| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08726867B2 |
Phase varying apparatus for automobile engine technical
The inventive phase varying apparatus (50) has a drive rotor (51) driven by the crankshaft of the engine, a phase angle varying mechanism (54) for varying the phase angle of the camshaft relative to the crankshaft, and a self-locking mechanism (56) for preventing a gap in phase angle between the drive rotor and the camshaft due to an externally input disturbing torque. The self-locking mechanism has a cylinder section (69) mounted on the drive rotor, a circular eccentric cam (64) integrated with the camshaft and having inside thereof a cam holding groove (68a), and a lock plate (68) rotatably supporting the periphery of the circular eccentric cam and having on the outer periphery thereof at least four radial abutment protrusions (74-77) that are adapted to abut against the inner periphery (69a) of the cylinder section (69) to perform self-locking. |
| US08726865B2 |
Harmonic drive camshaft phaser using oil for lubrication
A camshaft phaser includes a housing with an array of internal splines formed within a bore. A harmonic gear drive unit is disposed within the housing and includes a circular spline and a dynamic spline, a flexspline disposed within the circular spline and the dynamic spline, a wave generator disposed within the flexspline, and a rotational actuator connectable to the wave generator. One of the circular spline and the dynamic spline is fixed to the housing. A hub is rotatably disposed within the housing and attachable to the camshaft and fixed to the other of the circular spline and the dynamic spline. An oil passage is provided for receiving oil from an internal combustion engine for lubricating the harmonic gear drive unit. |
| US08726863B2 |
Rocker shaft pedestal incorporating an engine valve actuation system or engine brake
A system for actuating an engine valve is disclosed. The system may include a rocker shaft having a hydraulic fluid supply circuit extending through the rocker shaft to a port on the outer surface of the rocker shaft and a solenoid valve adapted to selectively supply hydraulic fluid to the rocker shaft hydraulic fluid supply circuit. The rocker shaft may be supported by one or more rocker shaft pedestals. A lost motion housing may be incorporated into a rocker shaft pedestal and disposed about the rocker shaft. The lost motion housing may have an actuator piston assembly and a control valve assembly connected by an internal hydraulic circuit. The lost motion housing may be secured in a fixed position relative to the rocker shaft. External hydraulic fluid tubing may be provided between the solenoid valve and the control valve in the form of jumper tubes extending between adjacent rocker shafts or in the form of external hydraulic fluid tubes extending from control valve to control valve. |
| US08726860B2 |
Electrohydraulic valve controller
An electrohydraulic valve controller for variable actuation of a gas exchange valve of an internal combustion engine. The electrohydraulic valve controller has a first hydraulic valve and, for the purpose of providing an emergency running capability, a second hydraulic valve. |
| US08726854B2 |
Cool logic with an integrated cooler into the clutch/engine base
A fan drive system is provided having a housing connected with a pulley. A fan shaft is rotatably mounted to the housing by a clutch. A piston actuates the clutch. A pressure tube is provided for delivering pressure to the piston. A valve controls pressure against the piston. A fixed shaft rotatably supports the housing and the pulley and has passages extending through the pulley. A base connects the support shaft to a vehicle structure. An oil plate has inlets and outlets with the shaft passages. The oil plate circulates the hydraulic fluid. A coolant plate is juxtaposed between the oil plate and the structure supporting the support shaft. The coolant plate has inlets and outlets for coolant from a remote cooler. |
| US08726851B2 |
Heat exchanger element with a combustion chamber for a low CO and NOx emission combustor
The present invention provides a new heat exchanger element comprising a premix burner with an outward curved or ridged burner surface. The heat exchanger element further comprises a combustion chamber. The combustion chamber is bound on one side by the burner and is further made up of water cooled metal walls which, starting from the burner and in downstream direction, first widen and thereafter narrow down to the width of a customary heat exchanger element. This creates enough space for a proper combustion, avoiding dead angles and recirculation or too early ending of the combustion reaction, thereby reaching low emissions of NOx and CO. |
| US08726842B2 |
Animal memory training system with closed rotary maze
An animal memory training system with a closed rotary maze comprises a maze device and a stimulating device. A rotary wheel (6) driven by a motor (4) is provided on the bottom of the case (1) of the maze device. The motor (4) is set in a central column, and its output shaft is tightly connected with the rotary wheel (6) along the central column shaft direction, thus the rotary wheel (6) is driven by the motor (4) to rotate around said central column. A number of pulleys (12) are set on the lower periphery of the frame of the case (1) to support said rotary wheel (6), and a sieve-like supporting net (5) is arranged above the rotary wheel (6). The stimulating device includes an automatic manipulator stimulating device and a remote control stimulating device. Compared with the existing maze model, the rotary drive action of the training system's rotary wheel is moderate, and is more coincident with the movement actual of animals' normal physiological behavior. Further, the stimulating device can respectively realize the rewards and punishments for the experimental animals, and has the characteristics of accurate positioning, timely stimulation, complete stimulation variety, no ravage and convenient operation. The training system has overtaken the existing shortcomings of unilateral dominance in the detection of the present maze training systems, such as Y-maze and T-maze detection. |
| US08726840B2 |
Jellyfish aquarium
An aquarium is disclosed that includes a plurality of exterior walls that define a tank, a cylindrical wall within the tank that defines a cylindrical viewing area, a first upright interior wall adjacent the cylindrical wall that defines a water inlet chamber between the cylindrical wall and the one of said exterior walls, a spillover riser in the water inlet chamber, and a water inlet in communication with one side of the spillover barrier. |
| US08726839B2 |
Material for treating excretion of pet
A pet excreta treating material made mainly of a ground material of plant origin and having a higher water absorbency in the third measurement than in the first measurement, a water absorbency of 3% to 30% by weight in the third measurement, and a specific gravity of 0.8 to 1.2 measured before the first water absorbency measurement. The water absorbency is measured by immersing a dried excreta treating material in 25° C. water for 3 seconds and calculating the weight increase by the equation below, which is taken as water absorbency (%). In the second and following measurements, the excreta treating material immediately after the preceding measurement is dried and immersed in 25° C. water for 3 seconds to obtain a water absorbency in the same manner.Water absorbency (%)=[(weight of excreta treating material after immersion−weight of excreta treating material before immersion)/(weight of excreta treating material before immersion)]×100. |
| US08726838B2 |
Combinatorial plasma enhanced deposition and etch techniques
According to various embodiments of the disclosure, an apparatus and method for enhanced deposition and etch techniques is described, including a pedestal, the pedestal having at least two electrodes embedded in the pedestal, a showerhead above the pedestal, a plasma gas source connected to the showerhead, wherein the showerhead is configured to deliver plasma gas to a processing region between the showerhead and the substrate and a power source operably connected to the showerhead and the at least two electrodes with plasma being substantially contained in an area which corresponds with one electrode of the at least two electrodes. |
| US08726837B2 |
Semiconductor process chamber vision and monitoring system
A system for monitoring a process inside a high temperature semiconductor process chamber by capturing images is disclosed. Images are captured through a borescope by a camera. The borescope is protected from high temperatures by a reflective sheath and an Infrared (IR) cut-off filter. Images can be viewed on a monitor and can be recorded by a video recording device. Images can also be processed by a machine vision system. The system can monitor the susceptor and a substrate on the susceptor and surrounding structures. Deviations from preferred geometries of the substrate and deviations from preferred positions of susceptor and the substrate can be detected. Actions based on the detections of deviations can be taken to improve the performance of the process. Illumination of a substrate by a laser for detecting deviations in substrate geometry and position is also disclosed. |
