| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08714112B2 |
Airborne interactive cat treat or toy
An aerodynamically interactive artifact is proportioned to experience at least one of tumbling, fluttering, and autorotating motion when subjected to free fall in a gravitational field. Suitable shapes include films, strips, butterflies, birds, and the like. The artifact may be contain a neutraceutical, may be dissolvable in pet saliva, and may provide an olfactory sensation for a pet. Dimensionless parameters such as Froude number and length-to-thickness ratios may be used to select aerodynamically interactive motions. |
| US08714111B2 |
Animal travel system
An animal carrier for installation into an automotive seat is described. The animal carrier has a frame that is formed by the attachment of the bottom edge of a substantially vertical back panel to the back facing edge of a substantially horizontal floor panel, and the further attachment of a spine to both the top edge of the vertical back panel and the forward facing edge of the floor panel. The enclosure of the animal carrier can be formed by the attachment of two side panels, and optionally a front panel, to the frame. The animal carrier can be mounted onto an automotive seat by the passage of an installation belt though a belt path or channel formed through either the back or floor panel. |
| US08714104B2 |
Dual-purpose facility of continuous hot-dip coating and continuous annealing
A dual-purpose facility of continuous hot-dip coating and continuous annealing is configured so as to be switched between a continuous hot-dip coated material production line and a continuous annealed material production line, and includes a gas discharge path that discharges atmosphere gas in an annealing furnace from a gas discharge port provided in an outlet side of the annealing furnace out of the annealing furnace and a path opening and closing unit for opening and closing the gas discharge path. The path opening and closing unit opens the gas discharge path when the dual-purpose facility is used as the continuous hot-dip coated material production line and closes the gas discharge path when the dual-purpose facility is used as the continuous annealed material production line. |
| US08714100B2 |
Pointer-type alarm mark structure of a micro-differential pressure gauge
A pointer-type alarm mark structure of a micro-differential pressure gauge includes a transparent casing. The transparent casing has a shaft thereon. At least one alarm index is provided on the shaft. By adjusting the alarm index to a desired position, the user can know whether the pointer of the gauge is within a safe area. |
| US08714096B2 |
Pulverized coal boiler
A pulverized coal boiler of the present invention is structured so as to form, among upper and lower after-air nozzles, an opening serving as an outlet of the lower after-air nozzle positioned on the upstream side is formed in a rectangular shape, a cylindrical section for defining a minimum flow path area of combustion air flowing through a flow path of the after-air nozzle is installed inside of the lower after-air nozzles along the flow path of the lower after-air nozzle, and a swirl blade for giving a swirl force to the combustion air flowing through the flow path of the after-air nozzles is installed inside of the cylindrical section, and the flow path of the lower after-air nozzles is formed so that a flow path area of the flow path of the after-air nozzles through which the combustion air flows from a position where the cylindrical section is installed toward the opening of each of the lower after-air nozzles is expanded. |
| US08714093B2 |
Instrument panel and board unit intended for same
An instrument panel (10) for a motor vehicle, with an upper side comprising a raisable cover (30) which, at a forward edge, as observed in the direction of forward movement of the vehicle, is supported for pivoting relative to a shell (20) of the panel, and with a storage space (40) delineated thereunder. The instrument panel has a board unit (50) which at a transverse edge is supported for pivoting relative to the shell (20) between the cover and the storage space, and comprises a pair of board leaves (60,70) pivotably connected to one another at an opposite transverse edge in such a way that a first board leaf (70) can be deployed, from a retracted working position abutting against the second board leaf (60) under the cover, to a deployed working position situated in a substantially horizontal plane with the second board leaf (60). |
| US08714088B2 |
Lithographic printing plate precursor and lithographic printing method
A lithographic printing plate precursor includes an image-recording layer and a protective layer containing a stratiform compound, wherein at least one of the image-recording layer and the protective layer contains a polymer containing as a repeating unit, a structural unit having an ammonium structure. |
| US08714087B2 |
Image forming apparatuses and methods thereof
Image forming apparatus and methods are disclosed which include an intermediate transfer member to transfer images to media, an impression roller including a gripping device to receive the media, and a determination module to determine the length of the media held by the at least one gripper unit based on respective detections by first and second set of sensors. |
| US08714083B2 |
Ink transfer member position adjusting method and apparatus of rotary stencil printing press
In a rotary stencil printing press including a rotary screen cylinder which supports a screen printing form and is supported rotatably, and a squeegee which is located within the rotary screen cylinder and, when printing is done, contacts an inner peripheral surface of the screen printing form to transfer ink stored within the rotary screen cylinder to a web via holes of the screen printing form and, when printing is stopped, leaves the inner peripheral surface of the screen printing form, throw-on and throw-off of the squeegee with respect to the inner peripheral surface of the screen printing form, and adjustment of the position of the throw-on are performed by motors. |
| US08714080B2 |
Trash compacting device
The invention is a trash compacting device with a handle configured horizontally so a person can grip the handle with the palm of their hand facing downward to maximize compression force and minimize slippage. The frame supports one or more smite plate receivers that may extends horizontally from the frame to increase the distance between center regions of two smite plates. Each smite plate receiver may extends downward at different heights to ensure that bulky trash, such as boxes, does not impede the downward movement of every smite plates. The frame may houses a telescoping tube to ensure ergonomic operations when a garbage can is less than full. Smite plates of different shapes and sizes may be attached to the smite plate receiver to further ensure more uniform compaction of trash. Smite plates and handle grips are pivotally attached to allow for portable transport and compact storage. |
| US08714077B2 |
Sandwich bun toasting and warming apparatus
A bun heating and toasting apparatus provides at least one elongated, inverted V-shaped bun support member formed of heat conductive material, each bun support member arranged to support a partially opened hot dog bun or other elongated bakery bun over an underlying heat source for heating and toasting of the interior surface of the supported bun. The bun support members capture the heat from the heat source in an air space between the base and the apex of the interior cavity of the inverted V-shaped support members. The bun-supporting surface of the bun support members is preferably provided with a non-stick coating or is highly polished to prevent sticking. The apparatus preferably includes enclosing, peripheral side walls that may include receivers for insertion of a removable carrier handle. |
| US08714071B2 |
Overpressure protection
Overpressure absorbing material is positioned on the exterior of an enclosure. When an explosion occurs adjacent the enclosure, the overpressure absorbing material absorbs a large portion of an incoming overpressure wave from the explosion. The overpressure absorbing material cushions the impact of the overpressure wave against the enclosure and may prevent the incoming overpressure wave from penetrating the enclosure in sufficient magnitude to cause injury to the enclosure's occupants. The overpressure absorbing material may also be positioned on the interior of the enclosure. The overpressure wave from the explosion may enter the enclosure via a breach or other opening and may resonate within the enclosure, causing injury to the enclosure's occupants. The interior overpressure absorbing material also prevents a significant magnitude of the overpressure wave from being reflected off the interior walls of the enclosure, resonating within the enclosure, and causing injury to the enclosure's occupants. |
| US08714070B2 |
Non-lethal waterborne threat deterrent and immobilization device
An interdiction device that includes a net for trapping and containing a target swimmer, diver or water-borne vessel. The net is deployed from the interdiction device that is either initially submerged in a body of water or floating on the surface of the body of water. The net is deployed either below the surface of the water in one embodiment or on the surface of the water depending on the desired function. |
| US08714067B2 |
Mechanism and method for predetermined angular cutting of a plurality of ply strips
Apparatus for cutting plural aligned ply strips includes plural knife blades disposed in a spaced manner such that each knife blade is aligned with and in closely spaced relation to an associated ply strip. The knife blades are pivotally mounted in a common housing and are coupled to a single rotational drive for allowing each knife blade to assume the same predetermined cutting angle relative to its associated ply strip, where the cutting angle may be varied between ±45°. The plural knife blades are coupled to a rotational drive by means of plural circular drive gears and are connected to a linear drive for displacing the knife blades into contact with the ply strips for cutting the strips at the predetermined angle. The severed edges of the aligned ply strips are formed in mutual linear alignment and do not include projecting triangular patterns, or crenelations. |
| US08714059B2 |
Saw blade with single level and multiple level set patterns within pitch patterns, and related method
A band saw blade has a plurality of teeth defining a pitch pattern and first and second set patterns within each pitch pattern. The first set pattern includes a plurality of offset teeth that are each offset at approximately the same set magnitude as every other set tooth within the first set pattern. The second set pattern includes a plurality of first offset teeth that are each offset at approximately a first set magnitude, and a plurality of second set teeth that are each offset at approximately a second set magnitude that is greater than the first set magnitude. |
| US08714054B1 |
Tractor-trailer tire chain installation tool
A tractor-trailer tire chain installation tool that includes a rod having a handle portion, a midsection, and a flattened head section configured for wielding within the wheel well of a tractor-trailer, wherein a plurality of chain hooks disposed depending from the rod are spaced apart at a correct distance along the rod to span the width of each tire of a double tire of the tractor-trailer, whereby a tire chain is releasably attachable to each of said chain hooks and positional to correctly align the tire chain for expedient installation around the double tire during inclement weather. |
| US08714053B2 |
Cutter insert gum modification method and apparatus
Described herein are several methods and apparatuses for treating a cutter tool adapted to be used in tunnel boring operations. In one form, an initial cutter member blank is formed and heat treated prior to a laser cladding process. An alloy is often applied to the surface of the cutter blank adjacent to the cutting elements by the cladding process whereby the cladding process has insufficient heat transfer from the cladding process to reduce hardness properties of the inserts and/or the cutter blank. In one example a fabric-like material defines the region of the exterior hard surface. |
| US08714052B2 |
Bicycle pedal
A bicycle pedal can include a pedal body configured to rotate about a spindle. The pedal can also include one or more bearing systems to reduce friction between the pedal body and the spindle. The spindle can act as the inner bearing race for one or more of the bearing systems. A bearing body can act as the outer bearing race for one or more of the bearing systems. |
| US08714051B2 |
Flywheel assembly
A system for a flywheel assembly for use in conjunction with an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The flywheel assembly includes a flywheel in rotational association with a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine. The flywheel assembly further includes a cooling fan mounted over the flywheel, and capable of rotation therewith. The cooling fan and the flywheel are secured in a constant axial position relative to the crankshaft by virtue of a drive-cup and a retaining nut. Further, the flywheel includes a plurality of integrally formed, intersecting support ribs, for providing excellent dynamic stiffening (e.g., damping) capabilities to the flywheel assembly for substantially reducing and/or eliminating radiated noise. |
| US08714046B2 |
Articulated robot wrist
Disclosed herein are embodiments of an articulated robot wrist. One embodiment comprises a first body comprising first and second ends, the first end being for mounting on a robot component which is rotatable around a first axis; a second body comprising first and second ends, the first end being rotatably mounted on said second end of said first body around a second axis inclined with respect to said first axis; and a third body comprising a first and a second end, the first end being rotatably mounted on said second end of said second body around a third axis inclined with respect to said second axis. The first and third axes form an angle substantially of 90° with respect to said second axis, and wherein in at least one position of said robot wrist said first and third axes are substantially aligned with each other. |
| US08714045B2 |
Robot joint driving apparatus and robot having the same
A robot joint driving apparatus and a robot having the same are capable of minimizing a load applied to a drive motor by rotating a ball nut part such that a ball screw part performs linear movement in a power transmission structure using a wire and the ball screw apparatus. The robot joint driving apparatus includes a reversible drive motor, a ball nut part rotated according to operation of the drive motor, a ball screw part performing linear movement according to rotation of the ball nut part, a wire connected to the ball screw part from both sides of the ball screw part, an idle pulley rotatably installed at one side of the wire, and a joint part rotatably installed at an opposite side of the wire. |
| US08714042B2 |
Controllable steering rack guide system and method
A controllable steering rack guide system includes a pinion having pinion gear teeth and a steering rack having rack gear teeth engaged with the pinion gear teeth of the pinion. A rack guide is radially moveable relative to the steering rack for applying a radial force to the steering rack. A primary spring applies a compression force on the rack guide for forcing the rack guide radially toward the steering rack. The compression force of the primary spring is continuously adjustable during operation of the pinion and the steering rack. |
| US08714037B2 |
Engine starting device and vehicle incorporating the same
A device for starting an engine includes a starter for starting the engine and an ECU. The starter includes a pinion gear for engagement with a ring gear for cranking the engine, an actuator structured to engage the pinion gear with a ring gear, and a motor for rotating the pinion gear. The actuator and the motor can individually be controlled. The ECU has a rotation mode for driving the motor prior to drive of the actuator and an engagement mode for causing the actuator to engage the pinion gear and the ring gear with each other prior to drive of the motor. When a request to start the engine is made, the ECU switches selection between the rotation mode and the engagement mode based on a rotation speed of the engine and a reduction rate in rotation speed of the engine. |
| US08714035B2 |
Device for fluid sampling
The disclosure is directed to a device for fluid sampling. The device may have two panels that are or may be adhered, attached or otherwise connected to opposite sides of a sampling bag having flexible walls. The panels may be used for conveniently inflating or deflating the sampling bag and obtaining fluid samples. |
| US08714030B1 |
Non-invasive tranducers for ultrasonic transit time flow meters
An ultrasonic flow meter permitting easy insertion and removal of a tube or conduit. A partial ring transducer or partial cylinder transducer is used to permit easy insertion and removal of a flexible tube in an ultrasonic flow meter for measuring fluid flow. In another embodiment a split ring or split cylinder transducer is used to facilitate easy removal and insertion of a tube or conduit in which fluid flow is to be measured. In another embodiment a clamping system is used to securely hold and couple a tube or conduit within the ultrasonic flow meter system. The present invention is conveniently adapted to hold flexible tubes and in particular disposable flexible tubes often used in the medical industry. |
| US08714027B2 |
Magneto-inductive flow measuring system and method
A method for operating a magneto-inductive flow measuring system, wherein the magneto-inductive flow measuring system has a measuring tube, wherein measuring tube has a lumen for the conveying an at least slightly electrically conductive, measured substance, and wherein the magneto-inductive flow measuring system has a first and a second electrode electrically interacting with the measured substance. In a first diagnostic operation, an input voltage is applied between the first and second electrodes, wherein the input voltage produces an electrical current essentially within the lumen, and wherein the flow measuring system additionally has a third and a fourth electrode electrically interacting with the measured substance, wherein an output voltage falling between the third and fourth electrodes essentially due to the electrical current is determined, and wherein, by means of the output voltage, a state of the flow measuring system and/or a chemical and/or physical property of the measured substance is determined. |
| US08714023B2 |
System and method for detecting surface perturbations
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for assessing a surface using a piezoelectric element. In one aspect, the method includes applying a device to the surface, wherein the device includes at least one piezoelectric element and at least one EMS device, wherein the EMS device includes a conductive first layer separated from a conductive second layer, and wherein the piezoelectric element is electrically coupled to the EMS device such that a force applied to the piezoelectric element results in a voltage applied across the first and second layers. |
| US08714021B2 |
Catheter die and method of fabricating the same
A catheter die is provided and includes a device layer defining a cavity and including a piezoresistive pressure sensor operably disposed proximate to the cavity and an insulator having an opening and being disposed on an upper surface of the device layer such that a portion of the piezoresistive pressure sensor is exposed through the opening. The catheter die further includes an insulation layer bonded to a lower surface of the device layer and first and second bond pads, the first bond pad being electrically coupled to the portion of the piezoresistive pressure sensor via the opening and the second bond pad being disposed on the insulation layer. |
| US08714017B2 |
Apparatus for non-invasive determination of sound velocity in a liquid and determining a parameter of the liquid from the sound velocity
Apparatus for determining the sound velocity of a liquid in a specimen having two walls between which the liquid is contained with one of the walls being deformable has a sensor including a transducer for transmitting ultrasonic energy signals between the specimen walls and apparatus for deforming the specimen wall by a known distance from a first to a second position relatively spaced from the transducer and an electronic circuit including a microprocessor for measuring first and second transit times of the signals through the liquid between the specimen walls for each of the specimen deformable wall first and second positions, and for calculating the sound velocity of the liquid based upon the known distance and the two measured transit times. Where blood is the liquid values of parameters such as glucose and hematocrit are obtained based on algorithms pre-programmed in the microprocessor. |
| US08714016B2 |
Tension wave generation system
A method and apparatus for generating a tension wave. A beam of coherent light is directed to an absorber surface of a transducer structure. A compression wave is generated within the transducer structure. The compression wave is reflected on a reflecting surface of the transducer structure to form the tension wave. The tension wave is directed through a test object in a desired direction using a configuration of the reflecting surface relative to the test object. |
| US08714014B2 |
System and method for acoustic focusing hardware and implementations
An acoustic focusing capillary includes a capillary coupled to at least one vibration source possessing a groove. A method of manufacturing such an acoustic focusing capillary includes providing a capillary and a vibration source, machining a groove into the vibration source, and coupling the vibration source to the capillary at the groove. Another method relates to focusing a particle stream and includes flowing a sheath fluid into an outer confine of a capillary, flowing a particle stream into a central core of the capillary, and acoustically focusing the particle stream by applying acoustic radiation pressure to the particle stream at a first location along the capillary. The particle stream may be further focused by hydrodynamically focusing it at a second location along the capillary downstream of the first location. |
| US08714009B2 |
Shielded capacitor sensor system for medical applications and method
A measurement system for measuring a parameter of the muscular-skeletal system is disclosed. The measurement system comprises a capacitor, a signal generator, a digital counter, counter register, a digital clock, a digital timer, and a data register. The sensor of the measurement system is the capacitor. The measurement system generates a repeating signal having a measurement cycle that corresponds to the capacitance of the capacitor. The capacitor comprises more than one capacitor mechanically in series. Electrically, the capacitor comprises more than one capacitor in parallel. In one embodiment, the capacitor includes a dielectric layer comprising polyimide. A force, pressure, or load is applied to the capacitor that elastically compresses the device. The capacitor is shielded from parasitic coupling and parasitic capacitance. |
| US08714004B2 |
Measuring gas content of unconventional reservoir rocks
A method of measuring the in-situ Total Gas content of an unconventional reservoir rock, the method including: drilling a borehole through a measurement interval in the reservoir to generate an annular volume of drilling mud that includes cuttings and gas, the annular volume having a leading edge and a trailing edge; diverting the leading edge of the annular volume such that all of the annular volume is captured in a degassing storage system without being exposed to atmosphere; discontinuing the diversion of the annular volume when the trailing edge of the annular volume has been captured in the degassing storage system; measuring the gas volume in the degassing storage system to determine the amount of gas per annular volume; and calculating the in-situ Total Gas content of the reservoir with reference to the amount of gas and cuttings per annular volume. |
| US08714002B2 |
Device for monitoring the state of radial deformation of a tyre
Described is a device (51) for monitoring the state of inflation of vehicle wheel tires, the wheels comprising a rim (100) and a respective tire (101) delimiting a hollow space (103) inside the wheel from the outside environment (104). The device (51) comprises: a first end (53) equipped with a self-closing valve connectable to means for inflating and deflating the tire (101); a second end (99) sealingly connectable on a hole (102) in the rim (100) of the wheel; a cavity (62) interposed between the two ends (53) and (99) and sealingly delimited by a wall (81) which is integral with a body (52) of the device and by an elastically deformable partition (203) having an inside face subjected to the pressure inside the tire and an outside face subjected to the atmospheric pressure of the outside environment; means (221) for generating and transmitting electromagnetic signals and a power source (215); a switch (208) mounted in the cavity (62) and configured to drive the means (221) for generating and transmitting electromagnetic signals, where the deformable partition (203) comprises a contact element (222) operating on the switch (208) in such a way as to activate it in response to a deformation of the partition (203) itself. The device is adapted to be mounted in place of the inflation valve of a vehicle wheel tire in order to provide the driver of the vehicle with indications about the state of radial deformation of the tire, without increasing dimensions and weight compared to the original valve and without creating obstacles to fitting and removing the tire. |
| US08714000B2 |
Air flow measuring device and method of making housing for the device
An air flow measuring device includes a housing, a sensor, and a conduction member. The housing defines a bypass flow passage through which taken-in air passes. The sensor is accommodated in the bypass passage and produces an electrical signal as a result of heat transfer between taken-in air and the sensor. The conduction member includes first and second terminals. The first terminal outputs the electrical signal produced by the sensor to outside. The second terminal supplies electric power to the sensor. The housing is provided through an assembly process and a molding process. In the assembly process, the conduction member is held by a primarily shaped product defining the bypass passage to provide an assembly. In the molding process, the assembly, with the conduction member held by the primarily shaped product, is inserted into a predetermined die and a secondary molded part is injection-molded in the die. |
| US08713989B2 |
Restricted line of sight design for inlet liner
An inlet liner is provided for use in an inlet assembly of a chromatograph system. The inlet liner has an elongate tube that extends along a longitudinal axis and defines a bore that extends along the longitudinal axis and has an inner bore surface. At least one projection extends from the inner bore surface into the bore. Chromatograph systems are provided including the exemplary inlet liner(s). Methods are also provided for analyzing a sample containing a matrix in a chromatograph system having an inlet assembly connected to a chromatograph column. The method includes positioning an exemplary inlet liner in the inlet assembly, flowing the sample through the inlet liner, and adhering a portion of the matrix to a projection surface of at least one projection of the inlet liner. |
| US08713987B2 |
On-board water spray system for aircraft
A system for simulating wet runway conditions by using a liquid container that is placed inside an aircraft. The liquid container is connected to a nozzle that sprays water in front of the wheels of the aircraft. A valve is used to control the flow of water from the nozzle. Systems, such as the braking system of the aircraft, can then be tested in wet runway conditions simulated by the system. The amount of water sprayed from the nozzle can also be electronically controlled in relation to the speed of the aircraft, such that the nozzle sprays a nearly uniform layer of liquid in front of the wheels. The system can also be modified to include two tanks to manipulate the center of gravity of the aircraft. |
| US08713980B2 |
Automatic domer positioning in a bodymaker
In a can forming machine a system that determines the position of a reciprocating ram and allows for the domer to be repositioned automatically is provided. The system includes a punch position sensor assembly, a control system, and a domer positioning assembly. The punch position sensor assembly is positioned about the ram, preferably at the domer side of the last die. At this location, the punch position sensor assembly can determine the position of the ram as it enters the dieback during the return stroke. The control system receives data from the punch position sensor assembly and, if the ram is not substantially, concentrically aligned with the die pack on the return stroke, sends a signal to the domer positioning assembly to reposition the domer. This process may be repeated until the ram travels along a path substantially aligned with the die pack on the return stroke. |
| US08713979B2 |
Method for the operation of a coiling device used for coiling or uncoiling a metallic strip, and control device and coiling device therefor
A coiling device (1) for coiling or uncoiling a strip (2), has at least one coiler (5), an optional drive roll (7) associated with the coiler (5), and a control device (10) for the coiler (5) and the optional drive roll (7). The control device (10) operates the coiling device (1) in such a way that a current strip temperature and/or a current microstructure property of the strip is/are determined by taking measurements or calculating a model, the control device (10) determines a current desired torque value (MH,MR) from the actual value or a variable derived therefrom, and the control device (10) operates the coiler (5) and the optional drive roll (7) by the current desired torque value (MH,MR). The coiling device (1) has the advantage of improving the coiling quality as well as the strip quality in terms of the strip thickness and width. |
| US08713978B2 |
Combination discus lock assembly and methods of using the same
The present disclosure describes combination discus locks and associated methods. A lock device configured in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present disclosure includes a discus lock housing, a locking mechanism positioned in the lock housing, and a plurality of rotatable wheels operably coupled to the locking mechanism. The rotatable wheels can individually have a plurality of indicia used to display a combination. The locking mechanism can be configured to move from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration when the combination is displayed. The lock device can further include a shackle and a slider actuator positioned on an outer surface of the lock housing. The slider actuator can be operably coupled to the shackle and to the locking mechanism, and can be configured to drive the shackle from a closed position to an open position when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked configuration. |
| US08713976B2 |
Systems and methods for controlling operation of a washing machine
A control system is provided for a washing machine including a cabinet, a wash tub positioned within the cabinet and a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub. The control system includes a plurality of supports including two diagonally arranged supports. The plurality of supports are configured to support the washing machine on a surface. At least one load sensor is positioned with respect to each support of the two diagonally arranged supports. The at least one load sensor is configured to detect at least one force component applied to each support by a load within the wash basket. The at least one load sensor is further configured to generate a signal representative of the at least one force component. A controller is in signal communication with the at least one load sensor. The controller is configured to detect an operating load placement condition within the wash basket in response to at least one signal received from the at least one load sensor. |
| US08713971B2 |
Induction heating
A current conducting melting vessel within which glass can be melted is provided. At least two induction heating coils are provided at selected locations proximate to the melting vessel. Power is selectively supplied to the coils to thereby selectively energize the coils so that the mutual induction of current in a non-energized heating coil adjacent to an energized heating coil is prevented via a switching element in power supply circuitry associated with the non-energized coil. |
| US08713967B2 |
Stable glass sheet and method for making same
A process for making glass sheet with low compaction suitable for high temperature applications, such as low-temperature polysilicon-based TFT displays, and glass sheets thus made. The glass sheet desirably has an anneal point of at least 765° C., a CTE at most 42×10−7/° C. The process involves cooling the glass melt form a temperature corresponding to a viscosity of 1.0×1010 poise to a temperature corresponding to a viscosity of 1.0×1015 poise at a cooling rate CR, where CR≧5° C./second. The absolute value of the measured compaction of the glass sheet desirably is at most 175 ppm upon being re-heated to 675° C. for a period of time. |
| US08713965B1 |
Attachment to convert a brooch to a pendant
An attachment for an article of jewelry called a brooch enabling the brooch to be worn as a pendant. The attachment comprises a body, a head, and a tail. The body contains one or multiple pin holes into which the pin stem of the brooch is inserted. The head extends upward from the body and contains the necklace hole. The tail, which flexes upon closure of the pin stem, extends downward from the body and covers the back of the brooch below the pin stem. When engaged on the back of a brooch, the attachment will bear on the back of the brooch above and below the pin stem and prevent rotation of the attachment about the pin stem. The body encloses the pin stem and prevents the pin stem from contacting the wearer, protecting the wearer from injury. |
| US08713961B2 |
Outdoor unit
In an outdoor unit having a housing containing a heat exchange chamber and a machine chamber vertically partitioned by a partition plate, an electrical component box includes a main body portion disposed in the machine chamber and having a first electrical component unit, and a protrusion portion protruding from the machine chamber into the heat exchange chamber and having a second electrical component unit. The main body portion and the protrusion portion are joined to form an air flowing path for sucking cooling air from the back surface side of the machine chamber, branching the cooling air into first cooling air directly flowing to the sink tank and second cooling air passing over electrical parts of the first electrical component unit and then converging with the first cooling air at the entrance of the sink tank. |
| US08713956B2 |
Refrigeration system for compact equipment
The present invention provides a refrigeration system for compact equipment, particularly of the type including electronic circuits and internally provided with a heat source to be cooled, said refrigeration system including a heat dissipation device mounted in the equipment and including a heat absorbing portion, which absorbs heat from the heat source, and a heat dissipation portion accessible from the outside of the equipment and which releases the heat to the exterior of the equipment; and an auxiliary refrigeration circuit external to the equipment and having: a heat absorbing means to be selectively coupled to the heat dissipation portion so as to receive therefrom, by conduction, at least part of the heat received from the heat source and dissipated by said heat dissipation portion; and a heat dissipation means which releases the heat to the environment external to the equipment. |
| US08713954B2 |
Air curtain system for an open-front refrigerated case with dual temperature zones
An open-front refrigerated display case is provided having a medium temperature zone disposed above a low temperature zone in a generally vertically-stacked arrangement. A spillover airflow-diverting device is disposed between the medium temperature zone and the low temperature zone and is configured to direct spillover air from the medium temperature zone air curtain (and ambient air entrained therewith) in a direction away from the open front of the low temperature zone. The spillover airflow-diverting device may include louvers configured to direct a gravity-induced flow of the spillover air in an outward direction away from the open front of the low temperature zone, or may include fans to collect spillover air and forcibly direct it in an outward direction away from the open front of the low temperature zone. The outwardly directed spillover air may be discharged in the form of an ‘outer layer’ for an air curtain on the low temperature zone. |
| US08713952B2 |
Optimizer for two staged refrigeration systems
An optimizer for modulating the speed of an indoor fan and first and second stage compressors of a two staged refrigeration system with a plurality of relays and an already existing power source. The optimizer is comprised of a speed modulation device, a supply air temperature sensor, and a controller. The speed modulation device is located in proximity to the existing power source and configured to collect current and power related information from the refrigeration system and power source to send to the controller. The supply air temperature sensor is linked to the indoor fan of the two staged refrigeration system and operable to obtain supply air temperature values. The controller is linked in communication with the speed modulation device and supply air temperature sensor and is operable to generate a system mode based on the power, current, and supply air temperature information. Speed commands are then sent to the speed modulation device to modulate the speed. |
| US08713949B2 |
Ice level and quality sensing system employing digital imaging
A refrigerator includes a sensing system for detecting a level and quality of ice cubes in an ice cube storage bin. The sensing system employs a digital image capture device that is coupled to a digital image analyzing system which scans digital images of the ice cube storage bin captured by the digital image capture device to determine a level of ice cubes in the ice cube storage bin. Digital images of the ice cubes are contrasted against a reference image which provides a point of comparison for determining the level of ice cubes in the ice cube storage bin and controlling ice production cycles of the ice maker. The sensing system also analyzes edge portions of the ice cubes to determine ice cube quality. |
| US08713948B2 |
Systems, methods, and devices for frozen sample distribution
A drilling system including a motor that produces a sonic, linear oscillatory motion is provided for removing a frozen biological sample from a stored frozen specimen and methods of use thereof without thawing the remainder of the specimen. The stator and slider assembly is operated by a servo controller which can communicate and be programmed through a port of a PC equipped with software. |
| US08713946B2 |
Exhaust temperature based threshold for control method and turbine
Gas turbine and method for controlling an operating point of the gas turbine that includes a compressor, a combustor and at least a turbine. The method includes calculating an exhaust temperature reference curve of the turbine as a function of a turbine pressure ratio; determining whether condition IGVmin+ΔIGV1≦IGVset point≦IGVmax+ΔIGV2, and condition ttx≧ttxh+Δttx3, are true; and changing, if both conditions are true, a split fuel quantity from a first value to a second value or otherwise maintaining the first value, the first value characterizing a lean-lean steady state mode and the second value characterizing a premixed secondary mode of a premixed mode. |
| US08713945B2 |
Liner aft end support mechanisms and spring loaded liner stop mechanisms
A gas turbine includes a liner, a casing surrounding the liner, a hula seal flexibly connected to an aft end of the liner and a liner aft support mechanism. The liner is configured to receive compressed gas and fuel at an upstream end, the mixture of the compressed gas and the fuel being burned in a combustion core area of the liner to yield hot exhaust gasses. The liner aft end support mechanism is located downstream from an area where a highest temperature on an outer surface of the liner is attained, and upstream to a portion where the hula seal is connected to the liner, and is configured to movably support the liner inside the casing. The liner aft end support mechanism includes at least three individual support elements configured to allow a part of the individual support elements to move in the flow direction relative to at least one of the liner or the casing. |
| US08713944B2 |
High temperature manifolds for gas turbine engines
A fuel manifold for distributing fuel to a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of interconnected manifold segments. Each manifold segment extends between a pair of fuel injector inlet fittings. Each manifold segment includes a fuel liner defining an internal fuel passage therethrough fluidly connecting a pair of fuel injector inlet fittings. A wire braid layer surrounds the fuel liner, a fire sleeve surrounds the wire braid layer, and a flexible thermal shield surrounds the fire sleeve. An insulation space is defined between the fire sleeve and the thermal shield to thermally isolate the fire sleeve from conditions external to the thermal shield. |
| US08713943B2 |
Reheat burner injection system with fuel lances
The disclosure relates to a burner such as for a secondary combustion chamber of a gas turbine with sequential combustion having a first and a second combustion chamber, with an injection device for introduction of at least one gaseous and/or liquid fuel into the burner. The injection device has at least one body which is arranged in the burner with at least one nozzle for introducing the at least one gaseous fuel into the burner, the at least one body being configured as a streamlined body which has a streamlined cross-sectional profile and which extends with a longitudinal direction perpendicularly or at an inclination to a main flow direction prevailing in the burner. At least one nozzle has its outlet orifice downstream of a trailing edge of the streamlined body. |
| US08713942B2 |
System and method for equilibrating an organic rankine cycle
Embodiments of an ORC system can be configured to reduce ingress of contaminants from the ambient environment. In one embodiment, the ORC system can comprise a pressure equilibrating unit that comprises a variable volume device for holding a working fluid. The variable volume device can be fluidly coupled to a condenser so that working fluid can move amongst the condenser and the variable volume device. This movement can occur in response to changes in the pressure of the working fluid in the ORC system, and in one example the working fluid is allowed to move when the pressure deviates from atmospheric pressure. |
| US08713938B2 |
Condensate management for motor-vehicle compressed air storage systems
A method for providing air to a combustion chamber of an engine, the engine including an intake manifold selectably coupled to a boost tank. The method comprises pressurizing and storing air in the boost tank, discharging some of the air stored in the boost tank to the intake manifold, and releasing condensate from the boost tank. |
| US08713937B2 |
Method and system for a turbocharged engine
Methods and systems are provided for a boosted engine having a split intake system coupled to a split exhaust system. Aircharges of differing composition, pressure, and temperature may be delivered to the engine through the split intake system at different points of an engine cycle. In this way, boost and EGR benefits may be extended. |
| US08713936B2 |
Multi-functional valve for use in an exhaust breathing system
One embodiment includes a housing (12) and a valve (10) to be used in an internal combustion engine exhaust breathing system (14). The housing (12) may define one or more inlet passages that receive fluid-flow, and may also define one or more outlet passages that deliver fluid-flow. The valve (10) regulates fluid-flow through the housing (12) and between the passages. |
| US08713934B2 |
Lubricant free, reduced mass, free-piston, Stirling machine having reciprocating piston drivingly linked to rotary electromagnetic transducer moving in rotational oscillation
A free-piston Stirling machine drivingly coupled to at least one rotary electromagnetic transducer. At least one pulley is oriented in a plane of a reciprocating piston connecting rod. At least one motion translating drive link connects the connecting rod to the pulley by at least two straps so that the pulley moves in rotationally oscillating motion. The two straps extend along an arcuate surface of the pulley into connection to the piston rod at two spaced locations. The pulley is linked to a rotary electromagnetic transducer so that both move in rotationally oscillating motion. Preferably a piston spring resonates the piston at an operating frequency of the Stirling machine and a torsion spring resonates the pulley in rotational oscillation at the operating frequency of the Stirling machine. |
| US08713932B2 |
Hydraulic module
A hydraulic module with two inclined-axis drive systems. The hydraulic module comprises a yoke (1) which, by virtue of a pin (5) that is in active connection with a piston (6), is pivoted about a horizontal pivot axis (4) so as to adjust the stroke volume of the two inclined-axis drive systems. |
| US08713927B2 |
Water displacement apparatus
A water displacement apparatus is provided which uses water as a means for transferring energy from the wind and sun into electricity. Wind and the sun may be used to displace water from a water container means. The water container means has a water container member which may be partially submerged in a water supply or reservoir, or it may be connected remotely. The water container means also has a water transport member connected to it, through which water from the water reservoir may move into the water container member. The water from the supply or reservoir will move into the water container member as the water displacement process begins. A conventional windmill system may be used to mechanically displace the water, or an evaporation system utilizing one or more lenses may be used to evaporate the water. An electric generator means may be operatively connected to the water container means in such a manner that the movement of the water through said water transport member may be used to generate electricity. In an alternate configuration, a water condenser means may be connected to the water container means in such a manner that the evaporated water may be transformed back into liquid form and returned to the reservoir or collected for possible residential, commercial, or industrial uses. The various components of the water displacement means and electricity generation means, along with the water condenser means, may also be used in various combinations to displace larger amounts of water. |
| US08713925B2 |
Sliding seat and exhaust gas treatment facility
The present invention relates to a sliding seat for mounting a thermally impacted pipe on a structural part so as to be axially movable, in particular in an exhaust gas system of a combustion engine, with a bearing material which is radially supported against pipe on the outside thereof and which is fixed on structural part via a retaining pipe fastened on structural part. |
| US08713915B2 |
