middle man” to connect the client to the destination, and components supporting the necessary protocols for data exchange are plugged into the relay server. To achieve reliable and ordered transmission of data, the relay server groups sessions through the assignment of session identifiers and tracks the exchange of messages through the assignment of sequence and acknowledgment numbers. Further, the relay server provides for authenticating the HTTP endpoint with the destination and for handling other operations not available in the constrained environment of the Web-based client.
US08504817B2 Mechanism for adjusting system settings based on dynamic discovery of power usage
A measurement circuit measures a first power consumption value corresponding to a first configuration of a component of a computing device and a second power consumption value corresponding to a second configuration of the component. A user interface module provides a the first power consumption value for the first configuration and the second power consumption value for the second configuration. A user selection indicating one of the first configuration and the second configuration is received and a configuration module implements the configuration indicated by the user selection in the component.
US08504816B2 Integrated circuit device configuration
Various embodiments include an integrated circuit (IC) device having a conductive contact, and a circuit to determine a resistance value of a circuit path between the conductive contact and a circuit node during an initialization mode of the device. The IC device includes a controller to select at least one value of at least one operating parameter of the device based at least in part on the resistance value.
US08504815B2 Method of using an information handling system having a boot file, and an information handling system and machine-executable code for carrying out the method
A method includes detecting a storage device that has a boot file and a relative path name that corresponds to the boot file, determining a hardware path name corresponding to the storage device, obtaining from the storage device the relative path name, combining the hardware path name and the relative path name to generate a full path name to the boot file, and storing the full path name within a persistent memory.
US08504814B2 Resiliency against field-updated security elements
User terminal resilience to application elements may be provided. Upon initialization, a user terminal may detect elements associated with the user terminal's operation. The user terminal may load each of the elements in turn and determine whether the element causes a fault in the user terminal. Elements that result in a fault may be disabled from being loaded in the future.
US08504811B2 System and method of accessing BIOS change summary information within a BIOS operating environment
A system and method of accessing basic input output system (BIOS) change summary information within a BIOS operating environment is disclosed. According to an aspect, a basic input output system (BIOS) set-up interface is disclosed. The BIOS set-up interface includes a navigation routine accessible via a BIOS set-up menu and operable to initiate displaying a secondary user display interface. The BIOS set-up interface further includes a BIOS change summary interface accessible using the secondary display user interface and configured to display BIOS set-up changes made using the BIOS set-up menu.
US08504810B2 Remote PC bootup via a handheld communication device
A method computer usable medium and computer system circuitry are disclosed for starting or “booting up” a computer from a remote location using a remote command device such as a cellular telephone. The method and system includes a secure means for remotely storing and transmitting security passwords.
US08504808B2 Cache memory apparatus having internal ALU
A cache memory apparatus includes an L1 cache memory, an L2 cache memory coupled to the L1 cache memory, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) within the L2 cache memory, the combined ALU and L2 cache memory being configured to perform therewithin at least one of: an arithmetic operation, a logical bit mask operation; the cache memory apparatus being further configured to interact with at least one processor such that atomic memory operations bypass the L1 cache memory and go directly to the L2 cache memory.
US08504803B2 System and method for creating and executing portable software
This invention generally relates to a process, system and computer code for creating a portable unit on a first computer to be executed on remote computers including creating an execution file having one or more tasks for deployment, said tasks having command line arguments executable as variables by the remote computer, assembled into a single execution file, validating the tasks and organizing nested tasks, said organizing step including collecting nested task information for each task and accounting for all dependencies to insure that files, tasks, and environments for running on one or more remote computers are present in the portable unit, said step of creating an execution file further including, reading the task file, scanning for event dependencies and embedding files and links needed for remote execution of the execution file, storing the dependencies in a dependency file, scanning for security, verifying the task file for proper formatting.
US08504798B2 Management of non-volatile memory systems having large erase blocks
A non-volatile memory system of a type having blocks of memory cells erased together and which are programmable from an erased state in units of a large number of pages per block. If the data of only a few pages of a block are to be updated, the updated pages are written into another block provided for this purpose. The valid original and updated data are then combined at a later time, when doing so does not impact on the performance of the memory. If the data of a large number of pages of a block are to be updated, however, the updated pages are written into an unused erased block and the unchanged pages are also written to the same unused block. By handling the updating of a few pages differently, memory performance is improved when small updates are being made.
US08504797B2 Method and apparatus for managing thin provisioning volume by using file storage system
In one embodiment, a method of operating block-based thin provisioning disk volumes in a system including a first storage system which is connected via a network to a second storage system comprises, in response to a volume creation request to create a thin provisioning disk volume in the first storage system, recording in the first storage system attribute information of the block-based thin provisioning disk volume; specifying a directory path for the block-based thin provisioning disk volume in a file system in the second storage system; and creating a directory for the block-based thin provisioning disk volume under the specified directory path.
US08504796B2 System and method for storing data in a virtualized high speed memory system with an integrated memory mapping table
A system and method for providing high-speed memory operations is disclosed. The technique uses virtualization of memory space to map a virtual address space to a larger physical address space wherein no memory bank conflicts will occur. The larger physical address space is used to prevent memory bank conflicts from occurring by moving the virtualized memory addresses of data being written to memory to a different location in physical memory that will eliminate a memory bank conflict. A changeable mapping table that maps the virtualized memory addresses to physical memory addresses is stored in the same memory system.
US08504795B2 Method, system, and program for utilizing a virtualized data structure table
Provided are a method, system, and program for utilizing a virtualized data structure table such as an address translation and protection table (TPT), for example, in an I/O device. The virtualized data structure table has virtually contiguous data structures but not necessarily physically contiguous data structures in system memory. The data structure table may be accessed in a virtually contiguous manner. In the illustrated embodiment, the table is subdivided at a first hierarchal level into a plurality of virtually contiguous units or segments. Each unit or segment is in turn subdivided at a second hierarchal level into a plurality of virtually contiguous subunits, subsegments, pages or blocks. Each page or block is in turn subdivided at a third hierarchal level into a plurality of physically contiguous table entries. The data structure table may be accessed in a virtually contiguous manner utilizing a set of hierarchal data structure tables corresponding to the hierarchal levels of the data structure table.
US08504793B2 Adaptive memory system for enhancing the performance of an external computing device
An adaptive memory system is provided for improving the performance of an external computing device. The adaptive memory system includes a single controller, a first memory type (e.g., Static Random Access Memory or SRAM), a second memory type (e.g., Dynamic Random Access Memory or DRAM), a third memory type (e.g., Flash), an internal bus system, and an external bus interface. The single controller is configured to: (i) communicate with all three memory types using the internal bus system; (ii) communicate with the external computing device using the external bus interface; and (iii) allocate cache-data storage assignment to a storage space within the first memory type, and after the storage space within the first memory type is determined to be full, allocate cache-data storage assignment to a storage space within the second memory type.
US08504792B2 Methods and apparatuses to allocate file storage via tree representations of a bitmap
Methods and apparatuses that search tree representations of a bitmap for available blocks to allocate in storage devices are described. An allocation request for a file may be received to initiate the search. In one embodiment, the bitmap may include an array of bits corresponding to blocks in the storage devices. Each bit may indicate whether one of the blocks is available. The tree representations may include at least one red-black tree having nodes corresponding to one or more consecutive bits in the bitmap indicating an extent of available blocks. One of the tree representations may be selected according to a file associated with an allocation request to identify an extent of available block matching the allocation request. The tree representations may be synchronized as the bitmap is updated with changes of block allocations in the storage devices.
US08504789B2 Bridging device having a frequency configurable clock domain
A composite memory device including discrete memory devices and a bridge device for controlling the discrete memory devices. A configurable clock controller receives a system clock and generates a memory clock having a frequency that is a predetermined ratio of the system clock. The system clock frequency is dynamically variable between a maximum and a minimum value, and the ratio of the memory clock frequency relative to the system clock frequency is set by loading a frequency register with a Frequency Divide Ratio (FDR) code any time during operation of the composite memory device. In response to the FDR code, the configurable clock controller changes the memory clock frequency.
US08504785B1 Method and apparatus for backing up to tape drives with minimum write speed
Techniques for controlling data backup operations are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for data backup. The method may include receiving a minimum write speed for a plurality of tape drives. The method may further include controlling data writes for the plurality of tape drives such that data may be attempted to be written to each tape drive at or above the minimum write speed for each tape drive.
US08504784B2 Scheduling methods of phased garbage collection and housekeeping operations in a flash memory system
An embodiment of a non-volatile memory storage system comprises a memory controller, and a flash memory module. The memory controller manages the storage operations of the flash memory module. The memory controller is configured to assign a priority level to one or more types of house keeping operations that may be higher than a priority level of one or more types of commands received by a host coupled to the storage system, and to service all operations required of the flash memory module according to priority.
US08504783B2 Techniques for providing data redundancy after reducing memory writes
A storage subsystem receives writes from a computer via a standard storage subsystem interface. The storage subsystem reduces a number of the writes. A single drive of the storage subsystem has primary and redundant storage devices with storage device interfaces. A disk controller of the single drive implements a data redundancy scheme by storing data associated with the reduced number of writes in the primary storage devices and by storing computed redundancy information in the redundant storage devices. The disk controller is operable without a loss of data in the presence of at least a single failure of any of the storage devices. Optionally the storage devices are flash memory devices. Optionally the disk controller is operable without a loss of data in the presence of at least two failures of any of the storage devices when a number of the redundant storage devices is at least two.