| US08726832B2 |
Painting system having a wall-mounted robot
A painting system having a painting robot with a stationary base mounted to a wall of a paint booth in cantilever fashion. A stand is mounted to the stationary base and is rotatable around a first axis that is disposed substantially horizontal. A first arm is rotatably mounted to the stand around a second axis, and a second arm is rotatably mounted to the first arm around a third axis. The second arm is operable to rotate around the third axis 180 degrees relative to the first arm. An end effector is connected between the second arm and a painting tool. The end effector is operable to orient the painting tool. |
| US08726831B2 |
Apparatus and methods for purging material application device
Purge method and apparatus for a manual spray gun or coating material application device, in which purge air is introduced into the device through a handgrip portion that is manually held during a coating operation. Purge air first enters the coating material flow path after the purge air enters the handgrip portion. |
| US08726824B2 |
Sailing vessel control device and system
The present disclosure relates to a sailing vessel control device having a cleat means, a resistance means, a line having a first end located through the cleat means and a second end attached to the resistance means, and a sensor adapted to detect the extent to which the line is pulled through the cleat means and to output a line signal corresponding to the position of the line for use in controlling the sailing vessel. The line signal which can be used to control the sail(s) of the vessel can be generated in a traditional, manual manner (i.e. by pulling on the line). The present disclosure further relates to a sailing vessel control system having one or more of the sailing vessel control devices, one or more sail actuators, and a control unit. |
| US08726823B2 |
Boat hull
A boat hull form includes a dual circular curved outer surface area that is circular concave relative to the plane of symmetry of the hull when viewed horizontally parallel with the plane of symmetry of the hull, and circular convex relative to the plane of symmetry when viewed vertically parallel with the plane of symmetry of the hull, with the hull outer surface area extending in a vertical sense from a lower area extending in a direction that tangentially intersects the plane of symmetry or optionally a plane extending parallel with the plane of symmetry on the same side of the plane of symmetry as the dual circular curved outer surface area and upwardly in a direction tangentially intersecting the waterline plane of the hull or a plane extending parallel to the waterline plane. |
| US08726819B2 |
Burner
A burner is arranged axially of a burner throat on a furnace wall and includes a nozzle body housed in a wind box and with a secondary air adjuster on a leading end of the nozzle body. The adjuster includes an end plate for defining together with a near-furnace side surface of the wind box a cylindrical space opened in an outer circumference thereof, a slide damper axially slidable for surrounding the cylindrical space, air vanes arranged at predetermined intervals and circumferentially of the cylindrical space for swirling a secondary air and drive means and for slide movement of the slide damper. |
| US08726817B2 |
Folding table with locking member
A table may include a table top and a leg assembly. The leg assembly may be moved between use and storage positions, and the movement of the leg assembly may move a cross member between a first position in which the cross member resists folding of the table top and a second position in which the cross member facilitates folding and unfolding of the table top. The table top may include first and second sections with portions that overlap and/or interlock when the table top is unfolded. When the table top is in the unfolded position, movement of the leg assembly towards the use position may move the cross member towards the overlapping and/or interlocking portions, which may move the overlapping and/or interlocking portions towards each other. When moved towards each other, the overlapping and/or interlocking portions may be securely connected. |
| US08726812B2 |
Rail road freight car truck with self-steering rocker
A rail road freight car truck has a truck bolster mounted transversely between a pair of side frames. The mounting interface between the wheelset axle ends and the sideframe pedestals allows self-restorative longitudinal rocking self-steering motion proportionately resisted as a function of displacement and of the vertical force carried at the interface. The center of rotation of the rocking motion is lower than the center of rotation of the axle. The interface may also permit lateral rocking swing motion of the sideframes. Auxiliary centering elements may be mounted in the pedestal seats. The auxiliary centering elements may be elastomeric. The truck may also have low stick-slip friction dampers, and may be provided with brake linings, or similar features. The friction dampers may be mounted in a four-cornered arrangement at each end of the truck bolster. |
| US08726811B2 |
Overhead transport vehicle
An overhead transport vehicle comprises a travelling unit that travels on a rail, a conveying unit that moves and conveys an article and a swing inhibiting member that moves between a pushing position and a retracting position. The swing inhibiting members includes a pushing member that pushes a side surface of the article, lever members that support the pushing member at a first end side and are pivotally supported by the conveying unit at a second end side, and a biasing member that biases the pushing member toward the article. The pushing member includes a main body member pivotally supported by the lever members, slide members slidably supported by a main body member, and elastic bodies arranged between the main body member and the slide member that slide elastically the slide member. |
| US08726809B2 |
Method and apparatus for perforating
A perforating system is disclosed having a perforating gun containing a plurality of radially-oriented shaped charges disposed along the longitudinal axis of the gun. Each charge, when detonated, produce a jet whose penetration velocity exceeds the acoustic velocity of the formation (i.e., target) material to be perforated. A method of operating such a perforating system is also provided, as is a shaped charge having the described characteristics. |
| US08726808B1 |
Initiator assembly having low-energy exploding foil initiator header and cover with axially threaded portion
An initiator assembly that includes a header body, an insulating spacer that is coupled to the header body, an initiator, a plurality of terminals that extend through the header body, a plurality of contacts, an input charge, an output charge and a cover that includes an axially threaded portion into which the output charge is housed. The initiator includes a plurality of electric interfaces and is disposed on a side of the insulating spacer opposite the header body. The contacts electrically couple the electric interfaces to the terminals. The input charge is formed of a secondary explosive and is disposed proximate the initiator so as to be capable of detonating to release energy upon activation of the initiator. The cover is coupled to the header body and cooperates with the header body to house the insulating spacer, the initiator chip, the contacts, the input charge and the output charge. |
| US08726807B2 |
Smooth roller with low line load and methods
An ink form roller in a printing press is provided including a core, a first layer surrounding part of the core, and a second layer surrounding part of the first layer, the second layer having a durometer hardness greater than the first layer. In addition, an ink form roller in a printing press is provided including a core, and a layer surrounding the core, the layer having a hardness between about 25 Shore A durometer and about 40 Shore A durometer, the layer having an outer surface, the outer surface having a surface roughness of about 30 micro-inches or less. Methods are also provided. |
| US08726806B2 |
Apparatus for orienting magnetic flakes
A printing apparatus includes a magnetic rotatable roller with a smooth even outer surface for aligning magnetic flakes in a carrier, such as an ink vehicle or a paint vehicle to create optically variable images in a high-speed, linear printing operation. Images can provide security features on high-value documents, such as bank notes. Magnetic flakes in the ink are aligned using magnetic portions of the roller, that can be formed by permanent magnets embedded in a non-magnetic roller body, or selectively magnetized portions of a flexible magnetic cover of the roller. In some embodiments, the roller is assembled for a plurality of interchangeable sections, which can include spinning magnets. Selected orientation of the magnetic pigment flakes can achieve a variety of illusive optical effects that are useful for decorative or security applications. |