Catalyst overheat prevention apparatus
A catalyst overheat prevention apparatus has a temperature obtaining portion that estimates a convergence temperature of a catalyst provided in the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine and the present temperature of the catalyst. The catalyst overheat prevention apparatus also has a fuel increment calculation portion, a comparison portion, a correction portion, and a fuel increment setting portion, which are used to execute OT fuel increase control when the convergence temperature and present catalyst temperature obtained by the temperature obtaining portion are equal to or higher than an OT determination temperature. The catalyst overheat prevention apparatus also has a present temperature correction portion that corrects the present catalyst temperature to be equal to the OT determination temperature when the present catalyst temperature is equal to or higher than the OT determination temperature and the convergence temperature is equal to the OT determination temperature. |
| US08713911B2 |
System and method for operating a thrust reverser for a turbofan propulsion system
A thrust reverser assembly for use in a turbofan engine assembly. The engine assembly includes a core gas turbine engine and a core cowl which circumscribes the core gas turbine engine. A nacelle is positioned radially outward from the core cowl to define a fan nozzle duct between the core cowl and a portion of the nacelle. The nacelle includes a stationary cowl. The thrust reverser assembly includes a first translating cowl that is slidably coupled to the nacelle. The first translating cowl is positionable with respect to the stationary cowl. A second translating cowl is slidably coupled to the nacelle such that the first translating cowl is positioned between the stationary cowl and the second translating cowl. The second translating cowl is positionable with respect to the first translating cowl. A positioning assembly is coupled to the first translating cowl. An actuator assembly is operatively coupled to the second translating cowl for selectively moving the second translating cowl. The actuator assembly is configured to engage the positioning assembly to selectively move the first translating cowl. |
| US08713910B2 |
Integrated thrust reverser/pylon assembly
Assembly for supporting a gas turbine engine comprises a support member including mounting sites for attachment to an associated aircraft. The support member includes integral slider tracks disposed on opposed sidewalls for selective engagement with a translatable cowl. The translatable cowl is translatable along the slider tracks to selectively cover and expose a cascade thrust-reversing structure. The cascade structure includes arcuate segments mounted in hinged relationship to the support member. Rearward translation of the translatable cowl to a service position permits the cascade structure to be opened for access to the core engine. |
| US08713909B2 |
Elimination of unfavorable outflow margin
A panel for use in a gas turbine engine exhaust case is disclosed. The panel has an airfoil section and a flow diverting structure adjacent a leading edge, wherein the flow diverting structure directs fluid flow into an area of the airfoil that lacks sufficient internal pressure for cooling fluid flow. |
| US08713908B2 |
Fuel injector arrangement having an igniter
An arrangement for a combustion chamber the arrangement comprising a combustion chamber, an injector for injecting fuel into the combustion chamber and an igniter for supplying a spark for igniting fuel so injected, wherein the injector has a passage through which air is supplied to the combustion chamber in use, the igniter being positioned upstream of the combustion chamber such that a spark generated by the igniter is conveyed along the passage by the injector air. |
| US08713907B2 |
System for providing air flow to a sulfur recovery unit
A system includes a sulfur recovery unit including a thermal reactor having an acid gas inlet and an air inlet. The acid gas inlet is configured to receive a flow of acid gas, and the air inlet is configured to receive an air flow of pressurized air extracted from a gas turbine compressor of a gas turbine engine. |
| US08713903B2 |
Brake assembly for power equipment
A braking system stopping the rotational movement of a spindles used in power equipment may have brake pads that engage the spindle. The braking system has a brake arm that pivots at one end and has a brake pad at the other end. The brake arm is connected to a spring which, when the brake system is engaged, causes the brake arm to pivot upwards and the brake pad comes into contact with a rotating spindle or pulley. For example, the pulley may be attached to a lawn mower blade. The combination of the spring pivoting the brake arm upwards as well as the rotation of the pulley towards the brake arm causes the pulley to cease rotating, bringing the rotating member to a stop. |
| US08713902B2 |
Bag-making and packaging machine
A bag-making and packaging machine includes a forming mechanism, a vertical sealing mechanism, a transverse sealing mechanism and a receiving member. The forming mechanism is configured to roll a sheet-shaped packaging material into a cylindrical shape to form a cylindrical packaging material. The vertical sealing mechanism is configured and arranged to seal an overlapping portion of the cylindrical packaging material with heat vertically along a direction in which the cylindrical packaging material extends. The receiving member is attached to the forming mechanism in a position facing the vertical sealing mechanism, and configured and arranged to sandwich the overlapping portion together with the vertical sealing mechanism. The receiving member has elasticity with which the receiving member presses the overlapping portion toward the vertical sealing mechanism. |
| US08713901B2 |
Method for packaging low count packages of absorbent articles
A method for providing low count packages of absorbent articles in a high speed manufacturing process in which a plurality of absorbent articles are conveyed in series to the infeed of a continuously rotating stacker. The articles are sequentially inserted into cassettes disposed on the stacker such that a plurality of absorbent article containing cassettes is provided. The articles are extracted from the continuously rotating stacker by an angled extractor and packaged into low count packages. |
| US08713895B2 |
Composite tube having co-bonded end fittings
A structural member such as a strut includes a composite material tube having metal end fittings that are attached to the tube by co-bonded, double shear joints. The double shear bond joint construction reduces the residual stress on the bonds that result from mismatch of the coefficients of thermal expansion of the composite tube and the metal end fittings. The ends of the fittings that are bonded to the tube may include a stepped profile that functions to limit the peak stresses in the bonds. |
| US08713893B2 |
Method and system for invisibly arranging cabling in a room
The invention relates to a method with which cabling can be arranged invisibly in an indoor space in rapid and simple manner. This method comprises the steps of placing a non-load-bearing partition wall which has a cavity and which is provided on its underside with a recess which extends over the whole length thereof and which is at least partially open on its upper side and communicates with the cavity, and placing the laid cabling laterally into the recess. The method further comprises of arranging at least one take-off point in the partition wall, leading a take-off cable from the take-off point through the cavity in the partition wall to the recess, and connecting the take-off cable to the cabling in the recess. In the case of walls provided with studs or other connecting elements, these can, at the position of the recess, be replaced by or strengthened with strengthening elements leaving the recess at least partially clear. Different embodiments of these strengthening elements can be applied. The invention further relates to a system with which this method can be performed, and to different components of the system. |
| US08713890B2 |
Crown molding and deck material attachments
An attachment device has a first member and a second member. The first member connects to a wall or another structure and the second member connects to a component, such as a piece of molding or decking, to be mounted to the wall or the other structure. The first and second members can be joined, such as by a snap fit. |
| US08713889B2 |
Anchor bracket and method of mounting anchor bracket
An anchor bracket releasably securable between two spaced-apart, generally planar boards, having a pair of first and second legs disposed parallel and offset relative to one another, a medial shank disposed between and generally perpendicular to and joining the pair of legs and means for releasably anchoring an object attached to the second leg. A method of mounting the anchor bracket includes the steps of moving the anchor bracket between an insertion/withdrawal position and a mounted anchoring position between a pair of spaced-apart boards. |
| US08713886B2 |
Mechanical lockings of floor panels and a tongue blank
Floor panels which are provided with a mechanical locking system comprising tongue and grooves provided with protrusions and cavities which are displaceable in relation to each other. |
| US08713885B2 |
Panel fastener
The housing of a panel fastener is provided with pockets along the upper edge of the elongated recess that receives a hook assembly or a pin assembly and pairs of locking elements are mounted in selected pairs of oppositely disposed pockets to engage adapters used in the foamed-in-place molding of a wall panel. |
| US08713883B2 |
Shingle with impact resistant layer
A roofing shingle includes an underlay sheet, an overlay sheet, and a structural lattice layer bonded between the underlay sheet and the overlay sheet. |
| US08713879B2 |
Waterproofing membrane
Disclosed is a waterproofing membrane that bonds to concrete cast against it (i.e., post-cast concrete). The membrane includes a flexible carrier sheet, a pressure sensitive adhesive, and reflective particles on the surface of the adhesive. The reflective particles should have an average diameter equal to or greater than the thickness of the pressure sensitive adhesive. Preferably, the reflective particles are ground white cement or ground white hydrated cement. The membrane does not have a removable release sheet that is typically used to prevent the adhesive portion of the membrane from adhering to the carrier sheet or other portion of the membrane when the membrane is rolled up. |
| US08713864B1 |
Skylight for metal panel roof
Skylights and roofs having skylights are provided for. The skylights may comprise a pair of elongated struts adapted for mounting vertically on opposing sides of an opening in the roof cover and a translucent panel mounted horizontally across the struts. The translucent panel has upwardly extending sides adapted to be joined to form horizontal seams, and the struts are adapted to support the translucent panel above the roof cover. |
| US08713863B2 |
Modular floor tile with resilient support members
Modular floor tiles and modular floors are described herein. A modular floor tile may include a top surface layer, a plurality of edge surfaces, an interlocking mechanism for attachment to adjacent tiles, and a support system. The support system may additionally include a first rigid level and at least one resilient support member disposed under the top surface layer, the at least one resilient support member extending to a distance further from the top surface layer than the first rigid level. The at least one resilient support member may be compressible toward the top surface layer. A modular floor may include a plurality of interlocking tiles connected to one another. A method of forming a modular floor that includes an interlocking modular tile is also disclosed. |
| US08713859B2 |
Advanced system to improve the installation of wire-climbing lifting devices on hollow towers
An advanced system for the installation of wire-climbing lifting devices on hollow towers is presented. This system allows two positions easily alternated by the operator of the installation: a resting position, in which the wires (5) are hidden inside the tower (1) and a maintaining position in which wires (5) are safely set up outside the tower (1) to allow a lifting device climbing on them. At the resting position the wire terminals are at ground level so the operators are able to inspect the conditions of them before their use and the safety of the system is improved. |
| US08713857B2 |
Modular panel system
A device is disclosed that replaces an existing panel or door with a reconfigurable modular panel. The invented panel additionally may function as a working door or screen, serving to more optimally employ a room volume. The invented panel can be configured to fit various styles of door frames thus being adaptable to various entry or floor space pattern situations. The invented panel may be electrified allowing modular plug-ins to house a wide array of elements. |
| US08713855B2 |
Overpressure relief roof panels
An explosion relief panel (34) suitable for use as a roof panel and comprising, when oriented as a roof panel, a raised longitudinally extending edge portion (52) which is raised above a respective adjacent longitudinally extending drain portion (53) of the panel and which has a second raised longitudinally extending portion (54) which is raised above a respective adjacent longitudinally extending drain portion (55) lying between said second raised portion (54) and said edge portion (52), the said second raised portion being fixed to a first support member (38) and the said edge portion being mounted to a second support member (40 or 42) in a manner such as to be released therefrom in response to an overpressure applied beneath the roof panel to allow the edge of the roof panel to be deflected upwardly to release said overpressure whilst the second portion of the roof panel remains fixed to said first support member. The panel may form part of a roof panel cassette or may be directly assembled to a roof framework. |
| US08713854B2 |
Weather seal system
Some aspects relate to weather seal systems for forming water barriers and air barriers. Some air barriers include a sill portion, a frame portion, and a transition portion extending between the sill and frame portions, where the transition portion extends inwardly and downwardly from the frame portion of the air barrier, toward an interior side of an associated door assembly, to the sill portion of the air barrier. The transition portion optionally provides a buffer zone, or transition zone of air at a greater spacing from the water barrier. In some embodiments, the transition zone is equilibrated to external pressures and supplies substantially dry air to air leaks in the air barrier. |
| US08713853B2 |
Adjustable gate
An adjustable gate has a gate panel, a pivoting plate attached to the gate panel, a mounting plate, and a pivot pin. The pivoting plate and the mounting plate each have a base and two parallel sides attached to the base and each of the parallel sides have a triangular shape and one side is substantially similar in shape to the other side. Each triangular shaped side has an apex and a pivot pin hole near the apex. The pivot pin passes through the pivot pin holes in the side of the pivoting plate and the sides of the mounting plate and connects the pivoting plate to the mounting plate. |
| US08713844B2 |
Firearm laser sight alignment assembly
The present disclosure relates to a firearm which may include a frame with a first outer wall, and a second outer wall opposite the first outer wall. A laser module may be disposed between the first and second outer walls. An alignment pin may be in communication with the first outer wall and may be configured to move the laser module relative to the frame. |
| US08713841B2 |
Firearm lubrication system
A firearm system includes lubrication notches are incised into portions of the frame and slide along the region of interaction between these two components. The notches act as reservoirs of lubrication and upon each cycling movement of the slide (firing of the weapon) one or more of the notches is placed opposite a corresponding portion of the slide or frame. The notches themselves are never exposed to the environment and thus retain the lubricant, unlike topically applied material. As a result, the frame and slide are lubricated during each cycle of the slide. |
| US08713840B2 |
Rail for inductively powering firearm accessories
A method and system for an inductively powering rail on a firearm to power accessories such as: telescopic sights, tactical sights, laser sighting modules, and night vision scopes. This is achieved by having primary and secondary electromagnets (U-Cores) on both the inductively powering rail and the accessory. Once the electromagnets are in contact, the accessory is able to obtain power through induction via the inductively powering rail. Accessories may be attached to various fixture points on the inductively powering rail and are detected by the firearm when attached and detached. When attached, power and data communications may flow between the accessory and a master CPU located on the firearm. Accessories that are attached to the inductively powering rail and have rechargeable power systems may be recharged via the inductive power rail. Further, accessories that have power that is not needed may be transferred to other accessories. |
| US08713839B2 |
Firearm throat and rifling method
A firearm with a barrel that uses an ammunition discharge chamber that includes improved throat located between the chamber's free bore and the rifle bore. The improved throat includes a relatively short, inward aligned first step, an intermediate elongated cylindrical body, and a longer, inward aligned second tapered step. Formed on the inside surfaces of the first step, the elongated body and the second step are rifling grooves and lands that gradually their depths and heights from rear to front direction. The two steps are tapered inward between 1.0 to 1.5 degrees. Using a short first step, an elongated cylindrical body with straight sidewalls, a longer second step with continuous grooves and lands that begin gradually in depth and height from rear to front directions, chamber pressure is reduced thereby enabling more gun powder to be used and bullet misalignment in the rifle bore is reduced. |
| US08713838B2 |
Rimfire action platform conversion
A rifle conversion platform assembly comprised of components to fit around an existing action such that attachment locations such as a hand guard, pistol grip, and butt stock attachment locations are provided to have conventional rifle components, which in one form may be components of a high caliber semiautomatic rifle such as an AR-15, attached thereto. |
| US08713835B1 |
Capacity reducible magazine
A magazine for a firearm is adjustable for cartridge capacity using a thumb slide to select the quantity of cartridges to be held by the magazine. The thumb slide is operable in a vertical slot and below the carriage pushing up on the bullets. The thumb slide protrudes into the internal chamber through the vertical slot so as to form an obstruction preventing downward movement of the carriage beyond the obstruction. Alternatively, the thumb slide raises a platform on which a segmented spring rests. When the platform is raised, it reduces available storage in the magazine. If a capacity selection requires a smaller spring, then spring segments are removed. A set screw locks the thumb slide in place. An indicator bar shows through holes in the magazine indicating the number of cartridges remaining in the magazine. A bolt and nut is introduced to permanently prevent further adjustment. |
| US08713833B2 |
Bolt assemblies for a firearm
Disclosed is a bolt assembly that may include several lands that extend along the forward end of the bolt assembly that occupy only about 1 percent to about 12 percent of the surface area of the forward end. Also disclosed is a bolt carrier that defines a cam path that includes an increased unlock dwell time of approximately twice the unlock dwell time provided by a cam path shaped like a standard M-16 cam path. Also disclosed is a bolt carrier that includes a protrusion at a forward end of the bolt carrier with a bore that extends through the protrusion and the bolt carrier at a substantially constant bore diameter, where the protrusion is sized to be received in the barrel extension extends approximately one hundred thousandths of an inch from the end of the bolt carrier. |
| US08713831B2 |
Off-trigger locator and guide path for a firearm
A firearm has an off-trigger locator and/or guide path. The off-trigger locator may be a depression or a convexity formed on a side of a frame of the firearm adjacent a trigger of the firearm, and may further include a raised portion. The off-trigger locator is configured to allow a user of the firearm to move between the off-trigger locator and the trigger, as necessary, for instance, as the user goes between non-firing and firing conditions. The guide position may comprise a groove or raised ridge formed on a frame of the firearm adjacent a trigger of the firearm and extending from the frame of the firearm into a trigger area adjacent the trigger. The guide path is configured to allow the user to move along the guide path away from and into the trigger area, as necessary, for instance, as the user goes between non-firing and firing conditions. |
| US08713827B2 |
Advertising device and method
An advertising device and method with an advertising display that comprises a sign holder mounted on the side or top of the vending machine in a position projecting upwardly from the top or laterally from the side so as to extend outwardly from the surface of the vending machine. Each sign holder supports removable print advertising or electronic video display advertising and holds the advertising display in a position facing forwardly toward a location taken by a customer when the customer is located in front of the vending machine. In this way, the customer's primal instinct attracts the customer into proximity to the advertising display and places the customer in a position that facilitates reading the advertising display so as to induce the customer to respond to the advertising display. |
| US08713825B2 |
Voice control electric fireplace
A voice control electric fireplace comprises a housing, an imaging screen installed in the housing, emulating coal disposed in a lower front of the imaging screen, a flame shape board disposed in a lower back of the imaging screen, a reflecting module, and a first light source. A second light source is disposed under the emulating coal, a sound generator is installed in the housing for controlling illumination of a simulate flame of the fireplace, and the sound generator is connected to the second light source. A dynamic variation on the simulate flame is attained, which results in an attractive performance of the simulate flame. |
| US08713824B2 |
Oil-storage type electric iron
An oil-storing electric iron comprises: a flat ironing part including a stainless steel soleplate, a top casing plate, an electric heating tube and a heating conducting oil; and an adjustable temperature controller. The stainless steel soleplate and the top casing plate form an enclosed casing in which the electric heating tube and the heating conducting oil are provided. The thermal capacity of the electric iron soleplate can be effectively increased and the problem of instability and nonuniformity of the electrical iron soleplate temperature can be solved, so as to be uniform in temperature, easy to operate, safe in use and energy saving. |
| US08713823B2 |
Ski track maintenance system
A snow track maintenance system is described herein including a frame extending along an axis which is oriented along a direction of displacement, a mounting assembly secured to the frame for mounting the frame to a motorized vehicle so as to be trailed therefrom along the direction of displacement, and a leveler mounted to the frame so as to be pivotable relatively to the direction of displacement. Other equipments may further be provided to the maintenance system, including a snow regenerator mounted to the frame along a first longitudinal axis generally perpendicular to the direction of displacement, and a snow compactor mounted to the frame upstream from the snow regenerator. The system can be used for the maintenance of alpine ski tracks and cross-country ski tracks, even in an underbrush trail, and allows setting a track on any type of snow. |
| US08713818B2 |
Cushioned shoe construction
A shoe construction including a shoe upper, an intermediate composite structure and an outsole. The composite structure underlies at least a portion of the upper and overlies at least a portion of the outsole. The composite structure includes cushion members with one cushion member being positioned to underlie a heel of a wearer and another cushion member being positioned to underlie the ball of the foot. The cushion member underlying the ball may be perforated. The composite structure can also include a relatively rigid lower member which can be perforated in the area of the ball of the foot underlying the cushion member for the ball of the foot. The composite structure can provide a flexure discontinuity in the shoe forward of the midfoot zone of the shoe. |
| US08713817B2 |
Training Footwear
An article of footwear includes a sole having a forefoot portion, a heel portion and an outsole having a bottom surface including a primary ground contacting surface. The bottom surface of the outsole includes a forefoot bulge and a heel bulge which provide the footwear with controlled instability for providing dynamic conditioning of the wearer's muscles during the gait cycle. |
| US08713816B2 |
Ventilating shoe
A ventilating shoe including a removable deodorant and/or a perfumed pad includes a water resistant sole, an upper shoe portion and connecting means for fastening the sole to the upper shoe portion. A series of closely spaced small openings are disposed between the sole and the upper shoe portion surrounding the shoe with the exception of a back portion thereof. In addition, an open porous pad impregnated with a deodorant and/or perfume and a longitudinally extending air chamber are provided. |
| US08713813B2 |
Industrial laundry drier with filter cleaning device
The industrial tumble dryer comprises a casing (1) enclosing a drum (2) to contain the clothes to be dried by means of drying air introduced into it, a low-pressure chamber (3) to extract drying air from the drum (2) and a filtering device (4) interposed in the low-pressure chamber (3). The filtering device (4) comprises a filtering element (5), means to detach fuzz from said filtering element (5) and a build-up enclosure (6) to collect the detached fuzz. In the casing (1) there is an opening (7) communicated with the build-up enclosure (6) and configured to receive a suction nozzle (8a) of an external suction device (8) to remove the fluff from the build-up enclosure (6) through suction without the need to remove the filtering element (5) or to access it. |
| US08713811B2 |
Plumbing path guide apparatus
A plumbing path guide apparatus comprising a plurality of interconnectable elements, said elements interconnectable by means of female and male connectors configured to slidingly mate with each other, wherein a perceived plumbing path is erectable between at least two extant points whereby measurements of extant pipe required to plumb said plumbing path are ascertained as the apparatus is erected. |
| US08713804B2 |
Gardening scissors
Gardening scissors include two blades facing each other, two connecting blocks, two covers and two handles, wherein each blade is equipped with a perforation at a middle section, and a locking board is extended from one side of rear end of two blades. The connecting blocks have a (half) shell body facing the cover, and a receiving slot with half-oval shape extending from rear end of the shell body. Front end of the receiving slot has a stopping edge, one side of which has a side wing extending therefrom. The cover is symmetrically disposed to face the shell body, so that a second receiving slot, a second stopping edge, a second side wing and a second locking hole are formed on the cover. One end of the handle has an anti-slippery sleeve and the other end has a through hole. |
| US08713800B2 |
Assembly jig for radial cylinder roller bearing
An assembly jig for a radial roller bearing comprises a retaining structure having a plurality of axially-projecting projections configured to retain a plurality of roller bodies disposed in a ring-shape during a bearing assembly process. The roller bodies are supportable in a first radial direction on a first component and each roller body contacts two adjacent projections in a second radial direction, which is opposite of the first radial direction. The projections are configured to press the roller bodies against the first component and such that a portion of the roller bodies projects past the projections in the second radial direction. The assembly jig is removable from the roller bearing in the axial direction after final assembly of the roller bearing. |
| US08713798B2 |
Screen cylinder
The present invention relates to a screen cylinder that is particularly suitable for screening, filtering, fractionating, or sorting cellulose pulp suspensions of the pulp and paper making industry, or other similar suspensions. The present invention relates more particularly to a screen cylinder formed from a plurality of screen wires leaving screening slots therebetween, and circular support elements. The support elements include openings/grooves for installation of the screen wires therein, so that at least one of the support rings is thermally deformed and clamps the screen wires in the openings/grooves of the rings. |
| US08713794B2 |
Method for producing steam generator tube walls consisting primarily of 9-12% martensitic chromium steels
A method for producing steam generator tube walls, where the tube walls are formed from a tube-fin-tube combination and are comprised of a multiplicity of at least one of the tube wall components made of plane tube wall panels, curved tube wall panels, transition tube wall panels and corner bends and are configured with a take-up member with one penetration opening each at tube wall regions at which tubes are passed through the tube wall and the tube wall panels exhibit at the periphery longitudinal fin-fin panel joints and transverse circumferential weld-panel joints. The method including producing tube wall components made primarily of 9-12% martensitic chromium steels by welding in a workshop, the components having a material that is not to be heat treated at specific locations. Tempering the tube wall components in the workshop with a first heating device. Connecting the tube wall components at their circumferential weld-panel joints at the assembly site with weld seams. Tempering the weld seams at the assembly site with second heating devices. Connecting the tube wall components at their fin-fin panel joints at the assembly site with weld seams without subsequent tempering of these weld seams. Passing the prepared tubes through the take-up members of the tube walls and connecting the pipe with the take-up members at the assembly site with a weld seam without subsequent tempering of these weld seams. |
| US08713790B2 |
System and method for installing shower walls
The system for installing shower walls includes a pressure transfer member for urging a shower wall against a back up support during bonding of the shower wall to the support. An adjustable force development device engages the pressure transfer member to force the pressure transfer member against the shower wall. A support member engages the pressure transfer member when the force development device exerts a predetermined force against the shower wall. A fixation device holds the support member to maintain the pressure transfer position of the pressure transfer member. The fixation device includes a cam that moves a shower wall into a tight corner fit with an adjacent shower wall. |
| US08713789B2 |
Method of manufacturing a microphone
A method of manufacturing a microphone comprising a substrate, a transducer element that is mounted on a top side of the substrate, a covering layer that covers the transducer element and forms a seal with the top side of the substrate, a shaped covering material that covers the substrate, the transducer element and the covering layer, and a sound opening that extends through the covering material and the covering layer. Methods for manufacturing a microphone and for manufacturing a plurality of microphones are also disclosed. |
| US08713785B2 |
Custom impression case or tray
A custom case for enclosing an item, and a method for making the same, are disclosed. The case includes an outer shell, and an inner base layer formed of an impression material such as impression foam. The impression foam can be used by compressing it with an item to be enclosed to produce a cavity. Thus, the cavity will be adapted to receive the item with a close fit. Preferably, the impression foam is then soaked with a glue such as a latex glue in order to cause it to be hardened. It may then be coated with a paint. A second layer may be added to the case also formed of impression foam to allow for a second item or set of items to be stored above the base layer. A method for making a custom case is also disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing an outer shell, providing the impression foam base layer, compressing the base layer, and preferably hardening the base layer using a glue. Optionally, the method also includes coating the base layer with a paint or stain. In other embodiments, the invention includes a customizable tray which can be adapted to fit items via impression material, and which can be adapted to fit within a drawer or other suitable place. |
| US08713784B2 |
Fastening apparatus and system
An improved apparatus for holding multiple locking clips and applying a single locking clip to an article resting on a surface in which a pivotable feed detent lever insures that only one clip is provided at a time and the clip has a frangible member that maintains the side members of the clip in an open position until the clip reaches the articles whereupon the frangible link is broken permitting the clip to be locked about the articles. |
| US08713782B1 |
Securing irrigation hose ends with crimp ring and crimp tool
A method, apparatus, and kit for reinforcing the distal end of a lateral in an irrigation system, typically in which the distal end of the lateral receives a head with a barbed neck. The method includes placing a crimp ring around the lateral, the crimp ring being large enough to encircle a bulge in the lateral created by insertion of the barbed neck into the end of the lateral. The crimp ring is positioned over the bulge and compressed to sheath and reinforce the bulge. The compression imparts a longitudinally convex profile upon the crimp ring, reducing its inner and outer diameters without increasing its length. This compression may cause projections, made of material from the crimp ring, to form on the outer surface of the crimp ring. A kit includes a crimp tool having a crimp die shaped to impart the longitudinally convex shape upon the crimp ring. |
| US08713780B2 |
High density welding subassembly machine
An apparatus for welding motor vehicle body component subassemblies at a weld station. First and second pallets are arranged for reciprocal movement between a load/unload station and the weld station and the pallets are alternately moved from a load/unload station to the weld station while the other pallet is moved from the weld station to a load/unload station. Each pallet has a plurality of substations for receipt of component subassemblies and, while each pallet is at the load/unload station, the component subassembly at each substation is moved to the next successive substation and a further component is added to the moved component. |
| US08713774B2 |
System and method of rapid model vehicle construction
Systems and methods of rapid model vehicle construction. The invention substitutes large and unitary model vehicle sections for the greater number of individual model vehicle components used in known model vehicle construction techniques. Further, substantially the entire exterior of a model vehicle is created from the collective non-machined or substantially non-machined exterior portions of interlocked model vehicle sections. |
| US08713772B2 |
Fastening device manufacturing fastening system
A fastening device for manufacturing a fastening system is disclosed. The fastening system includes a first connecting member, a second connecting member, a rivet riveting the first connecting member and the second connecting member together, and an elastic member compressed by the rivet. The fastening device includes a rivet head forming tool, a positioning assembly positioning the first connecting member, a first driving assembly driving the rivet head forming tool to move, a second driving assembly driving the second connecting member to rotate, and a force measuring module. The force measuring module is configured for measuring the positive pressing force between the first connecting member and the second connecting member, and generating a control signal to stop the first driving assembly and the second driving assembly when the positive pressing force between the first connecting member and the second connecting member reach the predetermined force. |
| US08713770B2 |
Capacitor comprising flex crack mitigation voids
A ceramic multilayer surface-mount capacitor with inherent crack mitigation void patterning to channel flex cracks into a safe zone, thereby negating any electrical failures. |
| US08713769B2 |
Embedded capacitive stack
A novel method for manufacturing embedded a capacitive stack and a novel capacitive stack apparatus are provided having a capacitive core that serves as a structural substrate on which alternating thin conductive foils and nanopowder-loaded dielectric layers may be added and tested for reliability. This layering and testing allows early fault detection of the thin dielectric layers of the capacitive stack. The capacitive stack may be configured to supply multiple isolated capacitive elements that provide segregated, device-specific decoupling capacitance to one or more electrical components. The capacitive stack may serve as a core substrate on which a plurality of additional signaling layers of a multilayer circuit board may be coupled. |
| US08713767B2 |
Process and device for texturing yarns for rugs or carpet upstream of a heat treatment unit
The present invention relates to a process and a device for texturing yarns for rugs or carpet, upstream of a heat treatment unit.Process characterized in that it consists essentially of or comprises making, downstream of a rack, on at least one yarn, at least one microtexturing operation using a microtexturing machine, then depositing the yarn obtained at the outlet of the microtexturing machine, in bulk or in loops, in a free state, onto an intermediate device for accumulation and transport, carrying the yarn obtained to a downstream heat treatment unit. |
| US08713766B2 |
Device for use in sewing
A thread removal tool for getting rid of loose thread pieces, thread ends, etc. from textiles, fabric, cloth and the like, for example, after ripping open a previously produced seam, contains a thread removal head (3). The thread removal head can be located at one end of a shaft or a handle part (1) and is configured to take hold of loose thread pieces or thread fragments, without itself becoming attached to an underlying textile item, a piece of cloth or the like. The thread removal head can have an uneven surface, e.g., contain bumps (5), to grasp loose thread pieces and thread fragments. Furthermore, or alternatively, it can be made of or have a surface layer made of a material which has a certain sticking or fastening action on such loose thread pieces and thread fragments. |
| US08713762B2 |
Magnetic tie clip
A magnetic tie clip is provided, which includes a first component that is fastened with a button on a shirt and a second component which is fastened on a tie. The second component includes a magnet which is magnetically coupled with the first component in order to secure the tie to the shirt. The first component further includes a button fastener which attaches with the button, a magnetic member which is magnetically coupled with the second component, and a connector which flexibly connects the button fastener and the magnetic member. The connector may be set to a length which provides for flexible movement of the magnetic member relative to the button fastener, such that the tie is secured close to the shirt but is permitted to move as the wearer moves. |
| US08713759B2 |
Hinge apparatus and electronic device comprising it
An electronic device that includes a hinge apparatus and the hinge apparatus are described. The hinge apparatus includes n shafts, arranged side by side, wherein n is an integer equal to or greater than 3; and multiple connecting elements for rotatably connecting each two adjacent shafts so as to form a shaft chain. The hinge apparatus can achieve a flexible shaft effect and can place the two portions connected by it in the same plane. |
| US08713756B2 |
Door closer stopper
The present disclosure discloses a door closer stopper, comprising a housing mounted around a door closer, a finger press block assembly and a stop assembly disposed in the housing. The housing is provided with a slot and an opening; The finger press block assembly comprises a press block and a rotary press block hinged to the slot of the housing, and a positioning mechanism limiting the rotary press block at a position propping a catch plate; The stop assembly comprises the catch plate with a central through hole to allow the pull rod of the door closer to extend therethrough, the catch plate is perpendicular to the pull rod and has a top end in a scope of movement of the rotary press block, the rotary press block can abut against the top end of the catch plate to make the catch plate incline when the rotary press block rotates to a certain position. The present disclosure is overly compact and reasonable in structure, simple and easy to operate, and practical, safe and reliable. The user does not need to replace the original door closer and only needs to additionally install the present disclosure to perform an easy switch between several working states. The door can be positioned and remain an open state at any opening angle, and can quickly resume an auto door closing function. The present disclosure is adapted for various ordinary tubular door closers and has a broad application prospect. |
| US08713752B2 |
Vacuum cleaner
A vacuum cleaner is provided. The vacuum cleaner may include a vacuum cleaner, comprising a main body, and a dust separator selectively on the main body, the dust separator comprising a dust separation device, a dust compression device having at least one compression member disposed therein, the at least one compression member being configured to be rotated to compress dust, and a storage device. |
| US08713748B2 |
Autonomous mobile cleaner and method for moving the same
Disclosed are an autonomous mobile cleaner, and a method for moving the same. A user's intention may be estimated based on a size and a direction of a tensile strength applied to the air pipe, and a cleaner body may move according to the user's intention. This can allow the cleaner to autonomously move. Besides, the autonomous mobile cleaner can always and precisely detect a user's operation without having interference with obstacles, using a displacement of the air pipe. Further, the fabrication costs can be reduced and displacements in all directions can be calculated, by using a hall sensor and a magnet member. Further, a user's efforts to operate the cleaner can be minimized, and can be prevented damages of the air pipe, a connection part between the air pipe and the cleaner body, etc. due to an excessive force. |
| US08713746B2 |
Detachable rear wiper system
A vehicle wiper system includes a wiper arm, a motor including a motor shaft, and a drive connection through which torque is transmitted from the motor shaft to the wiper arm when the motor is energized, and at least partially releasing a connection between the motor shaft and the wiper arm when the motor is deenergized. |
| US08713739B1 |
Battery operated detachable back scrubber
A battery operated detachable back scrubber that includes a head portion releasably attachable at a distal end of a handle, said head portion having a motor interiorly disposed, which motor operationally engages a rotatable connect socket centrally disposed in a first side of the head portion, said rotatable connect socket operationally communicating the kinetic energy from the motor to a drive shaft of an interchangeable attachment member releasably attachable to the head portion, wherein a plurality of tactile devices disposed on a front surface of a base of the attachment member are mechanically manipulable for use in scrubbing or massaging, as desired. |
| US08713738B2 |
Powered toothbrush with rotating sections
The head of a toothbrush includes a first tuft block having bristles and a second tuft block having bristles. The first and second tuft blocks are mounted for counter-rotational or counter-rotational oscillating movement in a direction parallel to the outer surface of the head. The toothbrush head also includes a third section having bristles extending outwardly from the head to provide an extended field of bristles to support an elongated ribbon of toothpaste and for enhanced cleaning. |
| US08713731B2 |
Evacuation mattress
An evacuation mattress comprises an integral mattress including a mattress interior, a mattress top face sheet, four mattress side face sheets, and a bottom sheet. The bottom sheet forms both the mattress bottom face sheet and an evacuation bottom sheet. The integral evacuation mattress also includes a top evacuation sheet configured to be deployed over a patient who is disposed above the mattress top face sheet. The integral evacuation mattress further includes securing structure configured to secure the top evacuation sheet to the patient and the integral mattress. Transport structure is also included in the integral evacuation mattress and is configured for a person to drag the secured patient and integral mattress from a hospital. |
| US08713726B1 |
Pivoting hinge for no-tool assembly of a convertible sofa
A hinge assembly includes a linkage base adapted to be secured to a portion of a furniture sidewall, an elongate first linkage arm, and an elongate second linkage arm. The hinge assembly may also include an insert member assembly that includes an elongate first insert member, an elongate second insert member, a pivot assembly to pivotably couple the first insert member to the second insert member, and an insert linkage arm that is coupled to the first insert member. The first linkage arm and the second linkage arm are each pivotally coupled to the linkage base and the insert linkage arm. The first insert member may be releasably coupled to a first rear receiving member secured to a first furniture portion and the second insert member may be releasably coupled to a first front receiving member secured to a second furniture portion. |
| US08713725B2 |
Water outlet fitting
The rinsing device comprises a flexible connecting pipe which at one end is connected to a connecting element which may be attached to a fitting and at the other end bears a spray head with an actuating lever. The spray head is held on a holder, which protrudes outwardly from the connecting element. The connecting pipe comprises a flexible water feed pipe which is surrounded by a casing element, which is formed by a single spiral tension spring consisting of one piece. Said spiral tension spring consists of a first upright spring portion having a straight spring axis, a second curved spring portion attached thereto and a third, similarly upright spring portion having a straight spring axis, which is attached to the second spring portion. A tube-shaped protective casing extends around the casing element which protects the casing element from soiling. |