US08504782B2 Buffer control system and method for a memory system having outstanding read and write request buffers
A memory controller and method for managing the issuance of read and write requests to a system memory is provided. The number of outstanding read requests and write requests issued to the system memory are separately monitored and further issuance of read and write requests to the system memory is separately controlled based on the number of outstanding read and write requests, respectively. For example, the issuance of read and write requests can be managed by halting and resuming the issuance of read and write requests to the system memory to maintain the number of outstanding read requests between first and second read thresholds and to maintain the number of outstanding write requests between first and second write thresholds, respectively.
US08504781B2 Methods and systems for inter-processor communication under a multiprocessor environment
A method is provided for sending and receiving data between a first processor including a first cache memory and a second processor including a second cache memory via a shared memory. The method includes classifying, by the first processor, a transfer data area that stores data transferred between the first and second processors in the shared memory as a first area filling one cache line and a second area not filling one cache line, copying, by the first processor, data in the second area into a divided data area in the shared memory, the divided data area being aligned with a cache line in the first cache memory, and processing, by the second processor, the data in the first area and the data in the divided data area as data from the first processor.
US08504775B2 Systems and methods of prefreshening cached objects based on user's current web page
The present solution provides techniques that may accelerate and optimize network traffic in the areas of proxy caching, protocol acceleration, domain name resolution acceleration, and compression improvements using prefetching and/or prefreshening techniques to improve intermediary caching. Techniques described herein may improve the efficiency of obtaining and servicing data from originating servers to requesting clients and accelerates domain name resolution. The present solution may further help accelerate resolution of URLs into IP addresses. The present solution may improve compression techniques by prefetching non-cacheable and cacheable content to use for compressing network traffic, such as HTTP. The acceleration and optimization techniques described herein may be deployed on the client as a client agent or as part of a browser, as well as on any type and form of intermediary device, such as an appliance, proxying device or any type of interception caching and/or proxying device.
US08504771B2 Systems and methods for managing stored data
A method of managing stored data can include mapping data storage bins to a storage tier based on a bin access value associated with each data storage bin after a current time window ends, such that a first bin access value associated with a data storage bin that is mapped to a storage tier is greater than or equal to a second bin access value associated with a most frequently accessed data storage bin that is mapped to a next highest-performing storage tier, and when the data storage bin was not mapped to a current storage tier after a previous time window ended, determining a time weighting factor to be applied to an access frequency associated with the current time window, wherein a next bin access value associated with the data storage bin is calculated using the time weighting factor.
US08504767B2 Raid controlled semiconductor storage device
Provided is a RAID controlled storage device of a serial attached small computer system interface/serial advanced technology attachment (PCI-Express) type, which provides data storage/reading services through a PCI-Express interface. The PCI-Express type storage device includes: a memory disk unit which includes a plurality of memory disks provided with a plurality of volatile semiconductor memories; a PCI-Express host interface unit which interfaces between the memory disk unit and a host; and a controller unit which adjusts synchronization of a data signal transmitted/received between the PCI-Express host interface unit and the memory disk unit to control a data transmission/reception speed between the PCI-Express host interface unit and the memory disk unit. The storage device can support a low-speed data processing speed for the host and simultaneously support a high-speed data processing speed for the memory disk unit, so that there are advantages in that the performance of the memory disk can be fully utilized to enable high-speed data processing in an existing interface environment.
US08504764B2 Method and apparatus to manage object-based tiers
Embodiments of the invention provide object-based tier management to improve the allocation of objects to different media of different speeds based on access characteristics such as access frequency. One embodiment is directed to a method of managing object-based data in an information system which includes an application server and a storage system. The method comprises receiving a write command including a first data to be written into a virtual volume; identifying an object to which the first data corresponds; checking if a second data corresponding to the object has been stored in the virtual volume; if the second data has been stored in a page of the virtual volume, checking if the page which stores the second data has a vacancy area; and if the page has a vacancy area, writing the first data in the page which stores the second data.
US08504761B2 Method of handling I/O request and solid state drive using the same
A solid state drive (SSD) including a storage that includes a plurality of flash memories configured to be independently drivable and a controller to receive an input/output (I/O) request from a host, to split the I/O request into a plurality of sub-requests each having a size configured to be capable of being processed independently by each flash memory, and to process the I/O request based on the sub-requests.
US08504759B2 Method and devices for controlling power loss
Described herein are methods and devices for controlling power loss. For one embodiment, a method includes issuing a controlled power off command with a controller. The method includes determining whether a memory device is performing a background operation. The method includes safely suspending the background operation or completing the background operation if the memory device is performing the background operation. The method includes safely removing a supply power.
US08504752B2 Virtual machine control device, virtual machine control program, and virtual machine control circuit for managing interrupts of plural virtual machines
The interrupt level storing unit (16) stores one or more interrupt levels indicating the priority of a generated interrupt and stores the interrupt level having the highest priority among the stored interrupt levels as a second interrupt mask level. The second interrupt type determination unit (13) sets an interrupt level corresponding to the interrupt type of a newly generated interrupt. The priority determination unit (14) notifies the interrupt to the virtual machine control unit (20) when the interrupt level of the newly generated interrupt is higher than the stored second interrupt mask level. As a result, the priority of the virtual machine can be determined according to the task priority and the switching of virtual machines can be adequately controlled even if the virtual machines cannot notify the task priority.
US08504745B1 Method of and circuit for determining a shift pattern to generate an output data stream
A method of determining a shift pattern for generating an output data stream comprising output data words having a data width N from input data words having a data width M is disclosed. The method comprises receiving an input data stream comprising words having the data width M; determining a ratio based upon the data width N and the data width M; determining an initial shift value; generating subsequent shift values of the shift pattern based upon the initial shift value and the ratio based upon the data width N and the data width M, and transforming the input data stream to the output data stream by shifting input data words of the input data stream according to the shift pattern using a barrel shifter or a multiplexer network. A circuit for generating an output data stream comprising output data words having a width N from input data words having a width M is also disclosed.
US08504741B2 Systems and methods for performing multi-path storage operations
Systems and methods for allocating transmission resources within a computer network are provided. In some embodiments of the invention, communication links may be assigned based on predefined preferences or system configuration to facilitate the transfer of data from one point in the network to another. In other embodiments, system operation may be monitored and communication paths be assigned dynamically based on this information to improve system operation and provide improved failover response, load balancing and to promote robust data access via alternative routes.
US08504740B2 MILARRS systems and methods
An add-on module provides extrinsic management functionality to legacy and other devices. Contemplated modules include: (a) a state agent that provides at least one of the MILARRS function, and (b) a product agent that communicates with the device using at least one serial interface. Implementations are contemplated for both legacy devices that natively provide less than complete MILARRS functionality, and newly developed devices for which the developer desires a ready-made implementation of MILARRS functionality.
US08504737B2 Serial line protocol for embedded devices
Described embodiments provide a transceiver for transferring data between a media controller and a host device through a communication link. The transceiver includes a first interrupt generator configured to i) generate a first interrupt when a command is received from the host device and ii) provide the received command to a receive buffer. A command processing module i) retrieves the received command from the receive buffer, ii) processes the received command, and iii) provides data request data in response to the received command to a transmit buffer. A datagram generator is configured to provide datagram data to the transmit buffer and a second interrupt generator is configured to generate a second interrupt when data in the transmit buffer is ready for transmission. The transmit buffer interleaves i) the data request data in response to the received command and ii) the datagram data, when provided to the communication link.
US08504736B2 File input/output scheduler
Handling of input or output (I/O) to or from a media device may be implemented in a system having a memory, a processor unit with a main processor and an auxiliary processor having an associated local memory, and the media device. An incoming I/O request received from an application running on the processor unit may be serviced according to the schedule. A set of processor executable instructions configured to implement I/O handling may include media filter layers. I/O handling may alternatively comprise: receiving an incoming I/O request from an application running on a main processor; inserting the request into a schedule embodied in the main memory; and implementing the request according to the schedule and one or more filters, at least one of which is implemented by an auxiliary processor.
US08504733B1 Subtree for an aggregation system
A subtree within a global tree of nodes is created by determining a predicate condition. The predicate condition is disseminated to the nodes in the global tree. For each node in the global tree, a determination of whether the node belongs to the subtree is performed, and an indication of whether the node belongs to the subtree is stored. After the subtree is created, a query corresponding to the subtree is put to the subtree for resolution.
US08504730B2 Administering connection identifiers for collective operations in a parallel computer
Administering connection identifiers for collective operations in a parallel computer, including prior to calling a collective operation, determining, by a first compute node of a communicator to receive an instruction to execute the collective operation, whether a value stored in a global connection identifier utilization buffer exceeds a predetermined threshold; if the value stored in the global ConnID utilization buffer does not exceed the predetermined threshold: calling the collective operation with a next available ConnID including retrieving, from an element of a ConnID buffer, the next available ConnID and locking the element of the ConnID buffer from access by other compute nodes; and if the value stored in the global ConnID utilization buffer exceeds the predetermined threshold: repeatedly determining whether the value stored in the global ConnID utilization buffer exceeds the predetermined threshold until the value stored in the global ConnID utilization buffer does not exceed the predetermined threshold.
US08504728B1 Network interface with secondary data and packet information storage and memory control systems to accommodate out-of-order data processing and split transactions on a host system bus
A network interface system includes a memory system for managing data obtained via a system bus that supports split transactions. The memory system comprises a first memory for storing outgoing assembled data frames and associated control information prior to transfer of the outgoing data to the network, and an assembly memory that stores unassembled outgoing data from the bus. A memory control system stores the control information associated with pending bus read requests and also transfers outgoing data from the assembly memory to the first memory when all the outgoing data for a corresponding read request has been assembled.