| US08726803B2 |
Apparatus for compacting and dehydration of organic waste
An apparatus for compacting and dehydration of organic waste includes a first drawer, which is designed to receive organic material and/or kitchen-produced foodstuff waste and is equipped with mechanical elements for compacting and dehydration of the foodstuff waste, as well as a second drawer, underlying the first, which is designed to receive the compacted and dehydrated foodstuff waste that comes out of the first drawer. |
| US08726802B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling electric servo press
A controller for an electric servo press includes: a press load sensor for detecting a pressure force of the slide; a pressure-force determination device for determining whether the pressure force of the slide reaches one or a plurality of different pressure-force setting values based on the one or the plurality of different pressure-force setting values and an output signal of the press load sensor, and for generating a pressure-force achievement signal each time the pressure force of the slide reaches each of the one or the plurality of different pressure-force setting values; a servo motor drive controller for controlling driving of the servo motor; and a motion command device. In response to the pressure-force achievement signal, switching of a drive control mode by the servo motor drive controller is switched, and/or a motion to be commanded by the motion command device is switched. |
| US08726798B2 |
Radiant liquid heating container
A radiant liquid heating device includes a container for holding a liquid. The container includes an opening for dispensing the fluid and a closed bottom. A base member is mounted relative to the closed bottom. The base member is spaced a predetermined distance relative to the closed bottom to provide an air gap there between. The base member is exposed to a heat source wherein the base member shields the bottom of the container from being in direct contact with the heat source to provide a source of radiant heat for maintaining a liquid disposed within the container at a predetermined temperature. |
| US08726797B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for preparing sandwiches
According to the invention, in a method of preparing a sandwich by introducing a filling between two mutually-facing portions of a piece of bread, the following operations are performed: placing a filling on a filling support dish; placing the dish with the filling on a tilting dish support fitted with a pusher or a handle; engaging the top and bottom portions of the piece of bread or dough product on either side of the pivot axis of the dish support; actuating the pusher or the handle to cause the dish support to tilt together with the dish towards a space for filling as defined by said top and bottom portions of the piece of bread or dough product so as to obtain an angle of inclination for the dish that is suitable for causing the filling to slide off the dish into the space for filling, while retaining the dish on the dish support. |
| US08726795B2 |
Fryer
A fryer has spinning function to spin fried food of residual oil on the food. The fryer comprises an oil container (101) having a spindle extending from the centre of the base of the oil container. A basket (201) made of wire mesh having a funnel (203) in the centre of the basket is provided, and is suitable for lowering into the oil container with the funnel slipped over the spindle (401). In a lowered position, the basket submerges food into oil in the container for frying. In a raised position, food in the basket is raised above surface of the oil to terminate the frying. A cover (109) is provided for closing over the oil container and the basket. The underside of the cover has a coupler (501) for engaging the funnel of the basket and also the spindle when the cover closes over the oil container. The spindle can be spun by a motor in the fryer such that, when the spindle spinning the coupler rotates along with the spindle. The coupler with flanges that push against fins (207) extending from the funnel of the basket also rotates the basket. The fins and the flanges interweave with sufficient excess space or distance to prevent the fins from getting stuck to the flanges. |
| US08726793B2 |
Apparatus and method in the manufacture of low oil potato chips
An apparatus for lipophilically conditioning potato slices, the apparatus with an elongate tank for containing a reservoir of oil, the tank having an upstream end and a downstream end, an elongate longitudinal conveyor disposed in the tank, the conveyor being adapted to pass products through the reservoir of oil from the upstream end to the downstream end, the conveyor defining therealong a plurality of compartments for containing respective groups of products during passage from the upstream end to the downstream end, and at least one oil jet located on the tank for causing turbulent flow in the reservoir of oil. |
| US08726791B2 |
Household appliance having a control panel and having a tank for accommodating a fluid
A household appliance includes a control panel that is movable between a rest position and an exposed position. A reservoir, which is adapted for holding a fluid, has a filling opening and is positioned behind the control panel in an interior of the household appliance when the reservoir is in an operating position. The control panel is configured to impede access to the reservoir and/or the filling opening when the control panel is in the rest position and the reservoir is in the operating position. The control panel is further configured to allow access to the reservoir and/or the filling opening when the control panel is moved to the exposed position. |
| US08726782B2 |
Bullet resistant barrier
A barrier comprising a base unit composed of a bullet resistant material and a transparent upper wall removably interconnected to the base unit and composed of a bullet resistant material. The base unit includes a front wall and two side walls extending from the front wall to provide protection to the front and sides of a person standing behind the barrier. A series of casters, preferably locking casters, are attached to the bottom edges of the side walls, and a pair of handles connected to each of the side walls permitting the barrier to be conveniently transported from one site to another. |
| US08726779B2 |
Breechblock drive for a weapon
A breech ammunition drive for the breech of a weapon using an external drive is provided. A long connecting rod converts the rotational movement into a linear breech movement, and a short connecting rod moves the breech. The rear end or pin of the long connecting rod is fixed on or in the drive, and the front end engages onto a rack that is fixed to the weapon and onto a slider of the breech support or the breech via a toothing. The short connecting rod is retained in the slider and guided by same, and the connecting rod engages into a transverse slot introduced above the connecting rod and below the breech support. The short connecting rod is guided in the slot fixed to the weapon, the slot having a rear end point into which the connecting rod is inserted. |
| US08726777B2 |
Cutting wheel for glass substrate
A cutting wheel is provided for cutting a liquid crystal panel. The cutting wheel is disc shaped and includes a plurality of grooves disposed along an edge of the cutting wheel and cutting portions formed between the grooves. A pattern having a predetermined period is formed by multiple grooves and cutting portions. The grooves in each period have the same or different widths and depths and the cutting portions have probe shapes or cutting blades of different lengths. The cutting wheel is applied to dummy areas of the glass substrates forming the liquid crystal panel. |
| US08726774B1 |
Miter saw dust collector apparatus
A downdraft enclosure and curved shroud forming a 180 degree catch area for dust and debris created by miter saw operation in at any angle or position. The enclosure defines a downdraft space. Exhaust opening perforations are formed on the top of the enclosure, with a dust outlet opening formed in the base of the enclosure. A flexible hose from the saw housing to the downdraft space captures debris ejected in an upward direction; the shroud, top of the enclosure, and miter saw fence capture dust ejected in outward, side and downward directions. A hose may be installed on the dust outlet to continuously carry the debris directly to a vacuum, thereby continuously keeping a workspace clear of debris ejected in all directions regardless of the saw's cut angle or position. |
| US08726769B1 |
Universal screw holder for screwdrivers