| US08713723B2 |
Swimming pool cover system incorporating gap eliminators
An improved swimming pool cover system which incorporates a gap eliminator for use on pools which have walls of varying height and curvature, the gap eliminator secured to the wall by a cable and a plurality of anchors, the gap eliminator having a sleeve including a weighted buoyant material disposed below the pool cover attached to the cable and a second sleeve having buoyant weighted material disposed above the pool cover attached to the cable, thereby sealing the gap between the pool cover and the wall. |
| US08713720B2 |
Gravity operated mechanical flushing apparatus
The invention relates to a gravity operated mechanical flushing apparatus, which is operated without any external power source. A weight sensing element (1) provided with a tank (T) contains a component part (8) able to move along a vertical path against a spring force and a controlled feeder valve (5) coupled to a water supply system. The weight sensing element (1) has at its lower end an output (6) able to move vertically causing a mechanical operating event, said output (6) is coupled to a ratchet mechanism (3) through a coupling transmission (2). The ratchet mechanism (3) is able to transmit every second mechanical operating event presented by said output (6) and said transmission (2) to a control element of said controlled feeder valve (5) by means of a further transmission (4) in order to transmit an activating mechanical movement. The controlled feeder valve (5) is coupled to a pipe (17) for filling a determined amount of water for flush from the water supply system into said tank (T) through an outlet (18) of said pipe (17). |
| US08713718B2 |
Headband with pivotal pad
A headgear support that comprises a headband and a pad. The headband has a first end and a second end and forms a substantially closed perimeter having a length which is selectively adjustable. The pad is pivotally connected to the headband such that the pad is disposed within the substantially closed perimeter and pivots relative to the headband about a pivot axis. |
| US08713717B2 |
Protective athletic headwear with open top
Provided is protective athletic headwear that includes a body, band and protective inserts. The body has a first opening and a second smaller opening. The pocket band extends about the first opening to the interior of the body and partially toward the second opening. The band is free floating with respect to the body and configured to fit the head of the person. Further, the band includes pockets disposed about a base stitching that secure the band to the body. The protective inserts are configured to be received into pockets to provide a protective function to the head of the person. The protective inserts are disposed adjacently to one another about the band and extend from the base stitching of the band partially toward the second opening such that the body encloses the protective inserts in the band. |
| US08713716B2 |
Impact reduction system
A wearable impact reduction device including a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, and a fourth layer. The first layer is located closest to the wearer's body and includes a flexible material configured to conform to the shape of a user's body. The fourth layer is located furthest from the wearer's body and is more rigid than the first layer whereby the fourth layer can distribute an external impact over a region. The second layer is placed between the first layer and the third layer. The third layer is placed between the second layer and the fourth layer. The second layer includes an elastically-deformable material having at least one resilient impression arranged and configured to at least partially compress upon application of a force and to return elastically to its original shape upon removal of the force. The third layer comprises an elastically-deformable material having at least one resilient impression arranged and configured to: contact and transmit a force to said resilient impression in the second layer, at least partially compress upon application of a force, and return to its original shape upon removal of a force. |
| US08713714B2 |
Apparatus and method for making an ear warmer and an ear warmer frame
The present invention relates to an ear warmer device. More specifically, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods for making ear warmers and ear warmer frames. |
| US08713713B2 |
Necktie assembly
A necktie assembly comprises a necktie (1) and a necktie-knot ring (3), wherein an additional hanging strip (11) is sewn on the necktie (1), and the necktie-knot ring (3) is used for forming a necktie knot. The necktie-knot ring (3) comprises a necktie-knot ring cavity (33), a necktie inlet-outlet opening (34) and a string-hanging buckling hook (25), wherein the necktie-knot ring cavity (33) is surrounded by a front shell (31) and a rear shell (32) of the necktie-knot ring and is used for enclosing the necktie (1); the necktie inlet-outlet opening (34) is positioned on the rear shell (32) and the necktie can pass from its top to its bottom; the string-hanging buckling hook (25) extends from any position at one side of the necktie inlet-outlet opening (34) to the other side thereof. |
| US08713712B2 |
Venting apparatus with no-catch mechanism
A venting apparatus with a no-catch mechanism and a method of manufacture of the apparatus are described. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention may comprise: a fastening device, a venting mechanism wherein the venting mechanism further comprises an opening, a mesh arrangement, and a no-catch mechanism. |
| US08719958B2 |
Method and apparatus for content management
The present disclosure relates generally to audio and video processing. One claim recites a portable apparatus comprising: electronic memory comprising one or more identifiers, each of the identifiers being associated with previously accessed audio or video items, with each previously accessed audio or video item including an identifier associated therewith; and a logic processor programmed for: a. restricting access to an encountered audio or video item if an identifier associated with the encountered audio or video item is one of the one or more identifiers associated with the previously accessed audio or video items, and b. limiting a number of content items with different user identifiers that can be accessed in a predetermined amount of time. Other claims and combinations are provided as well. |
| US08719953B2 |
System and method for enhanced protection and control over the use of identity
A method of protecting use of an entity's identity is provided. The method comprises setting a status of the identity to a first state, the first state defining a scope of permitted use of the identity, changing, in advance of an intended use of the identity, the status to a second state defining a scope of permitted use of the identity that is different from the first state, requesting use of the identity after the changing; and returning, after the requesting, the state back to the first state. |
| US08719950B2 |
Access control apparatus and storage medium
According to one embodiment, an access control apparatus suspends the resource access event prior to access of the resource access device when the resource access event is started. The access control apparatus acquires attribute information from the attribute management device by using the deny-type policy in the access control policy and decides the permission or the denial of the access based on this attribute information and the deny-type policy. The access control apparatus releases the suspension when a result of decision in the supplied access decision result is indicative of the permission and no obligation-type policy is present in the access decision response. |
| US08719949B1 |
Parameter based operation
A device may include communication logic to receive a request to perform an activity on behalf of a client, where the activity is related to a primary application and a secondary application. The communication logic may send a response that allows the client to perform the activity when the client is authorized. The device may include evaluation logic to determine whether the client is related to the primary license and to determine whether a secondary license related to the secondary application is available. The evaluation logic may allocate the available secondary license to the client for use with the secondary application when the secondary license is available. The evaluation logic may authorize the client to perform the activity when the secondary license is allocated to the client. |
| US08719947B2 |
Protection of audio or video data in a playback device
Method and apparatus to prevent hacking of encrypted audio or video content during playback. Hackers, using a debugging attachment or other tools, can illicitly access encrypted data in memory in a playback device when the data is decrypted during playback and momentarily stored in digital form. This hacking is defeated here by methodically “poisoning” the encrypted data so that it is no longer playable by a standard decoder. The poisoning involves deliberate alteration of certain bit values. On playback, the player invokes a special secure routine that provides correction of the poisoned bit values, for successful playback. |
| US08719946B2 |
System and method for securely retrieving and playing digital media
A system for securely downloading and playing coherent digital content such as music and preventing its play by unauthorized users. The system may include mass server/storage devices for receiving and storing digital content having predetermined gaps; and client devices communicating with the server/storage devices, and providing authorization to proceed. During playing of the digital content by the client devices, the missing gaps may be filled into the appropriate places, to allow the play of the coherent digital content. |
| US08719945B2 |
Customer error screen capture
A method for capturing a user's view of an electronic screen having an error message in a health management application without showing private information of the user includes receiving an error message from a web service responding to a request for a web page by the user. The method includes receiving an electronic file of the web page with the error message, redacting private information of the user from the electronic file to create a redacted electronic file, and storing the redacted electronic file in a support log module. |
| US08719940B1 |
Collaborative phishing attack detection
Described herein are methods, network devices and machine-readable storage media for detecting whether a message is a phishing attack based on the collective responses from one or more individuals who have received that message. The individuals may flag the message as a possible phishing attack, and/or may provide a numerical ranking indicating the likelihood that the message is a possible phishing attack. As responses from different individuals may have a different degree of reliability, each response from an individual may be weighted with a corresponding trustworthiness level of that individual, in an overall determination as to whether a message is a phishing attack. A trustworthiness level of an individual may indicate a degree to which the response of that individual can be trusted and/or relied upon, and may be determined by how well that individual recognized simulated phishing attacks. |
| US08719937B2 |
Methods and systems for network attack detection and prevention through redirection
Methods and systems for detection and/or prevention of network attacks can include the use of multiple and/or time-dependent addresses coupled with filtering by the directory or naming service. The directory service can respond to requests for the address of a resource by returning an address that can be relocated over time by coordinating the directory service entry with the host and network address configuration data and/or by returning an address specific to the requestor. Thus, the directory service can track and build profiles of matches between requestors and accesses. The methods and systems can use the time dependent addresses and profiles to distinguish legitimate accesses from unauthorized or malicious ones. Requests for non-valid addresses can be misdirected to “empty” addresses or to detection devices. |
| US08719934B2 |
Methods, systems and media for detecting non-intended traffic using co-visitation information
A non-transitory processor-readable medium stores code representing instructions to be executed by a processor to receive data associated with access by a first plurality of entities to a first website location and to receive data associated with access by a second plurality of entities to a second website location. The processor is also caused to define a co-visitation factor for each of the first website location and the second website location based on the received data. The processor is also caused to, if the co-visitation factor of the first website location and/or the co-visitation factor of the second website location is over a predefined threshold, select the first website location and/or the second website location as target website locations. The processor is caused to send a signal to set a flag associated with each target website location indicating the target website location as a suspicious website location. |
| US08719927B2 |
Data filtering by using a communication device including an interface on a display showing a domain name
Technologies are generally described for data filtering for communication devices. In one example, a method of receiving data from a data source on a communication device is disclosed. The method includes determining, at the communication device, a domain name of the data source. The method also includes determining, at the communication device, one or more communication networks the communication device is connected to. The method further includes processing, at the communication device, the domain name for acceptance based on the one or more connected communication networks. The method also includes receiving the data from the data source, at the communication device, if the domain name is accepted. |
| US08719926B2 |
Denial of service detection and prevention using dialog level filtering
A method may include receiving a session initiation protocol (SIP) request message and determining whether a dialog exists corresponding to the request message. The method may also include determining whether the dialog is in a first phase or a second phase when a dialog exists corresponding to the session control protocol message and querying a table indicating valid protocol requests for the determined phase to determine whether the received request message is valid. The method may include rejecting the request message when determined that the request message is not valid. |
| US08719925B1 |
Content-addressable memory based enforcement of configurable policies
A monitoring device for monitoring transactions on a bus includes content-addressable memory (“CAM”) and a response policy unit. The CAM includes an input coupled to receive a bus transaction tag based on bus traffic on the bus. The CAM stores data tags associated with rules of a security policy to compare the bus transaction tag to the data tags. The CAM generates an output signal indicating whether one or more matches occurred. The response policy unit is coupled to the CAM to receive the output signal from the CAM and to execute a policy action in response to the output signal. |
| US08719923B1 |
Method and system for managing security operations of a storage server using an authenticated storage module
The present invention provides a technique, in a network storage system, for a key management module (KMM) managing security operations within the storage server using an authenticated storage module (ASM) such as a smart card of the storage server. The KMM may process encryption key information (key information) generated by an encryption engine of the storage server to associate a key with a storage object of the storage server. The processed key information may then be stored by the KMM to a key map of the ASM, for which the ASM performs security services prior to storing information to the key map. The KMM may then request key information stored in the key map from the ASM, and forward the key information to the encryption engine for performing cryptographic operations on data of the storage object. |
| US08719920B2 |
Arrangements for identifying users in a multi-touch surface environment
Arrangements to identify, in some form, multiple participants by an interactive surface system utilizing multi-touch technology are disclosed. The interactive surface system could identify, authorize, and allocate space on a surface for a participant based on identifying at least one attribute of the participant such as an object associated with the participant. The method can include searching for a first distinctive attribute of the participant, assigning an identifier to the attribute, and storing the identifier for future use. Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US08719918B2 |
Method and device for distributed security control in communication network system
With migration of network technology and more and more requirements of user equipment for accessing to Internet, the network security faces more and more severe situation. There is provided a method for distributed security control in communication network system and the device thereof in order to improve security and operatability of network operator. In the method, firstly the network controller establishes a network security control mechanism, which is used for a second network device to check the validity of the data package from the user equipment; secondly, the network controller sends the network security control mechanism to the second network devices; lastly, the second network device checks the validity of the data package from the user equipment according to the network security control mechanism, and discards the data package if the data package is invalid. With the present invention, security and operatability of the communication network may be improved greatly, particularly, the functionality of address anti-spoofing can be implemented in the network with a WLAN architecture in centralized control. |
| US08719909B2 |
System for monitoring the unauthorized use of a device
The invention is directed to systems and methods for detecting the loss, theft or unauthorized use of a device and/or altering the functionality of the device in response. In one embodiment, a device monitors its use, its local environment, and/or its operating context to determine that the device is no longer within the control of an authorized user. The device may receive communications or generate an internal signal altering its functionality, such as instructing the device to enter a restricted use mode, a surveillance mode, to provide instructions to return the device and/or to prevent unauthorized use or unauthorized access to data. Additional embodiments also address methods and systems for gathering forensic data regarding an unauthorized user to assist in locating the unauthorized user and/or the device. |
| US08719905B2 |
Secure and efficient login and transaction authentication using IPhones™ and other smart mobile communication devices
To authenticate a user of a mobile communication device for login or transaction authorization, a first application on the device directs transmission of a request for authentication of the user to a security server. A second application on the device receives the request for authentication from the security server and directs presentation of the received request for authentication to the user by the device. The second application receives a user input to the device indicating that the requested authentication should proceed and in response directs transmission of an indication that the requested authorization should proceed, to the security server. In response to this latter transmission, the second application receives a PIN from the authentication server. The first application directs transmission of the PIN received by the second application to the network site, which validates the transmitted PIN, in order to authenticate the user or the transaction to the network site. |
| US08719902B2 |
Secure communication device, secure communication method, and program
A secure communication device for high-speed encryption/decryption authentication including network stack processing. An encryption/decryption authentication controller of the secure communication device acquires the result of processing of the encrypted/decrypted or authenticated previous packet from an encryption/decryption authenticator and controls a network protocol processor so that the second half of the processing of the network protocols of the previous packet and the first half of the processing of the network protocols of the current packet are continuously performed. |
| US08719901B2 |
Secure consultation system
A secure consultation system is disclosed that enables an owner entity to securely store its most secure and private data such that designated entities of the owner entity and a consultant entity can execute application programs on that data and thus, to consult on the operation and correctness of the application programs and the data. |
| US08719900B2 |
Validating updates to domain name system records
Disclosed are various embodiments for validating updates to domain name system (DNS) records. A request is received to modify at least one DNS record associated with a domain owned by a domain owner. The request to modify the at least one DNS record is compared with at least one policy. The at least one policy is configurable by the domain owner. The requested modification to the at least one DNS record is selectively granted based at least upon the comparison. |
| US08719897B2 |
Access control method for tri-element peer authentication credible network connection structure
An access control method for a TePA-based TNC architecture is provided, including: 1) performing encapsulation of user authentication protocol data and platform authentication protocol data in the TePA-based TNC architecture: 1.1) encapsulating the user authentication protocol data in a Data field of TAEP packets, and interacting with the TAEP packets between an access requestor and an access controller, and between the access controller and a policy manager, to perform mutual user authentication between the access requestor and the access controller, and establish a secure channel between the access requestor and the access controller; and 1.2) encapsulating the platform authentication protocol data in a Data field of TAEP packets, and, for platform authentication protocol data between the access requestor and the access controller, encapsulating a TAEP packet of the platform authentication protocol data in a Data field of another TAEP packet to form a nested encapsulation. |
| US08719896B2 |
Widget host container component for a rapid application development tool
A widget host container serves as a component that may be added via a rapid application development tool, such as Oracle International Corporation's Application Development Framework. The rapid application development tool may be used to install the widget host container, for example, in a region of a user interaction environment, such as an application or a suite of user interactive applications, created by the rapid application development tool. If desired, one or more selection devices, such as a drop down menu, may be provided to select particular widgets for use and display. Features may be provided for organizing both personal and enterprise widgets. Security settings control access to web widgets, and an option to allow or restrict access to web widget display options in the container. |
| US08719888B1 |
Video encoding and serving architecture
Techniques for delivering content, such as videos, over a network are described. A core server and an edge server are provided. The core server has local storage. The edge server has local storage. A set of video frames is partitioned into a first group and a second group. Video frames in the first group are encoded into a scalable encoded stream. The scalable encoded stream is sent to the local storage at the edge server. The second group of video frames is encoded into a set of supplemental encoded streams using the scalable encoded stream as a reference. The supplemental encoded streams are encoded such that the bit rate and/or resolution of any two supplemental encoded streams is different. The set of supplemental encoded streams is stored in the storage of the core server. |
| US08719887B2 |
Communicating ancillary information associated with a plurality of audio/video programs
A system includes a receiver and a communication interface. The receiver is adapted to tune to an audio/video portion over a transport medium. The communication interface is adapted to receive announcement data associated with the tuned audio/video content directed to a first addressable location and to receive a special announcement directed to the first addressable location. The special announcement indicates availability of the announcement data associated with the tuned audio/video program, and the announcement data is associated with the tuned audio/video content and indicates enhancement data is being transmitted. The controller is adapted to redirect the announcement data to a second addressable location other than the first addressable location in response to the special announcement. |
| US08719885B2 |
Systems and methods for accessing recoverable program content
Content delivery systems and methods are operable to provide recoverable program content to a media device. An exemplary embodiment detects an occurrence of a qualifying event, wherein the qualifying event is associated with an unavailable portion of a program of interest; communicates a request to establish a backchannel between the media device and a program content device in response to detecting the occurrence of the qualifying event; communicates a request for a recoverable portion of the program of interest from the media device to the program content device over the backchannel, wherein the requested recoverable portion of the program of interest corresponds to the unavailable portion of the program of interest; and receives at the media device the recoverable portion of the program of interest from the program content device. |
| US08719879B2 |
Method and apparatus for content delivery
A method for recording linear content and delivering it for time-shifted viewing is described. The linear content may be recorded live by the content delivery system in response to user requests. The content delivery system divides the recording into at least two portions, the first portion of sufficient duration to permit real time continuous playback of the recorded content on the customer premises equipment (CPE) if the first portion has previously been transmitted to the CPE and the second has not been transmitted. The content delivery system transmits the first portion to the CPE prior to playback, and the second portion is streamed to the CPE after playback has begun. The playback is under control of the CPE from local storage. |
| US08719874B2 |
System and method of streaming audio from a common video device
The present invention discloses a system and method for rendering an audio signal over a wireless communication device where the video signal associated with the audio signal is being output to one or more displays in an audio-video system. The audio-video system includes a controller that outputs the video signal to the one or more displays, and a transceiver that transmits an audio signal associated with the video signal to the wireless communication device. A transceiver in the wireless communication device receives the transmitted audio signal from the audio-video system, and an audio processing circuit renders the audio signal as audible sound to the user of the wireless communication device. |
| US08719873B2 |
Digital downloading jukebox system with user-tailored music management, communications, and other tools
A digital downloading jukebox system including a mechanism for delivering custom services to a recognized user, including services for creating playlists, communicating with others, accessing other features, etc. is provided. In some exemplary embodiments, after a user is recognized, the jukebox system allows users to access a special front-end via an Internet-enabled device or on an actual jukebox. Then, the user may, for example, create playlists, share songs with friends, send messages to friends, and access other value-added content. Such a system preferably learns about networks of friends, and enables managers to send similar messages to regular customers and/or others known to the system. In some exemplary embodiments, changes via a first user interface on a first device are reflected on second user interface on other properly-configured devices. |
| US08719872B2 |
Consumer access systems and for providing same
Apparatus and methods for providing enhanced consumer access to information sources and controllable entities. An Access device can be a stand alone device such as a DVD player in which the DVD disk contains the back-end information network. Other Access devices obtain the back-end information network from remote sources. By way of a specific example, the consumer can then view a game and interactively select every television camera located at the game venue. |
| US08719866B2 |
Episode picker
In a method and system for accessing content, a selection of a media content item having at least one set of episodes is received. Each of the at least one set of episodes is displayed as a user-selectable element in a user interface. A selection of a user-selectable element corresponding to a set of the at least one set of episodes is received. The display of the selected user-selectable element is expanded to display the episodes of the set within the selected user-selectable element, with each episode of the episodes of the set being represented by an additional user-selectable element. A selection of an episode from the set of episodes is received. At least one content source from which the selected episode is available to be retrieved is displayed. A content source of the at least one content source from which the selected episode is to be retrieved is received. |
| US08719865B2 |
Using viewing signals in targeted video advertising
At a client, a video is received. The video includes one or more advertisement slots. The video is played back to a user. During the playback of the video, an impending advertisement slot is detected. One or more advertisements are requested for placement in the advertisement slot. The one or more advertisements are received and placed in the advertisement slot. |
| US08719862B2 |
Method for enhancing digital video recorder television advertising viewership
A method for enhancing digital video recorder television advertising viewership provides a method wherein the first or last number of seconds of a commercial break are carefully authored to provide a “teaser” to entice the viewer to watch multiple commercials during the commercial break instead of skipping the commercial break using the fast forward or jump functions of the DVR. A bookending function displays an advertisement before and/or after a program that has been recorded on the DVR's storage device is played to the viewer. The viewer selects a recorded program from the DVR's storage device to playback. Before the program is played back, an advertisement is retrieved from the storage device and is displayed before the program is run. Another advertisement is retrieved and then played after the program is over. |
| US08719861B2 |
System and method for distributing dynamic event data in an internet protocol television system
A method for distributing dynamic event notification data in an internet protocol television (IPTV) system including receiving at an IPTV server the dynamic event notification data indicating an occurrence of a dynamic event; identifying at the IPTV server a current IPTV viewer associated with an IPTV end user client device; retrieving at the IPTV server an event filter for the current IPTV viewer; filtering at the IPTV server the dynamic event notification data through the event filter for the current IPTV viewer; and sending from the IPTV server to an end user client device associated with the current IPTV viewer, the dynamic event notification data when the dynamic event notification data passes through the event filter. |
| US08719857B1 |
Systems and methods for providing parental control features in video mosaic environments
Systems and methods for providing parental control support in video mosaic environment are disclosed. Upon receiving a request for a video mosaic page, screen data, which may include parental control information, is received. The screen data may identify the video assets in the video mosaic page. A determination is made whether the video assets in the video mosaic page are locked or unlocked by parental controls in force on the user equipment. Locked assets may be masked and individually unlocked upon verification of a parental control access code or PIN. Unlocked assets may be presented in cells, or windows, in the video mosaic page and may also be individually locked and subsequently masked. A separate set of parental control settings may be maintained for video mosaic pages or the mosaic parental control commands may be resolved with system parental control settings. |
| US08719853B2 |
Flexible video-on-demand viewing period
A flexible video-on-demand viewing period is varied depending on whether the customer has completed viewing the entire program, allowing the viewing period to be extended if the customer has not completed viewing the entire program. The approach better assures the customer that they will have the opportunity to complete viewing the entire program, compared to a fixed rental period, while assuring program copyright owners that the utility of the rental is limited, fundamentally as intended, preserving the future value of the asset. The approach also enables viewers to retain bookmarks as needed for content that is not naturally tied to a rental period, such as subscription video-on-demand, without unnecessarily enlarging their list of active rentals. |
| US08719849B1 |
Decoupled application program-operating system computing architecture
A method of application program-operating system decoupling includes performing, through an application program configured to execute on a client machine, a system call to a first operating system executing on a server machine over an interconnect configured to couple the server machine to the client machine. The method also includes serving the application program configured to execute on the client machine through the first operating system executing on the server machine in accordance with the system call. |
| US08719847B2 |
Management and marketplace for distributed home devices
A home device management technique is described that allows a user to manage a network of distributed home devices. Special application modules, driver modules, and service exchange ports are employed. Each application modules implements some functionality in the home, preferably using one or more devices in the home distributed system. Each driver module provides the logic for operating one or multiple distributed home devices and is capable of receiving commands from application modules and sending them to devices, detecting events for an associated type of home device, translating the detected event into a format usable by the application modules and notifying the application modules of the events. Events are communicated between the application modules and the driver modules by using one or more service exchange ports. Access control policies are employed to control access to the home devices. The application and driver modules can be obtained over a network from a home marketplace that can also determine their compatibility and interoperability with the home devices. |
| US08719846B2 |
Real-time information feed
A computer-implemented method for updating a web user interface on a client device is provided. A router back-boned to the Internet communicates with the client device web-user interface data defined in markup language to dynamically update the web-user interface on the client device. The router contains no logic regarding the web-user interface running on the client device. The client device has a browser server for dynamically updating the web-user interface through downloading and caching the data from the router. The browser server on the client device has (i) a user interface model of the web-user interface running on the client device defined in Javascript, and (ii) a JavaScript Runtime Engine for dynamically converting the downloaded and/or cached web-user interface markup language data into JavaScript objects. The web-user interface is dynamically updated by combining steps (i) and (ii). |
| US08719845B2 |
Sharing and synchronization of objects
Sharing of objects may be implemented in a way that allows programs to use shared objects in much the same way that they would use local objects. In one example, a program creates an object and sets properties through normal instructions that would be used to create a local object. The program then registers the object with a shared object model, which may be maintained by a shared object server. For each machine on which the object may be used, a shared object runtime monitors for changes to the objects, and notifies the server of these changes. The server updates the object, and notifies other machines of changes to the state of the object. The shared object runtimes on those machines receive notification of the changes, and update the local copies. |
| US08719839B2 |
Two way communication support for heterogenous processors of a computer platform
A computer system may comprise a computer platform and input-output devices. The computer platform may include a plurality of heterogeneous processors comprising a central processing unit (CPU) and a graphics processing unit) GPU, for example. The GPU may be coupled to a GPU compiler and a GPU linker/loader and the CPU may be coupled to a CPU compiler and a CPU linker/loader. The user may create a shared object in an object oriented language and the shared object may include virtual functions. The shared object may be fine grain partitioned between the heterogeneous processors. The GPU compiler may allocate the shared object to the CPU and may create a first and a second enabling path to allow the GPU to invoke virtual functions of the shared object. Thus, the shared object that may include virtual functions may be shared seamlessly between the CPU and the GPU. |
| US08719835B2 |
Ranking service units to provide and protect highly available services using the Nway redundancy model
Presented are methods and apparatus for protecting a plurality of High Availability (HA) Service Instances (SIs) with a plurality of Service Units (SUs) with an Nway redundancy model. Any of the SUs associated with the Nway redundancy model can simultaneously be assigned an active HA state for some of the SIs and a standby HA state for other SIs. However, only one SU can have the active state for any given SI. The Nway redundancy model is a configured prior to runtime operation. |
| US08719832B2 |
Capacity management of applications on server resources
A resource management system for managing resources in a computing and/or communications resource infrastructure is disclosed. The system comprises a database for storing a model of the resource infrastructure. The database defines a set of resources provided by the infrastructure; a set of software applications operating within the infrastructure and utilizing resources; and associations between given applications in the model and given resources to indicate utilization of the given resources by the given applications. The model can be used to perform resource utilization analysis and failure impact analysis. |
| US08719829B2 |
Synchronizing processes in a computing resource by locking a resource for a process at a predicted time slot
Synchronizing processes in a computer system includes creating a predictability model for a process. The predictability model establishes a predicted time slot for a resource that will be needed by the process. The method further requires establishing a predictive request for the resource at the predicted time slot. The predictive request establishes a place holder associated with the process. In addition, the method requires accessing another resource needed by the process for a period of time before the predicted time slot, submitting a request for the resource at the predicted time slot, and processing the request for the process at the resource. |
| US08719827B2 |
Processor and program execution method capable of efficient program execution
A processor for sequentially executing a plurality of programs using a plurality of register value groups stored in a memory that correspond one-to-one with the programs. The processor includes a plurality of register groups; a select/switch unit operable to select one of the plurality of register groups as an execution target register group on which a program execution is based, and to switch the selection target every time a first predetermined period elapses; a restoring unit operable to restore, every time the switching is performed, one of the register value groups into one of the register groups that is not selected as the execution target register group; a saving unit operable to save, prior to the restoring, register values in the register group targeted for restoring, by overwriting a register value group in the memory that corresponds to the register values; and a program execution unit operable to execute, every time the switching is performed, a program corresponding to a register value group in the execution target register group. |
| US08719825B2 |
Prompting for execution or delay of scheduled job
The present invention provides for the adjustment of the timing of a scheduled job including determining when the execution time of a scheduled job is within a predetermined time period. Prior to this time, a job execution notification is generated and submitted to an end user. The notification includes a request for time delay in the event the job should not be executed on the time noted. If the job should be delayed, a user may submit a delay request including a time delay. Upon receipt, an internal timing parameter is temporarily reset based on the delay request. The job is then automatically rescheduled for the prescribed time. If no other delay is incurred, once the job is executed, the internal timing parameter is then reset to its original time value. |
| US08719824B2 |
Dynamically configurable command and control systems and methods
A method and system in a Service Orchestration Architecture environment that provides rules engine-based service orchestration, task, and alert management for collaboration between one or more nodes of operation. The system provides multiple levels of configurability. In one aspect, the system includes a rules engine to define the command and control (C2) service orchestration. |
| US08719823B2 |
Managing latency introduced by virtualization
A component manages and minimizes latency introduced by virtualization. The virtualization component determines that a currently scheduled guest process has executed functionality responsive to which the virtualization component is to execute a virtualization based operation, wherein the virtualization based operation is one that is not visible to the guest operating system. The virtualization component causes the guest operating system to de-schedule the currently scheduled guest process and schedule at least one separate guest process. The virtualization component then executes the virtualization based operation concurrently with the execution of the at least one separate guest process. Responsive to completing the execution of the virtualization based operation, the virtualization component causes the guest operating system to re-schedule the de-scheduled guest process. |
| US08719819B2 |
Mechanism for instruction set based thread execution on a plurality of instruction sequencers
In an embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes managing user-level threads on a first instruction sequencer in response to executing user-level instructions on a second instruction sequencer that is under control of an application level program. A first user-level thread is run on the second instruction sequencer and contains one or more user level instructions. A first user level instruction has at least 1) a field that makes reference to one or more instruction sequencers or 2) implicitly references with a pointer to code that specifically addresses one or more instruction sequencers when the code is executed. |
| US08719817B2 |
Virtualization intermediary/virtual machine guest operating system collaborative SCSI path management
A method of direct access by a virtual machine (VM) running on a host machine to physical storage via a virtual function (VF) running on an input/output (IO) adapter comprising: providing by a virtualization intermediary running on the host machine an indication of an active path associated with a virtual storage device; obtaining by a guest driver running within a guest operating system of the VM the stored indication of the active path from the shared memory region; dispatching an IO request by the guest driver to the VF that includes an indication of the active path; and sending by the VF an IO request that includes the indicated active path. |
| US08719816B2 |
Extendable framework for distributed applications and data
A system and method are configured to provide a virtual application desktop and communication channel. The system includes a virtual machine executing on an operating system within which multiple applications can concurrently execute. A plurality of applications can each have a protected namespace and be configured to execute using the virtual machine. Each of the plurality of applications can have a request box. A centralized communication engine can be configured to control communications between each request box. In addition, the centralized communication engine can be configured to retrieve, transfer and distribute data between the request boxes of the plurality of applications in response to requests from the plurality of applications. |
| US08719812B1 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for dynamically modifying and utilizing a software package description for software installation
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for dynamically modifying and utilizing a software package description for software installation are disclosed. According to one method, a software package that includes a software description file is loaded on a hardware platform. The software description file is dynamically modified based on the software package and the hardware platform. The method also includes utilizing the modified software description file to install the software package on the hardware platform. |
| US08719810B2 |
Program upgrade system and method for over the air-capable mobile terminal
An apparatus and method for updating a program of a mobile terminal using an Over-The-Air (OTA) programming mechanism is provided. The program upgrade apparatus includes a first memory for storing a reference version of the program and at least one upgrade package; a second memory for loading an upgrade version of the program; a communication unit for enabling the mobile terminal to communicate with an external system; and a control unit for controlling the communication unit to download the upgrade package in response to an upgrade notification message from the external system, installing the upgrade package within the first memory, generating an upgrade version of the program by merging the upgrade package and the reference version in response to an install command, and operating the mobile terminal with the upgraded version of the program. |
| US08719802B2 |
Interprocedural exception method