US08504720B2 Methods and apparatus for redirecting requests for content
A content engine receives a content request from a client, generates a result including one of a content-providing value and a redirection value in response to the content request, and selectively provides, to the client, one of (i) content when the result includes the content-providing value, and (ii) a redirection message when the result includes the redirection value, the redirection message including an extended domain name having a client identifier which identifies the client. The result can be used by a content router or content engine in deciding whether to provide content or a redirection. The decision to selectively provide can be based on client proximity to the content engines, past redirections, content size and type, content engine capacity, content availability and other factors.
US08504718B2 System and method for a context layer switch
In accordance with an embodiment, a network device has an input port for receiving input packets, and an output port for sending output packets, where the input packets and output packets have context layer information. The network device also includes a processor configured to process the input packets and output packets using a network protocol having a context layer.
US08504717B2 Customized algorithm and method of mixing multiple different algorithms
Methods, devices, and systems are provided such that multiple existing algorithms can be mixed according to a customer's needs to create a customized mixed algorithm. Solutions are provided for dynamically selecting two or more different and existing algorithms to be mixed into a single algorithm. Arbitration rules can be invoked to determine which algorithm in the set of existing algorithms will supersede the other algorithms in the event of a conflict.
US08504713B2 Adaptive progressive download
Data packets to be transferred over a network as part of a temporally ordered content stream are obtained by an adaptive progressive download (APD) server. The APD server divides the data packets of the content stream into epochs of contiguous data, the epochs including a current epoch. The APD server determines a bit rate available on the network for transferring the current epoch and calculates an estimate of a playback time of the content stream buffered at a computer to which the content stream is being transferred and played back. The calculation of the estimate is based at least in part on the bit rate available on the network and an encoding bit rate of the content stream. The APD server controls the transfer of the content stream over the network in accordance with the estimated playback time.
US08504712B2 Method and apparatus for managing multi-streaming contents and for controlling of changing players during playback of multi-streaming contents
Methods and apparatus for managing multi-streaming contents and for controlling of changing media players (media renderers) during playback of the multi-streaming contents are disclosed. An exemplary of the method of controlling for changing a media player from a first player to a second player, in a control device is disclosed. The method can include receiving multi-streaming capability from the second player, the multi-streaming capability including information about at least one of multi-streaming contents performable in the second player. The method can also include receiving streaming content information and playing status information from the first player, wherein the playing status information includes playing time information of streaming content being performed at the first player. The method can also include determining streaming content desired to be performed at the second player by comparing the multi-streaming capability of the second player with streaming content information of the first player. The method can also include generating current playing information of the streaming content that is determined to be performed at the second player, based on the playing time information. The method can also include transmitting the current playing information of the streaming content to a media server which is able to communicate with the second player.
US08504705B2 Systems and methods for limiting web site access
Methods relate to providing limited temporary access to a web site to visitors who desire to experience all the features provided by this site before becoming a member. The temporary access privileges may be limited by duration, which is counted from the initial access request, or by number of accesses. At the end of the temporary access period, the visitor may be given additional access privileges before being permanently denied access. The user may be identified either by the IP address assigned to the user device or by the user's e-mail address.
US08504701B2 Method for the management of flows between appliances of a telecommunications network
This method is for managing flows between a first appliance and at least one second appliance, these appliances being designed to operate according to the so-called SIP protocol on a telecommunications network, wherein, the second appliance being preferably registered with the first appliance. The method comprises upon reception of a notifying message related to the loading state of said first appliance sent according to the SIP protocol, the implementing a procedure for spacing communications sent from the second appliance to said first appliance as a function of the loading state of the latter.
US08504700B2 Method, apparatus, and system for negotiating a session between an access terminal and an access network in a high rate packet data system
A method, apparatus, and system for negotiating a session between an access terminal (AT) and an access network (AN) that can simplify a repeated negotiation procedure when the session is configured/updated/deleted between the AT and the AN. The AN performs protocol-by-protocol negotiations with the AT for a session configuration. The AN sends, to the AT, a soft configuration complete message including a continue bit indicating if another session configuration is added. The AN and the AT store a negotiated session configuration mapped to a personality index indicated in the message. When all session configurations have been completed, the AN and the AT determine if a session configuration currently in use has been changed. If the session configuration in use has not been changed, the AT and the AN maintain a physical channel. Moreover, the AN sends information indicating if a specific session configuration is applied after session configuration negotiation is completed.
US08504698B2 Fast setup response prediction
Mechanisms are provided to accelerate Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) setup messages. A client transmits an RTSP request to a server. The server responds to the request and preemptively responds with acknowledgements for messages not yet received. For example, a server responds to an RTSP describe message with an RTSP describe acknowledgement, an RTSP setup acknowledgement, and an RTSP play response before setup and play messages are received by the server or even transmitted by the client. The client processes the anticipatory responses and transmits setup and play responses when the anticipatory responses are processed.
US08504697B2 System and method employing an agile network protocol for secure communications using secure domain names
A system and method connect a first network device and a second network device by initiating a secure communication link. The system includes one or more servers configured to: receive, from the first network device, a request to look up a network address of the second network device based on an identifier associated with the second network device; determine, in response to the request, whether the second network device is available for a secure communications service; and initiate a secure communication link between the first network device and the second network device based on a determination that the second network device is available for the secure communications service; wherein the secure communications service uses the secure communication link to communicate at least one of video data and audio data between the first network device and the second network device.
US08504689B2 Methods and systems for cloud deployment analysis featuring relative cloud resource importance
A decision system and methods for providing customized deployment architectures that take into account the importance of various cloud resources. The decision system can monitor the applications and processes executed in the cloud, and collect utilization information identifying the cloud resources used, the amount of usage, and trends in usage. Resource importance data can then be obtained from the utilization information and/or from other sources, such as a system user. The decision system can then generate customized deployment architectures based on the collected utilization information and the resource importance data.
US08504687B2 Application data flow management in an IP network
Disclosed herein is a two-level, network-based application control (NBAC) architecture for monitoring services provided via a packet-based network. The NBAC architecture includes a Network Trigger System provided at a network level to analyze data flows relating to services to be monitored to detect occurrence of configurable events, and to generate and send event reports; and a Usage Status Engine provided at a control level to configure the Network Trigger System to detect occurrence of events of interest, and to receive and process the event reports from the Network Trigger System to monitor the services.
US08504686B2 Method and apparatus for combining data associated with hardware resources and network traffic
To generate performance statistics of a host, a physical or virtual component of the host is associated with network interface information corresponding to one or more physical or virtual network interface devices disposed in the host. The performance statistics of the physical or virtual component together with the associated network interface information are periodically transmitted. The network interface information may be a MAC address or an SNMP ifIndex associated with the physical or virtual network interface devices. The SNMP ifIndex may be used to retrieve a corresponding MAC address. The transmitted network interface information is used to analyze the performance statistics of the associated physical or virtual component. The performance statistic may represent a CPU usage, a memory usage, a disk usage, an I/O usage, power consumption, or temperature of the physical or virtual component.
US08504682B2 Localization of peer to peer traffic
A method of processing peer-to-peer requests is provided. The method may include; storing, at a network element, peer information in a database for each peer of a plurality of peers, the peer information indicating at least one ISP associated with the peer and the content contained by the peer, receiving a request for content from a requester, and sending a response to the content requester based on the ISP with which the requester is associated and the stored peer information.
US08504681B1 Method, system, and storage medium for adaptive monitoring and filtering traffic to and from social networking sites
Embodiments disclosed herein provide a system, method, and computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions for implementing a Socialware architecture encompassing a suite of applications for continuously and adaptively monitoring and filtering traffic to and from social networking sites, particularly useful in an enterprise computing environment. In some embodiments, an appliance may be coupled to a proxy server for providing a plurality of Socialware services, including analyzing, logging, and reporting on traffic to and from social networking sites. Some embodiments may allow a user to report, identify, and prevent malicious and potentially malicious content and/or activity by another user. Some embodiments may encrypt outgoing traffic to and decrypt incoming traffic from social networking sites. Some embodiments may provide an enterprise user to define and restrict certain social networking activities outside of the enterprise computing environment.
US08504679B2 Methods, systems and computer program products for managing execution of information technology (IT) processes
Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for managing information technology (IT) processes for a computer network. An incident report, including associated data, is received from an application monitoring resources on the computer network. Additional data associated with the computer network resources to be obtained based on the incident report is automatically identified and obtained. Related data in a historical database is automatically identified based on the incident report and/or the additional data and the identified related historical data is automatically retrieved. The incident report, the additional data and/or the related historical data are analyzed to identify a responsive process to respond to the incident report.
US08504678B2 Traffic routing based on geophysical location
Applications requiring multiple network devices may use geophysical information about the nodes to route traffic. Each device attached to a network may have both a network address and a geophysical location. When an application requires the use of multiple devices, for example restricting content or services in a certain area or for prioritizing content or services in an area, the devices are identified and used based on their geophysical location rather than network addresses.
US08504676B2 Network traffic routing
A service appliance is installed between production servers running service applications and service users. The production servers and their service applications provide services to the service users. In the event that a production server is unable to provide its service to users, the service appliance can transparently intervene to maintain service availability. To maintain transparency to service users and service applications, service users are located on a first network and production servers are located on a second network. The service appliance assumes the addresses of the service users on the second network and the addresses of the production servers on the first network. Thus, the service appliance obtains all network traffic sent between the production server and service users. While the service application is operating correctly, the service appliance forwards network traffic between the two networks using various network layers.