The present invention provides a device made of a single piece of elastic material to be used to secure a fastener to a driving tool (such as a screwdriver) to facilitate insertion or extraction of the fastener. A characteristic of the invention is that a single device is applicable to a wide variety of fastener materials, configurations, and sizes, as well as a wide variety of insertion tool configurations and sizes. The device has two open ends with generally cylindrical or conical inner wall shape, including inner wall appendages and contours configured for gripping a driving tool of various sizes while gripping a fastener of various sizes in line with the driving tool. The device permits visibility of the fastener, automatic release of the fastener, and may be stored upon the driving tool. |
| US08726767B2 |
Valve wrenches
In one embodiment, a valve wrench for rotating a knob may include a handle and a jaw assembly coupled to the handle. The jaw assembly may include a fulcrum member, a hook member and a bias member. The hook member may be pivotably coupled to the fulcrum member and may be aligned to the fulcrum member at a pivot angle. The fulcrum member and the hook member can form an opening there between to accept the knob. The bias member may be disposed between the fulcrum member and the hook member to bias the hook member towards the fulcrum member when the jaw assembly is engaged with the knob. |
| US08726763B2 |
Binary gearbox
A gearbox comprises a plurality of gear pairs each having a specific gear ratio, and a plurality of selectors each mounted between two gear pairs for selecting one of the two gear pairs, wherein the gear ratio of the selected gear pair is cascaded through an output shaft to another two gear pairs having another selector, and so on. In this way, the effective or aggregate gear ratio of the gearbox is the product of the gear ratios of the selected gear pairs. Thus, the number of available output speeds excluding neutral is given by 2n, where n=(number of gear pairs)/2. |
| US08726762B2 |
Tunable mass damper for use with a reaction wheel assembly
A tunable mass damper (TMD) is provided that can be coupled to a rotating inertia apparatus such as a reaction wheel assembly (RWA). The TMD includes a housing that contains a flexure, a mass, and damping fluid within the housing. The housing is coupled to the flexure, and the flexure is coupled to the mass. The mass is free to sway in the damping fluid. The damping fluid envelops the mass and provides damping between the mass and the housing. At least one of the mass, flexure and the damping fluid can be adjusted to tune the TMD to produce a resonance at or near a mode that is to be mitigated by the TMD such that it operates at a desired or optimal operating frequency. |
| US08726760B2 |
Adjustable pendant and organ type accelerator pedal device in vehicle
An adjustable pendant and organ type accelerator pedal device can vary the position of a pedal assembly including a pedal pad forwards and backwards according to driver's will to thereby allow a driver to operate pedal pad in a convenient state, such that convenience is remarkably improved and merchantability is significantly improved by greatly decreasing a sense of fatigue due to operating pedal pad. |
| US08726759B2 |
Pedal arrangement with a standing pedal pivoting about a horizontal axis
A pedal arrangement (1) with a standing pedal (2) features a friction element (9) which can be pressed against a housing wall (8) of the housing (6) accommodating the associated parts; the friction element is formed by an actuating lever (10) with two lever arms (12 and 13) arranged on both sides of its pivot bearing (11). The actuating lever (10) cooperates simultaneously with one or a plurality of restoring springs or compression springs (7) which cause a backward adjustment of the actuating lever (10) after cessation or reduction of the force on the pedal (2) and via a transmission element (19) of the pedal (2). The actuating lever (10) or one of the lever arms thereof thus itself forms the friction element (9) which reduces the number of required parts. |
| US08726758B2 |
Arrangement structure of parking brake lever and arrangement structure of operating lever in vehicle
A parking brake lever which provides ease of recognition of a locked state of the parking brake lever and improves the arrangement of the parking brake lever around a handle bar. A parking brake lever includes a handle rear arm portion provided adjacent to a left handle bar rearward thereof in an unlocked position in which a parking brake caliper is in an unlocked state, and a handle upper arm portion provided adjacent to the left handle bar upward thereof in the unlocked position in which the parking brake caliper is in the unlocked state. A rotating shaft of the parking brake lever is provided in the handle rear arm portion that is substantially parallel to the direction of the axis of the left handle bar, so that the parking brake caliper can be operated into the locked state by pulling the parking brake lever upward. |
| US08726756B2 |
Shift by wire gearshift device
It comprises a fixed part (10) and a knob (20), said knob (20) being arranged such that it can be moved relative to said fixed part (10) for shifting operations, and a haptic device (30) for providing the user with a shifting feeling when operating the knob (20). The haptic device (30) may act between the knob (20) and the fixed part (10) and it may be mounted inside the knob (20). The haptic device (30) comprises a contoured surface fitted inside the knob (20) (31) and a follower finger (32) is arranged spring biased in the fixed part (10) towards the contoured surface (31). |
| US08726753B2 |
Anti-backlash gear and transmission mechanism using the same
A gear includes an outer ring, an inner ring, gear teeth, and elastic members engaged with the gear teeth. The outer ring defines a number of first fixing holes. The inner ring and the outer ring are concentric, and the inner ring defines a number of second fixing holes respectively corresponding to the first fixing holes, and each pair of first and second fixings hole align with the center of the rings, and define an axis of movement for spring loaded gear teeth. |
| US08726751B2 |
Method for quickly filling a hydraulically actuated multiple disc shifting element of a motor vehicle transmission
A method of the rapid filling of a hydraulically actuated multiple-disk shifting element (4) of a motor vehicle transmission (2), in particular a disk clutch (4) of an all-wheel transfer transmission (3). The disk shifting element (4) is filled using a target value (p_soll) for the filling pressure which depends on the motor speed (n_mot). In the event that the motor speed (n_mot) changes during a filling process, the target value (p_soll) for the filling pressure is adapted as a function of the new motor speed (n_mot). |
| US08726750B2 |
Device for actuating a shifting element with two shifting element halves
A mechanism for actuating a shifting element. A first shifting element half of a brake is axially fixedly connected to a drive machine output shaft, which, when rotational movement of the output shaft equals the disengaging movement of the shifting element, is rotationally fixed to the output shaft. In the event of an engaging force, opposite the disengaging movement of the shifting element, an axial force acts on the output shaft, such that the first shifting element half frictionally engages with an axially and rotationally fixed second shifting element half. In the event of a disengaging force that acts in the disengaging direction of the shifting element, an axial force acts on the motor output shaft such that the first shifting element half of the brake is moved out of frictional engagement with the second shifting element half. |
| US08726747B2 |
Sampling vessel for fluidized solids
A method, apparatus and system for obtaining a sample of a fluid solids, such as a coke and hydrocarbon mixture, from a fluid solids process is provided. A sample vessel is provided that contains a first end, a second end, an aperture in the first end and an interior cavity. A cooling device can be provided for cooling material in the interior cavity of the sampling vessel. In operation, fluid solids can be routed through the aperture and collected in the interior cavity. The collected sample material can then be cooled by the cooling device and used for testing. |
| US08726743B2 |
Shoulder yielding detection during tubular makeup
A method of connecting a first threaded tubular to a second threaded tubular includes: engaging threads of the tubulars; and rotating the first tubular relative to the second tubular, thereby making up the threaded connection. The method further includes, during makeup of the threaded connection: detecting a shoulder position; and after detection of the shoulder position, monitoring for potential yielding of the threaded connection. The method further includes terminating the makeup according to: a first criterion in response to detection of the potential yielding; or a second criterion in response to absence of the potential yielding. |
| US08726742B2 |
Torque sensing system having torque sensor, and steering system