An interprocedural exception analysis and transformation framework for computer programming languages such as C++ that (1) captures the control-flow induced by exceptions precisely, and (2) transforms the given computer program into an exception-free program that is amenable for precise static analysis, verification, and optimizations. |
| US08719801B2 |
Timing analysis of concurrent programs
Described are various techniques by which a concurrent program is analyzed with respect to timing. In one aspect, code fragments in a concurrent program are modified and/or instrumented by inserting iteration counters inside loops. Examples of modified fragments include those corresponding to concurrently executing code fragments, non-blocking concurrent code fragments, blocking concurrent code fragments, fragments having a loop that may not terminate, fragments having interlocked operation, or fragments having a timeout. Such fragments are modified and/or flagged so as to provide the summary data. When statically analyzed, the instrumented code provides complexity information regarding each fragment, or combinations of fragments, such as concurrent fragments. Summary data regarding the concurrent program is provided by processing the complexity information into at least one computation graph. |
| US08719800B2 |
Accelerating replayed program execution to support decoupled program analysis
A virtual machine system decouples dynamic program analysis from program execution. Program analysis is decoupled from program execution through the use of a virtual machine to record program execution and an analysis platform to replay and analyze the program execution. Optimization techniques are applied to prevent the analysis platform from falling too far behind the program execution platform during replay. |
| US08719799B2 |
Measuring coupling between coverage tasks and use thereof
Test coverage is enhanced by measuring various types of coupling between coverage tasks. The coupling measurements may be implicit coupling measurements, explicit coupling measurements, coding coupling measurements, performance coupling measurements, resource coupling measurements or the like. Based on the coupling measurements, different coverage tasks may be grouped together. For example, closely coupled coverage tasks may be grouped together. The groups may also be determined based on an initial distribution of groups, by combining groups having closely coupled member coverage tasks. The groups may be ordered and prioritized, such as based on the size of the groups and the number of uncovered tasks in each group. The groups may also be ordered, such as based on coupling score which aggregate the coupling measurements of the member coverage tasks. |
| US08719796B2 |
Parametric trace slicing
A program trace is obtained and events of the program trace are traversed. For each event identified in traversing the program trace, a trace slice of which the identified event is a part is identified based on the parameter instance of the identified event. For each trace slice of which the identified event is a part, the identified event is added to an end of a record of the trace slice. These parametric trace slices can be used in a variety of different manners, such as for monitoring, mining, and predicting. |
| US08719794B2 |
Fake check-in entries posted on behalf of social network users
An approach is provided in a fake check-in event is received at a software application corresponding to a user of the software application. Fake check-ins are initiated on behalf of the user in response to the fake check-in event. The software application posts a set of fake check-in entries on behalf of the user while the user is away. The posted fake check-ins are visible by other users of the software application and are used to obfuscate others that the user is out-of-town. In one embodiment, check-in entries that are received from the user after fake check-ins have been initiated are cached. In this embodiment, a local check-in event is received when the user is within the user's geographical local area and the cached check-in entries are posted so that they are now visible by the other users of the software application. |
| US08719786B2 |
Method for performing conditionalized N-way merging of source code
A method combines N versions of a C/C++ program into a single, semantically correct, unified program, while maintaining the semantics of each version within N. The problem of merge conflicts is avoided by conditionalizing changes that potentially conflict, according to a set of preprocessors definitions that uniquely define the version within N. Conditionalization is realized through C/C++ preprocessing directives (e.g., #if, #else, #elif). |
| US08719784B2 |
Assigning runtime artifacts to software components
A system and computer program product for assigning runtime artifacts to software components. Source code and metadata are extracted from a library, where the metadata includes a component membership for the source code. A compile unit is formed from the extracted source code and metadata. Runtime artifacts are produced from the compile unit or an element derived from the compile unit. Each runtime artifact is interrogated to determine the defined component for each runtime artifact. The determined component is recorded. |
| US08719783B2 |
Determining release differences
A method, computer program product, and system for determining release differences is described. A method may comprise determining a first difference, the first difference corresponding to one or more activities that were at least one of: added to a main branch between a first release branch and a second release branch, and removed from the main branch between the first release branch and the second release branch. The method may further comprise determining a second difference, the second difference corresponding to one or more activities that were at least one of: added to the first release branch, and removed from the first release branch. The method may additionally comprise determining a third difference, the third difference corresponding to one or more activities that were at least one of: added to the second release branch, and removed from the second release branch. A delta activity set may be determined. |
| US08719781B2 |
Universal and adaptive software development platform for data-driven applications
A software application platform that abstracts a computing platform, a database layer, and a rendering medium is disclosed. A platform-independent application programming interface is disclosed, as well as an abstract database layer. The abstraction of the database layer comprises two sub-layers, including a layer having a uniform interface that treats data records as plain objects and a layer having constructs that facilitate the automated generation of user interfaces for data record navigation and management. Further, a software application platform that is independent of rendering medium is disclosed. |
| US08719776B2 |
System for creation and distribution of software applications usable on multiple mobile device platforms
The present invention provides a mobile application ecosystem comprising a mobile application development kit and store, both of which are implemented as web-based services such that creation, testing, and distribution of mobile applications, as well as discovery, investigation, and delivery of same, can all be performed using a standard web browser. The mobile application development kit offers common capabilities across all target mobile device brand and brand groups, allowing the same application construct to work unmodified on all, while building the application in a manner that is native to each, thereby avoiding any requirement to embed a separate common runtime or virtual machine on every mobile device. |
| US08719773B2 |
Workflow data binding
A workflow data binding system facilitates binding of a data component to a feature of a software component. Prior to the binding, a graphical indication of the software component and a graphical indication of the feature of the software component are displayed. In addition, an indication of an element of the data component is displayed in a display area approximately adjacent to the displayed software component. The workflow data binding system receives a user input command to bind the data component to the feature of the software component. The user input command may include dragging the indication of an element of the data component from the data component display area to the feature of the software component and subsequently dropping it on the feature. As a result, the workflow data binding system automatically generates script or code that provides executable instructions to bind the feature of the software component to the data component. |
| US08719772B2 |
Programming library usage capturing and representation
A computer system may provide various resources to users through one or more programming libraries, such as application programming interfaces (APIs), in order to standardize access to such resources through various general-purpose mechanisms. These programming libraries may be operated by other programs, such as task-specific user interfaces, through which a user may utilize the programming library without having to understand its structure and functions. However, in many scenarios, a user may wish to know the manner of invoking a programming library to achieve an invoked behavior, or may wish to reproduce the behavior without having to utilize the user interface. A user may therefore capture an invocation of the programming library, and may generate an instruction set representing the captured invocation that may be studied, copied, modified, subsequently performed, etc. |
| US08719771B2 |
Method and system for test reduction and analysis
Disclosed is a method, system, and computer program product that reduces the size of a failing test. A tree is created from the test's programming code, where the tree represents the syntactical and the semantic bounds between the programming code elements. By analyzing this tree and iteratively pruning the irrelevant sub-trees it is possible to eliminate many non necessary parts of the code, and recreate a new legal test, which represents the same error, but is potentially much smaller and therefore easier to understand and debug. |
| US08719768B2 |
Accretion of inter-namespace instances in multi-tenant CIMOM environment
A system and method for identifying duplicate or similar class instances existing in two or more Common Information Model (CIM) namespaces, accreting them, and thereafter returning a set of class instances and their associated information based on predetermined criteria. In different embodiments of the invention, an abstraction layer is implemented to provide a consolidation namespace operable to aggregate CIM instance data from two or more namespaces into a single namespace. A CIM client management application can then access and search the resulting consolidation namespace for all CIM class instances instead of iteratively browsing individual namespaces. A consolidation provider queries CIM namespaces to enumerate instances of CIM namespaces, which are consolidated in the Interop namespace, and similarly enumerates class instance data, which is consolidated in the consolidation namespace. |
| US08719755B2 |
Graded dummy insertion
Among other things, one or more techniques for graded dummy insertion and a resulting array are provided herein. For example an array is a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) array, a metal oxide metal (MOM) array, or a resistor array. In some embodiments, a first region and a second region are identified based on a density gradient between a first pattern density associated with the first region and a second pattern density associated with the second region. For example, the first pattern density and the second pattern density are gate densities and/or poly densities. To this end, a dummy region is inserted between the first region and the second region, the dummy region includes a graded pattern density based on a first adjacent pattern density and a second adjacent pattern density. In this manner, graded dummy insertion is provided, thus enhancing edge cell performance for an array, for example. |
| US08719751B1 |
Simultaneous switching noise analysis
A method for determining an impact of simultaneous switching noise (SSN) for a linearly based metric is provided. The method includes generating a waveform representing an impact of SSN from a rising aggressor for each of at least two victim pins associated with the metric and generating a waveform representing an impact of SSN from a falling aggressor for each of at least two victim pins associated with the metric. The waveforms from the rising aggressor are collapsed into a single waveform for the rising aggressor and the waveforms from the falling aggressor are collapsed into a single waveform for the falling aggressor. The single waveform for the rising aggressor and the single waveform for the falling aggressor are merged into a merged waveform. Through a computing device, switching window SSN analysis of the circuit design is performed with a common uncertainty removal utilizing the merged waveform. |
| US08719749B2 |
Timer match dithering
A counter/timer circuit and a method of operating the counter/timer circuit are described. In one embodiment, a method of operating a counter/timer circuit involves determining a match condition by comparing a count value of the counter/timer circuit with a value stored in a match register of the counter/timer circuit and delaying an assertion of the match condition based on a value programmed in a match companion register of the counter/timer circuit. The match companion register is associated with the match register. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US08719747B2 |
Single event upset mitigation for electronic design synthesis
Technology is disclosed herein that provides for modifying a circuit design to reduce the potential occurrence of single event upset errors during operation of a device manufactured from the synthesized design. After a circuit design has been synthesized to a particular abstraction level, a static timing analysis procedure is run on the design. The slack values for paths within the design are determined based upon the static timing analysis procedure. Subsequently, delays are added to selected paths within the design based upon the slack values. |
| US08719745B2 |
Method and system for automatically establishing hierarchical parameterized cell (PCELL) debugging environment
A system and method are provided for establishing an automated debugging environment in an Electronic Design Automation (EDA) work flow for the debugging of parameterized cells (PCELLS/PyCELLS) in a layout. A user may merely select a particular PCELL within a hierarchical PCELL and the system and method will determine dependencies thereof. The source code for the selected PCELL and its dependencies may be located and loaded. At least one breakpoint may be set in the source code of the selected PCELL. The source code for the selected PCELL and its dependencies may be executed to be arrested at the set breakpoints. Upon the arrest of execution, a debugging environment may be established and the located source code of the selected PCELL may be displayed along with values for parametric components thereof and progression control tools. |
| US08719743B1 |
Method and system for implementing clock tree prototyping
Disclosed is an improved method, system, and computer program product for implementing flexible models to perform efficient prototyping of clock structures in electronic designs, which allows for very efficient analysis of the electronic designs. Some approaches pertain to usage of the flexible abstraction models that also include clock abstractions to more efficiently perform analysis upon the electronic designs. This allows greater analysis efficiency with regards to timing analysis and physical analysis. |
| US08719741B2 |
Guarding logic inserting method based on gated clock enable signals
A semiconductor integrated circuit device is disclosed. The semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a first circuit whose output never or seldom changes when the output from an Enable generator is off, a second circuit whose output frequently changes, an input controller which receives the respective outputs from the second circuit and the Enable generator and passes through the input from the second circuit only when the output from the Enable generator is on, a combination circuit which receives the respective outputs from the first circuit and the input controller, and a memory which receives the output from the combination circuit and is driven by the output from the clock controller. |
| US08719736B1 |
Compact and accurate wafer topography proximity effect modeling for full chip simulation
A method for correcting topography proximity effects (TPE) for an integrated circuit (IC) design is described. This method includes dividing the IC design into a plurality of levels (z-direction). Each level can be decomposed into one or more elementary geometries. These elementary geometries can be top view geometries, cross-sectional geometries, half-plane geometries, geometries with single slope sides, and/or geometries with multiple slope sides. The one or more elementary geometries can be compared to primitives in a library. A transfer matrix can be generated using the matching primitives and the elementary geometries. A disturbance matrix can be calculated based on the transfer matrix. This disturbance matrix can advantageously capture a spectrum of a reflective electric field from a spectrum of an incident electric field. Wave propagation through a photoresist layer can be performed using the disturbance matrix for the plurality of levels. A light intensity for TPE correction can be computed based on the wave propagation. |
| US08719733B2 |
Selecting a navigation hierarchical structure diagram for website navigation
Implementing website navigation includes deriving a confidence level for at least one leaf node of a website navigation category diagram using historical user operation data; generating one or more navigation hierarchical structure diagrams based on the website navigation category diagram; determining a searching cost associated with each of the one or more navigation hierarchical structure diagrams; determining the navigation hierarchical structure diagram associated with the lowest searching cost; and implementing at least in part a website navigation mode using the navigation hierarchical structure diagram associated with the lowest searching cost. |
| US08719732B2 |
Method and system for applying 3D switch panel in instant messaging tool
A method and system for applying 3D switch panel in instant messaging tool. The method includes creating a window, and creating a plane model according to the window; receiving a command for triggering rotation; and rotating the plane model to drive the interface window of the instant messaging tool to rotate. The adoption of the method and the system provided can use the 3D to switch panels of the instant messaging tool, which can satisfy users' individual demands and improves the usability of the instant messaging tool. |
| US08719727B2 |
Managing an immersive environment
This document describes techniques and apparatuses for managing an immersive environment. These techniques and/or apparatuses enable a user to select when, where, or under what conditions to present applications in this immersive environment. |
| US08719723B2 |
Displaying data sensitive targets
Users are often in environments that require specific inputs into a device. However, it can be advantageous to display a limited number of targets to a user for inputting information. Therefore, the can be a selection of a limited target set based on a user activity and/or environment. The limited target set can be display to a user through a display, commonly a visual display. |
| US08719716B2 |
Locked element for use in a graphical modeling environment
A locked element and methodology are provided for use in a block diagram model of a graphical modeling environment. The locked element displays within the block diagram model but access to the functionality of the locked element requires authorization. Without authorization the locked element will not function. Authorization may also be required to access the implementation details of the locked element. Without authorization the implementation details of the locked element cannot be viewed or modified. In certain implementations, any code generated from a locked element without authorization is obfuscated. |
| US08719712B2 |
Adaptive display for patient monitoring
A system for displaying physiological parameters includes: a central processing unit (CPU) that is configured to control operation of a monitor device; a display screen; and a set of one or more computer readable data storage media storing software instructions that, when executed by the CPU, cause the monitor device to: detect a device that is added to the system, the device being used to measure at least one physiological parameter associated with a patient; provision the device; allow a user to select a skin defining a layout for displaying data associated with the physiological parameter measured by the device; allow the user to select a position of a window displaying the skin, the position selected from one of a plurality of cells on a matrix displayed on the display screen; and display the window on the display screen at the position. |
| US08719711B2 |
Image forming apparatus, display screen customizing method and computer-readable storage medium
An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of programs to be utilized via corresponding display screens, a screen structure information managing part to manage screen structure information of the display screens, and a customizing information managing part to manage customizing information which records customizing contents with respect to the display screens. The image forming apparatus further includes a screen generating part to generate each display screen corresponding to the plurality of programs, based on the screen structure information and the customizing information related to each display screen. |
| US08719710B2 |
Geographic location notification based on identity linking
A user maintains notification setting information having temporal periods capable of controlling, at least in part, the dissemination of information describing the on-line presence of the user within an instant messaging system or the geographic location of one or more mobile communications devices used by the user. The user may use multiple identities to communicate within the instant messaging system and/or with the mobile communications device or devices. The user can maintain sets of temporal periods for each of the multiple identities. Only one identity may be used at a specific time to communicate to a specific other identity, but the multiple identities of the user may be linked such that on-line presence and/or geographic location associated with one of the identities is disseminated based on the temporal periods set for one or more of the multiple identities. |
| US08719709B2 |
Method for interfacing with a memory card to access a program instruction
A method for interfacing with a memory card is provided. In this method, a selection of a program instruction is provided and the program instruction associated with the selection is read from the memory card. The program instruction thereafter is executed. Systems and computing devices for interfacing with the memory card also are described. |
| US08719703B2 |
Systems and methods for editing a web page
By analyzing a web page, the web page can be divided into component parts. Specifically, the web page can be divided into items, templates and the remaining HTML. Then, using dedicated user interfaces, each component part can be separately edited. To facilitate editing, the component parts not being edited can optionally be suppressed or presented in abbreviated form, and all parts can optionally be shown in the same order in which they occur in the web page. The live version of the web page is then updated with the edited version of the component parts, taking into consideration any contributions from other users made during the editing process. |
| US08719700B2 |
Matching a page layout for each page of a document to a page template candidate from a list of page layout candidates
A computer-implemented method and system for generation of page templates are provided. The method includes providing a document in computer memory. Using a computer processor, page elements within the document are identified and labeled. For each page of the document, a set of geometric relations between pairs of page elements co-occurring on the page is computed, and the set of geometric relations is associated with the page. The method also includes generating a set of page template candidates based at least in part on the computed geometric relations, selecting page templates from the set of page template candidates, and outputting the selected page templates. |
| US08719687B2 |
Method for summarizing video and displaying the summary in three-dimensional scenes
A computer-implementable method for creating a summary video with depth information, comprising: recognizing moving objects from the input original video; generating an animated moving object cutout for each of the recognized moving objects by duplicating and stacking successive frames in the input original video containing images of the respective moving object; constructing a scene background by using texture of scenes in the input original video and estimating any missing portion; rendering a Dynamic 3D Scene by using depth information of foreground objects in the input original video and the scene background to create a three-dimensional scene and overlaying the animated moving object cutouts on to the three-dimensional scene according to their respective longitude, latitude, and depth locations in the three-dimensional scene; and synthesizing the summary video, by using the Dynamic 3D Scene. |
| US08719686B2 |
Probability-based multi-level LDPC decoder
Various embodiments of the present invention are related to methods and apparatuses for decoding data, and more particularly to methods and apparatuses for probability-based multi-level LDPC decoding. For example, in one embodiment an apparatus includes a horizontal updater in a low density parity check decoder operable to iteratively perform row processing to update probabilities of multi-level symbol values, a vertical updater in the low density parity check decoder operable to iteratively perform column processing to update the probabilities of the multi-level symbol values, and a check sum calculation circuit operable to calculate total soft values for the multi-level symbol values. |
| US08719685B2 |
Magnetic disc controller and method
An apparatus includes, in at least one aspect, a plurality of buffers and circuitry configured to store encoded data in one buffer of the plurality of buffers concurrently with storing other data in another buffer of the plurality of buffers and to write the stored encoded data from the one buffer to a storage device concurrently with storing encoded other data in the other buffer, replacing the stored other data in the other buffer. |
| US08719684B2 |
Guard interval signaling for data symbol number determination
Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communications and, more particularly, to techniques for accurately determining a number of data symbols in a data packet. The techniques provided herein may allow a receiving terminal to correct number of symbol calculations based on such ambiguous length field values. |
| US08719681B2 |
Diagnostic tool for metrology errors caused by communication activities
Described herein are embodiments of methods and systems for detecting communications of a first meter board by a second meter board and correlating the time and duration of the communications with metrology data gathered during that time. In accordance with one aspect, a method is provided for diagnosing metrology errors caused by communication activities of a meter board. In one embodiment, the method includes: receiving a signal, wherein the signal indicates a presence of communication activities between a first processor of a meter and another device over a network; recording a time of receipt and duration of the communication activities between the first processor of the meter and another device over the network; and correlating the time and duration of the communication activities between the first processor of the meter and another device over the network with metrology data of the meter measured at the same time and duration. |
| US08719679B2 |
Transmission apparatus reception apparatus and communication system
To improve performance of a decoder even in a system with the coder configuration determined by inserting a doping bit sequence known between a transmission apparatus and a reception apparatus in an information bit sequence to transmit, the transmission apparatus is a transmission apparatus that transmits radio signals to the reception apparatus, and is provided with a doping section 23 that inserts a doping bit sequence which is known between the transmission apparatus and the reception apparatus in an information bit sequence to transmit to the reception apparatus, coding sections 11a, 11b that perform error-correcting coding on a bit sequence with the doping bit sequence inserted therein, a puncturing section that performs puncturing on a bit sequence subjected to the error-correcting coding, and a wireless transmission section 24 that transmits a bit sequence subjected to the puncturing. |
| US08719673B2 |
Mitigation of transmission errors of quantized channel state information feedback in multi antenna systems
Methods are disclosed for improving communications on feedback transmission channels, in which there is a possibility of bit errors. The basic solutions to counter those errors are: proper design of the CSI vector quantizer indexing (i.e., the bit representation of centroid indices) in order to minimize impact of index errors, use of error detection techniques to expurgate the erroneous indices and use of other methods to recover correct indices. |
| US08719667B2 |
Method for adding redundancy data to a distributed data storage system and corresponding device
The invention proposes a method and device for adding redundancy data in a distributed data storage system. Among others, the invention allows to keep impact on network resources low through the use of coordinated regenerating codes according to the invention. |
| US08719660B2 |
Apparatus and methods for indicating the health of removable storage devices
Disclosed are apparatus and techniques for indicating health of a memory system having a controller and nonvolatile memory array. In one embodiment, the invention pertains to a method for indicating health of a removable memory system that is removably coupled with a host device. After the memory system is coupled with a host device, a first health status is output via an external electrical or mechanical interface of the memory system. One or more health metrics of the memory system are monitored. After a first predefined limit is reached with respect to the one or more health metrics, a second health status is output via the external electrical or mechanical interface of the memory system. The first health status differs from the second health status. |
| US08719658B2 |
Accessing memory during parallel turbo decoding
A method for accessing extrinsic information in a turbo decoder is disclosed. Operation phases for Forward State Metric Calculators (FSMCs) and Reverse State Metric Calculators (RSMCs) in multiple maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) decoders are misaligned differently based on whether a current half iteration is even or odd. First extrinsic information is read from a memory into the FSMCs and RSMCs using the misaligned operation phases. Second extrinsic information is determined using the MAP decoders. Each row of the second extrinsic information is stored to a different bank in the memory using the misaligned operation phases. |
| US08719657B2 |
Hybrid codec apparatus and method for data transferring
In a hybrid codec apparatus for data broadcasting, an encoder divides a source file into N sections, generates N principal encoded data after coding on a first finite field and k additional encoded data after coding on a second finite field, then transmits a group of coefficient encoded data and the N+k encoded data to a decoder. The decoder merges the group of coefficient encoded data and the N+k encoded data, and decodes the N principal encoded data on the first finite field. When the decoder fails to decode the N principal encoded data, the decoder uses the k additional encoded data to assist the data decoding on the second finite field. After the decoding, a recovered source file is produced. |
| US08719655B2 |
Method and device for communicating data across noisy media
A method includes defining a model matrix of size (n−k)×n, where n and k are positive integers, and where the model matrix includes a first sub-matrix corresponding to positions of data bits and a second sub-matrix corresponding to positions of parity bits. The second sub-matrix includes a multi-diagonal matrix with a triple diagonal structure. The triple diagonal structure includes a first and second central diagonals and a last row diagonal. Bits of the first and second central diagonal and the last row diagonal are equal to 1 and a remainder of bits in the multi-diagonal matrix are equal to 0. The method further includes: generating a compact matrix based on the model matrix; generating a parity matrix based on the compact matrix; determining the parity bits based on the parity matrix; and transmitting a codeword, based on the parity bits, over a channel and between communication devices. |
| US08719652B2 |
Flash storage device with read disturb mitigation
A method for managing a flash storage device includes initiating a read request and reading requested data from a first storage block of a plurality of storage blocks in the flash storage device based on the read request. The method further includes incrementing a read count for the first storage block and moving the data in the first storage block to an available storage block of the plurality of storage blocks when the read count reaches a first threshold value. |
| US08719650B2 |
Self-diagnosis system and test circuit determination method
Provided are a self-diagnosis system and a test circuit determination method that are capable of determining normality of a test circuit which diagnoses a test target circuit. A self-diagnosis system according to an aspect of the present invention includes a test circuit including first and second diagnosis controllers which determine normality of a test target circuit by using an execution result of a test pattern in the test target circuit; and a test circuit determination unit which determines normality of the test circuit by comparing a normality determination result of the test target circuit output from the first diagnosis controller with a normal determination result of the test target circuit output from the second diagnosis controller. |
| US08719648B2 |
Interleaving of memory repair data compression and fuse programming operations in single fusebay architecture
An approach for interleaving memory repair data compression and fuse programming operations in a single fusebay architecture is described. In one embodiment, the single fusebay architecture includes a multiple of pages that are used with a partitioning and interleaving approach to handling memory repair data compression and fuse programming operations. In particular, for each page in the single fusebay architecture, a memory repair data compression operation is performed on memory repair data followed by a fuse programming operation performed on the compressed memory repair data. |
| US08719647B2 |
Read bias management to reduce read errors for phase change memory
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to a memory device, and more particularly to read performance of phase change memory. During a reading process, a bias condition can be applied to a memory cell to determine the memory cell's state. The determined state of the memory cell can depend on a threshold voltage of the memory cell. The threshold voltage of the memory cell may shift over time. The shift in threshold voltage may result in read errors. The applied bias condition may be modified based on the resulting read errors. |
| US08719645B2 |
Runtime dynamic performance skew elimination
For runtime dynamic performance skew elimination in a computer environment, an exemplary computer environment is configured for calculating a rank heats by utilizing a plurality of fine-grained statistics collected at an extent granularity, including considering bandwidth (BW) and input/outputs per second (IOPS) metrics. An adaptive data placement plan is generated to relocate the data. |
| US08719644B2 |
Method and system for diagnosing apparatus
A method and a system for diagnosing an apparatus are provided. The method for diagnosing the apparatus includes: determining whether the apparatus is to enter a diagnostic mode after a system is started; performing a diagnosis of the apparatus by executing a diagnostic proge apparatus is determined to enter the diagnostic mode; and performing a normal BIOS or EFI startup when the apparatus is determined not to enter the diagnostic mode. An accurate diagnosis of the apparatus can be realized by firstly determining whether the apparatus is to enter a diagnostic mode after a system is started, if yes, then the apparatus entering the diagnostic mode, and if not, then the apparatus performing a normal BIOS or EFI startup. Moreover, in case of a memory or PCI/PCIE bus error in the apparatus, since the diagnostic program is loaded prior to the BIOS startup, the fault can be diagnosed. |
| US08719640B2 |
Mouse motion trajectory testing system
A mouse motion trajectory testing system includes a testing fixture and an electronic calculator connected to the testing fixture. The testing fixture includes a testing base, a rotatable member under the testing base, and a controlling unit. The testing base is used for fixing the tested mouse thereon. The controlling unit is used for driving the rotatable member to be rotated for a preset number of revolutions at a preset speed, so that the tested mouse generates a motion signal. The electronic calculator has testing program for receiving the motion signal from the tested mouse, thereby judging whether the tested mouse is qualified or not. |
| US08719636B2 |
Apparatus method, and storage medium for fault cause extraction utilizing performance values
Performance information which is a possible generation cause of a fault is extracted accurately.A fault cause extraction apparatus 10 includes a storage unit 12 and a correlation-destruction-propagation detecting unit 25. Here, the storage unit 12 stores a correlation model including one or more correlation functions, each of which is generated based on a time series of performance information including a plurality of types of performance values in a system and transforms a performance value for one of the types being an input to a performance value for another one of the types being an output. The correlation-destruction-propagation detecting unit 25 calculates a degree of influence of a performance value for a base point that is one of the types upon the system, based on the number of base point propagation functions, the base point propagation functions being the correlation functions used to transform a performance value for the base point to a performance value for one of other the types being transformable from the base point directly or indirectly and not being input of the correlation function. |
| US08719634B2 |
System health and performance care of computing devices
A system and computer program product for system care for a computing device. In one embodiment, a process includes analyzing one or more software and hardware components of the computing device by a system care program of the computing device, analyzing system health of the computing device based on the one or more software and hardware components based on at least one of status and settings of the one or more software and hardware components, and analyzing performance of the computing device based on the one or more software and hardware components based on signature profiles of the one or more software and hardware components The process may also include determining one or more solutions for the computing device by the system care program based on the system health and performance of the computing device, and displaying a report including the one or more solutions. |
| US08719632B2 |
Implementing enhanced EPO protection for indirection data
A method and a storage system are provided for implementing indirection tables for persistent media or disk drives with enhanced emergency power outage (EPO) protection for the indirection data, such as shingled perpendicular magnetic recording (SMR) indirection tables. Chaining of indirection data is provided with one block pointing to another block of the indirection data stored to disk or flash memory. An EPO-safe buffer is used to store a metadata entry responsive to completing each host write command. Each metadata entry is added to a metadata block, a pointer is stored in the EPO-safe buffer to a current metadata block and a previous metadata block. For a next EPO-safe buffer update entries are removed for the previous metadata block, keeping the last two metadata pointers and last metadata block. |
| US08719630B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring interrupts during a power down event at a processor
In a particular embodiment, a method of monitoring interrupts during a power down event at a processor includes activating an interrupt monitor to detect interrupts. The method also includes isolating an interrupt controller of the processor from the interrupt monitor, where the interrupt controller shares a power domain with the processor. The method also includes detecting interrupts at the interrupt monitor during a power down time period associated with the power down event. |
| US08719628B2 |
Multi-core system, method of controlling multi-core system, and multiprocessor
A multi-core system 1 according to the present invention includes a plurality of OSs: OS[1] 110 and OS[2] 120 set as a main system and a standby system for a sound reproducing function. The standby-system OS[1] 110 sets a timer 17 according to a DMA transfer completion interruption request to detect a failure of the main-system OS[2] 120 according to detection of timeout by the timer 17. Upon detection of a failure of the main-system OS[2] 120, the standby-system OS[1] 110 is switched as the main-system OS[2] 120 to operate a device driver 114 on a side of the standby-system OS[1] 110, thereby continuously executing audio mixing processing of audio data and DMA transfer request processing. |
| US08719623B2 |
Optimized placement of virtual machines in a network environment
Systems and methods for reducing risk of service interruptions for one or more virtual machines (VMs) in a computing environment are provided. The method comprises computing a placement scheme for placing at least one VM on one or more hosts according to a set of placement constraints defined for the VM, wherein the set of placement constraints comprises at least one availability constraint defined for the VM, wherein the availability constraint designates a N resiliency level, wherein N corresponds to number of host failures that may occur before the services provided by the VM are interrupted. |
| US08719622B2 |
Recording and preventing crash in an appliance
A computer implemented method for recording a crash in an appliance is provided. The method includes the following steps: running a core process to perform a transaction, which will make the core process undergo at least one state sequentially, wherein each state includes at least one call stack; executing a supervisor process to generate a state record, to sequentially record all undergone states of the core process in the transaction; in response to a crash of the core process in the transaction, generating a fault record to record all call stacks in a latest state of the core process; generating a crash report according to the state record and the fault record. |
| US08719618B2 |
Dynamic cache correction mechanism to allow constant access to addressable index
A technique is provided for a cache. A cache controller accesses a set in a congruence class and determines that the set contains corrupted data based on an error being found. The cache controller determines that a delete parameter for taking the set offline is met and determines that a number of currently offline sets in the congruence class is higher than an allowable offline number threshold. The cache controller determines not to take the set in which the error was found offline based on determining that the number of currently offline sets in the congruence class is higher than the allowable offline number threshold. |
| US08719617B2 |
Method and device for realizing IP multimedia subsystem disaster tolerance
A method for realizing an Internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) disaster tolerance includes the steps as follows. An S-CSCF receives a user registration, and backs up necessary data which is required when a user service processing is restored on a storage entity in a network. An I-CSCF of user's home domain receives a service request of the user, and if it is found that the S-CSCF currently providing a service for the user fails, assigns a new S-CSCF to the user, and forwards the service request to the newly assigned S-CSCF. The newly assigned S-CSCF interrogates and acquires subscription data of the user and the necessary data backed up by the original S-CSCF from the storage entity, and then restores the user service processing according to the subscription data and the backup data. A device for realizing an IMS disaster tolerance is also provided. |
| US08719614B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating a timing signal
An apparatus is provided for generating a timing signal having an input for receiving a first signal indicating successive time intervals, means for receiving a second signal indicating successive time intervals, and a generator adapted to generate a timing signal based on the second signal and on a relationship between one or more time intervals of the first signal and one or more time intervals of the second signal. This arrangement enables a timing signal to be generated using a time signal produced by a source or device and to be based on a time signal produced by another source or device. |
| US08719607B2 |
Advanced Pstate structure with frequency computation
A mechanism for power management of processors using Pstates is provided. In a chiplet of a processor in a data processing system, a request is received to change a Pstate from a current Pstate to a requested Pstate. A determination is made as to whether the requested Pstate is less than or equal to a maximum Pstate. Responsive to the requested Pstate being less than or equal to the maximum Pstate, a frequency associated with the requested Pstate is computed thereby forming a computed frequency. An operating frequency of the chiplet is then adjusted to the computed frequency without involvement from a central power control entity. |
| US08719605B2 |
Method for detecting a trigger to a program not actively being reviewed by the user and performing a power saving action without placing the device as a whole into a sleep state
A trigger can relate to power usage of a computing device that a computer program to be run or running on the computing device causes. Detection of the trigger causes performance of a power-saving action. The power-saving action relates to the computer program to reduce the power usage of the computing device. The power-saving action is a strictly software-oriented action. An amount of power of the computing device used in detecting the trigger and performing the power-saving action is less than a reduction of the power usage of the computing device that results from performing the power-saving action, resulting in a net power usage reduction. |