US08504675B2 Email server system and method
An email system comprises a plurality of email servers connected by a data communications network. The email system avoids single points of failure by employing multiple email servers which self configure, without requiring dedicated servers, through self addressing and discovery and announcement protocols. An email server can act as a primary email server by executing an administration tool allowing an administrator to modify the configuration data set which the email servers utilize, and the primary email server will then announce the resulting change in the version level of the configuration data set to other email servers. Each email server will then determine and request any needed updates to its respective configuration data set from the primary email server or another email server.
US08504668B2 System and method for managing delivery of public services
Systems and methods of managing public services provided by a utility are described. The method includes determining a presence of one or more users at a particular location based on a current status of one or more communication devices. The method further includes predicting consumption of the public service responsive to the determining step.
US08504665B1 Management of a device connected to a remote computer using the remote computer to effect management actions
The invention facilitates remote management of a computer via a network. Remote management of a device connected to a managed computer can be effected by using the managed computer as a proxy for conducting a management action regarding the connected device on behalf of a remote computer management server.
US08504663B2 Method and system for community data caching
A cache module (26) at a client computer (12) controls a cache portion (28) on a storage device (24). The cache module communicates with other cache modules at other clients to form a cache community (15). The cache modules store World Wide Web or other content in the cache portions for retrieval in response to requests (32) for content from browsers (30) in the cache community. When the requested content is not available in the cache community, the requested content may be retrieved from an origin server (19) using the Internet.
US08504662B2 Apparatus and method for adaptive multimedia reception and transmission in communication environments
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for configuration of adaptive integrated circuitry, to provide one or more operating modes or other functionality in a communication device, such as a cellular telephone, a GSM telephone, another type of mobile telephone or mobile station, or any other type of media communication device, including video, voice or radio, or other forms of multimedia. The adaptive integrated circuitry is configured and reconfigured for multiple tasks, such as channel acquisition, voice transmission, or multimedia and other data processing. In the preferred embodiment, the configuration and reconfiguration occurs to adaptively optimize the performance of the particular activity over time, such as to increase the speed of channel acquisition, increase throughput rates, increase perceived voice and media quality, and decrease the rate of dropped communication sessions.
US08504658B2 Apparatus and method for multimedia communication
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device having a controller to transmit to a media server a request for distribution of media content to one or more targeted recipients according to a user profile associated with the communication device that is stored in the media server. The format of the media content can be adjusted by the media server based at least in part on the user profile. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08504657B2 Media stream distribution system
A media server comprises a plurality of nodes each comprising a gateway, each gateway providing memory and communication of data between mass storage and I/O ports of a node, and/or providing communication of data between the node and other nodes. Each node utilizes one or more central processors. The media server comprises logic to enable the processors to manage the streaming of data from the mass storage to the I/O ports via the gateways without communicating the data between the processors and any of the mass storage, I/O ports, or gateways.
US08504654B1 Methods and systems for facilitating a remote desktop session utilizing long polling
Examples of methods, systems, apparatus, and machine-readable storage media are provided to facilitate access and control of a remote desktop of a remote machine by a web browser at a client device through a transcoding server without installing proprietary plug-ins or protocols on the client device. A transcoding server may translate user input requests from a web browser into input calls compatible with a remote desktop display protocol. The transcoding server may receive remote desktop drawing commands from the remote machine and translate the remote desktop drawing commands into web browser drawing updates compatible with the web browser. A transcoding server may communicate with a web browser via HTTP and communicate with a remote machine via a remote desktop display protocol. A web browser may be an HTML5 browser. A transcoding server may send drawing coordinates to the web browser via an HTTP header and may use long polling.
US08504651B2 Code injection system and method of operation
A system for injecting code into an HTML file comprises a memory and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory. The memory stores code. The processor receives a request for content. The processor determines whether the request for content includes a request for compression and, if so, deletes the request for compression associated with the requested content. The processor retrieves the requested content. If the retrieved content is associated with an HTML file, then the processor injects the code into the HTML file to thereby modify the HTML file. The processor communicates the modified HTML file to a client.
US08504648B2 Method and apparatus for storage-service-provider-aware storage system
A storage system includes a virtual volume configured on a storage controller and mapping to a physical storage capacity maintained at a remote location by a storage service provider (SSP). The storage controller receives an I/O command in a block-based protocol specifying a logical block address (LBA). The storage controller correlates the LBA with a file name of a file stored by the SSP, translates the I/O command to an IP-supported protocol, and forwards the translated I/O command with the file name to the SSP for processing. In the case of a write command, the SSP stores the write data using the specified file name. In the case of a read command, the SSP enables download of data from the specified file name. In an alternative embodiment, a NAS head may replace the storage controller for correlating the LBA with a file name and translating the I/O command.
US08504640B2 Device recruitment for stereoscopic imaging applications
A method of providing three dimensional (3D) information is disclosed in which a master recruits a local slave to provide contemporaneous images. The images are collected and 3D information extracted therefrom. The 3D information or various images may be transmitted to a remote device and is employed to provide a substitute background that replaces the background of the original image. Either the new image is displayed on one or both devices. The images can be collected and the 3D information extracted at either of the master or slave or at a separate device. To recruit the slave, the master broadcasts a query to all local devices, determines the available devices and their characteristics, automatically or manually selects a particular device, requests authorization from the selected device, and pairs with the selected device when authorization is received. Devices of the same or different types may be paired.
US08504639B2 Wireless communication device and method, and system comprising such a method
The gateway communication device for wireless communication networks receives messages from a low-power transmitter and communicates with a network. In a system comprising several gateway devices for a low-power transmitter, a master gateway device is defined. Definition of a master gateway device is based on reception quality indicators of the gateway devices situated in said reception zone of messages transmitted by said low-power transmitter. The gateway device having the highest reception quality indicator is selected to be said master gateway device. The communication method also defines a master gateway device in the same way. The master gateway device then selects a backup gateway device to store link tables and in certain cases to act in the place of the master.
US08504635B2 Method and apparatus for IMS support for multimedia session, recording, analysis and storage
A system comprising a first network element, a second network element and a communication device. The first network element is communicatively coupled to the second network element and the communication device. The communication device sends multimedia session information to the first network element. The first network element analyzes the multimedia session information for urgent emergency circumstances. The first network element forwards the multimedia session information to a destination on the second network element if urgent emergency circumstances are found in the multimedia session information.
US08504634B2 Email attachment management in a computer system
An e-mail management system that includes an e-mail browser having a time variance interface that provides for storage into a storage media of e-mail messages that have been received over time. The time variance interface of the e-mail browser also provides for retrieval, from the storage media, of the e-mail messages corresponding to a user specified date. The retrieved e-mail messages each include an indication of the presence of an accompanying attachment(s) in the e-mail message. An affirmative indication provides the user with an option of retrieving content of the attachment(s) from the storage media such that the content of the attachment(s) is retrieved by the e-mail browser only when specifically requested by the user.
US08504630B2 Methods, systems, and computer readable media for diameter application loop prevention
According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for providing Diameter application loop prevention. The method includes steps occurring at a first Diameter node. The method further includes receiving a first Diameter message that is to be sent to a destination. The method also includes determining whether the first Diameter message requires processing by a Diameter application. The method includes, in response to determining that the first Diameter message requires processing by the Diameter application, determining whether the first Diameter message has been processed by the Diameter application. The method further includes, in response to determining that the first Diameter message has been processed by the Diameter application, preventing the first Diameter message from being sent to the Diameter application for processing.
US08504626B2 System and method for content tagging and distribution through email
A system and method for content tagging and distribution through email are provided. A user-to-tag record including content tags, each associated with one or more users, is maintained. An incoming email message with a tag address is received. The tag address is processed to identify a content tag, which is applied to the user-to-tag record. Users associated with the identified content tag are determined. The incoming email message is provided to the associated users.
US08504618B2 Dynamic mailbox size configuration by self modification based on historical behavior
The present invention relates generally to call control system sub-processes for a telephone private branch exchange, and, more particularly, to the configuration of mailboxes for those sub-processes. A call control system comprising a plurality of processes, a mailbox for each of said processes, and wherein one of said processes, is responsive to a fullness measure of corresponding said mailbox, for altering the size of said corresponding mailbox during run time is provided.
US08504616B1 System and method of analyzing and valuating social media campaigns
A computer-implemented system and method is provided herein for optimization of social media campaigns. A hosted platform collects and stores online visitor traffic data from social media platforms and from storefronts on client platforms which are linked to social media campaigns operating on the social media platforms. Algorithms are executed to establish baseline performance parameters for the storefronts, and visitors of the social media campaigns and commercial platforms are identified and scored based on predetermined scoring metrics. The scores are aggregated with respect to the social media campaigns and/or the storefronts, and actual performances based on the aggregated scores are compared with the established baseline performance parameters. An interface may be generated for a client user associated with the commercial platform to represent one or more of the performance comparisons, and optionally provide alerts to underperformance or suggest future actions based on predicted performance.
US08504615B2 Method and apparatus for navigation and use of a computer network
The system provides a method and apparatus for navigation and use of a computer network. The system allows multiple users to simultaneously explore a network in groups of two or more. This capability allows one of the users to be a leader of the exploration and the leader can change during the exploration as desired. A user can also save an exploration session and share it with others, so that others can recreate the experience of the first user automatically. The system also allows for the easy creation of circles of network friends where content and information can be easily shared.
US08504612B2 Image forming system, image forming apparatus, and image forming method for the development, distribution, and maintenance of image forming apparatus operation screens
A web browser of a multifunction peripheral transmits a request for screen data to a web server and causes an operation screen to be displayed on an operation panel on the basis of the screen data. A terminal-side web browser of a terminal apparatus transmits a request for screen data to the web server and causes an operation screen to be displayed on a display of the terminal apparatus on the basis of the screen data. Also, the web server transmits first screen data to the terminal-side web browser in response to a request from the terminal-side web browser, the first screen data being generated from basic screen data, and transmits second screen data to the web browser in response to a request from the web browser, the second screen data being generated from the basic screen data.