A torque sensing system having a torque sensor, and a steering system, are provided. The torque sensor includes a first rotor having apertures extending therethrough and bar magnets disposed in the apertures. The torque sensor further includes a second rotor defining an interior region with the first rotor being disposed in the interior region. The second rotor has tooth members extending toward the first rotor. The torque sensor further includes first and second Hall effect sensors disposed in an open region of the second rotor proximate to the first rotor. The first and second Hall effect sensors generate first and second signals, respectively, indicative of an amount of torque applied between the first rotor and the second rotor. |
| US08726738B2 |
Stress sensor and its manufacturing method
A device for measuring deformation including: a) at least one strain gauge, producing a signal following a deformation, positioned on a face of a flexible support favoring elongation of the strain gauge, the face opposite the strain gauge of the flexible support, which is configured to be brought into contact with, or glued to, a test body with the deformation desired to be measured; b) at least one first substrate, including at least signal processor and/or signal transmission device; c) a securing mechanism to assemble the strain gauge and the first substrate mechanically, including an elastic layer of material having elastic properties positioned between the gauge and the first substrate, the elastic layer preventing deformation of the gauge from being transmitted, or be transmitted as little as possible, to the first substrate. |
| US08726737B2 |
Multi-ferroic structural health monitoring systems
A structural health monitoring system for multiple layer structures includes a plurality of strain-sensitive magnetic particles dispersed within a bonding area between at least two individual layers, at least one multiferroic sensor dispersed on a surface of the multiple layer structure, proximate to an area of the structure to be monitored, the at least one multiferroic sensor capable of monitoring strains experienced by the strain-sensitive magnetic particles, and analyzing changes in the strains experienced by said strain-sensitive magnetic particles that may indicate damage or degradation in the structure, and a controller configured for periodic interrogation of the at least one multiferroic sensor. |
| US08726735B2 |
Pressure difference measurement transmitter
A pressure difference measurement transmitter comprising: a pressure difference sensor; a first process connection flange; and a second process connection flange. The pressure difference sensor is clamped between the first process connection flange and the second process connection flange, and between a first and a second seal. The pressure difference sensor is contactable by a first media pressure via the first process connection flange and by a second media pressure via the second process connection flange; and a housing, which contains an electronic evaluating circuit. The housing has an input opening, through which the evaluating circuit is connected to the pressure difference sensor; and wherein the housing has at least one appendage, which extends between the first and the second process connection flanges; wherein the appendage is clamped in parallel with the pressure difference sensor between the flanges, so that the housing is held by the clamped appendage. |
| US08726733B2 |
Ultrasonic measuring method and ultrasonic measuring apparatus
An ultrasonic measuring method includes: (A) receiving a coded spread spectrum ultrasonic signal in at least two receivers, and generating at least two received signals; (B) performing an quadrature detection on the received signals using the carrier frequency, and producing I and Q components of the received signals; (C) performing phase difference processing on the I and Q components with a coding period synchronized with that of the carrier frequency, and obtaining I′ and Q′ components from which a phase shift caused by a Doppler shift has been canceled; (D) despreading the I′ and Q′ components signals using different codes at time intervals synchronized with the carrier frequency, and obtaining despread I″ and Q″ components; (E) computing the amplitude and phase information based on the I″ and Q″ components; and (F) calculating the propagation distance and/or orientation of the ultrasonic wave based on the amplitude and phase information. |
| US08726731B2 |
Micromechanical structures
A micromechanical structure including a substrate having a main plane of extension, and including a first seismic mass, the first seismic mass including a grid structure made of intersecting first mass lines and the first seismic mass being flexibly secured with the aid of first bending-spring elements, and moreover, a first line width of the first mass lines parallel to the main plane of extension being between 20 and 50 percent of a further first line width of the first bending-spring elements parallel to the main plane of extension. |
| US08726726B2 |
Sensor unit for a logging tool and a logging tool with at least two sensor elements
The present invention concerns a dynamic pressure sensor unit (5A) for a logging tool for hydrocarbon wells with a piezoelectric element (5) in a sensor sleeve (3). The piezoelectric element (5) is a tubular element with an inner and an outer diameter. The sensor sleeve (3) has an inner cylindrical area with an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the tubular piezoelectric element (5). The piezoelectric element is situated in the inner cylindrical area of the sensor sleeve (3). A gap (12) with a gap thickness is formed between the inner cylindrical area of the sensor sleeve (3), defining an annular volume. The gap is filled with a noise transmitting liquid. |
| US08726717B2 |
Adjusting a MEMS gyroscope to reduce thermally varying bias
A method for calibrating a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) vibrating structure gyroscope is provided. The method includes obtaining an indication of a position of at least one proof mass with respect to at least one drive electrode and applying an electrostatic force to the at least one proof mass as a function of the indication, the electrostatic force configured to position the at least one proof mass in a first position with respect to at least one drive electrode. |
| US08726715B2 |
Method and device for calibrating a torque measurement unit
To achieve high precision in a test stand environment, a method and a device for calibrating a torque measurement unit includes connecting the torque measurement unit with a dynamometer, a set point speed nsoll larger than 0 rpm is specified for a speed regulator, whereby the speed regulator generates a set point torque Tsoll, which is upwardly limited by a reference torque limit Tmax that can be specified, and the reference torque that is limited in this way is specified to the dynamometer as reference torque Tstell. |
| US08726714B2 |
Cutting and/or forming plate workpieces
A plate workpiece processing tool including a workpiece support defining a support plane for supporting a workpiece, a tool punch, a tool die, and a control unit configured to control movements of the tool punch and the tool die along a stroke axis. The tool punch and the tool die are displaceable, along the stroke axis, to a processing position above the support plane of the workpiece support such that the tool punch and the tool die are capable of processing a region of a workpiece having a formed shape that extends upwardly from the workpiece support. |
| US08726711B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for rolling angled threads
In various embodiments, a tapered thread roll, a set of tapered thread rolls, a thread rolling tool, and a thread rolling method are provided for rolling angled or tapered threads onto a workpiece to create a threaded workpiece. In at least one embodiment, the threaded workpiece may comprise a polished rod or a polished rod precursor as specified by the American Petroleum Institute for use in an oil-field sucker-type pump, for example. |
| US08726710B2 |
Method of coordinating vessel shape style and decoration style
An embodiment of the present invention is a method of coordinating vessel shaping style and decoration, the method comprising receiving a vessel in a decoration operation, the vessel having a formed shape style, determining the formed shape style, selecting based in part on the formed shape style a decoration style, and decorating the vessel with selected decoration style.Other embodiments include selecting the decoration style based in part on the vessel top form style, selecting the vessel top form style based in part on the decoration style, and selecting a pathway to index the vessel across the operation wheel through the shaping operation. |
| US08726709B2 |
Method of shape forming vessels controlling rotational indexing
An embodiment of the present invention is a method of shape forming vessels, the method comprising selecting a pathway to index the vessel across an operation wheel, indexing the vessel, controlling rotational indexing direction of the vessel across selected pathway, and operating on the vessel as the vessel is indexed across the operation wheel along selected pathway.Other embodiment include shaping by contouring length of the vessel, applying decoration to the vessel, wherein the decoration is added at a precise location based in part on reference to the registration spot, and using a controller to select the pathway based in part on desired shape of the vessel. |