| US08719603B2 |
Accessory device authentication
Accessory device authentication techniques are described. In one or more embodiments, connection of an accessory device to a host computing device is detected. Responsive to the detection, an authentication sequence may occur to verify an identity and/or capabilities of the accessory device. Upon successful authentication of the accessory device, the host device may authorize the accessory device for power exchange interactions with the host device. The host device may then draw supplemental power from a power source associated with the authorized accessory device, such as a battery or power adapter. The host device may also enable the accessory device to obtain and use power supplied by the host device in some scenarios. Power exchange between a host device and an authorized accessory may be managed in accordance with capabilities of the accessory device that are identified during authentication. |
| US08719602B1 |
Enabling system-wide power user options
A computing device, such as a mobile communication device, is provided that enables a user to adjust a power user setting indicative of the user's experience level and/or automatically adjusts the power user setting in response to predetermined conditions. The power user setting may then be provided to or retrieved by applications to adjust the operating mode of the application based on user experience or by web servers to vary content delivery based on user experience. |
| US08719601B2 |
Dynamic remaining maximum power allocation to secondary port while staying within optimal efficiency range of power supply
Methods and apparatus for dynamically adjusting the amount of power (or current) distributed to one or more connected devices via electrical interfaces. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a first module adapted to detect current drawn by a first set of ports, and a second module adapted to adjust the current provided to a second set of ports based on the detected current. The second module is also optionally adapted to distribute unreserved current among the devices according to an allocation protocol. In the exemplary context of a plurality of interconnected serial bus devices, the invention enables a device to draw more current than that required to be reserved for that device (such as to comply with a specification such as USB), yet without increasing the total amount of power which must be dedicated to the serial ports as a whole. Power supply efficiency may also be advantageously optimized. |
| US08719599B2 |
Monitoring subsystem power
A method for monitoring subsystem power includes, with a power control system of an electronic device, receiving energy usage data from one of a plurality of subsystems within the electronic device, with the power control system, maintaining energy usage data for the plurality of subsystems within the electronic device, and with the power control system, providing integrated energy usage data to one of the plurality of subsystems. |
| US08719598B2 |
Power OK distribution for multi-voltage chips
A method and apparatus for powering up an integrated circuit (IC). An IC includes a plurality of power domains each coupled to receive power from one of a plurality of power sources. Each power domain includes a power-sensing unit. A power-sensing unit in a first one of the plurality of power domains is coupled to receive a first power ok signal from an upstream power domain, and is configured to assert a second power ok signal to be provided to a second power domain. A power-sensing unit in the second power domain is coupled to detect the presence of voltage in the first power domain, and to receive the first power ok signal. When the power-sensing unit in the second power domain has both sensed the presence of power in the first power domain and received the second power ok signal, a third power ok signal is asserted. |
| US08719597B2 |
Power control system, power control method, and computer system thereof
A power control system, a power control method, and a computer system thereof are disclosed. The power control system comprises a control module for receiving a control signal. A power management module is used for receiving a power signal and outputting an auxiliary power. A first switch module receives the control signal and controls the power management module to output the auxiliary power to the control module by the control signal. A second switch module controls the first switch module. After receiving the control signal, the control module determines whether the control signal is continuously received until a predetermined time. If yes, the control module controls the first switch module to transmit the auxiliary power continuously with the second switch module and receives the power signal to execute a boot procedure. |
| US08719594B2 |
Storage availability using cryptographic splitting
Methods and systems for maintaining data connectivity in a secure data storage network are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes assigning a volume to a primary secure storage appliance located in a secure data storage network the primary secure storage appliance selected from among a plurality of secure storage appliances located in the secure data storage network, the volume presented as a virtual disk to a client device and mapped to physical storage at each of a plurality of storage systems. The method further includes detecting at one of the plurality of secure storage appliances a failure of the primary secure storage appliance. The method also includes, upon detecting the failure of the primary secure storage appliance, reassigning the volume to a second secure storage appliance from among the plurality of secure storage appliances, thereby rendering the second secure storage appliance a new primary secure storage appliance. |
| US08719588B2 |
Memory address obfuscation
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to provide, to a memory device, an obfuscated clear-page address derived from a clear-page address that is not the same as a key-page address and/or providing, to the memory device, an obfuscated key-page address derived from the key-page address when the obfuscated clear-page address is the same as the key-page address. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US08719587B2 |
Computer implemented method for generating a pseudonym, computer readable storage medium and computer system
The invention relates to a computer implemented method for generating a pseudonym for a user comprising entering a user-selected secret, storing the user-selected secret in memory, computing a private key by applying an embedding and randomizing function onto the secret, storing the private key in the memory, computing a public key using the private key, the public key and the private key forming an asymmetric cryptographic key, erasing the secret and the private key from the memory, and outputting the public key for providing the pseudonym. |
| US08719584B2 |
Mobile, wireless hand-held biometric capture, processing and communication system and method for biometric identification
A mobile, wireless biometric identification system includes a biometric capture device, associated software and processes which enable a commercially available wireless communication device, such as a smartphone, using a commercially established wireless communication networks, to capture a digital image of a human biometric (iris, fingerprint, etc.) for transmission via a secure connection to a central server. The capture device is designed to focus on the difficult task of capturing the highest possible quality image for encoding and comparison, while the overall system is designed to leverage the existing cellular communication network. At the server level, the server system receives the image, encodes the image to a biometric template, and compares the encoded template to a plurality of reference templates stored in a database to identify the individual. Identification data is then transmitted back to the smartphone device and displayed. |
| US08719579B2 |
Handling receipts in cross component message processing
By automatically obtaining the entirety of a received message to be included, an outgoing message that includes the received message can be processed in a manner that securely and accurately represents the intended outgoing message. Alternatively, a server can assemble a composite message from a new message and an original message and, in cooperation with a wireless messaging device, sign the composite message. In both the above contexts, handling message receipts when message processing ahead of message transmission involved more than one component may be facilitated by storing appropriate expected receipt content during the message processing, either on the device or the server. Validation of the receipt can then be accomplished through use of the stored expected receipt content in a manner that retains the benefits of message processing ahead of message transmission that involves more than one component. |
| US08719573B2 |
Secure peer discovery and authentication using a shared secret
During a security technique, an electronic device determines a name by a applying a function to a shared secret, which is shared between a user and another user. This name is advertised in a network. After discovery by another electronic device (which is associated with the other user), the electronic device generates a first encrypted message from an unencrypted message using a cryptographic key. The electronic device provides the first encrypted message to the other electronic device, and receives a second encrypted message from the other electronic device. Using the cryptographic key, the electronic device decrypts the second encrypted message. Moreover, the electronic device receives confirmation that the other electronic device was able to decrypt the first encrypted message, thereby authenticating that the secure connection has been established. |
| US08719571B2 |
Systems and methods for providing secure multicast intra-cluster communication
Systems and methods which facilitate secure multicast communications between any valid node of a cluster using authentication between a node joining the cluster and any single node which is validly part of the cluster are disclosed. In accordance with embodiments, a cluster key is utilized to provide security with respect to intra-cluster communications. The cluster key of embodiments is shared by a node which is already part of the cluster with a node joining the cluster only after these two nodes mutually authenticate one another. The mutual authentication handshake of embodiments implements a protocol in which a session key is calculated by both nodes, thereby providing a secure means by which a cluster key may be shared. Having the cluster key, each node of the cluster is enabled to securely communicate with any other node of the cluster, whether individually (e.g., unicast) or collectively (e.g., multicast), according to embodiments. |
| US08719570B2 |
Mobile terminal for secure electronic transactions and secure electronic transaction system
The present invention relates to a roaming electronic transaction terminal. It also relates to a secure system for electronic transactions comprising one or more roaming terminals. The terminal (1) has an application package support (2) and a coupler (3) for carrying out the read and write operations on a medium that are required for the electronic transactions in conjunction with the application package. The coupler (3) comprises means for creating a write time window and a read time window on the basis of a secure input signal, all writing and all reading being disabled outside of the corresponding windows. The invention applies notably for the securing of terminals carrying out checks and contractual transactions on supports equipped with processors and memories, it being possible for these supports to be through contactless read and write cards comprising for example transport entitlements, payment means or any other entitlements to be turned to account. |
| US08719558B2 |
Distinguishing circuit
A distinguishing circuit includes first to fifth resistors, a front panel connector, and a jumper. The front panel connector includes first to tenth pins. When the ninth pin is connected to the tenth pin through the jumper, a BIOS (Basic Input Output System) chip will determine whether a computer system is a first type. When the eighth pin is connected to the tenth pin through the jumper, the BIOS chip will determine whether the computer system is a second type. |
| US08719555B2 |
Method for overcoming livelock in a multi-threaded system
A microprocessor pipeline arrangement 1 includes a plurality of functional units P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN. A number of the functional units P1, P3, PN have access to a respective cache memory C1, C3, CN from which it can retrieve data needed to process threads that pass through the pipeline. The pipeline arrangement 1 also includes a number of monitors to determine when the system enters a state of livelock (e.g. inter-cache livelocks, intra-cache livelocks and/or “near-livelock” situations): a top-level monitor MT to detect livelock situations in the pipeline as a whole; and second-level (“local”) monitors M1 and M3 associated with individual caches C1 and C3.If the system is determined to have entered a livelock state, e.g. by the top-level monitor MT, the number of threads able to change the contents of one or more of the caches C1, C3, CN is reduced. |
| US08719553B2 |
Method for re-circulating a fragment through a rendering pipeline
A microprocessor pipeline arrangement 1 includes a plurality of functional units 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Each functional unit 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 also has access to a respective cache memory 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Threads for processing are received by the first functional unit 2 from an external source 12, and output by an end functional unit 6 of the pipeline to an output target 13. If a thread encounters a cache-miss on its passage through the pipeline, the thread is allowed to continue to pass through the pipeline in the normal manner. However, when the thread reaches the end of the pipeline, it is sent via a loopback path 14 back to the beginning of the pipeline to be sent through the pipeline again. In this way, any thread that has not completed its processing on passing through the pipeline can be sent through the pipeline again to allow the processing of the thread to be completed. |
| US08719551B2 |
Processor with arbiter sending simultaneously requested instructions from processing elements in SIMD / MIMD modes
The present invention provides an information processing apparatus and an integrated circuit which realize parallel execution of different processing systems, and which do not require the provision of a dedicated memory storing instructions for common processing The information processing apparatus comprises: a plurality of processor elements; an instruction memory storing a first program and a second program; and an arbiter interposed between the processor elements and the instruction memory, the arbiter receiving, from each of the processor elements, a request for an instruction, from among instructions included in the first program and the second program, and controlling access to the instruction memory by the processor elements, wherein the arbiter arbitrates requests made by the processor elements when the requests are (i) simultaneous requests for different instructions included in one of the first program and the second program or (ii) simultaneous requests for an instruction included in the first program and an instruction included in the second program, and when two or more of the processor elements simultaneously request a same instruction included in one of the first program and the second program, the arbiter, when judging that the instruction memory is available to the two or more processor elements, outputs the same instruction to the two or more processor elements. |
| US08719550B2 |
Reconfigurable processing system including synchronized postprocessing
Source code to be processed is analyzed and configuration data in implementing in accordance with each of plural implementation systems is created and is stored in a local memory of a DRP incorporating system. When execution of target processing is started, the implementation system determination processing calculates estimated processing time when the configuration of each of the implementation systems is adopted and determines the optimum one of the implementation systems based on a combination of the estimated processing time and the circuit scale of the configuration. |
| US08719547B2 |
Providing hardware support for shared virtual memory between local and remote physical memory
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a memory management unit (MMU) having entries to store virtual address to physical address translations, where each entry includes a location indicator to indicate whether a memory location for the corresponding entry is present in a local or remote memory. In this way, a common virtual memory space can be shared between the two memories, which may be separated by one or more non-coherent links. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08719546B2 |
Substitute virtualized-memory page tables
Embodiments of techniques and systems for using substitute virtualized-memory page tables are described. In embodiments, a virtual machine monitor (VMM) may determine that a virtualized memory access to be performed by an instruction executing on a guest software virtual machine is not allowed in accordance with a current virtualized-memory page table (VMPT). The VMM may select a substitute VMPT that permits the virtualized memory access, In scenarios where a data access length for the instruction is known, the substitute VMPT may include full execute, read, and write permissions for the entire guest software address space. In scenarios where a data access length for the instruction is not known, the substitute VMPT may include less than full execute, read, and write permissions for the entire guest software address space, and may be modified to allow the requested virtualized memory access. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08719540B1 |
Fractal layout of data blocks across multiple devices
A system, method, and computer-readable storage medium for mapping block numbers within a region to physical locations within a storage system. Block numbers are mapped within a region according to a fractal-based space-filling curve. If the region is not a 2k by 2k square, then the region is broken up into one or more 2k by 2k squares. Any remaining sub-region is centered within a 2k by 2k square, the 2k by 2k square is numbered using a fractal-based space-filling curve, and then the sub-region is renumbered by assigning numbers based on the order of the original block numbers of the sub-region. |
| US08719539B2 |
Using heuristics for field types of a structure to categorize dynamic memory allocations
A programming and debugging system determines a block of dynamically allocated memory in an inferior process memory space corresponds to a structure and casts the block of memory as an instance of the structure. The programming and debugging system determines a field type of a field in the instance of the structure and determines whether memory data pertaining to the block of dynamically allocated memory satisfies one or more criteria in heuristics data associated with the field type. The programming and debugging system categorizes the block of dynamically allocated memory based on the determination of whether the memory data satisfies the one or more criteria of the field type. |
| US08719531B2 |
System and method for performing data retention that incorporates environmental conditions
A solid-state storage system is described with a method for adjusting the frequency of data retention operations. The data retention operation frequency can be increased or decreased according to a variety of environmental factors such as error code frequency, system temperature, altitude, and other operating conditions. These factors can indicate an increased or decreased risk of failure and accordingly provide increased or decreased rates of data retention operations. |
| US08719527B2 |
Increasing memory capacity in power-constrained systems
A method for increasing a capacity of a memory is provided in the illustrative embodiments. Using an application executing using a processor wherein the memory includes a set of ranks, the memory is configured to form a cold tier and a hot tier, the cold tier including a first subset of ranks from the set of ranks in the memory, and the hot tier including a second subset of ranks from the set of ranks in the memory. A determination is made whether a page to which a memory access request is directed is located in the cold tier in the memory. In response to the page being located in the cold tier of the memory, the processing of the memory access request is throttled by processing the memory access request with a delay. |
| US08719526B2 |
System and method for partitioning multiple logical memory regions with access control by a central control agent
A method for securely handling processing of information may include controlling from within a chip, access to at least one portion of an on-chip memory by a plurality of on-chip clients that have pre-determined access to the at least one portion of the on-chip memory. The pre-determined access may be governed by pre-determined access rules that are hard-coded within the chip. At least one of the plurality of on-chip clients may access at least a portion of the on-chip memory. The on-chip memory may be accessible by at least another one of the plurality of on-chip clients. The pre-determined access rules may comprise at least one address range within the on-chip memory corresponding to at least one of the plurality of on-chip clients. |
| US08719516B2 |
Memory having internal processors and methods of controlling memory access
Memories having internal processors and methods of data communication within such memories are provided. One such memory may include a fetch unit configured to substantially control performing commands on a memory array based on the availability of banks to be accessed. The fetch unit may receive instructions including commands indicating whether data is to be read from or written to a bank, and the address of the data to be read from or written to the bank. The fetch unit may perform the commands based on the availability of the bank. In one embodiment, control logic communicates with the fetch unit when an activated bank is available. In another implementation, the fetch unit may wait for a bank to become available based on timers set to when a previous command in the activated bank has been performed. |
| US08719508B2 |
Near neighbor data cache sharing
Parallel computing environments, where threads executing in neighboring processors may access the same set of data, may be designed and configured to share one or more levels of cache memory. Before a processor forwards a request for data to a higher level of cache memory following a cache miss, the processor may determine whether a neighboring processor has the data stored in a local cache memory. If so, the processor may forward the request to the neighboring processor to retrieve the data. Because access to the cache memories for the two processors is shared, the effective size of the memory is increased. This may advantageously decrease cache misses for each level of shared cache memory without increasing the individual size of the caches on the processor chip. |
| US08719507B2 |
Near neighbor data cache sharing
Parallel computing environments, where threads executing in neighboring processors may access the same set of data, may be designed and configured to share one or more levels of cache memory. Before a processor forwards a request for data to a higher level of cache memory following a cache miss, the processor may determine whether a neighboring processor has the data stored in a local cache memory. If so, the processor may forward the request to the neighboring processor to retrieve the data. Because access to the cache memories for the two processors is shared, the effective size of the memory is increased. This may advantageously decrease cache misses for each level of shared cache memory without increasing the individual size of the caches on the processor chip. |
| US08719505B2 |
Method for increasing cache size
A method for increasing storage space in a system containing a block data storage device, a memory, and a processor is provided. Generally, the processor is configured by the memory to tag metadata of a data block of the block storage device indicating the block as free, used, or semifree. The free tag indicates the data block is available to the system for storing data when needed, the used tag indicates the data block contains application data, and the semifree tag indicates the data block contains cache data and is available to the system for storing application data type if no blocks marked with the free tag are available to the system. |
| US08719503B2 |
Configurable cache and method to configure same
A method includes receiving an address at a tag state array of a cache. The cache is configurable to have a first size or a second size that is larger than the first size. The method includes identifying a first portion of the address as a set index and using the set index to locate at least one tag field of the tag state array. The method also includes identifying a second portion of the address to compare to a value stored at the at least one tag field and locating at least one state field of the tag state array associated with a particular tag field that matches the second portion. The method further includes identifying a cache line based on a comparison of a third portion of the address to at least two status bits of the at least one state field and retrieving the cache line. |
| US08719493B2 |
Memory controller-independent memory sparing
An information handling system (IHS) includes a memory controller, a memory device, and firmware. A failing memory region and a spare memory region are included on the memory device. A memory buffer in the memory device is coupled to the failing memory region and the spare memory region. The memory buffer is operable to perform copy operations without instruction from the memory controller in order to copy data from the failing memory region to the spare memory region in response to firmware operations performed by the firmware. Firmware operations may include instructing the memory controller to produce additional refresh or calibration operation time periods, or providing an instruction to perform a data transfer operation to the spare memory region. The memory buffer is also operable to route requests from the memory controller to one of the failing memory region and the spare memory region during the copy operations. |
| US08719490B2 |
Storage array, storage system, and data access method
A storage array, a storage system, and a data access method. A data access method of a storage device includes: transferring data input from a user interface chip to a non-volatile storage device through a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIE) link, where the user interface chip and the non-volatile storage device are connected to the PCIE link, and the non-volatile storage device includes a memory and a non-volatile storage medium; writing the data to the memory of the non-volatile storage device; and writing the data written in the memory of the non-volatile storage device to the non-volatile storage medium. The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure are advantageous for reducing occupation of PCIE links due to data access and improving system performance. |
| US08719488B2 |
Efficient mapping of data blocks in a flash cache
A storage device made up of multiple storage media is configured such that a flash memory serves as a cache for data stored on a backend storage device having one or more magnetic storage media. The storage device includes a controller configured to maintain a direct mapping from respective backend block addresses of the backend storage device to respective physical addresses of the flash memory. Such mapping is used to translate a backend block address of the backend storage device at which a first block is stored into a physical address of the flash memory at which the first block is cached. |
| US08719483B2 |
Multi-root PCI express switch, boot method thereof, and multi-root PCI manager program
Provided is an MRA (multi-root aware) PCI express switch accommodating a plurality of root complexes. The MRA PCI express switch includes: a setting register storing necessary information to set a PCI tree based on a switch connection topology and a physical connection state; and a virtual switch bridge controller storing necessary information to establish a virtual PCI tree, irrespective of a status of the setting register. The root complexes can be booted based on the information in the virtual switch bridge controller. |
| US08719481B2 |
Method and arrangement for streaming data profiling
A circuit arrangement includes a plurality of functional units each of which comprises a plurality of data processing modules and a local controller. The plurality of data processing modules run a common system clock and are connected by a streaming data bus running a handshake-type streaming data transfer protocol. A profiling module of the circuit arrangement assesses control signals tapped at predefined interfaces of the streaming data bus during real time operation, for determining link performance and communication patterns for profiling and debugging purposes, and hence constitutes a simple and low cost approach for assessing intra-component and inter-component link performance and communication patterns on large SoCs. A method for profiling data flow for use in such a circuit arrangement is also provided. |
| US08719478B2 |
Deadlock prevention
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media with executable instructions stored thereon for preventing deadlocks are provided. An inter-device mutex (IDM) can be locked for a first client. An error message can be sent to a second client in response to a received first lock command from the second client while the IDM is locked for the first client. A number of second lock commands from the second client while the IDM is locked for the first client can be received. The IDM can be unlocked for the first client in response to an unlock command received from the first client. The IDM can be locked for the second client in response to a received third lock command from the second client, wherein the third lock command is received subsequent to unlocking the IDM for the first client. |
| US08719476B2 |
Communication system, master device and slave device, and communication method, configured to handle plural concurrent requests
A communication system includes a master device and slave devices. Each slave device includes a request signal generation part configured to, when data to transmit is generated, generate a request signal indicating a transmission request to a master device; and a transmission part configured to transmit the request signal to the master device. The master device includes a request signal reception part configured to receive the request signals from the slave devices; a selection part acting configured to select one of the slave devices according to the request signals received by the reception part; a transmission part configured to transmit a signal indicating to allow data transmission to the slave device selected by the selection part; and a data reception part configured to receive data from the selected slave device. |
| US08719475B2 |
Method and system for utilizing low power superspeed inter-chip (LP-SSIC) communications
Inter-chip connectivity may be provided in a computing device, which may comprise a USB host and at and at least one USB device embedded within the computing device, based on Universal Serial Bus version 3.0 (USB3.0) interface. In this regard, internal communication of data between the USB host and embedded USB device may be performed via USB3.0 SuperSpeed signals. The USB host and/or the USB3.0 interface may be configured to enable USB3.0 internal communication of data, and to reduce power consumption during the internal communication of data compared to external USB3.0 communications. Configuration of the USB3.0 interface for internal communication of data may comprises modifying and/or adjusting physical (PHY) layer, link layer, and/or protocol layer related parameters, functions, resources, and/or operations. The USB3.0 SuperSpeed signals may be communication using scalable low voltage signaling (SLVS). In this regard, Input/Output (IO) Swing may be set based on loopback training sequence. |
| US08719474B2 |
Interface for communication between internal and external devices
An interface, for communication between an internal device and an external device, includes two bus lines of a bus for bidirectional data transfer and at least a first control line, by means of which a control signal can be transferred from the external device to the internal device. |
| US08719469B2 |
Alignment of instructions and replies across multiple devices in a cascaded system, using buffers of programmable depths
Buffers of programmable depths are used in the instruction and reply paths of cascaded devices to account for possible differences in latencies between the devices. The buffers may be enabled or bypassed such that the alignment of instruction and result may be performed at the boundaries between separate groups of devices having different instruction latencies. |
| US08719466B2 |
Direct data transfer for device drivers
A method for performing direct memory access includes obtaining, by a application executing on a host, a kernel address space identifier of a first driver kernel memory. The application sends the kernel address space identifier to a second device driver. The second device driver obtains, using the kernel address space identifier, a cookie structure binding the first driver kernel memory to a second device driver address space for the first driver kernel memory. The application sends a request for a direct memory access operation. The request includes a location identifier of a location storing a data object in the first driver kernel memory. Based on the cookie structure, the second device driver performs, using the location identifier, the direct memory access operation to transfer the data object from the first driver kernel memory to a second driver kernel memory. |
| US08719465B2 |
Method and apparatus for distributed direct memory access for systems on chip
A distributed direct memory access (DMA) method, apparatus, and system is provided within a system on chip (SOC). DMA controller units are distributed to various functional modules desiring direct memory access. The functional modules interface to a systems bus over which the direct memory access occurs. A global buffer memory, to which the direct memory access is desired, is coupled to the system bus. Bus arbitrators are utilized to arbitrate which functional modules have access to the system bus to perform the direct memory access. Once a functional module is selected by the bus arbitrator to have access to the system bus, it can establish a DMA routine with the global buffer memory. |
| US08719463B2 |
Processor with tightly coupled smart memory unit
An information processor includes a central processing unit core and a tightly coupled smart memory unit, the central processing unit core having a direct memory access unit. The tightly coupled smart memory unit having a memory unit coupled to the central processing unit core and a control register, and status register coupled to the central processing unit core and a local processing unit that processes data stored in the memory unit. |
| US08719462B1 |
Systems and methods for distributed log file processing
A log file processing system includes a data storage device and a processing circuit configured to retrieve log file data from the data storage device and to create a bundle including a plurality of data chunks using the log file data. The processing circuit is configured to assign the bundle to a first processing pipeline of a set of multiple processing pipelines in response to a request from the first processing pipeline. The processing circuit is configured to store a global available timestamp for the bundle upon assigning the bundle to the first processing pipeline. The global timestamp is a time threshold before which the bundle is ineligible to be assigned to any of the multiple processing pipelines. |
| US08719458B2 |
Apparatus and methods for communicating with programmable devices
A circuit arrangement includes a programmable logic device. The programmable logic device includes configuration logic circuitry. The programmable logic device also includes configurable interconnects. The circuit arrangement further includes a storage device configured to provide data to the programmable logic device. The storage device communicates with the programmable logic device via a bi-directional interface. |
| US08719453B2 |
Inter-domain context transfer using context transfer managers
A method and apparatus for improved context transfer in heterogeneous networks is presented. Context information is collected from source entities in a first access network by a context transfer manager and transmitted to a context transfer manager of a second access network which forwards the context information to target entities therein. In one of the context transfer managers at least a part of the context information is translated from a format supported in the first access network to another format supported in the second access network. The method may be carried out proactively preceding a handover or reactively following a handover. In one embodiment, context transfer within one access domain is performed directly between access routers, whereas context transfer between different access domains is performed via the context managers. In another embodiment, beacons from access points are counted in order to determine candidates for a pending handover. |
| US08719452B1 |
Correction of client-assigned timestamps
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for correcting client-assigned timestamps. In one aspect, a method includes receiving, by one or more servers, a data packet that includes (i) data referencing one or more client-side events, (ii) data referencing a respective time that a client has assigned to each event, and (iii) data referencing a transmission time that the client has assigned to the data packet. The method also includes assigning, by the one or more servers, a receipt time to the data packet, and comparing, by the one or more servers, the transmission time that the client has assigned to the data packet to the receipt time that the one or more servers have assigned to the data packet, to determine a time correction factor. |
| US08719451B1 |
System and method for on-the-fly, post-processing document object model manipulation
A method and system for on-the-fly post-processing of a Document Object Model of a Web-page server-side is disclosed herein. The present invention analyzes the Web-page and builds a Document Object Model of the Web-page on the server-side. The present invention then identifies a plurality of elements of the Document Object Model of the Web-page for manipulation, manipulates the plurality of elements of the Document Object Model of the web-page to create a Web-page with a manipulated Document Object Model, and transmits the Web-page with the manipulated Document Object Model to the client-side. |
| US08719450B2 |
Internet protocol (IP) address translation
Translation of Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) and Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) addresses is contemplated, such as for use in allowing IPv4 devices to connect with IPv6 device without requiring the IPv4 devices to specify the IPv6 address of the connected-to IPv6 device. The IPv6 addresses may be translated to IPv4 addresses suitable for use with the IPv4 devices in a manner that sufficiently compresses the IPv6 for use with the more bit limited nomenclature of an IPv4 address. |
| US08719447B2 |
Heterogeneous service provider model through pay-for-performance based transit settlements
A method and system of a heterogeneous service provider model through pay-for-performance based transit settlements are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes a plurality of Point of Presence (POP) locations between a head office and a branch office in a heterogeneous computer network configured to communicate data through a pay-per-performance peering relationship between different entities of the heterogeneous computer network. In this embodiment, the system implements a debit-credit mechanism configured to handle payments as well as penalties associated with violation of a pair-wise mutual agreement between independent for-profit entities providing network services in a segment of the heterogeneous computer network. |
| US08719446B2 |
Systems, methods, and devices for defending a network
Certain exemplary embodiments comprise a method comprising: within a backbone network: for backbone network traffic addressed to a particular target and comprising attack traffic and non-attack traffic, the attack traffic simultaneously carried by the backbone network with the non-attack traffic: redirecting at least a portion of the attack traffic to a scrubbing complex; and allowing at least a portion of the non-attack traffic to continue to the particular target without redirection to the scrubbing complex. |
| US08719438B2 |
System and methods for accelerated data storage and retrieval
Systems and methods for providing accelerated data storage and retrieval utilizing lossless data compression and decompression. A data storage accelerator includes one or a plurality of high speed data compression encoders that are configured to compress data. The compressed data is subsequently stored in a target memory or other storage device whose input data storage bandwidth is lower than the original input data stream bandwidth. Similarly, a data retrieval accelerator includes one or a plurality of high speed data decompression decoders that are configured to decompress data at a rate equivalent to or faster than the input data stream from the target memory or storage device. The decompressed data is then output at rate data that is greater than the output rate from the target memory or data storage device. |
| US08719435B2 |
Devices and methods for scheduling transmission time of media data
Disclosed are a method and device for scheduling transmission time of media data. The media data comprises a plurality of media data units. In one embodiment, the device comprises: a first determination unit configured to determine a latest time for transmitting each media data unit; a second determination unit configured to determine an earliest time for transmitting each media data unit; and a scheduling unit configured to schedule a transmission time for each media data unit by rule of: if the determined latest time for a media data unit is not less than the determined earliest time for said media data unit, the scheduling unit selects a maximal one from the determined earliest time and a predetermined transmission time for said media data unit as the transmission time, otherwise, the scheduling unit schedules the transmission time at the determined earliest time. |
| US08719433B2 |
Methods and apparatus for scalable secure remote desktop access
The invention provides scalable, secure, and easily administerable methods and systems for providing remote access to networked resources by combing aspects of physical access limitation measures with traditional computer access limitation measures. The methods and systems utilize an enrollment administration system for specifying enrollment rules, an enrollment system configured to communicate with the enrollment administration system to permit enrolling a first networked resource if permitted by specified enrollment rules, and a remote access system for granting a user remote access to the first networked resource if the user successfully enrolled the first networked resource. |
| US08719425B2 |
Method and system for messaging and communication based on groups
Systems and methods providing users with a rich web experience are disclosed. In one embodiment, a client and at least one server are in communication using a dual communication link. In another embodiment, a markup language based instant messaging application is disclosed. The instant messaging application may include group instant messaging. The instant messaging application may also provide group member persistence and message persistence at the server. In another embodiment, a card based web application is disclosed, where the card information and character may be shared with other users or within a group. The cards may also be configurable by users. |
| US08719421B2 |
Cross domain interaction of a web application
A method and system for cross domain interaction of a Web application are proposed, wherein a Web application belonging to a first domain needs to interact with a service belonging to a second domain. The method comprises: by the Web application, creating an iFrame in a webpage, wherein the iFrame is belonging to the first domain; creating a form in the iFrame; submitting the form to a Web server providing a service belonging to the second domain; and refreshing the iFrame by receiving a response from the Web server, changing the domain, to which the iFrame is belonging, to the second domain, and performing cross domain interaction with the service belonging to the second domain with the information contained in the form. |
| US08719420B2 |
Administration of access lists for femtocell service
System(s) and method(s) are provided for a femtocell account management service and access thereto. The account service management can be accessed through a broadband network and comprises two operational layers deployed within respective demarcation zones. A first layer includes a web tier that provides landing webpage and a legacy account manager that enables account management for mobility subscribers. A second layer includes an application layer associated with femtocell service, an application layer for legacy accounts, and a middleware component that provides functional connectivity application layers and backend service component. Account management service allows secure login to femtocell account and redirection amongst femtocell and legacy service components, and enables manipulation of access list(s) that regulate access to femto service. Manipulation of access list(s) includes addition, deletion, and edition of entries, which include unique identifier(s) for mobile devices and related control flags. A femtocell database retains account profile(s) that include access list(s). Access list(s) and updates thereof can be supplied to macrocell network. |
| US08719416B1 |
Multiple subparts of a uniform resource locator
A hyperlinking process identifies a uniform resource locator within content (e.g., within a web page, document, etc.). The hyperlinking process further identifies a plurality of subparts of the uniform resource locator. In this manner, each subpart represents a distinct location separately referenceable from a location referenced by the entire uniform resource locator. Additionally, the hyperlinking process receives a selection of a subpart of the uniform resource locator that identifies a selected subpart. In response to the selection of the subpart, the hyperlinking process references the distinct location associated with the selected subpart. |
| US08719415B1 |
Use of temporarily available computing nodes for dynamic scaling of a cluster