US08504608B2 System and method for re-publication of information in a network-based communication system
Methods, devices, and computer program products facilitate communications between two or more network entities that utilize Session Initiation Protocol. To this end, an Event State Compositor may force an Event Publication Agent to provide update information as deemed necessary by the Event State Compositor. The update of the publication information may be carried out by initiating an update triggering mechanism that is addressed to the Event State Compositor and comprises information that specifically identifies a particular publication. Such a triggering mechanism may be initiated when a predefined condition associated with the Event State Compositor's local policies is satisfied.
US08504606B2 Learner for resource constrained devices
Methods, apparatuses, and articles for registering votes to predict an attribute value for a received instance are described herein. In one embodiment, the registering is performed in a weighted manner based at least on a weight and predicted target values associated with at least one of one or more rules whose antecedent has been met. The meeting of the antecedent is determined based at least on one or more attributes values of one or more other attributes of the received instance. Further, determining whether the predicted target value for which votes are registered correctly predicted the attribute value of the received instance is performed. The associated weight of the rule is adjusted accordingly, for instance, by incrementing the weight if the predicted target value correctly predicted the attribute value of the received instance, and by decrementing the weight if the predicted target value incorrectly predicted the attribute value of the received instance.
US08504605B2 Proximity filtering of multiparty VoIP communications
A method for adjusting sound data that is transmitted between a first client and a second client is disclosed. The sound data may adjusted or an adjustment indicator that indicates how to adjust the sound data may accompany the sound data. The method comprises determining a proximity between the clients; adjusting the sound data based on the determined proximity; and transmitting the adjusted sound data. The determined proximity may be the physical proximity between the clients or a virtual proximity between virtual representations of the clients. Rules for adjusting sound data based on proximity indicate how to adjust sound characteristics, such as, but not limited to volume and frequency. The rules may also take into account environmental factors such as atmospheric and aquatic environmental factors.
US08504596B2 Extended garbage collection
Extended garbage collection is disclosed. It is determined, based at least in part on data stored in a data structure accessible to the respective garbage collecting entity of each of a plurality of runtime systems, that a local object is associated with one or more external objects. The local object is retained, even if the local object has been determine to be unreachable locally in a local runtime system with which the local object is associated, if at least one of said one or more external objects has been determined to be reachable within an external runtime environment with which the at least one external object is associated.
US08504594B2 Memory management method, and memory management apparatus
When a program execution unit of a computer executes a creation instruction of objects utilized by an execution target program in process of executing the execution target program, the program execution unit disposes a created object in an internal heap when a life period of the created object is not contained within life period of objects for root class and gets average value of life time corresponding to set of objects to which the created object belongs with reference to memory allocation information table to dispose the created object as a long-life object in an external heap when the gotten average value of life time is equal to or larger than a predetermined value. Accordingly, life time of objects is measured and long-life objects are not managed by GC, so that program utilizing objects can be executed at high speed.
US08504592B2 Data organization tool and apparatus for remotely managing a meeting
The system, method and computer readable medium that facilitates selection of a meeting participant, and the creation of a first data structure based on the selected meeting participant. Data may be collected in response to the selection of the meeting participant. A second data structure may be generated for the collected data, and the data in the second data structure may be linked to the first data structure and the selected meeting participant.
US08504585B2 Matching a user to a conversation
A method for matching a user to a conversation includes, for each of a plurality of documents, mapping the document to one or more of a plurality of topics. The document is associated with a user. For each user, the user is mapped to each of the plurality of topics that are mapped to documents with which the user is associated. One of the users is matched to a conversation according to the mappings of the users to those of the plurality of topics that are also mapped to the conversation.
US08504584B1 Systems and methods for providing search query refinements
A system and method for generating query refinement suggestions may include collecting refinement data for at least one received source query. The collected refinement data is then clustered to form at least one cluster. At least one potential refinement query suggestion is identified from the refinement data within the at least one cluster.
US08504582B2 System and methods for unit of measurement conversion and search query expansion
A system and methods for unit of measurement conversion and search query expansion are described. The search query expansion may include identifying an initial unit of measurement associated with a property and an initial numeric value for the initial unit of measurement within a search query, automatically forming an expanded search query by expanding the search query to include at least one related unit of measurement associated with the property, and sending the expanded search query to a search engine to search a database. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08504581B2 Multiple criteria decision analysis
Embodiments of the present disclosure set forth a method for selecting a preferred data set. The method includes generating a candidate data set based on a first data set having a first join attribute, and a first aggregate attribute and a second data set having a second join attribute compatible with the first join attribute, and a second aggregate attribute, wherein the candidate data set includes a total attribute having a value that is based on aggregating a value associated with the first aggregate attribute and a value associated with the second aggregate attribute; and selecting the preferred data set from the candidate data set based on the total attribute.
US08504579B1 Filtering a data set using trees on a computing device
A computing device configured for filtering a data set is described. The computing device includes a processor and executable instructions stored in memory that is in electronic communication with the processor. The computing device obtains a data set. The computing device also selects nodes from multiple trees to produce a node selection. The computing device further generates a composite filter based on the node selection. The computing device additionally filters the data set based on the composite filter to produce a working data set.
US08504575B2 Behavioral targeting system
A behavioral targeting system determines user profiles from online activity. The system includes a plurality of models that define parameters for determining a user profile score. Event information, which comprises on-line activity of the user, is received at an entity. To generate a user profile score, a model is selected. The model comprises recency, intensity and frequency dimension parameters. The behavioral targeting system generates a user profile score for a target objective, such as brand advertising or direct response advertising. The parameters from the model are applied to generate the user profile score in a category. The behavioral targeting system has application for use in ad serving to on-line users.
US08504574B2 Method and system for freshness indication of location data
A system (50) and method (10) providing a user with a qualitative indication of a freshness of location information with minimal user disruption can include the steps of obtaining (12) presentation data, associating (14) a location indication representative of a location when the presentation data was obtained, and altering (16) a data characteristic of the presentation data over time to provide an indication of a freshness of the location indication. The method can further include the step of presenting (19) the presentation data to a user. Note, presentation data for example can be data for a digital photograph or an audio sample. The step of altering the data characteristic can optionally involve altering (18) at least one among a contrast, brightness, sharpness, pixel resolution, vertical positioning, horizontal positioning, color setting, white balance, compression ratio, language setting, volume, pitch, and equalization setting.
US08504567B2 Automatically constructing titles
An information retrieval system and computer-based method provide constructing a title for a search result summary of a document through title synthesis, wherein the title is suitable for use in assessing the relevance of the summarized document to a query. Meaningful keywords or key phrases (title components) about the document are Obtained. The title components are classified into pre-established title component classes. When a query is input to which the document is relevant, a title for the document is constructed by arranging title components selected from title component classes to maximize a title utility function. The title utility function may be a query-dependent grade. In addition to the query, the title utility function may also account for constraints under which the title is to be presented to a user.
US08504566B2 Method of providing a number of search results for a handheld electronic device, and system and handheld electronic device employing the same
A method provides search results for a handheld electronic device including an input apparatus having a plurality of input members, each of at least a portion of which have a plurality of characters assigned thereto. A type of the input apparatus is sent from the device to a server. The device receives a number of activations of a number of the input members, and sends the received number of activations to the server. The server determines a number of possible combinations of the characters based upon the received input apparatus type and the received number of activations, searches for a number of search results as a function of the number of possible combinations of the characters, and sends the number of search results to the device. The device receives the number of search results, and displays at least a portion of the number of search results.
US08504564B2 Semantic analysis of documents to rank terms
A method, apparatus and computer program product provides for a semantic analyzer to produce and rank semantic terms to reflect their relationship to the theme and topics of a document. The text and the document can have no relationship to any pre-selected keywords before the semantic analyzer performs text extraction. The semantic analyzer extracts text from a document and performs semantic analysis on the extracted text. The semantic analyzer provides a plurality of ranked semantic terms as a result of the semantic analysis and associates semantic terms with the document as semantic keywords. The semantic terms define content to be presented with the document where the content is an advertisement, a link to a remote information resource or a second document.
US08504562B1 Evaluation of substitute terms
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for evaluating substitute terms. One of the methods includes selecting a first term and a candidate substitute term for the first term. A first vector is generated for the first term using co-occurrence frequencies of terms that occur in search queries that include the first term. A second vector is generated for the candidate substitute term using co-occurrence frequencies of terms that occur in search queries that include the candidate substitute term. The first vector and the second vector are compared to score an association between the first term and the candidate substitute term.
US08504560B2 Method and system for probabilistically quantifying and visualizing relevance between two or more citationally or contextually related data objects
In one embodiment a method for probabilistically quantifying a degree of relevance between two or more citationally or contextually related data objects, such as patent documents, non-patent documents, web pages, personal and corporate contacts information, product information, consumer to behavior, technical or scientific information, address information, and the like is provided. In another embodiment a method for visualizing and displaying relevance between two or more citationally or contextually related data objects is provided. In another embodiment a search input/output interface that utilizes an iterative self-organizing mapping technique to automatically generate a visual map of relevant patents and/or other related documents desired to be explored, searched or analyzed is provided. In another embodiment, a search input/output interface that displays and/or communicates search input criteria and corresponding search results in a way that facilitates intuitive understanding and visualization of the logical relationships between two or more related concepts being searched is provided.