| US08726708B2 |
Roller hemming device using robot manipulator with force sensor
A roller hemming device capable of correcting a positional error between a robot manipulator and a workpiece, and carrying out a pre-hemming and/or hemming process with appropriate pressing force. The roller hemming device has a position detecting part adapted to detect a current position of a roller attached to a front end of the robot manipulator; a force sensor arranged between a wrist section of the robot manipulator and the roller; and a controller adapted to control the position of the roller by using an output of the position detecting part and an output of the force sensor, so that pressing force applied to a mold by the roller is a predetermined value. |
| US08726707B1 |
Laundry coin anti-theft device
The laundry coin anti-theft device protects a laundry coin box from damage by brute force attacks, such as by a sledgehammer, or prying, such as from a crowbar. The laundry coin anti-theft device is a pin that crosses the centerline of the laundry coin box lock, blocking access. The laundry coin anti-theft device protects itself by the use of a sleeve, the sleeve making it difficult to cause damage by twisting because the sleeve prevents gripping. |
| US08726705B2 |
Door opening and closing device for vehicle
A door opening and closing device for a vehicle is provided in which a pivoting force of a rotor pivoting in response to a key operation of a cylinder lock is transmitted to a key operating force input member side of a door lock device via a pivot rod, wherein pivoting force transmission means (18) is provided between a pivot rod (17) and the key operating force input member, the pivoting force transmission means (18) being formed by housing within an extension case (103) a driven-side pivot member detachably linked to the key operating force input member in a relatively non-pivotable manner, a drive-side pivot member detachably linked to the other end part of the pivot rod (17) in a relatively non-pivotable manner, and a transmission member transmitting a pivoting force from the drive-side pivot member to the driven-side pivot member, and the extension case (103) is detachably mounted on a casing (25A) of a door lock device (16A) so as to extend from the casing (25A). This enables the degree of freedom in layout of a lock/unlock switching mechanism with respect to the cylinder lock to be increased without causing any increase in the dimensions of the lock/unlock switching mechanism. |
| US08726704B2 |
Shelf with secret compartment and hidden locking system
A shelf device comprises an enclosed frame that includes a plurality of members, a concealed compartment within the frame, and a locking system that includes a locking mechanism comprising a slide bolt and magnetic lift positioned perpendicularly within the slide bolt, a ledge that is engaged with the slide bolt when the locking system is locked, and a magnet. The magnetic lift moves in one direction to cause the slide bolt to move perpendicularly to the magnetic lift's direction as the slide bolt disengages or engages with the ledge to unlock or lock the shelf, respectively. In one embodiment, a rare earth magnet is aligned with the magnetic lift to pull the magnetic lift vertically upward causing the slide bolt to move horizontally backward to disengage the slide bolt from the ledge. Consequently, the shelf is opened as one or more frame members are released to expose the concealed compartment. |
| US08726702B2 |
Drum-type washing machine and bearing housing structure thereof
A drum type washing machine is provided. The washing machine may include a tub fixed to a cabinet, a drum rotatably provided in the drum, a motor rotating the drum, bearings provided in a bearing housing to support a rotation shaft connecting the motor to the drum, and a suspension coupled between the bearing housings and the cabinet to mitigate vibration generated as the drum rotates. A bracket may be coupled to a rear side of the bearing housing to form a rear end of the tub, and a gasket may be installed between the bracket and the tub to form a seal therebetween and prevent transmission of vibration from the bracket to the tub. This arrangement may allow for an increased capacity drum within a fixed volume cabinet. |
| US08726700B2 |
Fabric with equal modulus in multiple directions
A garment including a fabric covering a portion of a body of a wearer. The fabric comprises an isotropic material having a first direction with a first modulus of elasticity, and a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. The second direction has a second modulus of elasticity and a third direction that is at an angle of 45 degrees to the first direction and the second direction. The third direction has a third modulus of elasticity. The first modulus of elasticity, the second modulus of elasticity and the third modulus of elasticity are within the same ranges of magnitudes of modulus of elasticity to form an isotropic fabric for such garment. |
| US08726699B2 |
Circular knitting machine for men's socks, of the type with needles on the dial
A single cylinder circular knitting machine (1) for men's socks with needles on the dial, comprises a dial provided with a plurality of radial beams (146) which form radial seats (16) for the sliding of the dial needles (18). The beam (146) has a discharge groove (154) on the working side (148a), which the transfer spring (186) of the dial needle faces, which limits the raising of the needle. |
| US08726697B2 |
Convection heating furnace for heating a glass sheet
A convection heating furnace for a glass sheet, into which oven glass sheet (3) arrives along a hauling track, as on moving rolls (4), and said furnace further comprises of heating elements (12), in order to heat the air, which is blasted against glass sheet (3), a blaster and blast air channelling in order to blast said air against the glass sheet, and the blast air channelling has, elongated channels (1), into which at least a part of the blast air heating elements 12 are fitted, and each channel comprises air blasting means on its flank directed against the glass sheet (3). As air blast elements there are nozzle groups fixed on the channel (1) flank, where the nozzle group formed of sheet metal, as of two, into shape formed sheets joined together to form a casing, whereby said casing comprises one or several for blast air directed discharge channels (6), and the direction of air flow in said casing (2) is essentially in the same direction as in said discharge channels (6). |
| US08726696B2 |
Method of manufacturing glass substrate, and stirring device
A stirring device 100 comprises a chamber 101, and a stirrer 102 for stirring molten glass 7 in the chamber 101. The stirrer 102 has a shaft 105 as a rotation axis, and blades 106a-106e disposed in a plurality of tiers on a side wall of the shaft 105. The blades 106a-106e have support plates 108 and ancillary plates 109. The ancillary plates 109 create, in the molten glass 7, a flow in the radial direction of the shaft 105. |
| US08726693B2 |
Apparatus and method for supplying hydrogen gas, and quartz glass manufacturing apparatus
There is provided an apparatus for supplying a hydrogen gas to a quartz glass manufacturing apparatus including a burner that generates an oxyhydrogen flame when supplied with the hydrogen gas, where the apparatus includes: a first hydrogen supply system that supplies a hydrogen gas in which isomers are in equilibrium; a second hydrogen supply system that supplies a hydrogen gas in which isomers are out of equilibrium; a flow rate control section that includes: a valve that changes a flow rate of the hydrogen gas to be supplied to the burner; a first flow rate measuring section that measures the flow rate of the hydrogen gas to be supplied to the burner by measuring a heat capacity; and a control section that controls the valve in such a manner that a measured value obtained by the first flow rate measuring section approaches a set value input from outside; a second flow rate measuring section that measures the flow rate of the hydrogen gas to be supplied to the burner by measuring a different factor than the heat capacity; and a set value compensating section that compensates the set value by multiplying the set value by a ratio between the measured value obtained by the first flow rate measuring section and a measured value obtained by the second flow rate measuring section. |
| US08726691B2 |
Air separation apparatus and method