Techniques are described for managing distributed execution of programs, including by dynamically scaling a cluster of multiple computing nodes performing ongoing distributed execution of a program, such as to increase and/or decrease computing node quantity. An architecture may be used that has core nodes that each participate in a distributed storage system for the distributed program execution, and that has one or more other auxiliary nodes that do not participate in the distributed storage system. Furthermore, as part of performing the dynamic scaling of a cluster, computing nodes that are only temporarily available may be selected and used, such as computing nodes that might be removed from the cluster during the ongoing program execution to be put to other uses and that may also be available for a different fee (e.g., a lower fee) than other computing nodes that are available throughout the ongoing use of the cluster. |
| US08719409B2 |
Network accelerator for controlled long delay links
A communication system for providing network access over a shared communication link is disclosed. The communication system includes a user access point, a network access point and a communications link. The user access point is coupled to one or more user terminals that access a remote network. The network access point is coupled to the remote network. The communications link couples the user access point and the network access point. The communications link is at least partially controlled by the network access point, which monitors information passed between the remote network and the user access point to create an estimate of future usage of the communications link by the user access point based on the information. The network access point allocates communications link resources for the user access point based on the estimate. |
| US08719404B2 |
Regular expression searches utilizing general purpose processors on a network interconnect
A first hardware node in a network interconnect receives a data packet from a network. The first hardware node examines the data packet for a regular expression. In response to the first hardware node failing to identify the regular expression in the data packet, the data packet is forwarded to a second hardware node in the network interconnect for further examination of the data packet in order to search for the regular expression in the data packet. |
| US08719403B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitor and notification in a network
A user specifies one or more monitoring/probing rules on a client station. These rules specify user instructions for monitoring and probing conditions, events, and data on monitored sites on the Internet. The client station transfers the rules to the monitoring site, which also processes and interprets the rules. When the monitoring site processes these rules, it results in (1) allocation of space and (2) creation or initialization of agent programs, which will effect periodic monitoring of Internet sites and send data back to the monitoring site. If the retrieved information at the monitoring site satisfies the user-specified conditions, the monitoring site will conduct further exploration to gather more information that may help determine the causes of these conditions. The results of such a probe may be obtained from the monitoring site or the Internet, and are communicated by the monitoring site to the client station. |
| US08719400B2 |
Flexible delegation of management function for self-managing resources
Included are method, article of manufacture, and device that serve to identify the status of a network resource along with whether the network resource is a self-managing resource. When autonomic management capabilities are identified, an autonomic management rule for management of the network resource may be generated and sent, over a network, for receipt and use by the identified self-managing resource. |
| US08719399B2 |
Adaptive file delivery with link profiling system and method
An adaptive file delivery system and method transmits a data file, such as an audio-video file, over a network or collection of networks in segments, each segment transmitted during a different time period. Each time period has a transmission portion to transmit its associated file segment and a wait portion in which no further interaction with the network occurs regarding the transmitted segment. In some implementations, the duration of the transmission portion of each time period is sufficient to reach a steady-state throughput condition, which allows the traffic load status of the network or networks to be determined from rate measurements of file segment transmissions. The duration of the wait portion of each time period is at least long enough to limit the average rate of file segment transmission to adapt to network traffic load variations while causing the entire file to be delivered in a predetermined delivery deadline. |
| US08719397B2 |
Method and system for email and PIM synchronization and updating
A system for sending data from at least one computing device, which may be an email server, located at a user location, to a plurality of handsets. The system includes an internal system monitor associated with the at least one computing device, and the monitor provides application connectors deployed at the user location. The system also includes at least one wireless gateway router and a mobile client, which provides a client infrastructure installed on the plurality of handsets, such that the at least one computing device acts uni-directionally and thereby provides secure delivery of the data. |
| US08719394B2 |
Method and arrangement for a modification of network management schema
The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement in a communication system in which a network management architecture comprises modules representing a virtual reality of network nodes (24) and network links under management. Organization of said modules and information contained in said modules are based on a pre-determined network management schema, whereby said network nodes (24) and said network links are managed by accessing and manipulating said modules. The network management schema is modified by reducing the amount of information in said modules. Then, the modified network management schema is used for managing said communication network system and thereby facilitating communication network system management. |
| US08719391B2 |
Method and system for controlling contextual information push services
A system, server, method, and computer program product are disclosed for facilitating the creation of push messages pertaining to context dependent services and managing their delivery to mobile wireless devices having diverse routing, scheduling, and context or event-triggering requirements. A web-based interface is presented on an administrator console for defining profiles specifying content delivery characteristics for a plurality of mobile wireless devices. The profiles can include a recipient characteristic, a message delivery mode characteristic, and a bearer characteristic. A Service Manager is coupled to the web-based interface and to a plurality of access points, for pushing a message via a specified bearer, using a specified delivery mode, to one of the plurality of mobile wireless devices of a specified recipient satisfying one of the defined profiles of content delivery characteristics when the one device is located within a coverage area of one of the plurality of access points. |
| US08719388B2 |
Method for installing a web package within a manufacturing executing system
A method enables the administration of resources (content) in web packages. By automatically adding a prefix to the resource name causing a name conflict, even resources having the same name can be handled when installing a new web package by the virtual file system mapping the resources to which a prefix has been added to the physical content required for the web application. |
| US08719384B2 |
Service discovery methods
Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for service discovery. The method includes receiving a first service advertisement by a first device. The first service advertisement includes at least a service of a second device. Further, the method include updating a service directory of the first device to include the service of the second device, and transmitting a second service advertisement by the first device. The second service advertisement includes at least the service of the second device, and can be used by a third device to effect use of the service of the second device. |
| US08719382B2 |
Method and system for data processing
Methods and systems are provided for processing data generated in a vehicle group. One example embodiment comprises evaluating one or more quality parameters of a first data set generated at a first vehicle in the vehicle group by a first data capture device, and based on the evaluation, off-boarding the first data set for storage purposes. Based on a link quality of a communication system of the vehicle group, the first data set may be off-boarded to a second vehicle in the vehicle group or to a remote storage device. In one example, if the quality parameter of the first data set is higher, the data may be stored on a second vehicle, while if the quality parameter of the first data set is lower, a second data set generated at the second vehicle by a second data capture device may be stored on the second vehicle. |
| US08719376B2 |
Remote download of content
A system and method for delivering content is disclosed. A content download service initially registers client computing devices to receive content. Therefore, when the content download service receives a request from a requesting client computing device to download content to a receiving client computing device, the content or download instructions are sent to the receiving client computing device. Downloading is controlled by the content download service and a software agent installed on the receiving client computing devices when they are registered. Content request and content download occur over a computer network, such as the Internet. The content may be stored by the content download service and supplied to the receiving client computing device by the download service, or stored by a content supply service and supplied to the receiving client computing device either directly or via the content download service. |
| US08719374B1 |
Accessing large data stores over a communications network
A method for facilitating access to a large data store is disclosed. The method includes reading the large data store, allocating a heap of at least 100 megabytes in a first memory, and storing the data store in the heap, wherein a memory address is associated with each memory element in the heap, and wherein each memory address comprises a base address unique to the first memory and an offset value from the base address. A second server allocates space in a second memory and stores a particular group of memory elements from the first memory in the second memory. Next, a graphics processing unit calculates new memory addresses for each of the memory elements in the particular group by adding a new base address, unique to the second memory, to the offset value of each memory address, and transmits the new memory addresses to the second memory. |
| US08719373B2 |
Dynamically optimizing delivery of multimedia content over a network
A method includes connecting a communications device to an Internet Multimedia Subsystem network. The method includes transmitting presence information indicating multimedia capabilities of the communications device and requesting multimedia content from a multimedia server to cause the multimedia server to transmit multimedia content. The method includes detecting connection of a peripheral device to the communications device and determining that the multimedia capabilities have increased due to the connection of the peripheral device. The method includes updating the presence information to indicate the increased multimedia capabilities and transmitting the updated presence information to cause the multimedia server to transmit the multimedia content adjusted for the increased multimedia capabilities indicated in the updated presence information. The method includes receiving the multimedia content adjusted for the increased multimedia capabilities and presenting at least some of the adjusted multimedia content on the peripheral device. |
| US08719370B2 |
Method and system for transmitting large message mode converged IP messaging
The present invention provides a method and system for transmitting a large message mode CPM message. A MSRP link is created respectively between a CPM client at a sending end and a participating function entity at a source end, between the participating function entity at the source end and a CPM control function entity, and between the CPM control function entity and an inter-working function entity based on a media negotiation process before the CPM client transmits a large message mode CPM message to a non-CPM system receiver in a target group; then, the CPM client at the sending end sends the contents of the large message mode CPM message to the inter-working function entity through each created MSRP link sequentially; and the inter-working function entity sends the received contents of the large message mode CPM message to the non-CPM system receiver after performing protocol conversion on the received contents. The method and the system solve the problem that a large message mode CPM message cannot be transmitted to a group in the prior art and the user experience is improved. |
| US08719366B2 |
Profile and consent accrual
Consent management between a client and a network server. In response to a request for consent, a central server determines if requested user information is included in a user profile associated with a user and if the user has granted consent to share the requested user information. A user interface is provided to the user via a browser of the client to collect the requested user information that is not included in the user profile and the consent to share the requested user information from the user. After receiving the user information provided by the user via the user interface, the service provided by the network server is allowed access to the received user information, and the central server updates the user profile. Other aspects of the invention are directed to computer-readable media for use with profile and consent accrual. |
| US08719362B2 |
Tiered storage interface
The cloud storage services are extended with a cloud storage service access protocol that enables users to specify a desired storage tier for each data stream. In response to receiving storage tier specifiers via the protocol, the cloud storage service performs storage operations to identify target storage devices having attributes matching those associated with the requested storage tier. The cloud storage service stores a data stream from the storage client in the identified target storage device associated with the desired storage tier. Storage tiers can be defined based on criteria including capacity costs; access latency; availability; activation state; bandwidth and/or transfer rates; and data replication. The cloud storage service protocol allows data streams to be transferred between storage tiers, storage devices to be activated or deactivated, and data streams to be prefetched and cached. The cloud storage services may charge storage clients based on storage tier use and associated operations. |
| US08719352B2 |
Reputation management for network content classification
A system derives a reputation for a plurality of network addresses, the reputation of each network address determined by analyzing a plurality of high-level email features related to one or more emails originating from the network address. The plurality of high-level email features include domain registration analysis, hashed term frequency indexing, persistent communication, address age, correlation analysis, zombie detection, and hash vault matching. |
| US08719351B2 |
Image rescale based on defined characteristics
A system and method automatically rescales an electronic message having one or more associated content. When the electronic message is generated and the associated content connected to the message, an agent of the electronic message application checks predefined settings/configurations of the message client. The sender's e-mail client checks a plurality of conditions, such as, the condition of the network, the type of network, the status or capacity of the receiving inbox of an intended recipient client, and the geographic destination of the message. Based on these dynamic content rescale settings, the sender's client dynamically and optimally rescales the associated content before forwarding the electronic message with the rescaled content to the recipient client. Rescaling of the associated content may be performed by the message exchange server or the recipient client. The recipient client may later request and receive a copy of the associated content without rescaling. |
| US08719350B2 |
Email addressee verification
The disclosure is directed to email addressee verification. A method in accordance with an embodiment includes: obtaining an email message including at least one email address; evaluating each email address of the email message against at least one email rule, and assigning a score to each email address based on the evaluation; and comparing the score assigned to each email address to a threshold, and flagging any suspect email address based on the comparison. |
| US08719349B2 |
System and method for providing a radio-like experience
A system and method for providing a radio-like experience may comprise providing a personal media library (PML)-based playlist, including receiving media elements from a listener's PML, creating a playlist of the media elements using professional broadcast scheduling software and providing the playlist to the listener. A system and method of providing a radio-like experience may also comprise creating a playlist of media elements according to the user preferences for a media genre and for perishable content and providing the playlist to the listener.A method of distributing user-generated content may comprise incorporating user-generated content into a playlist of media elements according to the listener preference and providing the playlist to the listener. A method of distributing user generated content may also comprise receiving user-generated content, incorporating the user-generated content into a playlist of media elements of the recipient and providing the playlist to the recipient. |
| US08719347B1 |
Scoring stream items with models based on user interests
A system and method for generating a stream of content includes a content stream module that generates a model based on user input and/or prior activities using heterogeneous data sources. The heterogeneous data sources include search, entertainment, social activity and activity on third-party sites. The content stream module retrieves candidate content items that have interests that are similar to the user. The candidate content items are compared to the model and scored based upon interestingness of the content item to the user. The content stream module generates the stream of content from the candidate content items. |
| US08719345B2 |
Database replication using collaborative data transfers
Techniques are described herein for propagating continuously generated data from a seed to a plurality of peers without requiring the seed to send the new data to all peers, and without establishing static sender/receiver relationships between the peers. The data generated by the seed is divided into a number of “windows”, where each window is divided into a number of “pieces”. The seed sends the data piece-by-piece to different peers. The peer to which the seed sends any given piece may be selected at random. The peers exchange pieces until all pieces of a window are obtained by each peer. When a peer receives all pieces of a window, the pieces are applied at the peer, and the process repeats for the next window. |
| US08719342B2 |
Third-party session modification
The present invention relates to a method, system, client device, conference server device and computer program product of controlling media composition in a multi-party conversation involving a central control point (50). At a participant (10) of said multi-party conversation, a scope information (SoM) which specifies members of said multi-party conversation is selected and added to a session modifying request. The session modifying request is transmitted to the central control point (50) which initiates a media modification at the specified members in response to the scope information (SoM). Thereby, a client can control whether media modification is applied to the whole conference, selected participants or only between the client itself and the conference server. |
| US08719340B2 |
Information processing device, content providing method and program
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an information processing device, comprising a communicating unit capable of communicating with one or more content servers through a network, an information obtaining unit for obtaining content type information indicating a type of content, which may be provided by each of the one or more content servers, from each content server using communication by the communicating unit, and a user interface unit for allowing a user to select a desired content type out of the content type indicated by the content type information and allowing the content server capable of providing at least one content belonging to the selected content type to provide the at least one content. The content type information is the information capable of identifying a type of a container included in a content directory of each content server. |
| US08719339B2 |
Software and method that enables selection of one of a plurality of online service providers
A novel electronic information transport component can be incorporated in a wide range of electronic information products, for example magazine collections, to automate the mass distribution of updates, such as current issues, from a remote server to a wide user base having a diversity of computer stations. Advantages of economy, immediacy and ease of use are provided. Extensions of the invention permit automated electronic catalog shopping with order placement and, optionally, order confirmation. A server-based update distribution service is also provided. In addition, an offline web browser system, with hyperlink redirection capabilities, a novel recorded music product with automated update capabilities and an Internet charging mechanism are provided. |
| US08719337B1 |
IPv6 to web architecture
A system allows first users to connect through an IPv4 web interface to access content (e.g., information and services) of second users who provide the content using IPv6. The second users are effectively mobile web servers. In an implementation, the system is a streaming media network (e.g., lifecasting) where first users are video viewers and second users are streaming video providers. In the system, a second user runs a home agent client (e.g., plug in) that connects to a home agent server using IPv6. The home agent client and server encapsulate and deencapsulate the IPv6 information. Information is transmitted and routed using IPv6 in an IPv4 environment. Any number of second users connect to the first user's content via an IPv4 web interface. |
| US08719336B2 |
Method and apparatus for thwarting traffic analysis in online games
The subject disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for routing data in a network-based computer game via proxy computers. The method and system includes a set of techniques that utilizes the proxy computers to thwart traffic analysis in high-speed games while continuing to satisfy the games' latency requirements. The method and apparatus facilitates thwarting multiple classes of traffic analysis, including inspection of unencrypted header fields, observation of packet size, correlation of packet timing, and collusion among players. A matchmaking system for matching players in a network-based computer game in a manner that resists traffic analysis is also provided. |
| US08719335B2 |
Framework for development of integration adapters that surface non-static, type-safe service contracts to LOB systems
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates integrating two or more applications for secure sharing of data. A line of business (LOB) system can include a portion of metadata associated with a business application. An adapter can employ a dynamic service contract to the LOB system, wherein the service contract is a fluid contract constructed in real time from a portion of metadata selected within the LOB system. Moreover, the adapter can enable a client to access the portion of metadata selected via the service contract. |
| US08719334B2 |
High data rate interface
A data Interface for transferring digital data between a host and a client over a communication path using packet structures linked together to form a communication protocol for communicating a pre-selected set of digital control and presentation data. The signal protocol is used by link controllers configured to generate, transmit, and receive packets forming the communications protocol, and to form digital data into one or more types of data packets, with at least one residing in the host device and being coupled to the client through the communications path. The interface provides a cost-effective, low power, bi-directional, high-speed data transfer mechanism over a short-range “serial” type data link, which lends itself to implementation with miniature connectors and thin flexible cables which are especially useful in connecting display elements such as wearable micro-displays to portable computers and wireless communication devices. |
| US08719333B2 |
System and method for collecting content using templates for distribution to internet users
A collaborative Internet data mining system for facilitating a group effort from a plurality of guides to the Internet, by automatically processing the information provided by the guides and thereby create a branded or uniform look and feel to the web sites supported by the plurality of guides. |
| US08719330B2 |
Terminal apparatus and electronic equipment communicable with media content providing server and media content storage sites, and a non-transitory medium storing a program therefor
There are provided a terminal apparatus by which media content relating to a connected electronic equipment can be easily acquired, an electronic equipment which can easily acquire media content relating to the electronic equipment itself, and a program. When a user actually operates an electronic music instrument and changes an operation state, a media content providing server receives state data indicating the operation state after the change from the electronic music instrument through a client terminal, receives a list of media content relating to the electronic music instrument and coincident with a present operation state of the electronic music instrument among a lot of stored media content from many media content storage servers on a communication network based on the state data, and displays it on a display of the client terminal. When the user selects one of media content from the list and instructs acquisition thereof, the media content providing server acquires corresponding media content data from a media content storage server storing it and transmits it to the client terminal. |
| US08719329B2 |
Imaging device, imaging system, image management server, image communication system, imaging method, and image management method
An imaging device includes an imaging unit that images a subject to generate electronic image data; and a communication unit that communicates with a plurality of servers through a network. The imaging device also includes an image file generating unit that generates an image file including first interpretation subject information interpreted by any one of the plurality of servers. |
| US08719325B2 |
Method to initiate server based collaboration on e-mail attachments
Server-based collaboration is initiated by an email. When the user creates the email message with attachments, a collaboration website is provisioned. The collaboration website allows collaborations on the attached documents by the recipients of the message. The ease of collaboration with email and the advantages of the collaboration server are thus both available to the user. |
| US08719324B1 |
Spectral modular arithmetic method and apparatus
A new hardware architecture is disclosed that performs the modular exponentiation operation, i.e., the computation of c=me mod n where c, m, e, n are large integers. The modular exponentiation operation is the most common operation in public-key cryptography. The new method, named the Spectral Modular Exponentiation method, uses the Discrete Fourier Transform over a finite ring, and relies on new techniques to perform the modular multiplication and reduction operations. The method yields an efficient and highly parallel architecture for hardware implementations of public-key cryptosystems which use the modular exponentiation operation as the basic step, such as the RSA and Diffie-Hellman algorithms. The method is extended to perform the multiplication operation in extension fields which is necessary to perform exponentiation or various other operations over these extension fields. |
| US08719323B2 |
Methods for efficient state transition matrix based LFSR computations
A method for efficient state transition matrix based LFSR computations are disclosed. A polynomial associated with a linear feedback shift register is defined. This polynomial is used to generate a single step state transition matrix. The single step state transition matrix is then modified into a more general k-step state transition matrix. The resultant combined matrix is reduced in size and can be multiplied by a state input vector, ultimately producing a plurality of next state-input vectors thereby providing improved efficiency in computing a LFSR. |
| US08719322B2 |
Floating point format converter
A computer program product for converting from a first floating point format to a second floating point format, each floating point format having an associated base value and being represented by a significand value and a exponent value, comprising an executable algorithm to perform the steps of: determining the second exponent value by multiplying the first exponent value by a predefined constant and taking the integer portion of the result, the predefined constant being substantially equivalent to the logarithm of the first base value divided by the logarithm of the second base value; determining a bias value substantially equivalent to the second base value raised to the second exponent value divided by the first base value raised to the first exponent value; and determining the second significand value by multiplying the first significand value by the bias value. |
| US08719320B1 |
Server-side, variable drive health determination
The relative health of data storage drives may be determined based, at least in some aspects, on data access information and/or other drive operation information. In some examples, upon receiving the operation information from a computing device, a health level of a drive may be determined. The health level determination may be based at least in part on operating information received from a client entity. Additionally, a storage space allocation instruction or operation may be determined for execution. The allocation instruction or operation determined to be performed may be based at least in part on the determined health level. |
| US08719318B2 |
Knowledge storage and retrieval system and method
A system and method for representing, storing and retrieving real-world knowledge on a computer or network of computers is disclosed. Knowledge is broken down into permanent atomic “facts” which can be stored in a standard relational database and processed very efficiently. It also provides for the efficient querying of a knowledge base, efficient inference of new knowledge and translation into and out of natural language. Queries can also be processed with full natural language explanations of where the answers came from. The method can also be used in a distributed fashion enabling the system to be a large network of computers and the technology can be integrated into a web browser adding to the browser's functionality. |
| US08719311B2 |
Providing homogeneous views of information collections in heterogeneous information storage sources
A method, apparatus and computer program product, for generating a framework for supporting a homogeneous view of an information collection managed in a heterogeneous system of information storage sources. The framework includes an information collection data model mapped to an information source data model, and an information storage services data model mapped to the information source data model. The information collection data model defines information to be collected and stored as an information collection in one or more information storage sources. The information source data model references data sets containing the information defined in the information collection data model. The information storage services data model defines information storage services for accessing and performing operations on the one or more information storage sources storing the information collection. The framework allows a user to view and perform operations on the information collection without knowing how the information collection is stored. |
| US08719306B2 |
Managing adapter association for a data graph of data objects
The present invention provides a method, system, and program product for managing adapter association for a data graph of data objects. Specifically, under the present invention, a data graph of data objects is generated (e.g., on a server), and then serialized. In performing the serialization, the data graph is translated into bits. In one embodiment, the bits are communicated to a client over a network, and then translated back into the data graph (i.e., deserialized). An adapter is associated with each of the data objects after the data graph is deserialized. This avoids the “overhead” involved with associating and having active adapters during deserialization. |
| US08719303B2 |
Method for enhancing the computation of CSS and accuracy of computing hardware and to promote the computation speed
This invention proposed a new algorithm. By multiply the proposed weight coefficients of this invention, CSP and CSS can be computed without computing for the mean(s) of the data. After the proposed weight coefficients of this invention undergo factorization, it can promote a new recursive and real time updatable computation method. To test the accuracy of the new invention, the StRD data were separately tested using SAS ver 9.0, SPSS ver15.0 and EXCEL 2007 for comparison. The results showed that the accuracy of the results of the proposed invention exceeds the level of accuracy of SAS ver9.0, SPSS ver15.0 and EXCEL 2007. Aside from an accurate computation, this new invented algorithm can also produce efficient computations. |
| US08719302B2 |
Methods, apparatus and software for analyzing the content of micro-blog messages
Methods, systems and software are described for analyzing micro-blog messages to detect abnormal activity of interest. The system includes a clusterer for clustering micro-blog messages received over a first period of time, a classifier for scoring the clustered messages; a knowledge base, a rule generator for generating classification rules from the knowledge base; and a matcher for matching the scored messages to information requests. Methods for operating the system and its components are described. |
| US08719299B2 |
Systems and methods for extraction of concepts for reuse-based schema matching
In one embodiment, an approach to automated recurring concept extraction, from a plurality of input data models (schemas) is presented. The approach converts input data models to graphs, with typed elements. The graphs are mined for closed subgraphs that have a defined minimum support. The identified subgraphs can be filtered with a relevance metric. These subgraphs are converted to schemas or an appropriate representation, and stored for reuse in a repository. The repository can be used to automate further transformation or mapping of schemas presented to a system that uses the repository. In one example, the repository is used in a schema covering process to perform schema transformation. |
| US08719293B2 |
Generating improved document classification data using historical search results
A server system accesses, respectively, historical query information for queries that have search results corresponding to first information items and second information items and classification data of the first information items. Initially, the first information items are classified and the second information items are unclassified. Based on the classification data of the first information items and the historical query information, the server system generates classification data for the second information items and stores the generated classification data therein. In response to requests for service from client devices, the server system provides customized services to the client devices using the second information items and the corresponding classification data generated for the second information items. |
| US08719291B2 |
Information extraction using spatial reasoning on the CSS2 visual box model
A method for extracting tabular information from a web source by determining a plurality of coordinates for a plurality of visualized element nodes on the web source; determining a subset of the plurality of visualized element nodes based on the plurality of coordinates to obtain a candidate web table, wherein each of the subset of the plurality of visualized element nodes constitutes a logical cell of the candidate web table; determining textual content corresponding to the subset of the plurality of visualized element nodes as the textual content would appear after rendering the web source in a browser; and transforming the candidate web table into an explicit representation of relative spatial relation between at least one of the logical cell; and saving the explicit representation in a structured document format. |
| US08719285B2 |
System and method for automatic presentation of content-related data with content presentation
A content item is requested by a user via the user's computing device. In response, data, such as a set of facts, related to the requested content item is identified and served with the requested content item for presentation with the content item at the user's computer device. The related data can comprise facts related to the content item, and the related data can be presented as a graphic, such as part of a multi-dimensional graph, in connection with the presentation of the content. The related data can be retrieved from a facts database using search criteria formed using tags obtained for the requested content item. |
| US08719279B2 |
System and method for assessing and ranking newsworthiness
A system and method for determining a newsworthiness score for a news story, including the steps of receiving data describing a news story from a client, comparing the data describing the news story to a set of pre-determined factors, locating the factors that are present on the set of pre-determined factors in the data, adding pre-calculated values to a running total, the newsworthiness score, for each factor found in the data. |
| US08719278B2 |
Method and system of scoring documents based on attributes obtained from a digital document by eye-tracking data analysis
In one exemplary embodiment, a set of attributes derived from an element of a first digital document is obtained. The element is identified from eye-tracking data of a user viewing the digital document. A search query of a database comprising at least one query term is received. A set of documents in the database is identified according to the search query. An attribute score is determined for each document. The set of documents are sorted according to the attribute score. Optionally, a commonality between the query term and at least one member of the set of attributes may be determined. The search query may be generated by the user. The database may be a hypermedia database. |
| US08719277B2 |
Sentimental information associated with an object within a media
Methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer programs encoded on computer readable media, for receiving user input data that includes a sentimental identifier and an indication of at least one of an amount of pressure and an amount of time used to select a sentimental input. The user input data is associated with a media, and the associated media includes a plurality of objects. For each user input data, the user input data is associated with a portion of the associated media. The user input data is aggregated based upon the portion of the associated media. An average sentiment value is determined based upon the sentimental identifier and the indication of at least one of the amount of pressure and the amount of time used to select a sentimental input for at least one of the displayed objects. |
| US08719275B1 |
Color coded radars
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for displaying search results are disclosed. In an embodiment, this may comprise receiving search results, receiving information about search result scores according to a plurality of criteria, creating a star in the radar chart based on the search result scores, coloring the star based on the search result scores, and displaying the radar chart. Different weight may be given to each search result score. Multiple search results may be displayed in one radar chart, or multiple radar charts may be used. Color intensity and hue may be used to represent difference in the search result scores. |
| US08719272B2 |
Sharing of audio files and selected information including tagging information
A media data tagging method. The media data includes one or a combination of audio, video and textual data. The method includes surveying at least a portion of media data received by a device, the media data having metadata associated therewith. The surveying process is preferably performed during playback of the media data. The method further includes detecting generation of a tagging instruction. The tagging instruction can be generated via a user interface. A tag data indicative of the media data is then generated in response to the generation of the tagging instruction. The tag data is then transmitted to the device. The tag data is for subsequent at least one of identification and location of the media data. |
| US08719271B2 |
Accelerating data profiling process
A data profile request is handles by utilizing data in a distributed file system. Tabular data is extracted from a data source and stored in a distributed file system. Each table in the tabular data is split by columns, which are each stored in separate files in a set of physical nodes of the distributed file system. In response to a data profiling request, a master node determines, based on the profiling request, which groups of files are needed to be on a same physical node in order to perform the profiling analysis. The master node creates jobs using physical nodes that contain the requisite files needed for each job. |
| US08719268B2 |
Utilizing metadata generated during XML creation to enable parallel XML processing
A method, computer program product, and system for enabling parallel processing of an XML document without pre-parsing, utilizing metadata associated with the XML document and created at the same time as the XML document. The metadata is used to generate partitions of the XML document at the time of parallel processing, without requiring system-intensive pre-parsing. |
| US08719267B2 |
Spectral neighborhood blocking for entity resolution
A processing device of an information processing system is operative to obtain a plurality of records, documents, web pages or other data objects, and to construct a binary tree using a bipartition procedure in which subsets of the data objects are associated with respective nodes of the tree. Evaluation of a designated modularity for a given one of the nodes of the tree is used as a stopping criterion to prevent further partitioning of that node and to indicate designation of that node as a leaf node of the tree. The resulting leaf nodes of the tree provide a non-overlapping partitioning of the plurality of data objects. The processing device is further operative to perform a neighborhood search on the tree to identify pairs of the plurality of data objects that match the same entity, and to store an indication of the matching pairs of data objects. |
| US08719262B1 |
Identification of semantic units from within a search query
A search engine for searching a corpus improves the relevancy of the results by classifying multiple terms in a search query as a single semantic unit. A semantic unit locator of the search engine generates a subset of documents that are generally relevant to the query based on the individual terms within the query. Combinations of search terms that define potential semantic units from the query are then evaluated against the subset of documents to determine which combinations of search terms should be classified as a semantic unit. The resultant semantic units are used to refine the results of the search. |
| US08719260B2 |
Identifying the unifying subject of a set of facts
A method and system for identifying a subject of a document and facts included within are described. A source document that includes facts and linking documents that include hyperlinks to the source document are identified. The anchor texts of the hyperlinks are identified and candidate labels are generated based on the anchor texts. One of the candidate labels is selected as the unifying subject of the facts. An information set, distinct from the source document, is stored in a facts database, wherein the stored information set includes the unifying subject, and source document information associating the source document with the information set. |
| US08719259B1 |
Providing content based on geographic area
Described are example processes for providing content based on a size of a geographic area associated with the content. The example processes may include the following operations: determining, based at least in part on bids provided in an auction, candidate content items for output in response to an input query; obtaining geographic areas associated with the candidate content items; selecting a candidate content item having a smallest geographic area; and outputting the selected candidate content item in response to the input query. |
| US08719257B2 |
Methods and systems for automatically generating semantic/concept searches
In various embodiments, a semantic space associated with a corpus of electronically stored information (ESI) may be created and used for concept searches. Documents (and any other objects in the ESI, in general) may be represented as vectors in the semantic space. Vectors may correspond to identifiers, such as, for example, indexed terms. The semantic space for a corpus of ESI can be used in information filtering, information retrieval, indexing, and relevancy rankings. |
| US08719256B2 |
Method and system for improvement of request processing
A system and method of processing a request including improving usage and/or performance of resources is disclosed. Information relating to a user request may be provided to one or more resources which process the information and provide a result. A result and/or other information may be provided to a human assistant or guide who may process information to produce a result and/or review a result(s). Information provided by a guide may be processed and provided to a resource, which may improve the performance of a resource. A resource(s) and/or a guide(s) may be selected and/or provided with activities based on ratings and/or rankings associated with a request, which may optimize usage of system resources. Information obtained may be provided for various purposes. |
| US08719244B1 |
Methods and systems for retrieval of information items and associated sentence fragments