US08504558B2 Framework to evaluate content display policies
Content display policies are evaluated using two kinds of methods. In the first kind of method, using information, collected in a “controlled” manner about user characteristics and content characteristics, truth models are generated. A simulator replays users' visits to the portal web page and simulates their interactions with content items on the page based on the truth models. Various metrics are used to compare different content item-selecting algorithms. In the second kind of method, no explicit truth models are built. Events from the controlled serving scheme are replayed in part or whole; content item-selection algorithms learn using the observed user activities. Metrics that measure the overall predictive error are used to compare different content-item selection algorithms. The data collected in a controlled fashion plays a key role in both the methods.
US08504556B1 System and method for diminishing workload imbalance across multiple database systems
Various embodiments of a system and method for diminishing workload imbalance across multiple database systems are described. Embodiments may include a resource balancer configured to, for each of a multiple database systems hosting database resources assigned to different user entities, generate a system usage score for that database system based on database usage scores of respective database resources hosted by that database system. Each usage score of a given database resource may indicate a quantity of work performed by the respective database system to process one or more requests directed to that database resource. The resource balancer may also be configured to generate one or more instructions to move a database resource from a first database system having a first system usage score to a second database system having a smaller system usage score in order to diminish an imbalance of workload across the database systems.
US08504554B2 Dynamic index and search engine server
An apparatus for, computers software for, and method of providing personalized search capabilities of hypertext transmission protocol pages comprising: providing an index server maintaining a dynamic index to hypertext transmission protocol pages and employing a tree-structured hierarchical plurality of topic categories; permitting a user to specify any subset of the plurality of topic categories; and adding to an electronic medium controlled by the user link information permitting execution of searches of the index server in any category of the subset but only of categories in the subset.
US08504552B2 Query based paging through a collection of values
A computer readable storage medium includes executable instructions to receive from a requester a query for objects within a system. An index for the objects within the system that match the query is generated. The index is segmented into pages. A set of page state queries is returned to the requester. The page state queries specify criteria for retrieving objects from segments of the index.
US08504547B1 Customizing image search for user attributes
Systems, method, and apparatus including computer program products for providing image search results. In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes receiving from a user a query for images including static images, moving images, and images within multimedia content, identifying at least one of a language attribute and a locale attribute of the user, generating multiple search results, each result corresponding to an image content item that satisfies the query, ordering the search results based at least on click data for image content items that satisfy the query, the click data gathered from users having at least one of the language attribute and the locale attribute, and presenting the ordered search results to the user, including presenting representations of the corresponding image content items.
US08504546B2 Method and system for searching multimedia content
A system for implementing a method for searching multimedia contents uses a pictorial edit distance to compare a search query consisting of an image to a database of images to determine the ranking of matches from closest match to least closest match between the search image and the images in the database or portions of the images in the database.
US08504545B2 Apparatus and methods for managing a social media universe
Methods and apparatus include features for managing social media universes. In one embodiment, media content and community members that have been associated with a new concept for creating a new universe are searched on a plurality of media content servers. For each found new concept, an association is retained between the new universe for the new concept and any found media content and community members. When a requesting user requests to view the new universe, a representation of the media content and the community members that are associated with the new universe is displayed for the requesting user.
US08504543B1 Automatic API generation for a web application
A system and a method are disclosed for automatically providing an API for a Web-based application. An API processing core receives a call, performs a variety of actions on the call prior to executing it, determines based on the actions whether the call is a valid API call to the currently existing application functionality, and if the call is a valid API call, executes it. The call syntax is constructed primarily out of elements applicable to any Web-based application using the system.
US08504542B2 Multi-row transactions
Techniques are provided for more efficient multi-row atomic, consistent, isolated and durable (ACID)-compliant transactions with snapshot isolation semantics (or just “multi-row transactions” for short). In some embodiments, the techniques are implemented in a computing system that includes a client application, a lightweight in-memory lease-based lock service, a multi-row transaction orchestrator, and an underlying database system. The transaction orchestrator implements a read protocol and a write protocol that provides support to the client application for carrying out multi-row transactions against the underlying database system irrespective of whether the database system itself supports multi-row transactions. The transaction orchestrator explicitly maintains transaction-level locks obtained from the lease-based lock service as part of the transaction protocol. Further, the transaction orchestrator is tolerant to lock service failure and unavailability without compromising ACID-compliance and snapshot isolation guarantees to the client application.
US08504539B2 Method of XML document management to selectively cancel specific past operation and system using the same
Disclosed are an XML document management method for cancelling a specific past operation, and a system using the same. The method comprises identifying an original operation to be cancelled, identifying an XML resource to be cancelled, identifying a previous value of the XML resource to be cancelled, identifying a next value of the XML resource to be cancelled, configuring a cancel operation, and applying the cancel operation to the XML resource to be cancelled.
US08504533B2 De-duplication reference tag reconciliation
Example apparatus and methods concern de-duplication reference tag reconciliation associated with garbage collection and/or reference health checking. One example method may include accessing data associated with members of a set of references to blocks of data stored by a data de-duplication system. The method may process the first data to manipulate a Bloom filter into a state from which membership in the set of references can be assessed. The method may also include accessing a block identifier identified with a member of the set of blocks of data stored by the data de-duplication system and assessing membership in the set of references for the block identifier by querying the Bloom filter with the block identifier. If the block is not referenced, as determined by querying the Bloom filter, then the method may include performing a block reclamation action on the unreferenced block.
US08504532B2 System and method for deletion of data in a remote computing platform
Embodiments of a system and method to perform a secure deletion of a set of data from a remote cloud computing system are described. As described, in some embodiments, a user of a cloud computing service that provides data storage may securely delete his stored set of data by acquiring elevated access privileges to the stored set of data, designating at least one most significant bit in at least one data block therein as a sentinel and recording its value and position, updating the value of the sentinels and thereby rendering the data unusable, and verifying the success of the operation by checking the new value of the sentinels against the original value. In some embodiments, the verification process may be repeated in order to ensure that the data has been rendered useless across all nodes of the remote cloud platform.
US08504530B2 Global information management system and method
A global information management system (GIMS) includes a collection of standards and methods that allow information management on a global scale. A GIMS computer network includes a central registration database (CRD) and one or more GIMS computer systems connected over a network. Each GIMS computer system includes a relational database having a set of standardized tables. The CRD may provide a GIMS network-unique system ID to each GIMS computer system. Each GIMS computer system uses the GIMS network-unique system ID as part of a primary key for each record generated by and stored in the set of standardized tables of the GIMS database. The GIMS enables global database normalization through the globally unique identification of database records.
US08504520B2 Background synchronization of data objects
Background synchronization of data objects may be provided. A background thread associated with an application may be created. A first data item associated with the application may be opened by the background thread and a copy of the first data item may be created. A modification may be performed on a property of the first data item. If no second data item is associated with a pending modification, the first data item may be replaced with the modified copy of the first data item.
US08504519B1 Determining a preferred modified version from among multiple modified versions for synchronized files
A server stores files and manages the synchronization of those files across client devices in accordance with user preferences that may be embodied in change management rules. A first version of a file has been designated to be synchronized across at least a first client and a second client. The first client accesses the first version of the file and creates a first modified version of the file, and the second client accesses the first version of the file and creates a second modified version of the file. When the first and second clients attempt to re-synchronize their respective modified versions of the file, the server determines a preferred version from among the available modified versions of the file according to change management rules. Then, the preferred version is stored by the server and is subsequently served for synchronization across the client devices.
US08504517B2 Systems and methods for selective data replication
Systems and methods for performing data replication are disclosed. Determining whether to update replicated data typically involves comparison of readily obtainable attributes of a given source file and its corresponding replicated file. Such attributes can be obtained from, for example, metadata. In certain situations, an additional assessment of the source and replicated files can be beneficial. For example, if integrity of an existing replicated file's content is maintained, one may not want to re-replicate the corresponding source file. For large source files, such a decision can provide substantial reductions in expenditures of available computing and network resources. In certain embodiments, a threshold for identifying such large files can be based on one or more operating parameters such as network type and available bandwidth. In certain embodiments, replication file's integrity can be checked by calculating and comparing checksums for the replication file and its corresponding source file.
US08504516B2 Manipulating electronic backups
Systems and methods are provided for storing and restoring digital data. In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes initiating a backup operation of data including a plurality of items, interrupting the backup operation, where interrupting occurs after a portion of the data has been completed, receiving an input to resume the backup operation, identifying a previously completed portion of the backup data, and performing a backup of a remaining uncompleted portion of the backup data. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, computer program products, and computer readable media.
US08504513B2 Auto-generation of code for performing a transform in an extract, transform, and load process
A mapping is received and stored that maps elements of a data warehouse to types of a type system implemented by a data source. Program code is generated that performs a transform of data retrieved from a data source based on the mapping. Generation of the program code may include generating program code for performing a dimension transform based on the mapping, generating program code for performing a fact transform based on the mapping, and generating program code for performing an outrigger transform based on the mapping. The generated program code may then be executed to transform the data retrieved from the data source prior to loading into the data warehouse.
US08504512B2 Identifying geospatial patterns from device data
Determining geospatial patterns from device data collected from a plurality of computing devices. The devices represent, for example, a plurality of sources providing the device data. The device data describes the computing devices and/or environments thereof. Some embodiments present the determined patterns to users for editing, update maps with the edited patterns, and distribute the maps to the users. The maps are stored to create a searchable map library.