The present invention relates to an air separation apparatus and method in which a pumped liquid oxygen stream is heated within a heat exchanger through indirect heat exchange with compressed air to produce an oxygen product. The liquid oxygen stream is pressurized in a range above about 55 bar(a) and no greater than about 150 bar(a) and is a supercritical fluid after having been heated within the heat exchanger. The air is compressed to an air pressure that is a function of the oxygen pressure that will result in a minimum power being expended in the compression of the air. The heat exchanger can be a brazed fin heat exchanger fabricated from aluminum in which the fins located in heat exchange passages have an undulating configuration to increase the flow path length and induce flow separation and thereby increase the heat transfer coefficient within the heat exchanger. |
| US08726689B2 |
Refrigerator with cold storage unit
Disclosed is a refrigerator including a storage compartment, a door for opening/closing a front surface of the storage compartment, and a cold storage unit provided in a storage space defined in the storage compartment. The cold storage unit is rotatably installed at one sidewall defining the storage space to serve as a shelf, so that convenience of use and space utility are improved. |
| US08726681B2 |
Method and system of cooling components of a computer system
A method and system of cooling components of a computer system. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are computer systems comprising an enclosure, a motherboard within the enclosure, a heat generating component coupled to the motherboard and within the enclosure, a canister comprising a compressed fluid (the canister coupled to the enclosure), and a gas cooling device selectively fluidly coupled to the compressed fluid (the gas cooling device produces chilled gas when fluidly coupled to the compressed fluid). The chilled gas is directed upon the heat generating component. |
| US08726680B2 |
Electronic refrigeration control system including a variable speed compressor
A refrigerator is provided having a refrigeration system including a variable speed compressor, a condenser, a condenser fan, an evaporator, a variable speed evaporator fan. The refrigerator further includes multiple temperature sensors that communicate with an electronic microprocessor-based control system that in turn controls the operation of the refrigerator system based on the information provided by the multiple temperature sensors. |
| US08726677B2 |
Waste heat air conditioning system
The present disclosure provides for a method and apparatus of providing air conditioning from a waste heat source. A vapor state expander is provided producing mechanical work, and a compressing unit is at least partially operative responsive to the mechanical work output of the vapor state expander. In another exemplary embodiment a second liquid state expander producing mechanical work is further provided, the compressing unit operative further responsive to the mechanical work of the liquid state expander. The apparatus disclosed is further capable of providing backup heating and cooling from an additional power source when the waste heat source is insufficient. |
| US08726676B2 |
Thermodynamic pump for cryogenic fueled devices
In one embodiment of the disclosure, an apparatus is provided for fueling a device using a cryogenic fluid. The apparatus may comprise: a cryogenic fluid supply container; a vessel connected to the supply container with an entrance valve to regulate flow of cryogenic fluid from the supply container; a heat transfer system capable of transferring heat from a device to the vessel to heat gas in the vessel; and an accumulator connected to the vessel with an exit valve to regulate flow of gas from the vessel to the accumulator. The accumulator may be capable of being connected to a device. In other embodiments, methods are provided of controllably mixing at least one fluid within a fluid mixing device. |
| US08726674B2 |
Propulsion unit
A turboprop propulsion unit for an aircraft comprises a propeller 22 which is driven by a core engine by means of a propeller turbine 26 which drives the propeller 22 through a shaft 28 and a propeller gearbox 24. Restarting of the engine in flight is achieved by windmilling of the propeller 22, which drives a propeller gearbox lubricant pump 30. A diverter valve 40 causes lubricant delivered by the propeller gearbox lubricant pump 30 to be supplied to a turbomachinery lubricant pump 18 along a restart conduit 44, so as to drive the turbomachinery lubricant pump 18 as a motor. Torque generated by the turbomachinery lubricant pump 18 is transferred through an accessory gearbox 12 to a spool 4, 6, 8 of the core engine 2 and to a fuel pump 16. Control of the pitch of blades 36 of the propeller 22 enables the windmilling propeller 22 to achieve a desired speed of the spool 4, 6, 8 and output of the fuel pump 16 sufficient to restart the engine 2, even at low air speeds. |
| US08726670B2 |
Ejector purge of cavity adjacent exhaust flowpath
A gas turbine engine augmentor includes an inter-liner cavity including an axially extending annular gap separating augmentor and tailpipe liners. A purge flow cavity is in fluid communication with a fan bypass duct and with the cavity. An ejector in fluid communication with the bypass duct includes an ejector nozzle positioned and aimed to direct an ejector nozzle flow from inside the ejector nozzle across the cavity. The purge flow cavity may be bifurcated into forward and aft purge flow cavities which are in fluid communication with the ejector and inter-liner cavity respectively. An annular dividing wall having ejector metering apertures may be disposed between the forward purge flow cavity and an ejector plenum of the ejector. An annular trapped vortex cavity pilot may be located upstream of the annular gap. The aft purge flow cavity may be outwardly bounded by a seal having purge metering apertures disposed therethrough. |
| US08726662B2 |
Carbon dioxide recovery method and carbon-dioxide-recovery-type steam power generation system
According to one embodiment, a carbon-dioxide-recovery-type steam power generation system comprises a boiler that produces steam and generates an exhaust gas, a first turbine that is rotationally driven by the steam, an absorption tower allows carbon dioxide contained in the exhaust gas to be absorbed into an absorption liquid, a regeneration tower that discharges the carbon dioxide gas from the absorption liquid supplied from the absorption tower, a condenser that removes moisture from the carbon dioxide gas, discharged from the regeneration tower, by condensing the carbon dioxide gas using cooling water, a compressor that compresses the carbon dioxide gas from which the moisture is removed by the condenser, and a second turbine that drives the compressor. The steam produced by the cooling water recovering the heat from the carbon dioxide gas in the condenser is supplied to the first turbine or the second turbine. |
| US08726657B2 |
Air turbine driven EGR pump for diesel engines
A power plant includes an engine configured to receive charge air and produce exhaust. A first turbo machine is configured to be driven by the exhaust and drive a compressor that receives air. The compressor is configured to produce the charge air. A second turbo machine is configured to receive the charge air and rotationally drive a pump in response thereto. The pump is configured to receive an EGR from the exhaust and introduce the pumped EGR to the charge air. The power plant also includes an exhaust gas recirculation passage. The second turbo machine includes a turbine rotationally coupled to the pump. The turbine has an expanded air passage, and the pump is arranged in the exhaust gas recirculation passage. A pre-cooler is arranged in the expanded air passage and in the exhaust gas recirculation passage upstream from the pump. |
| US08726656B2 |
Power assembly, especially for an automotive vehicle
A power assembly includes an internal combustion engine including an air intake line and an exhaust gas line having at least one heat exchanger. The power assembly further includes a Brayton cycle system capable of providing additional power to the main internal combustion engine and that includes a gas compressor, a fuel burning heater and a turbine linked to the compressor so that air is drawn into the compressor where it is pressurized, the pressurized air is further heated by flowing through at least one heat exchanger where it exchanges heat with exhaust gases from the main internal combustion engine, the heated and pressurized air is further heated by the fuel burning heater and is thereafter expanded through the turbine where a first fraction of the work extracted by the turbine is used to drive the compressor and a second fraction of the work extracted by the turbine is used to bring additional energy. |
| US08726653B2 |
Method of cooling
A method of cooling a first region that is above the transition temperature of a phase change material having a cold phase and a warm phase and that is proximal to a second region into which heat may be exhausted. The method utilizes an article of the phase change material, and starting in the cold phase, places the article into thermal contact with the first region, thereby causing the phase change material to undergo a phase transition, changing size. When the phase transition is substantially complete, the article is taken out of thermal contact with the first region and is placed into thermal contact with the second region. At this point, force is applied to the article, causing it to transition to the cold phase, thereby exhausting heat into the second region. The process is begun again, by placing the article, once again, into thermal contact with the first region. |