Methods and systems for retrieval of information items and associated sentence fragments are described. One method described comprises identifying at least a first entry in an index relevant to a search query, wherein the first entry comprises a first information item and a first associated sentence fragment, and wherein the index comprises a plurality of information items and associated sentence fragments, and generating a search result set relevant to the search query comprising at least the first information item. |
| US08719243B2 |
Methods and systems for filtering data for interactive display of database data
Interactive database viewing is provided. A server associated with a database accesses a stored result set from a database query. The server presents a portion of the result set in a list view to a client device remote from the server and the cache memory, where the portion presented is based on filter selection based on fields of the data. In response to changes to the filter selection, the server can dynamically alter the list view without having to again access the database. If a change to the filter selection requests data outside the cached result set, the server accesses the database and updates the cached result set. Inline editing of the data in the list view can be applied back to the database by the server. |
| US08719242B2 |
System and method for a database access statement interceptor
A database access interceptor includes a statement pool and a table buffer. The statement pool and the table buffer are associated with physical database connections. The interceptor may include a separate instance of the statement pool for each physical database connection. Similarly the interceptor may include a separate instance of the table buffer for each physical database connection. |
| US08719240B2 |
Apparatus and method to sequentially deduplicate groups of files comprising the same file name but different file version numbers
A method to sequentially deduplicate data, wherein the method receives a plurality of computer files, wherein each of the plurality of computer files comprises a label comprising a file name, a file type, a version number, and file size, and stores that plurality of computer files in a deduplication queue. The method then identifies a subset of the plurality of computer files, wherein each file of the subset comprises the same file name but a different version number, and wherein the subset comprises a maximum count of version numbers, and wherein the subset comprises a portion of the plurality of computer files. The method deduplicates the subset using a hash algorithm, and removes the subset from said deduplication queue. During the deduplicating, the method receives new computer files comprising the same file name, stores those new computer files to the deduplication queue, but does not add those new computer files to the subset. |
| US08719237B2 |
Method and apparatus for deleting duplicate data
Present invention provides a method and an apparatus for deleting duplicate data. The method include: receiving a modified data block for a user file stored in the data storage system; querying whether the modified data block is found in the system data block file; if the modified data block is not found in the system data block file, adding the modified data block to the system data block file, and updating an index relationship of the user file with the system data block file to include an index pointing to the modified data block added in the system data block file. With the method and apparatus for deleting duplicate data provided by embodiments of the present invention, the duplicate data after modification is deleted, which improves the performance in modifying other data block files and improves the effect of deleting the duplicate data. |
| US08719235B2 |
Controlling tape layout for de-duplication
Example methods and apparatus concern creating and/or manipulating a tape-specific layout for a tape based de-duplication repository. One example apparatus include a processor, a memory, a set of logics and an interface to connect the processor, the memory, and the set of logics. The apparatus may include a tape layout logic configured to determine the tape-specific layout for a de-duplication data set. The tape-specific layout may be based on forensic data acquired for the de-duplication data set. The apparatus may also include a write logic configured to write the de-duplication data set to a tape according to the tape-specific layout. The forensic data may identify, for example, the order in which sub-blocks are accessed, reference counts, access frequency, access groups, and other access information. |
| US08719228B1 |
Method and system for identifying obsolete discussion threads in a forum
The invention relates to a method for identifying obsolete discussion threads. The method includes extracting keywords from a discussion thread and assigning a keyword score to each keyword. The method further includes identifying a change event that is a change affecting a topic of the forum, extracting a keyword from a recorded medium recording the change event, comparing the keyword from the recorded medium with the keywords from the discussion thread to identify a matching keyword, and reducing the keyword score of the matching keyword to a reduced score based on the matching keyword matching the keyword from the recorded medium. The method further includes aggregating the keyword score assigned to each keyword to obtain a total score for the discussion thread, and displaying a warning on a user interface that includes the discussion thread when the total score is below a pre-specified threshold. |
| US08719227B1 |
Dynamic membership management in a distributed system
Transactional database replication techniques are disclosed that do not require altering of the database management system implementation. A replicator module includes a dynamic membership manager, which is configured to manage the persistent membership of a coordination group. The persistent membership can be, for example, a durable set of sites that can replicate changes amongst themselves. Changes from sites not in the persistent membership are discarded. The set of recovered members is a subset of the persistent membership. The persistent membership changes incrementally by either removing or adding members. Failed members may still be part of the persistent membership. The dynamic membership manager module manages the modification of the persistent membership, initialization of replicas, and propagation of membership information. |
| US08719223B2 |
Cloud storage solution for reading and writing files
Systems and methods of the present invention provide for a user uploading a file and a customized metadata about the file to a file storage system, and reading the same back upon request. This information may be forwarded to an application, possibly an API, which may divide the file into a plurality of file chunks if the file is greater than a predetermined file size. One or more tracker servers may check a database to locate optimal or current file locations for the file or file chunks to be stored within the file storage system. These optimal or current locations may be returned from the tracker servers to the application/API which may perform an HTTP request to write the file to or read the file from the file storage system. The file write may be validated and finalized, and the successful write or read may be displayed to the user on a user interface on a client. |
| US08719221B2 |
Method and apparatus for planning event using calendar application in mobile terminal
A method and apparatus for planning an event using calendar application in an electronic device preferably includes entering information associated with duration of event. A calendar application scans the calendar to identify one or more set of continuous holidays corresponding to the duration of event. A number of additional days available leave is also identified with each of the one or more set of continuous holidays to fulfill the duration of the event in addition to the continuous holidays. Further, a list can be created of one or more proposed range of dates corresponding to the duration of event, the one or more set of continuous holidays and the number of additional days leave. One or more proposed range of dates and the number of additional days associated with each of the one or more proposed range of dates from the list can be is displayed. |
| US08719216B2 |
Caching of web form post-query requests
A method for obtaining a result for a post-query may include: (a) Algorithmically treating the query to create a signature. (b) Composing a pseudo-get web identifier including a web address identifying a responding station and the signature. (c) Sending the query via a network to the responding station to request the result. (d) Determining whether the result is stored in a cache unit in the network. (e) If the result is stored in a cache unit, providing the result to the requesting station. (f) If the result is not stored in a cache unit, acquiring the result from the responding station. (g) Storing the result in a receiving cache unit. (h) Sending a resubmitted query via the network to the responding station in a format appropriate to retrieve the stored result from the receiving cache unit. The resubmitted query format includes the signature phrase. |
| US08719214B2 |
Combining medical binary decision diagrams for analysis optimization
In particular embodiments, a method includes accessing first binary decision diagrams (BDDs) representing data streams from sensors, selecting portions from the first BDDs based on ease-of-analysis, and constructing a second BDD by performing an OR operation between the selected portions of the first BDDs. |
| US08719213B2 |
Contextually transformed learning layer
A computer-implemented transformational protocol is applied to contextually transform an originating computer-implemented structure into a fuzzy network-based structure. The originating structure may be a hierarchy, for example. The fuzzy network-based structure is adaptively modified based on behavioral information, and recommendations delivered to users may be generated in accordance with the fuzzy network-based structure and inferences from a plurality of usage behaviors. The recommendations may be generated in accordance with a network neighborhood within the fuzzy network-based structure that is based, at least in part, on a navigational context within the originating structure. |
| US08719208B2 |
Certainty factor decay
Various embodiments provide a way to decrease the certainty of a piece of information. In at least some embodiments, a certainty factor and a decay rate are associated with the piece of information. The certainty factor indicates the certainty of a piece of information. As time passes, the decay rate is applied to the certainty factor to reduce the certainty factor, thereby providing an indication that the certainty of the information has decreased. |
| US08719206B2 |
Pattern-recognition processor with matching-data reporting module
Disclosed are methods and devices, among which is a device that includes a pattern-recognition processor. The pattern-recognition processor may include a matching-data reporting module, which may have a buffer and a match event table. The buffer may be coupled to a data stream and configured to store at least part of the data stream, and the match event table may be configured to store data indicative of a buffer location corresponding with a start of a search criterion being satisfied. |
| US08719205B2 |
Physical infrastructure management system
Systems and methods of the present invention allow for the discovery of physical location information about network assets and the delivery of that information to network administrators. In addition, environmental and other information about network asset locations can be provided to an administrator. Intelligent patch panels and power outlet units are installed in network cabinets to facilitate the acquisition and reporting of physical infrastructure information, including information about network resource availability. |
| US08719204B2 |
Displaying resources based on shared contexts
A user data engine residing on an endpoint machine generates a current user context reflecting a specific flow of operations performed by an end-user when interacting with a software application. A context engine residing on a sever machine compares the current user context to one or more stored user contexts included in a context database and generates a similarity value based on each comparison. A resource engine identifies resources in a resource database that are associated with the stored user contexts and then generates a relevance score for each resource based on the similarity scores corresponding to the stored user contexts with which those resources are associated. The resource engine transmits a resource list reflecting the identified resources to the user data engine based on the relevance scores. The user data engine displays on a display screen of the endpoint machine information associated with resources reflected in the resource list. |
| US08719203B2 |
Method and apparatus for time-based decay of knowledge base ratings
In one embodiment, a method includes obtaining a plurality of ratings associated with an element, where the plurality of ratings includes at least a first rating and a second rating. The method also includes applying a first weighting factor to the first rating and applying a second weighting factor to the second rating. The first weighting factor is different from the second weighting factor. Finally, the method includes determining a cumulative rating using the first weighting factor, the second weighting factor, and the plurality of ratings. The cumulative rating is associated with the element and the second weighting factor is arranged to discount the second rating. |
| US08719202B1 |
Methods, devices, and mediums associated with monitoring and managing exercise fitness
A method, device, or medium associated with monitoring and/or managing exercise fitness may include receiving substantially real-time vital data associated with a particular user and retrieving historic fitness data associated with the particular user. The historic fitness data may be updated with the real-time vital data, and the updated historic fitness data may be compared with a pre-existing fitness standard. A personalized fitness plan for re-aligning the updated historic fitness data with the pre-existing fitness standard may be generated based, at least in part, on a result of the comparing. |
| US08719200B2 |
Cyberpersonalities in artificial reality
The invention concerns cyberpersonalities, including their and varied use in artificial reality. A cyberpersonality is comprised of a base personality (12). The base personality (12) is selected from a set of base personalities, each one representing the personality of a theoretical person. The cyberpersonality also includes a dynamic personality (14) that reflects the actual person (real or company) that the cyberpersonality is meant to represent and is able to learn. Information contained in the base (12) and dynamic (14) personality can be used to allow the person that the cyberpersonality mimics to interact in the artificial reality without direct control. The cybersonality can chat with third parties, including asking questions and answering questions, so as to learn more about each other. Other uses are related to searching, advertising and direct marketing. |
| US08719198B2 |
Collaborative location and activity recommendations
Techniques describe constructing a location and activity recommendation model to identify relationships between locations and activities. To construct the model, the process obtains global positioning system (GPS) logs of geographical locations collected over time and identifies stay points representing locations visited by an individual user. The process also identifies points of interest in a region using a database and correlates a relationship between activity to activity by submitting queries to a search engine. The information gathered is used to fill locations and activities in a location-activity matrix. Recommendations may be made for a location and/or activity when given a user query, based on a user's present geographical location, or a prediction of a user's interest. |
| US08719196B2 |
Methods for monitoring computer resources using a first and second matrix, and a feature relationship tree
One embodiment of a method of the present invention for monitoring computer resources provides for retrieving a set of resource-metric records for a predetermined time interval, forming a first mathematical matrix containing metric's values arranged on date-time and resource-metric axes, creating a second mathematical matrix containing features and a third mathematical matrix containing weights, building a feature relationship tree, generating a predicted value for the resource-metric identifier, determining a variance between predicted value and metric's value, and triggering an alert if the variance exceeds a predetermined alert threshold. |
| US08719192B2 |
Transfer of learning for query classification
Transfer of learning trains a new domain for the classification of search queries according to different tasks, as well as the generation of a corresponding domain-specific query classifier that may be used to classify the search queries according to the different tasks in the new domain. The transfer of learning may include preparing a new domain to receive classification knowledge from one or more source domains by populating the new domain with preliminary query patterns extracted for a search engine log. The transfer of learning may further include preparing the classification knowledge in each source domain for transfer to the new domain. The classification knowledge in each source domain may then be transferred to the new domain. |
| US08719188B2 |
Determining a dynamic user profile indicative of a user behavior context with a mobile device
Methods, apparatuses and articles of manufacture for use in a mobile device to determine whether a dynamic user profile is to transition from a first state to a second state based, at least in part, on one or more sensed indicators. The dynamic user profile may be indicative of one or more current inferable user behavior contexts for a user co-located with the mobile device. The mobile device may transition a dynamic user profile from a first state to a second state, in response to a determination that the dynamic user profile is to transition from the first state to the second state, and operatively affect one or more functions performed, at least in part, by the mobile device based, at least in part, on the transition of the dynamic user profile to the second state. |
| US08719186B2 |
Historical utility consumption disaggregation
A computer-implemented method for itemizing energy consumption to generate and present a utility consumption profile based on disaggregated historical utility consumption data is disclosed. The computer-implemented method comprises obtaining data indicating historical utility consumption of a dwelling over a time period. A non-seasonal portion of the historical utility consumption data is then determined by first computing an average utility consumption based on one or more predetermined intervals within the time period, and then computing the non-seasonal portion by applying the average to the time period. The non-seasonal portion is then subtracted from the historical utility consumption data to obtain a seasonal portion of the historical utility consumption data. The seasonal and/or non-seasonal portion may be further disaggregated by end-use methods, and presented to the user in the utility consumption profile. |
| US08719185B2 |
Method and system for tracking and budgeting energy usage
An energy tracking and reporting system can receive data inputs from multiple sources regarding one or more properties. A central database receives the information and correlates the information for numerous outputs. Information received by the central database can include, for example, property location, property size, property type and property use. Also, occupancy information, energy sources, utilities servicing the property, weather, ISO, environmental guidelines, and the traded or other standard price for the utilities can be stored. The system can calculate a number of factors from the data and return values to the central database. The system can track data trends and store additional information for budgeting, user reporting and certification compliance reporting. Modules can analyze the market rates, calculate efficiency benchmarks, analyze the data stored on the central database and provide the user with multiple tables and charts analyzing all of the factors that tie into energy usage. |
| US08719180B2 |
Delivery point identity services
A method and system for providing services to a mail delivery point are presented. According to the method, a delivery point identifier is acquired from a device located at the delivery point. Then, delivery point data is accessed corresponding to the delivery point identifier, and mail delivery services are provided in response to the delivery point data. The delivery point data are modifiable by a recipient who receives physical mail at the delivery point, and the delivery point data includes recipient preferences. |
| US08719175B2 |
Office building inefficiency factor and space planning circulation factor calculation system and method
A system and method for calculating a space required for a tenant in a building includes determining the areas of rooms required by the tenant. A circulation factor for each of the rooms based on the area of each room is calculated. The total of the room areas and the circulation factors are added to determine a pure space required by the tenant. The losses in actual usable space are determined for a building and an inefficiency factor is calculated based on these losses. The pure space is multiplied by the inefficiency factor to obtain a building efficiency loss. The building efficiency loss is added to the pure space to obtain the space required for the tenant in the building. The system may be configured on a network computer system or a standalone computer. |
| US08719174B2 |
Method, system, and computer program product for collaborative and integrated intellectual property management
A method, system, and computer program product for collaborative and integrated intellectual property management are provided. The method includes defining a sequence of phases for an intellectual property management model. The phases are defined by task-based components in conjunction with a workflow component and a messaging component. The task-based components specify a sequence of tasks implemented for achieving a desired outcome for a respective phase and also specify at least one of a resource and a role assigned to implement one or more of the sequence of tasks. A portion of the task-based components interact and share information with others of the task-based components via the workflow component and messaging component, thereby integrating operations between respective task-based components and phases. The method also includes applying the intellectual property management model to a set of inputs associated with data corresponding to a request to protect a proposed idea or concept. |
| US08719170B2 |
Method and system for transferring software and hardware feature licenses between devices
A method and system for transferring licenses between electronic devices supporting licensable features. Specifically, in a method a request is generated for transferring a license between first and second electronic devices. The request includes first information unique to the first electronic device, second information unique to the second electronic device. The request is sent to a license distributor to generates a master key. The master key includes a removal key including the first information and an add key including the second information. The removal key is used to remove the license from the first electronic device when the first information matches official versions of the first information. The add key is revealed from the master key when the license is successfully removed. The add key is used to add the license to the second electronic device when the second information matches official versions of the second information. |
| US08719167B2 |
Systems and methods for enhanced authorization fraud mitigation
A consumer uses a web client to transmit purchase information associated with a transaction to a merchant server. The purchase information is transmitted via a web acceleration server. The web acceleration server identifies enhanced authorization data associated with the transaction. The web acceleration server creates a pseudo authorization message. The web acceleration server transmits the pseudo authorization message to a transaction account issuer. The merchant server transmits an authorization request to the transaction account issuer. The transaction account issuer determines that the authorization request and the pseudo authorization message are associated with the same transaction. The transaction account issuer merges the authorization request and the pseudo authorization message and performs a fraud analysis. The transaction account issuer transmits an authorization response to the merchant. |
| US08719166B2 |
Iterative processing of transaction information to detect fraud
A fraud management system is configured to store rules for detecting fraud, receive a transaction from a merchant, process the transaction using a first subset of rules to generate a fraud score for the transaction, and output information regarding the fraud score to the merchant to assist the merchant in determining whether to accept, deny, or fulfill the transaction. The fraud management system is further configured to receive, after outputting the information regarding the fraud score to the merchant, additional information relating to the transaction, re-process the transaction using a second subset of rules to generate an update fraud score, and output information regarding the updated fraud score to the merchant to assist the merchant in determining whether to accept, deny, or fulfill the transaction. |
| US08719160B1 |
Processing payment items
Payment items are received and processed in the course of a financial transaction. For example, a paying bank may receive an electronic transmission corresponding to a imaged check from a depositing bank. The paying bank may attempt to identify a reason for return within the payment item. If a reason for return is found, a determination may be made that the payment item is a re-clear payment item that has been previously transmitted by the depositing bank and returned by the paying bank. After determining that a payment item is a re-clear, the item may be processed within the paying bank along an abbreviated processing path for faster and less costly item processing. For example, in systems in which duplicate detection is performed on payment items, re-clear items may be classified separately and need not undergo certain automated and/or manual duplicate detection processes. |
| US08719157B1 |
System and method for investing public deposits
A method, system and program product for operating an exchange method for municipal and/or state funds from banking institutions, comprising: accessing, one or more electronic databases holding data on client transaction accounts and funds in aggregated accounts and banking institutions holding Federal government securities; obtaining transaction data; generating instructions to deposit/transfer funds to or withdraw/transfer funds; receiving data for a first deposit from a first one of the banking institutions, where the first deposit comprises municipal funds and/or state funds; selecting, at least another of the banking institutions holding government securities to receive at least a portion of the first deposit of municipal funds and/or state funds; selecting, a plurality of client transaction accounts from one or more of the other banking institutions for the transfer of funds to the first banking institution; generating instructions to deposit/transfer funds. |
| US08719155B2 |
Vehicle rental transaction system and method
A vehicle rental transaction system and method which provide a vehicle lot owner with a choice of options for vehicle security and customer convenience. The vehicle rental transaction system includes a computer for identifying a customer as part of a rental transaction involving a vehicle, and for sending a wireless message to the vehicle containing instructions for preparing the vehicle for the customer. Example instructions include, but are not limited to, unlocking doors and a trunk of the vehicle, adjusting power seats and power mirrors in accordance with customer preferences, adjusting climate control settings in accordance with the customer preferences, adjusting radio station settings in accordance with the customer preferences, and adjusting GPS settings in accordance with the customer preferences. |
| US08719142B1 |
Seller categorization
Disclosed are methods for competitive pricing implemented in software for commerce in an electronic marketplace. A vendor may identify rivals: competitors against which the vendor most directly competes by dint of having similar reputation and market positioning. Using specified pricing models applied to filtered price data periodically gathered by spider-crawling competitors on the Internet, a vendor may adjust product prices to match rivals while accounting for overall marketplace price trends. |
| US08719141B1 |
Apparatus and method for conducting a recurring auction using a participant retention mechanism
The present invention includes a method and system for trading goods and services through recurring auctions. Recurring auctions are increasingly popular form of markets for perishable and time-sensitive resources. Traditional auctions strive to motivate bidders to bid their true valuation of the resources traded. Yet, when successful, they also quickly divide the recurring auction bidders into permanent winners and permanent losers. The latter have no incentive to stay in the market, so they leave, decreasing the competitive pressure and depressing pricing. The present invention introduces a novel winner selection method to maintain customers' interest in auction participation that employs participant retention mechanism in assigning traded resources to bidders. The winners are selected from a wider range of bidder ranks than in traditional auction mechanisms. For a group of bidders, winner selection takes into account bid values, allocation of resources and participation of each bidder in the previous auction rounds. |
| US08719131B1 |
Allocating financial risk and reward in a multi-tenant environment
Multi-tenant resources can be funded using payment submitted with requests for those resources, such that the resources do not need to be associated with a specific user account. A resource can be allocated and available as long as payment has been provided. If a user wants the resource to be available for additional processing, for example, the user can submit another request with additional funding. The funding can come in the form of donations from any user, or in the form of investments where the investor expects some return on the investment in the form of revenue, visibility, or other such compensation. One or more management components can track funding for various resources, can accept and select bids for period of sponsorship, and can manage various donation models. |
| US08719128B2 |
Computer-facilitated secure account-transaction
The handling of accounts and account transactions are implemented using a variety of different systems and methods. According to one embodiment a computer-facilitated system is implemented for handling accounts held by a user at a financial institution and an educational institution. A first database stores account balance information associated with a first account held at one of the institutions. A second database stores account balance information associated with a second account held at the other institution. Logic, located at one institution, encrypts an identifier of the first account, associates a resulting encrypted identifier with the second account and decrypts the encrypted identifier. A database interface transmits the encrypted identifier to the second database for storage. A user interface provides the user with the account balance information associated with the accounts in response to the logic decrypting the encrypted identifier. |
| US08719127B2 |
Network commerce system with lead-based feedback
A network commerce system comprises a product sale listing searchable by a consumer and comprising one or more products provided by a third-party vendor in a pay-per-lead format. A pay-per-lead tracking module is operable to track consumer leads provided to the third-party vendor; and a feedback system enables at least one of the consumer and the third-party vendor to leave feedback regarding a lead tracked via the pay-per-lead tracking module. |
| US08719123B2 |
Reporting circuit breaker and system
A circuit breaker having internal power monitoring and data signal generating apparatus, and a system for utilizing such a circuit breaker in a facility having a plurality of tenants served by branch circuits from a plurality of distribution panels. The circuit breaker radiates signals indicative of power consumption of the branch circuit protected thereby, together with a unique address identifier tied to one tenant. Electrical billings are based on summing all signals for each tenant. Changes to branch circuits during tenancy will not disturb correct billings since individual circuit breakers are associated with that tenant using power supplied by each branch circuit. Hence changes to branch circuits may be limited to modify building space locations served by the modified branch circuit, and need not be further modified to maintain correct billing in light of the circuit changes. |
| US08719122B1 |
Income itemization
Information provided with a direct deposit, a deposited check, or other negotiable instrument may be used to determine state, city, county, and/or other local income tax liability. Based on information associated with the deposit, the financial institution may determine where a user performed the work that triggered the income payment, where the income payment took place, what type of work is associated with the income payment, etc. This information may be used by the financial institution to provide income itemization and income tax liability information to the user via a user computing device. |
| US08719118B2 |
Method for managing drilling pipes, drilling tools, well tubing, and the like in ground drilling
A method for managing drilling rods, drilling tools, well—tubing and the like for ground drilling, particularly for exploring deposits of fossil fuels or geothermal reservoirs. An electronic data processing system stores information regarding the inventory and the present storage location of parts to be inserted into the well, such as drilling rods, drilling pipes, lining tubing, intermediate parts, drill bits, and the like, with additional information being saved in the computing system regarding the installation position and/or installation sequence of all parts inserted into the well so that the computing system can indicate to a user when and from where which part shall be fed to the well hole—supply system and/or to what location which part shall be returned to for storage when it must be removed from the well, and/or the computing system controls an automatic storage, supply, and restorage device. |
| US08719117B2 |
Method and apparatus to manage network based return processing
A return-processing server, computer-readable medium, and method for managing return processing of a product from a manufacturer includes receiving information from a database regarding the manufacturer's return procedures for a product, receiving information from a client system of a product to be submitted for return-processing, creating an electronic debit invoice in accordance with the information regarding the manufacturer's return procedures for the product and the information received from the client system regarding the product to be submitted for return-processing; and storing the electronic debit invoice in a debit invoice database accessible to the manufacturer for processing return credit. |
| US08719116B2 |
Methods for purchases using customer computer
Methods for purchasing of goods or services over the internet. A customer has a customer account set up at a bank with associated account information. The account information includes verification information for verification parameters, such as authorized computer identification, authorized delivery addresses, authorized user identification, authorized telephone caller identification, and/or other account information. An order is placed by a user via an ordering computer which provides order information. Such order information includes verification variables used by the bank. Verification and/or authentication using one or more variables of the customer account information is used by the bank to validate the order before assuring payment to the merchant. |
| US08719112B2 |
Invocation of accessory-specific user experience
An accessory-specific user experience can be invoked at a mobile host device attached to an accessory device. The mobile device can receive accessory device information from the accessory and transmit the accessory device information to an online marketplace. The mobile device can receive information indicating accessory-specific goods or services available from the online marketplace and display the received information as part of the invoked user experience. The accessory device information can comprise accessory usage categories as well as additional information about the accessory. A marketplace can select accessory-specific goods or services based on the received accessory device information based on matching between accessory attribute values associated with the goods and services and accessory attributes values contained in the received accessory device information. The accessory device can be a docking station connected to additional accessories and the accessory device information can comprise information pertaining to the additional accessories. |
| US08719111B2 |
Lowering reserve online auction method and system
The present disclosure provides for a method and system for conducting an online lowering reserve auction including creating an auction by specifying an item for auctioning, a retail price of the item, a total number of options offered for sale during the auction, a sale price of each option, and a time duration for the auction, while the auction is open, selling an option, while the auction is open, receiving a bid for the item, if the total number of options offered for sale are purchased, designating as the winning bid the highest bid amount received, if the auction time for the item has expired and if the combination of the amount of the highest bid received and of the proceeds from the sale of the options are greater than the retail price of the item, designating as the winning bid the highest bid amount received. |
| US08719106B2 |
Identity theft and fraud protection system and method
A system and method for preventing personal identity theft when making online and offline purchases requires a Purchaser to first subscribe and become a Member user by registering, providing relevant personal identity information, and establishing two-way multi-factor authentication information for security purposes. The ID protection system obtains a controlled use card (CUC) through a CUC issuer on behalf of the Member for use in making each purchase transaction. The CUC is anonymous with respect to user (Member) identity and may be a purchase-specific single-use card or a multi-purpose card with no traceable connection to any other financial account. When the Member makes a secure purchase, the Merchant is presented with anonymous information, except in instances where the Member's real identity information is required (e.g. airline tickets). |
| US08719105B2 |
Dynamic reconfiguration of web pages based on user behavioral portrait
A method is provided for determining a website user behavioral portrait based on navigation on the website and dynamically reconfiguring web pages based on those portraits. In accordance with the method, data relating to the progress of a user through a website is recorded, and an ongoing behavioral portrait of the user is built based on the data. The portrait is then used to dynamically reconfigure web content. |
| US08719103B2 |
System, method, and apparatus to facilitate commerce and sales
A system and method for conducting commerce and sales operations is disclosed. A sales representative identifies a customer, chooses a product, and completes a sales transaction using a front-end POS software application. The sales data is transferred to a central storage server, where a master database is created with the data from the front-end POS software application. The central storage server transmits and receives data from back-end corporate servers and databases and creates a master database containing data from corporate applications. The front-end POS software devices uses a holster that includes a docking station, sliding cradle for a mobile device, a card reader, and an infrared scanner to identify products and complete payment. |
| US08719100B1 |
Interactive delivery of information through images
An image store including images from photo agencies is established by an image management system. Marketers interact with the image management system to review images in the image store and tag objects shown in the images. The object tags identify and provide information about the objects shown in the images. The marketers define campaigns having payment conditions indicating types of engagement with the images that trigger payments by the marketers. Publishers interact with the image management system to select images and publish the selected images to clients used by consumers. The publishers also provide the consumers with tag modules that execute on the clients to display the information about the objects shown in the published images. Consumer interactions with the displayed information are reported to the image management system, and the system accounts for payments by the marketers if the payment conditions are satisfied. |
| US08719099B2 |
Apparatus and method for advertising in digital photo frame
A novel digital photo frame is configured to display user-loaded photographs, moving pictures, and other personal data and corporate-paid advertisements which are dynamically updatable by an advertising data distribution center or another communications service provider, such as a cellular service provider computer or another device. The invention also discloses a related, novel method of advertising in a digital photo frame with dynamically-updatable-ads, in which initial advertising fees for one or more dynamically-updateable ads at least partially pay for manufacturing costs of the digital photo frame for inexpensive distribution of the digital photo frame to a targeted consumer. |
| US08719098B2 |
Real-time product delivery during customer-driven point of sale retail transactions
According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an approach is provided in which a product request is received that corresponds to a point-of-sale (POS) device, which is located at a merchant facility. In addition to identifying a product location corresponding to the product, an employee location of an employee in proximity to the product location is also identified. In turn, an electronic message is sent to the employee's mobile device that includes a request to transport the product from the product location to the POS device. |
| US08719095B2 |
Targeted advertising in a peer-to-peer network
A method is described including requesting content from a directory service, receiving a list of peers in a peer-to-peer network having the requested content, selecting a peer from the received list of peers, establishing communications with the selected peer, receiving a list of chunks of content and ads available from the selected peer, requesting a chunk of content and ads available from said selected peer and receiving the chunk of content and randomly selected ads from the selected peer. Also described is a method including receiving a request for content, generating a list of chunks of content available for the requested content, generating a list of ads associated with the requested content, transmitting the list of available chunks of content responsive to the request, receiving a request for a selected chunk of content and transmitting the selected chunk of content and ads associated with the selected chunk of content. |
| US08719094B1 |
Notifying a user of a promotional offer based on a travel route
The disclosed subject matter relates to computer-implemented methods for notifying a user of a promotional offer based on a travel route. In one aspect, a method includes determining a travel route, from an origin location to a destination location, of a user. The method further includes calculating a distance from at least one point on the travel route one or more retail locations offering a promotional offer. The method further includes selecting, based on the calculated distance, at least one of the one or more retail locations offering the promotional offer. The method further includes determining a time to notify the user of the promotional offer offered by the selected retail location(s). The method further includes providing for notifying the user at the determined time, of the promotional offer offered by the selected retail location(s). |
| US08719087B2 |
Consolidated consumer rewards systems and methods
A consumer tracking and rewards system and related methods that provide for consolidating two or more merchant-branded rewards accounts into a single source. A single unique identifier referred to as a consumer number used to track and credit purchases with respect to multiple retail establishments. The consumer number may exist simply as a data element in the system or may be printed, bar coded, or programmed onto any physical medium or device. Components of the system include a consumer rewards platform, a merchant-consumer rewards system and potentially a card vendor system. The consumer rewards platform facilitates communication and the transfer of data between the various components of the system. A cross-reference between single consumer numbers and one or more merchant rewards program numbers is used to accommodate the trading and linking of information among participating merchants. Consumers may communicate with the various system components through a consumer web portal. A website is also available to merchants so they may view statistical information regarding rewards program participation. |
| US08719084B2 |
System and method for conducting sales
Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for conducting sales. A system configured to practice the method receives an inquiry with at least one parameter from a user associated with a sale of an item. The system identifies one or more discount items that satisfy the inquiry and filters the one or more discount items based on a time-sensitive sales opacity scale. The system identifies comparable items for each discount item at nondiscount rates dynamically using real-time data and presents one or more comparable groups to the user, each comparable group including one filtered discount item and respective comparable items. Then the system advances the sale of the discount item based on user acceptance of one of the presented one or more comparable groups. |
| US08719078B1 |
Index for assessing discount potential
A computerized system and method of calculating a discount index value for a supplier can include receiving information related to a plurality of discount leverage factors for the supplier, calculating a discount index value for the supplier based on the information related to the discount leverage factors, receiving information related to an actual discount event for the supplier, recalculating the discount index value for the supplier based on the discount leverage factors and the information related to actual discount events, and displaying the discount index value for the supplier. The system and method can also include placing the discount index value on a discount index scale, defining a plurality of discount leverage regions on the discount index scale, and attributing a leverage value to the supplier based on the proximity of the discount index value to one of the discount leverage regions. |