US08504510B2 State machine compression for scalable pattern matching
A method for processing data includes encoding a finite automaton, which includes states and transitions between the states that express a plurality of predefined patterns, by grouping the states of the automaton into sets according to a common property shared by the states in each set, and assigning codes to the states according to the grouping. The codes are stored in an electronic memory, along with rules that are associated with the patterns. The automaton is traversed in order to identify one or more of the patterns in an input sequence of data elements by iteratively reading out the codes from the memory responsively to the data elements and to the codes that have been previously read out. Upon identifying a given pattern in the input sequence, an associated action is performed.
US08504509B1 Decision support systems and methods
In one aspect, the invention is based on a process that combines information present in a joint distribution of the predictor variables and the variable (or variables) to be predicted. This information may be captured in the form of a table or other like data structure that includes a set of vectors (referred to as a “TAB”). The process uses the information in the TAB in conjunction with one or more rules. In one embodiment, a set of different rules are applied to the TAB to determine which rule in the set produces the most accurate predictions. The RULE that produces the most accurate predictions is then used in conjunction with observed information to make predictions.
US08504508B2 Artificial intelligence system
An artificial intelligence system and method for interpreting input from a user and generating a response to the user. The input is converted into an array of concepts which are compared to a database of interrelated concepts. A response is generated based on the concepts in the database and their relationship to the concepts in the input array. The system and method may be implemented in a number of electronic or computer devices to interact with humans or computer systems.
US08504501B2 Dynamic constraint satisfaction problem solver
A system for solving a dynamic constraint satisfaction problem comprises a constraint network of variables and constraints. The system creates a first sub-problem model that includes a first model type, one or more first variables and zero or more first constraints. The system propagates the first constraints through the constraint network and determines if a first conflict is detected from propagating the first constraints. If the first conflict is detected, the system restores the constraint network variables to a first previous state before the first constraints were propagated. The system creates a first sub-problem set that includes a second model type and one or more sub-problem models. The system connects the first sub-problem model to the first sub-problem set via a second constraint and propagates the second constraint through the constraint network.
US08504500B2 Systems, methods, and apparatus for reconstruction of 3-D object morphology, position, orientation and texture using an array of tactile sensors
Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided using signals from a set of tactile sensors mounted on a surface to determine the three-dimensional morphology (e.g., size, shape, orientation, and/or position) and texture of objects of arbitrary shape. Analytical, numerical, and/or neural network approaches can be used to interpret the sensory data.
US08504499B2 Constant memory implementation of a phase-model neural network
Disclosed are systems, apparatuses, and methods for implementing a phase-model neural network using a fixed amount of memory. Such a phase-model neural network includes a plurality of neurons, wherein each neuron is associated with two parameters—an activity and a phase. Example methods include (i) generating a sequence of variables associated with a probability distribution of phases and (ii) sequentially sampling the probability distribution of phases using a fixed amount of memory, regardless of a number of phases used in the phase-model neural network.
US08504498B2 Method of generating an optimized, diverse population of variants
The present disclosure relates to methods of rapidly and efficiently searching biologically-related data space to identify a population set maximally diverse and optimized for sets of desired properties. More specifically, the disclosure provides methods of identifying a diverse, evolutionary separated bio-molecules with desired properties from complex bio-molecule libraries. The disclosure additionally provides digital systems and software for performing these methods.
US08504495B1 Approximate hashing functions for finding similar content
A method including training a plurality of learning systems, each learning system implementing a learning function and having an input and producing an output, initializing one or more data structures, and evaluating a target sample is described. Also described are methods that include initializing one or more data structures and evaluating a target sample for a best match.
US08504494B2 Spatio-temporal learning algorithms in hierarchical temporal networks
A spatio-temporal learning node is a type of HTM node which learns both spatial and temporal groups of sensed input patterns over time. Spatio-temporal learning nodes comprise spatial poolers which are used to determine spatial groups in a set of sensed input patterns. The spatio-temporal learning nodes further comprise temporal poolers which are used to determine groups of sensed input patterns that temporally co-occur. A spatio-temporal learning network is a hierarchical network including a plurality of spatio-temporal learning nodes.
US08504490B2 Web-scale entity relationship extraction that extracts pattern(s) based on an extracted tuple
Methods and systems for Web-scale entity relationship extraction are usable to build large-scale entity relationship graphs from any data corpora stored on a computer-readable medium or accessible through a network. Such entity relationship graphs may be used to navigate previously undiscoverable relationships among entities within data corpora. Additionally, the entity relationship extraction may be configured to utilize discriminative models to jointly model correlated data found within the selected corpora.
US08504487B2 Evolution of a user interface based on learned idiosyncrasies and collected data of a user
A user interface evolves based on learned idiosyncrasies and collected data of a user. Learned idiosyncrasies and collected data of the user can be stored in a knowledge base. Information from the surrounding environment of the user can be obtained during learning of idiosyncrasies or collection of data. Thought-based statements can be generated based at least in part on the knowledge base and the information from the environment surrounding the user during learning of idiosyncrasies or collection of data. The thought-based statements serve to invoke or respond to subsequent actions of the user. The user interface can be presented so as to allow for interaction with the user based at least in part on the thought-based statements. Furthermore, personality nuances of the user interface can be developed that affect the interaction between the user and the user interface.
US08504484B2 Apparatus and method for managing a social network
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system having a controller to collect one or more user-generated comments from each of a plurality of computing devices, detect a correlation in the one or more user-generated comments collected from the plurality of computing devices, and establish a social network between the plurality of computing devices according to the detected correlation. The one or more user-generated comments can be temporally associated with media content presented at the plurality of computing devices. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08504482B1 System and method for preparing educational materials
Systems and methods are described for interactive, adaptive, customized and individualized computer-assisted instruction of students, preferably implemented on network connected computers. An assembly tool is provided for bringing diverse educational resources together to create customized course material for the instruction of students. A replication element is configured to update each resource and assure access to each updated resource. The system and method of the present invention responds to the instructor's creativity, allowing the instructor to shape and control the instructional materials and process, and allowing instructors from diverse institutions to exchange, share, modify and improve educational materials.
US08504479B2 Key interface for secure object manipulation
A method and system for controlling access to various tiers of functionality of core software are provided. A software developer/vendor can develop a single version of software having one or more limited-access functionalities and provide the single version of the software to various types of customers. Each customer, using the single version of the core software, may develop additional software that utilizes one or more functionalities of the core software as authorized by the software developer/vendor. Access to a certain functionality or set of functionalities by the customer developed software is obtained by adapting the customer developed software to submit a key, provided by the software developer/vendor, to the core software through, for example, an application programming interface (API) of the core software. The core software is adapted to verify the provided key and, if the provided key is correct, allow the customer developed software access to the corresponding one or more functionalities of the core software.
US08504476B2 System and method of certifying a check
A system and method of certifying a check which involves a captured image of the check. An example method includes receiving by a first computer a request from a second computer to certify a check from a payer to a payee, the check serving to withdraw funds from an account of the payer, receiving by the first computer an image file containing an image of the check from the second computer, obtaining an account number and an amount from the image file by the first computer, determining using the account number whether funds equal to the amount are in the account, and when funds equal to the amount are in the account, putting a hold on the funds equal to the amount and issuing a certification number and a password by the first computer.
US08504475B2 Systems and methods for enrolling users in a payment service
Embodiments of the invention are direction to systems, apparatuses and methods for enrolling users in a payment service that enables an individual (“a presenter”) to conduct a payment transaction with another party (“an acceptor”) more efficiently in situations where the individual has multiple payment accounts. One embodiment of the invention is directed to a method comprising presenting to a user a plurality of payment accounts associated with the user, receiving from the user a selection of an alias account identifier for each of the payment accounts, and storing in a database data that associates the selected alias account identifiers with the payment accounts.
US08504472B1 Electronic payment method for making payments using a mobile identifier
A method for providing electronic access to an electronic payment system includes receiving, in conjunction with a purchase by an accountholder at a merchant, information for identifying a payment account of the accountholder based upon entry into a POS terminal of the merchant of an identifier that enables identification of the accountholder and a mobile communications device of the accountholder. The method further includes providing electronic access to an electronic payment system that further enables using a telephone number of a payee to initiate an electronic communication with an electronic device associated with the payee without requiring a communications link to be established directly between a mobile communications device of the accountholder and the electronic device of the payee in order to complete a payment from the accountholder to the payee. Methods further include providing an additional service account with which a payment account of the accountholder is associated.
US08504468B2 System and method for compiling information for resolving transactions
A system and method for gathering information pertinent to a transaction for purposes of compiling an offer set of at least one offer for settling the transaction is presented. The design comprises a server configured to seek information, the server configured to seek at least one from a group comprising information related to personal data regarding a user, information related to account data regarding a user account, information related to macroeconomic data, and information related to the transaction. The server seeks all information from a source separate from the server and the user.
US08504462B2 Method and system for using credit lines to enhance the durability of securities portfolios
A system and method for determining a desirous funding source and/or sources based upon at least one of user information, home information and portfolio information, wherein said desirous funding source(s) is/are based, at least in part, upon maximization of a user's assets.
US08504459B1 Method, system, and computer program product for grading a collateralized mortgage obligation or other asset-backed security
The invention relates to a method, system and computer program product for grading asset-backed securities by assigning a relative grade, including one or more of a prepayment risk component and a complexity component, which may take into account one or more of weighted average life, volatility of weighted average life at moderate and stressed yield curve shifts, and complexity, in the absence of price information.
US08504458B1 Investment strategy system
Embodiments of the present invention relate to apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer program products for determining an investment strategy for a security. In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a processor configured to: (1) receive information identifying a security; (2) access historical market data for the security, wherein the historical market data includes historical values, over a historical period of time, for one or more market parameters for the security; (3) use the historical market data to determine a relationship between a market parameter's value and the security's value during the historical period of time; and (4) use the relationship to determine an investment strategy that determines trading decisions based at least partially on the market parameter's value.