| US08719077B2 |
Real world and virtual world cross-promotion
Technologies are described herein for cross promoting real objects in a real world and virtual objects in a virtual world. A redemption code is received from a first participant in the virtual world. A virtual object corresponding to the redemption code is provided to the first participant. A request for information regarding the real object is received from a second participant of the virtual world and via the virtual object. Upon receiving the request via the virtual object, information regarding the real object is provided to the second participant and via the virtual object. |
| US08719069B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing virtual machine information to a network interface
A hypervisor preferably provides VM identification, priority and LUN/LBA range information to the HBA when a VM is created. Alternatively, the HBA can determine that a LUN/LBA range is new and request VM identity, priority and LUN/LBA range from the hypervisor. The HBA creates a table containing the VM identification, priority and LUN/LBA range. The HBA then detects operations directed to the LUN/LBA range and does a lookup to determine VM identification and priority. VM identification and priority are then mapped into a field in a frame using a unique identifier. The unique identifier can either be placed using reserved bits on the existing Fiber Channel (FC) header or can use bits in an additional header, such as a modified IFR header. |
| US08719067B2 |
Monitoring and displaying the scheduled and actuated activities of a workforce
Systems and methods are disclosed for scheduling a workforce. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: collecting an agent activity of a first class and an agent activity of a second class; and displaying the agent activity of the first class and the agent activity of the second class along the same timeline axis. The agent activities are collected from a contact center data source. The second class is different from the first class. Both activities are associated with the same agent. Each activity is derived from a different virtual data source. |
| US08719066B2 |
Systems and methods for capturing, managing, sharing, and visualising asset information of an organization
A system for semantically modeling relationships and dependencies between groups, enclosures, assets, and support entities according to an industry specific manner. An exemplary system includes a user interface device, a relational database and a processor. The processor receives relationship information and receives attributes with associated measurements for the groups, enclosures, assets, and support entities for the corporation from the user interface device. The attributes with associated measurements are formatted according the specific industry of the corporation. The processor generates a three dimensional (3D) visualization of the groups, enclosures, assets, and support entities and allows a virtual walkthrough of the 3D visualization as presented on the display device based on user entered commands from the user input device. |
| US08719064B1 |
Administration and customization platform for in-vehicle services
An approach to facilitating in-vehicle-services-related tracking of passengers is provided. A first set of information relating to a first carrier and a second set of information relating to a second carrier that is different from the first carrier may be obtained. The first set of information may include first identification information and one or more first trip details. The second set of information may include second identification information and one or more second trip details. The first set of information may be determined to relate to a first trip of a particular passenger with the first carrier. The second set of information may be determined to relate to a second trip of the particular passenger with the second carrier. Preference information of the particular passenger may be determined based on the one or more trip details and the one or more second trip details. |
| US08719063B1 |
System and method for comparing information in a process for issuing insurance policies
A system and method related to comparing information during a process for issuing insurance policies. The system has a database that stores a formatted submission for an insurance policy, the formatted submission comprising a plurality of insurance policy clauses and attribute information for an entity that desires to purchase the insurance policy, a user interface that receives information from an insurance company related to the formatted submission and a processor that compares the information received from the insurance company to the formatted submission and outputs comparison data based on the information and the formatted submission. |
| US08719061B2 |
System and method for repair calculation, replacement calculation, and insurance adjustment
Disclosed is a novel system and method that provides real time information to an insurance adjuster. The system obtains information related to an insured item which has an outstanding claim. Information includes the cost to repair a specific item, the salvage value of the item, and the cost to replace the item. The system then compares the information related to the insured item from an economic perspective to determine whether it should be repaired or replaced. Since the system is objective, it reduces the reliance on subjective human factors such as collusion and lack of expertise. As a result, the system reduces the number of fraudulent and inaccurate transactions related to the specific item. |
| US08719060B1 |
Systems and methods for modeling insurance coverage
A method for modeling insurance coverage includes providing a processor, providing a memory coupled to the processor and including data related to a plurality of claims, and quoting, using the processor, a first insurance policy having coverage limits. The method also includes displaying within a user interface, a first plurality of claim scenario parameters for the first insurance policy, displaying a disparity between the coverage limits of the first insurance policy and the first plurality of claim scenario parameters, and quoting, using the processor, a second insurance policy. The method further includes displaying, within the user interface, a second plurality of claim scenario parameters for the second insurance policy and displaying a disparity between the coverage limits of the second insurance policy and the second plurality of claim scenario parameters. |
| US08719058B2 |
Outcomes based service provider networks
A system and method are provided for determining a composition of a service provider network for providing services according to a workers' compensation insurance plan. The system and method acquires claim information, which describes workers' compensation claims and medical service providers, and determines a metric value for each of the medical service providers, adjusts the metric values, assigns scores based on the adjusted metric values, determines an average of the assigned scores, and generates results data based on the assigned scores. The results data indicates, for each of the medical service providers, whether the medical service provider should be included in the service provider network. The service provider metrics include a metric that relates to an amount paid per claim and a percentage of claims that involved lost time. |
| US08719055B2 |
Method and system to control and enhance prescribing and dispensing of medication
Computer implemented methods and systems for controlling the dispensation of a prescription drug to a patient with a medical condition. The methods and systems may restrict the prescription and dispensation of prescription drugs at the physician and pharmacy level. Determination of whether a patient should receive a subsequent prescription of a drug is based on the effectiveness of the drug and the adverse side effects associated with the drug. This can be used by state and federal regulators, physicians and pharmacists to control, evaluate and monitor the use of drugs on an individual patient basis. Furthermore, the methods and systems provide a national registry in which drug effectiveness data in individual patients is collected which can be aggregated to provide information on population-based drug efficacy. |
| US08719054B2 |
Enhanced communication link for patient diagnosis and treatment
Exemplary embodiments provide a verification technique that facilitates administration of a health-related procedure to an intended recipient patient or group of patients. An interface template or signal protocol may be configured to establish suitable matching between the patient and various types of objects used to administer the health-related procedure. |
| US08719053B2 |
Laboratory instrumentation information management and control network
An interface point network (IPN) and a method for communication with a laboratory information system using an IPN, wherein the IPN includes at least one host computer in communication with at least one laboratory instrument, the laboratory information system and an interface point server in communication with the host computer and the laboratory information system, the interface point server being configured to function as a communication interface between the host computer and the laboratory information system in a manner responsive to a predetermined communication protocol. |
| US08719052B2 |
Internet system for connecting healthcare providers and patients
An Internet-based system involves a database and search capabilities for connecting patients with healthcare providers, e.g., physicians, hospitals, nursing homes, treatment facilities, etc., and further enables such providers to reach patients with whom they may not otherwise come into contact. A patient may access the healthcare provider information through a search conducted using a search engine, such as Google, Yahoo, etc. Alternatively, a patient may access the company Web site's predetermined Web page that provides search capabilities on its database. A patient may research a healthcare provider based on criteria specified by the patient. Information provided to the patient may be in the form of a report, profile, ratings, etc., including patient-provided information, physician-verified information, and information verified by an independent third party. The verified information and ratings provided by the Web site enable patients to differentiate among healthcare providers and thereby select the provider that best meets their individual needs. |
| US08719051B2 |
System and method for evaluating and comparing medical treatments
An evaluative software tool to support the assessment of health care-related technologies during development to facilitate making critical decisions for an optimized research, development and commercialization plan is provided. The software tool includes the ability to measure, weight, and integrate the critical factors that come into play in the development of a risk/benefit profile of a technology relative to its competitors, benchmarked around clinical trial measures, in order to determine its development and commercialization success. |
| US08719050B2 |
Systems and methods for self-updating intelligent procedure duration estimation for patient scheduling
Certain embodiments provide systems and methods for self-updating procedure duration estimation for patient scheduling. A scheduling system for scheduling procedures in a clinical environment includes historical procedure data including stored duration values for a procedure. The scheduling system also includes a user interface providing scheduling and procedure duration information to a user for scheduling the procedure for a patient. The scheduling system further includes a scheduling engine estimating one or more duration values for the procedure for scheduling the procedure for a patient. The scheduling engine establishes a default duration value for a procedure and updating the default duration value based on the historical procedure duration data. The scheduling engine provides a plurality of procedure durations including the updated default duration value to the user for selection via the user interface. The scheduling engine schedules a procedure using a user selected value for procedure duration. |
| US08719044B2 |
Computerized methods for displaying clinically-related in-patient information
Methods for use in, e.g., in-patient care computing environment, for displaying clinically-related in-patient information on at least one patient-viewable display device are provided. A method in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention may include receiving a clinical order associated with an in-patient, automatically generating one or more tasks based on the clinical order received, and automatically displaying the task(s) on the patient-viewable display device. If desired, the method may additionally include associating the clinical order and the task(s) with an electronic record associated with the in-patient (e.g., an electronic medical record), and accessing the electronic record to obtain the one or more tasks for display on the patient-viewable display device. |
| US08719043B2 |
Drug authentication
A method is disclosed to verify and identify pharmaceutical products through their product signatures in order to combat counterfeiting and reduce dispensing errors, using methods such as near infrared spectroscopy. Furthermore, in order actively evade pharmaceutical product counterfeiting, a method is disclosed where an amount of one or more of the inactive ingredients is varied over time; the variation provides a different product signature, but falling within a level deemed permissible by a regulatory body. |
| US08719042B1 |
Ecosytem based application selection and replacement
A system for functional domain based information technology selection and replacement is provided. Applications for each of multiple entities are associated with a set of functional domains. The set of functional domains are associated with a set of ecosystems. Data is complied for each ecosystem. Applications are adopted for one entity associated with an ecosystem, for each ecosystem, based on compiled data. |
| US08719041B2 |
Method and system for customizing a network-based transaction facility seller application
According to the present invention, there is provided a method of customizing a seller application that facilitates communication of listings to a network-based transaction facility. The method includes facilitating selection of at least one targeted site from a plurality of targeted sites presented to a user, wherein the plurality of targeted sites are supported by the network-based transaction facility. The method further includes configuring the seller application according to the at least one targeted site selected. |
| US08719039B1 |
Promoting voice actions to hotwords
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for designating certain voice commands as hotwords. The methods, systems, and apparatus include actions of receiving a hotword followed by a voice command. Additional actions include determining that the voice command satisfies one or more predetermined criteria associated with designating the voice command as a hotword, where a voice command that is designated as a hotword is treated as a voice input regardless of whether the voice command is preceded by another hotword. Further actions include, in response to determining that the voice command satisfies one or more predetermined criteria associated with designating the voice command as a hotword, designating the voice command as a hotword. |
| US08719038B1 |
Computerized information and display apparatus
Computerized apparatus for obtaining and displaying information, such as for example directions to a desired entity or organization. In one embodiment, the computerized apparatus is configured to receive user speech input and enable performance of various tasks, such as obtaining desired information relating to indoor entities, maps or directions, or any number of other topics. The obtained data may also, in various variants, be displayed in various formats and relative to other entities nearby. |
| US08719037B2 |
Transport apparatus with computerized information and display apparatus
Transport apparatus which includes computerized apparatus useful for obtaining and displaying information. In one embodiment, the computerized apparatus includes a network interface, display device, and speech recognition apparatus configured to receive user speech input and enable performance of various tasks via a remote entity, such as obtaining desired information relating to maps or directions, or any number of other topics. The downloaded data may also, in one variant, be displayed with contextually related advertising or other content. |
| US08719028B2 |
Information processing apparatus and text-to-speech method
An information processing apparatus for playing back data includes an oral reading unit, a storage unit storing text templates for responses to questions from a user and text template conversion rules, an input unit for inputting a question from a user, and a control unit for retrieving data and items of information associated with the data. The control unit analyzes a question about a data from a user, for example, a question about a tune, to select a text template for a response to the question and detects the characters in items of tune information of the tune. The characters are designated to replace replacement symbols included in the text template. The control unit also converts the text template based on whether the characters can be read aloud, generates a text to be read aloud using the converted text template, and causes the oral reading unit to read the text aloud. |
| US08719027B2 |
Name synthesis
An automated method of providing a pronunciation of a word to a remote device is disclosed. The method includes receiving an input indicative of the word to be pronounced. The method further includes searching a database having a plurality of records. Each of the records has an indication of a textual representation and an associated indication of an audible representation. At least one output is provided to the remote device of an audible representation of the word to be pronounced. |
| US08719022B2 |
Compressed phonetic representation
An audio processing system makes use of a number of levels of compression or data reduction, thereby providing reduced storage requirements while maintaining a high accuracy of keyword detection in the original audio input. |
| US08719019B2 |
Speaker identification
Speaker identification techniques are described. In one or more implementations, sample data is received at a computing device of one or more user utterances captured using a microphone. The sample data is processed by the computing device to identify a speaker of the one or more user utterances. The processing involving use of a feature set that includes features obtained using a filterbank having filters that space linearly at higher frequencies and logarithmically at lower frequencies, respectively, features that model the speaker's vocal tract transfer function, and features that indicate a vibration rate of vocal folds of the speaker of the sample data. |
| US08719008B2 |
Computer processes for analyzing and improving document readability
Computer-based processes are disclosed for analyzing and improving document readability. Document readability is improved by using rules and associated logic to automatically detect various types of writing problems and to make and/or suggest edits for eliminating such problems. Many of the rules seek to generate more concise formulations of the analyzed sentences, such as by eliminating unnecessary words, rearranging words and phrases, and making various other types of edits. |
| US08719002B2 |
Revising content translations using shared translation databases
A method, system, and computer usable program product for revising content translations using shared translation databases are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A translation of some content is presented to a user. A revision to a first portion of the translation is received from the user. A second portion of the translation is identified using the shared translation database, the second portion being a candidate for revising using the revision. The second portion is suggested for revision. The second portion may be identified without user interaction. The revision may be submitted for review along with user-selected portions, and an approval may be received. The user's access to the shared translation database may be controlled such that the user is able to interact with the shared translation database to identify the second portion but the user may be unable to modify the shared translation database. |
| US08719000B2 |
Shooting Pnoise circuit simulation with full spectrum accuracy
An apparatus and method for performing periodic noise (Pnoise) simulation with full spectrum accuracy is disclosed herein. Noise contributions of a circuit under consideration are identified and separated for different computation treatment. The different computation treatment results in computational efficiency without sacrificing accuracy of simulation results. |
| US08718995B2 |
System and method for determining compatibility of bioactive agents and formulations provided therefrom
A method for determining compatibility of bioactive agents (i.e. supplement formulation components, pharmacological agents, etc.), comprising (i) determining compatibility by and between components contained in a supplement formulation, i.e. vitamins and/or minerals, (ii) determining compatibility by and between the formulation components and the body, and (iii) determining compatibility by and between the formulation components and pharmacological agents, i.e. prescribed and over-the-counter medications, and formulations derived therefrom. |
| US08718994B2 |
Ligands for the GLP-1 receptor and methods for discovery thereof
Disclosed is the three-dimensional (3-D) structure of the GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) and methods by which the structure may be used to develop compounds that bind to, and/or modulate the GLP-1R. The technology described herein may be applied to the development of compounds that target the GLP-1R, or may be used to develop target compound that may bind to, and/or modulate the activity of the GLP-1R. |
| US08718990B2 |
Tire second order harmonics with rib shift methodology
A method of improving the high-speed uniformity of tire performance that reduces low and/or high harmonics. The method includes determining a force variation that is created by rotation of a first tire, having a first tread design, at high speed. A second order harmonic of the force variation is analyzed. A second tire design is generated that circumferentially shifts one or more ribs of the first tread design to minimize the second order harmonic alone or in combination with other order harmonics. |
| US08718988B2 |
Method for determining and/or predicting the maximum power capacity of a battery
A method determines and/or predicts a maximum power capacity of a battery by using a model of the battery based on an electric equivalent circuit diagram that predicts the maximum power capacity of the battery. The maximum power of the battery is prognosticated for a defined prognosis period and for the different operating modes with respect to the charging or discharging operation, considering the maximum allowable operating voltage and the maximum allowable operating current. |
| US08718986B2 |
Ion implantation distribution generating method and simulator
A method of generating an ion implantation distribution by a computer is disclosed. The method includes calculating ion implantation distribution regions in a case of generating the ion implantation distribution with a large tilt angle and generating an analytical model of the ion implantation distribution in correspondence with each of the ion implantation distribution regions by using a Gauss distribution model, in which the ion implantation distribution regions have different influence on a channel region depending on a gate structure formed on the ion distribution regions. |
| US08718983B1 |
Intuitive interactive cloning for custom layout generation
A computer system and corresponding process is disclosed for making a design layout based on a schematic diagram. The system comprises a user interface which includes a display of a schematic diagram of a layout to be designed. The schematic diagram includes multiple occurrences of a target element. Source elements are displayed, which correspond with the target element. One occurrence of multiple occurrences of the target element shown in the schematic diagram is selected. The source element is applied to the selected target element. A computer program product bears software for directing a computer system to perform the foregoing. |
| US08718982B2 |
Tools for customized design of dental restorations
The present invention relates to tools in a system for the design of customized three-dimensional models of dental restorations for subsequent manufacturing. Dental restorations such as implant abutments, copings, crowns, wax-ups, bridge frameworks. Moreover, the invention relates to a computer-readable medium for implementing such a system on a computer. |
| US08718975B2 |
Surface profile evaluation
A method and system for accepting or rejecting a curved surface of a body under evaluation involves conducting a comparison between the curvature of a surface profile for the surface under evaluation and higher and lower curvature tolerance boundaries. The higher and lower curvature tolerance boundaries are determined from a desired surface profile. The curvature at a plurality of locations on the curve profile under evaluation may be defined with reference to a geometric variable for said curved surface and may be plotted on a graph. The higher and lower curvature tolerance boundaries may also be plotted on the graph so as to determine whether the plot of curvature for the surface under evaluation falls within the bounds of the higher and lower tolerance boundaries. |
| US08718971B2 |
System for determining the airspeed of an aircraft
A system for determining the true airspeed vector, defined by a magnitude and by a direction, of an aircraft comprising a fuselage, comprises four laser anemometers each having a single measurement path so as to measure a local component of the true airspeed and being distributed in different locations around the fuselage of the aircraft; and means for calculating the magnitude and direction of the true airspeed vector of the aircraft using the four measurements of components of the true airspeed. |
| US08718966B2 |
Damping test method, control apparatus, hydraulic system, and computer readable recording medium
The control apparatus acquires an ideal velocity characteristic of a control surface, and the temperature of pressure oil of the actuator to be tested and the operating speed of the control surface when the actuator is attached to the control surface. The control apparatus corrects the ideal velocity characteristic of the control surface by using the pressure oil temperature and the control surface operating speed. The control apparatus sets an upper limit and a lower limit by using a predicted value for a fluctuation range for a fluctuation factor that causes a fluctuation of the control surface operating speed, with reference to the corrected ideal velocity characteristic, measures the pressure oil temperature and the operating speed by actuating the control surface, with the actuator to be tested placed in a damping mode, and determines whether the measured value falls within the range between the upper limit and the lower limit. |
| US08718965B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing analyte monitoring system calibration accuracy
Methods, system and devices for providing improved calibration accuracy of continuous glucose monitoring system based on insulin delivery information are provided. |
| US08718962B2 |
Calibrating method for calibrating measured distance of a measured object measured by a distance-measuring device according to ambient temperature and related device
A calibrating method of calibrating a measured distance of a measured object measured by a distance-measuring device according to an ambient temperature includes providing a temperature sensor for measuring the ambient temperature of the distance-measuring device, calculating a calibrated imaging location of the measured object according to the ambient temperature and an imaging location of the measured object, and calibrating the measured distance according to the calibrated imaging location. In this way, when the distance-measuring device measures the measured object, the error due to the variation of the ambient temperature is avoided according to the calibrating method. |
| US08718958B2 |
Method, system and computer program product for real-time detection of sensitivity decline in analyte sensors
Method, system and computer program product for providing real time detection of analyte sensor sensitivity decline is continuous glucose monitoring systems are provided. |
| US08718957B2 |
Method and devices for monitoring flow circuits
A device is provided for monitoring the integrity of a flow circuit in fluid communication with a receptacle. The flow circuit includes a pumping device for transferring fluid through the flow circuit. The device operates according to a monitoring method in which a pressure signal is received from a pressure sensor, the pressure signal being indicative of fluid pressure in the receptacle or the flow circuit. The pressure signal is then processed for detection of a beating signal. The beating signal manifests itself as an amplitude modulation of the pressure signal and is formed by interference between pressure waves generated by a pulse generator associated with the receptacle and pressure waves generated by the pumping device. The integrity of the flow circuit is determined based at least partly on the presence or absence of the beating signal. The device and the flow circuit may be part of an apparatus for extracorporeal blood treatment, and the method may be implemented as a computer program product. |
| US08718956B2 |
High-pressure quartz crystal microbalance
Described is an apparatus for measuring mass change under high pressure, comprising: a high pressure cell comprising a reference quartz crystal microbalance sensor and a sample quartz crystal microbalance sensor, wherein the sample quartz crystal microbalance sensor is coated with a test sample selected from the group consisting of nanoporous materials and metal-organic frameworks; a pressure sensor operatively connected to the high pressure cell; a thermocouple operatively connected to the high pressure cell, wherein the high pressure cell is maintained at a pre-selected temperature; a gas inlet fluidly connected to the high pressure cell; and a gas outlet fluidly connected to the high pressure cell. Also described are methods of making and using the apparatus. |
| US08718955B2 |
System and method for detecting blocked pitot-static ports
An avionics system and process for detecting pneumatic blockages having an air pressure measurement system including a first sensor positioned in association with the air inlet of an air probe component. The air pressure measurement system having a second sensor positioned in association with the air inlet for detecting air pressure in which the second sensor has a frequency response higher than that of the first sensor. An air data computer is coupled to each of the first and second sensors being configured and operable to calculate a first aircraft movement measurement using detected air pressure from the first sensor and is further operative to determine if the first sensor is faulty or if the air inlet is blocked in dependence upon the frequency content and amplitude of the output from the second sensor. |
| US08718951B2 |
Methods, computer-accessible medium, and systems for generating a genome wide haplotype sequence
Methods, computer-accessible medium, and systems for generating a genome wide probe map and/or a genome wide haplotype sequence are provided. In particular, a genome wide probe map can be generated by obtaining a plurality of detectable oligonucleotide probes hybridized to at least one double stranded nucleic acid molecule cleaved with at least one restriction enzyme, and detecting the location of the detectable oligonucleotide probes. For example, genome wide haplotype sequence can be generated by analyzing at least one genome wide restriction map in conjunction with at least one genome wide probe map to determine distances between restriction sites of the genome wide restriction map(s) and locations of detectable oligonucleotide probes of the genome wide probe map(s) and defining a consensus map indicating restriction sites based on the genome wide restriction map(s) and/or locations of detectable oligonucleotide probes based on each of the genome wide probe map(s). |
| US08718950B2 |
Methods and apparatus for identification of disease associated mutations
In some embodiments, a non-transitory processor-readable medium includes code to cause a processor to receive a set of variants identified by a comparison of a test DNA sequence with a reference DNA sequence and associate at least one of the set of variants with at least one of a set of annotations each indicative of at least one criterion. The code includes code to cause the processor to filter, based on the set of annotations, the set of variants to identify a subset of variants from the set of variants. Each variant from the subset of variants is associated with at least one common annotation from the set of annotations. The code further includes code to cause the processor to present the subset of variants such that the subset of variants can be used to render a clinical diagnosis. |
| US08718947B2 |
Method for measuring the incidence of hospital acquired infections
A method of determining an Antibiotic Utilization Criteria (AUC) marker includes assigning an AUC=1 to a patient if certain criteria are met: (1) antimicrobials were first dispensed to the patient after an initial number of days has passed since the patient's admission to a hospital, and either (2a) the antimicrobials were dispensed to the patient for a determined number of consecutive days after the day of first dispense, or (2b) the antimicrobials were dispensed to the patient on consecutive days after the day of first dispense up to and including the day on which the patient either was discharged or died. If criteria (1) is not satisfied or both of alternate criteria (2a) and (2b) are not satisfied, an AUC=0 is assigned to the patient. |
| US08718946B2 |
Identification, monitoring and treatment of disease and characterization of biological condition using gene expression profiles
A method provides an index that is indicative of the state of a subject, as to a biological condition, based on a sample from the subject. An embodiment of this method includes: deriving from the sample a profile data set, the profile data set including a plurality of members, each member being a quantitative measure of the amount of a distinct RNA or protein constituent in a panel of constituents selected so that measurement of the constituents enables evaluation of the biological condition; and in deriving the profile data set, achieving such measure for each constituent under measurement conditions that are substantially repeatable; and applying values from the profile data set to an index function that provides a mapping from an instance of a profile data set into a single-valued measure of biological condition, so as to produce an index pertinent to the biological condition of the subject. |
| US08718945B2 |
Methods for classification of toxic agents and counteragents
Methods and systems for evaluating biological dataset profiles relating to toxic agents including candidate pharmaceuticals, environmental agents, biowarfare and chemical warfare agents are provided, where datasets comprising information for multiple cellular parameters are compared and identified, and used in the evaluation of candidate agents. |
| US08718939B2 |
Method and apparatus for three dimensional dynamic measurements in water system
Techniques for measuring one or more physical properties of a water system. A measurement platform is positioned at a first location of a given water system, wherein the measurement platform comprises a plurality of sensor devices distributed over a three dimensional space and configured to acquire data relating to one or more physical properties of the water system. A first set of measurement data is acquired from the water system at the first location via at least a portion of the plurality of sensor devices of the measurement platform. The measurement platform is moved along a predetermined path to at least a second location in the water system. At least a second set of measurement data is acquired from the water system at the second location via at least a portion of the plurality of sensor devices of the measurement platform. |
| US08718938B2 |
Multi-sensor data collection and/or processing
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to the control and utilization of multiple sensors within a device. For an example, motion of a device may be detected in response to receipt of a signal from a first sensor disposed in the device, and a power state of a second sensor also disposed in the device may be changed in response to detected motion. |
| US08718936B2 |
Navigation device
Apparatus for, and a method of, providing output data to a person identifying a route back to a recorded waypoint position. Personal navigation apparatus for providing output data to a person identifying a route back to a recorded waypoint position, comprising a route indication device including a visual display element; and a positioning device. The positioning system includes a processing system having a data storage device, a first micromechanical device configured to produce an output signal proportional to an acceleration along an axis, and a second micromechanical device having components in constant motion and configured to produce an output signal proportional to its angular rate of motion around an axis. The processing system is configured to generate and store in said data storage device position data describing the position of said personal navigation apparatus within a reference space, based upon data received from said first micromechanical device and said second micromechanical device. |
| US08718927B2 |
GPS data repair
Repairing GPS data is disclosed. Repairing GPS data includes repairing an effort, comprising determining that the effort includes inaccurate GPS data; and adjusting the effort using a repaired base map. Repairing GPs data includes repairing a segment, comprising determining an inaccurate shape data in the segment; and adjusting shape data for the segment based on a repaired base. |
| US08718926B1 |
Electronic direction technology
An electronic direction system accesses navigation data describing at least one instance in which a direction was missed during provision of electronic navigation along a route and tracks instances in which directions have been missed based on the accessed navigation data. The electronic direction system accounts for the tracked instances in which directions have been missed in handling provision of future directions. |
| US08718924B2 |
Method and apparatus for road guidance using mobile terminal
The present invention relates to apparatus and method for road guidance using a mobile terminal. The method for road guidance using a mobile terminal includes receiving a map image created by a users input, setting at least one user-designated location to the map image according to the users input, setting location information of the user-designated location to the user-designated location, comparing the location information of the user-designated location with current location information of the mobile terminal; and notifying of arrival at the user-designated location. A user may arrive at a desired destination according to the present invention without using map data provided by a map data service provider. |
| US08718923B2 |
Object cluster detection and estimation
A vehicle tracking system includes a wheel unit containing RF communication circuitry. The wheel units communicate with fixed nodes of a monitoring system. In some embodiments, the wheel units are placed on shopping carts and are used to track the shopping carts in a vicinity of a store. The system may implement a variety of tracking-relating features, including detecting unauthorized store exit events, estimating the number of shopping carts that are clustered together, and inhibiting shopping cart theft. |
| US08718921B2 |
Method and system for avoiding an intercepting vehicle by an airborne moving body
The present disclosure relates to an avoidance system which comprises means for determining, from at least the value of a parameter for the movement (R, Vr) of an intercepting vehicle relative to said moving body and from the incoming direction (θo, φo) of said vehicle relative to said moving body, an order of avoidance intended for said automatic means of piloting said moving body in such a way that the latter automatically carries out a maneuver for avoiding said vehicle. |
| US08718920B2 |
System and method for determining earth-fixed trajectory launching from within a specified area
Determining a launch window from anywhere within a specified area to avoid or minimize close approaches between a launch vehicle and orbiting space objects. A method and apparatus is disclosed for minimizing close approaches, or conjunctions between spacecraft being launched from anywhere within a specified area and other objects in space during the launch and early deployment phase of their lifetime, by defining a launch window, utilizing and identifying launch window blackout times to avoid close approaches of launch trajectories from anywhere within an area with remaining objects in space as noted in a space object catalog. |
| US08718917B2 |
GPS-based relative positioning enhancement method using neighboring entity information
A method and system is provided for determining a relative position between a host vehicle and a remote vehicle using an indirect assisting entity technique. A GPS position of the host vehicle and a remote vehicle are obtained. A number of common satellites providing GPS data to the host vehicle and the remote vehicle are determined. An indirect-assisting entity is identified having a common number of satellites in communication between the host vehicle and remote vehicle, respectively, which is greater than the number of common satellites between host vehicle and the remote vehicle. A relative position is determined between the host vehicle and the indirect-assisting entity, and the remote vehicle and the indirect-assisting entity. A position of the host vehicle relative to the remote vehicle is determined as a function of the determined position of the host vehicle and remote vehicle relative to the indirect-assisting entity. |
| US08718915B1 |
System, module, and method for generating an image of a flight route corridor on a display unit
A present novel and non-trivial system, module, and method for generating an image of a flight route corridor displayed an aircraft display unit. A processor generates an image data set using navigation data and object data, where object data includes terrain and obstacle data. The image data set is determined using the object data and flight route corridor data, wherein the flight route corridor data is determined by applying navigation and object data to flight route corridor design criteria. The image data set is provided to a display unit to display a flight route corridor and at least one “offending” object against the background of the scene outside the aircraft, where offending objects include those objects penetrating an obstacle clearance surface and those objects penetrating the flight route corridor. The depiction of the flight route corridor and offending objects may be enhanced with the use of highlighters. |
| US08718913B2 |
Vehicle efficiency information display and method
An efficiency information display for a vehicle includes an indicator arrangement having a visual display configured to provide vehicle efficiency information to an operator of the vehicle. The visual display includes a target vehicle efficiency. A control system, including at least one controller, is configured to receive at least one input related to current operating conditions of the vehicle. The control system provides at least one output to the indicator arrangement, such that the visual display indicates to the vehicle operator a current relative operating efficiency of the vehicle. The at least one input includes at least one of: information related to positive vehicle propulsion, information related to vehicle braking, or information related to vehicle creep torque cancellation. The control system is further configured to use the at least one input to determine the current relative operating efficiency of the vehicle independently from a fuel economy calculation for the vehicle. |
| US08718911B2 |
Systems and methods for presenting taxi instructions and reducing runway incursions
A system and method are provided for presenting a taxi route for an aircraft at an airport. The method, for example, includes, but is not limited to receiving, by a processor, the taxi route, translating, by the processor, the taxi route into a graphical representation, displaying, on an aircraft display, a map of the airport and the graphical representation, and displaying, a location of a hold short instruction on the aircraft display. |
| US08718907B2 |
Monitoring a mobile device
Devices, systems, and methods for monitoring traffic, such as vehicle traffic on a roadway, using identification information acquired using a Bluetooth protocol. A sensor is configured to scan for discoverable Bluetooth devices within a flow of vehicle traffic and to create a log of identified Bluetooth devices. A system includes multiple sensors at known locations along a route and is operable to identify a Bluetooth device identified at multiple sensors. |
| US08718906B2 |
Method for analyzing traffic flow at an intersection
A method for advising a driver of a host vehicle on traffic conditions at a road intersection. It is determined that a host vehicle is approaching the intersection. Information is received from a plurality of other vehicles via a wireless vehicle-to-vehicle communication system indicating respective positions and timing of the other vehicles approach to and/or arrival at the intersection. The times at which the other vehicles have stopped at the intersection are detected, and the times at which the other vehicles have proceeded through the intersection are detected. A past order-of-progression of vehicles through the intersection is determined based upon the stopping times and the proceeding times. The driver of the host vehicle is then advised whether it is the host vehicle's turn to proceed through the intersection in view of the past order-of-progression. |
| US08718905B2 |
Supplementing engine control via a diagnostics port
A secondary controller for controlling the performance of a moving automobile is described. The secondary controller can be configured to communicate with one or more vehicle controllers, such as the engine control unit, while the automobile is being driven. The secondary controller can send control commands to the vehicle controller to effect the operation of the vehicle's power train. The secondary controller can receive power train related data from the engine control unit and based upon the received power train data determine when to send the control commands. In one embodiment, the secondary controller communicates with the vehicle controller via the vehicle's diagnostic port, such as an OBD-II port. In another embodiment, the secondary controller can be configured to control the operational displacement of a variable displacement engine while the vehicle is driven. |