US08504455B1 Acquisition wave management
Enhanced systems, processes, tools, techniques and strategies are provided for executing corporate entity changes between or among institutions, particularly with respect to minimizing the negative effects of the corporate change on customers of the institutions. In various embodiments, a method is provided for determining a wave assignment for a customer in connection with multiple waves of the corporate change. The method may include establishing a baseline wave assignment for customers of the acquired institution based on customer account data; determining lines of business associated with the customer account data; and, applying wave assignments to the customer account data in response to the baseline wave assignments and the lines of business, among other potential factors.
US08504454B2 System and method for purchasing a financial instrument indexed to entertainment revenue
A method for purchasing a securities bundle indexed to entertainment revenue comprises selecting a securities bundle offered by a special-purpose entity. The securities bundle comprises a first security and a second security and the securities bundle is associated with a closing date. The first security is associated with a first entertainment event and the second security is associated with a second entertainment event. The method continues by identifying a return value associated with the securities bundle, and by identifying a purchase price associated with the securities bundle. The method concludes by purchasing the selected securities bundle at least partially based on the purchase price and the return value.
US08504447B2 Method for triggering a cost entry
A method for triggering a cost entry in the context of a job is disclosed, which is issued by a management information system, and executed on an execution system, wherein the execution system transmits job related status reports in Job Definition Format to the management information system, and wherein incoming status reports are stored on the management information system.In order to allow cost entries after the completion of particular processes in the context of a job, it is being suggested that status reports arriving at the management information system are stored, categorized through a parser, and that a cost entry is triggered, when a status report is stored as cost relevant.
US08504446B2 Broadband intelligent event repository
Example methods disclosed herein to manage and process data associated with network usage include creating first links to represent relationships between event data items and rated data items, and creating second links to represent relationships between the rated data items and billed data items. Such example methods also include, in response to a request for network usage information associated with a first billed data item received after the first billed data item has been generated, processing a first one of the second links to identify a first rated data item associated with the first billed data item, processing a first one of the first links to identify a first event data item associated with the first rated data item, and returning the first event data item in response to the request.
US08504444B2 Method and system for increasing advance orders
A system and method are described for increasing advance orders for goods or services. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving advance orders for a product with a specified release date from a plurality of buyers and moving up the release date if a goal is met, wherein the goal based at least in part on the number of advance orders received.
US08504443B2 Methods and systems for pricing software infrastructure for a cloud computing environment
A software provider system can provide and price software infrastructure for a cloud to a cloud provider based on expected utilization and actual utilization of the cloud. The software provider system can provide the software infrastructure of the cloud and technical support for the software infrastructure under a varying price structure which is dependent on the expected utilization and the actual utilization of the software infrastructure. The software provider system can determine the initial price of the software infrastructure based on the expected utilization of the cloud and a purpose of the cloud. The software provider system can monitor the actual utilization of the software infrastructure, over time, in order to modify the initial price based on the actual utilization of the software infrastructure.
US08504438B2 Online purchasing system supporting lenders with affordability screening
A method and system for comparing a plurality of financing options to facilitate the purchase and finance of products offered for sale. The method or system may include a credit application that, once completed, is analyzed. The method or system may also communicate whether the credit application has been approved.
US08504433B2 Transaction split fees
A transaction fee imposed by a payment provider may be allocated between the parties to an on-line transaction in any way and at any time. This adds flexibility to the transaction and allows the parties to allocate the transaction fee on a per transaction basis that best suits the parties.
US08504432B1 Systems and methods for directing disposition of certificate of deposit
The disposition of funds in a certificate of deposit (CD) may be specified at or near the time the CD is applied for. The depositor may specify disposition of funds such as transferring the funds to an account, paying a bill, donating the funds to charity, rolling over the funds into a new CD. The depositor may specify that a particular portion of the funds are to be rolled over, and that the remainder of funds are to be disposed of in a specified manner. If the depositor elects to roll over some or all of the funds in the CD, the depositor may specify how many times the CD is to be rolled over. Instructions for disposition of funds may be received through a web site, through e-mail, on paper, etc.
US08504428B1 System and method of tracking and encoding electronic transactions
A system of tracking, identifying, and encoding an electronic transaction. The system includes a portal soliciting electronic transactions, an encoder in communication with the portal, a processor in communication with the encoder and a processing network, and a report module in communication with the processor. The encoder accepts electronic transaction data from the portal, forms a code based on the electronic transaction data, and appends the code to the electronic transaction data to provide encoded electronic transaction data. The processing network authorizes the encoded electronic transaction data to provide authorized encoded electronic transaction data, and the processor receives the authorized encoded electronic transaction data. The report module forms a report based on authorized encoded electronic transaction data.
US08504423B2 Social network appreciation platform
A social network appreciation platform (SNAP) for marketing products or services of a merchant to customers online. A server receives marketing campaigns, announcements, coupons, or other messages defined by a participating merchant, for distribution to certain social networks to which a customer of the merchant belongs. The server also receives registration information from the customer including a unique identifier for use in purchase transactions, a selection of the customer's social networks to which certain of the merchant-defined messages are to be distributed, and a selection of the messages for distribution to the selected social networks. In response to transaction data from a transaction source representing a customer purchase, including the customer's unique identifier, the server transmits the messages selected by the customer to each social network selected by the customer, for display on the customer's page and viewing by friends or followers of the customer on the network.
US08504422B2 Enhancing photo browsing through music and advertising
Techniques for recommending music and advertising to enhance a user's experience while photo browsing are described. In some instances, songs and ads are ranked for relevance to at least one photo from a photo album. The songs, ads and photo(s) from the photo album are then mapped to a style and mood ontology to obtain vector-based representations. The vector-based representations can include real valued terms, each term associated with a human condition defined by the ontology. A re-ranking process generates a relevancy term for each song and each ad indicating relevancy to the photo album. The relevancy terms can be calculated by summing weighted terms from the ranking and the mapping. Recommended music and ads may then be provided to a user, as the user browses a series of photos obtained from the photo album. The ads may be seamlessly embedded into the music in a nonintrusive manner.
US08504419B2 Network-based targeted content delivery based on queue adjustment factors calculated using the weighted combination of overall rank, context, and covariance scores for an invitational content item
Systems and methods are provided for audience targeting based on a performance history of invitational content from secondary content providers, such as advertisements. In operation, responsive to request from a user for content package, a queue of available invitational content is retrieved. Thereafter, based at least on a performance history of the available invitational content in the queue, a context of the primary content, and a performance history of invitational content previously presented to other users, the queue can be at least partially reordered to provide an adjusted queue. The invitational content for the content package can then be selected based on the adjusted queue.
US08504410B2 Method for improving customer survey system
A global customer satisfaction system includes point-of-sale customer feedback terminals for receiving in-store customer feedback including satisfaction ratings and other customer feedback regarding participating vendors as the customer pays for purchases. The system also includes post-sale customer feedback terminals for receiving more detailed customer feedback regarding the vendors from members after the sales have been completed. The system also includes an aggregation and dissemination system for combining the ratings received form customers into global customer satisfaction ratings for participating vendors, and disseminating the customer satisfaction information through customer satisfaction qualified directories, which are organized or searchable by geographical, type of product or service offered by the participating vendors, and other factors.
US08504405B2 Accelerated process improvement framework
The present invention relates to a method and related system for assisting and expediting an organization production of a more mature product. The method and system may include implementation of processes using a combination of both electronic hardware and software and implementation locally or over a network such as an intranet or the Internet. In another embodiment, the method may be implemented using a document management system to administer files related to the steps in the method. These files may assist a user in the creation of required documentation. A document management tool may be integrated with the document management system to associate documentation with steps in the method. A navigator tool may be employed to create a graphical display of the steps in the method using data contained in the files. Another embodiment of the present invention uses WebDAV-based communication to coordinate access to multiple document repositories.
US08504404B2 Distance and location-aware scheduling assistance in a calendar system with notification of potential conflicts
A method and a system for providing scheduling assistance are described. A computer-implemented method includes extracting from a request for scheduling a meeting a meeting location and a meeting start time in response to the request from a requester. The method includes retrieving, from an event database, event information for a preceding event occurring before the meeting. The event information includes an event location and an event end time. Travel time from the event location to the meeting location is determined, and a potential travel time scheduling conflict is identified when the travel time exceeds a time difference between the event end time and the meeting start time. Notification of the potential travel time scheduling conflict is provided to the requester.
US08504402B1 Schedule optimization using market modeling
A schedule for a network of transportation resources is produced by iteratively generating sets of variables for each market pair using an objective function and based on at least an identified range of permissible departure or arrival times for each market pair and spacing parameters. Each variable represents a different set of possible departure or arrival times for a particular market pair. The proposed schedule is built based on the generated sets of variables for each market pair and a set of constraints.
US08504397B2 Real time business event monitoring, tracking, and execution architecture
A computer system (100) enables real-time business event monitoring and tracking by means of a client-server computer asynchronously acquiring (110) physical event data from a variety of network-connected (105) data collection devices (102), processing the event data on the basis of the knowledge and history of previous events, and analyzing the event data using business logic/rules, filters, and/or other criteria to identify (115) “significant” business events for real-time communication to a network (120) of clients (122). The system (100) is bi-directional in that it also receives business information requests from the clients (122) and processes the requests in the light of the knowledge and history of previous client requests to generate a plurality of device-specific control commands for execution on one or more of the data collection devices (102).