| US08726650B2 |
Hydraulic manifold pump
A hydraulic manifold pump comprising a housing in which is located a first hydraulic circuit and a second hydraulic circuit. A bidirectional motor connectable to the first hydraulic circuit and the second hydraulic circuit, the bidirectional motor being able to activate the first hydraulic circuit when operable in a first direction, and being able to activate the second hydraulic circuit when operable in a second direction. The hydraulic manifold pump further compromises a hydraulic actuator having two hydraulic chambers being connectable to the first hydraulic circuit and to the second hydraulic circuit, and both the first and second hydraulic circuits being connected to and able to vent into a fluid reservoir. |
| US08726649B2 |
Controller and work machine provided therewith
A controller includes a storage unit that stores a map in which an operation amount and an upper limit value of suction torque of a hydraulic pump are associated with each other, for each operation content identified by a cylinder that is an operation object out of the cylinders, and by a direction of operation performed on this cylinder; an operation torque determination unit that determines the upper limit value of suction torque for each cylinder by using the map stored in the storage unit when an actuation command relating to at least one cylinder is input by an operation lever; a high-level selection unit that selects the maximum upper limit value of suction torque out of the upper limit values of suction torque determined by the operation torque determination unit; and a regulator that regulates a displacement of the hydraulic pump so as to obtain torque equal to or lower than the suction torque selected by the high-level selection unit. |
| US08726648B2 |
Hydraulic drive device for construction machine
A hydraulic drive device for a construction machine includes an engine stopping unit and a discharge rate control unit. The engine stopping unit stops the engine when a predetermined state of the construction machine has continued for a predetermined period of time. The discharge rate control unit controls a discharge rate control pressure being input to the regulator, when an exhaust emission control device performs regeneration control, or performs warm-up control, and the gate lock lever is in the open position. |
| US08726647B2 |
Hydraulic control system having cylinder stall strategy
A hydraulic control system for a machine is disclosed. The hydraulic control system may have a hydraulic circuit, a pump configured to supply pressurized fluid, and a first sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a pressure of the hydraulic circuit. The hydraulic circuit may also have a first fluid actuator fluidly connected to receive pressurized fluid from the hydraulic circuit, a second sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of a velocity of the first fluid actuator, and a controller in communication with the first and second sensors. The controller may be configured to receive an input indicative of a desired flow rate for the first fluid actuator, to determine an actual flow rate of the first fluid actuator based on the second signal, and to determine a stall condition of the first fluid actuator based on the desired flow rate, the actual flow rate, and the first signal. |
| US08726645B2 |
Hydraulic control system having energy recovery
A hydraulic control system for a machine is disclosed. The hydraulic control system may have a tank, a pump configured to draw fluid from the tank and pressurize the fluid, a swing motor configured to receive the pressurized fluid and swing a body of the machine relative to an undercarriage, and a tool actuator configured to receive the pressurized fluid and move a tool relative to the body. The hydraulic control system may also have an energy recovery device configured to convert hydraulic energy to mechanical energy, a first accumulator configured to store waste fluid received from the swing motor, and a second accumulator configured to store waste fluid received from the tool actuator. Stored waste fluid from at least one of the first and second accumulators may be selectively discharged into the energy recovery device. |
| US08726644B2 |
Control of underwater actuators using ambient pressure
A device for controlling an underwater actuator by using an ambient pressure potential at the operating depth may include a chamber including a first cavity, a second cavity and a third cavity; the first cavity including a gas at a first pressure including one of at surface atmospheric pressure, lower than surface atmospheric pressure, or a vacuum; the second cavity including a first fluid at a second pressure including at least one of at underwater ambient pressure or higher then underwater ambient pressure and being connected to a underwater fluid supply; the third cavity including a second fluid at a third pressure including at least one of underwater ambient pressure or higher than the underwater ambient pressure and being connected to the actuator. |
| US08726642B2 |
Electrically heated particulate filter restrike methods and systems
A method of regenerating a particulate filter that includes an electric heater is provided. The method includes determining a location of particulate matter that remains within at least one region of the particulate filter based on a regeneration event being extinguished; and selectively controlling current to a zone of a plurality of zones of the electric heater to initiate a restrike of the regeneration event based on the location of particulate matter. |
| US08726640B2 |
Device for the aftertreatment of exhaust gases of internal combustion engines
A device for the aftertreatment of exhaust gases in an exhaust gas system of internal combustion engines, having at least one reductant decomposition catalyst. Arranged in the exhaust gas flow, and a metering device arranged upstream of the latter in an exhaust gas line for supplying reductant. Preferably at least one other catalyst device is provided downstream of the reductant decomposition catalyst. An inlet section for the exhaust gas having at least one flow deflection area is arranged upstream of the reductant decomposition catalyst and constructed for the exhaust gas to be fed into a housing radially outside an inlet pipe adjoining the reductant decomposition catalyst that encloses the inlet pipe, and is guided in counterflow through a front inlet opening of the inlet pipe to the reductant decomposition catalyst. The reductant is fed into the flow deflection area associated with the inlet opening. |
| US08726634B2 |
Nacelle for an aircraft engine with variable cross-section nozzle having a rack and pinion actuator assembly
A nacelle for an aircraft engine is provided that includes a thrust reverser cowling slideably mounted between a direct jet position and a reversed jet position, an outlet jet pipe nozzle with variable cross-section positioned in a downstream extension of the reverser cowling, and means for respectively actuating the cowling and the nozzle. The nozzle is slideably mounted on the thrust reverser cowling, and the means includes at least one actuator for actuating said thrust reverser cowling, at least one driving pinion rotatably mounted on a fixed structure of said nacelle, and at least one rack for actuating the nozzle, secured to the nozzle and meshing with the driving pinion when the thrust reverser cowling is in the direct jet position, and escaping from this pinion when said reverser cowling is in the reversed jet position. |
| US08726631B2 |
Dual walled combustors with impingement cooled igniters
A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes an inner liner and an outer liner circumscribing the inner liner and forming a combustion chamber therewith. The outer liner is a dual walled liner with a first wall and a second wall. A fuel igniter includes a tip portion configured to ignite an air and fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. An igniter support assembly positions the fuel igniter relative to the combustion chamber. The igniter support assembly defines a plurality of holes configured to direct cooling air toward the tip portion of the fuel igniter. The igniter support assembly includes first and second floating seals that are configured to accommodate radial and axial relative movements. |
| US08726629B2 |
Compressed air energy system integrated with gas turbine
An apparatus performs a power cycle involving expansion of compressed air utilizing high pressure (HP) and low pressure (LP) air turbines located upstream of a gas turbine. The power cycle involves heating of the compressed air prior to its expansion in the HP and LP air turbines. Taking into consideration fuel consumption to heat the compressed air, particular embodiments may result in a net production of electrical energy of ˜2.2-2.5× an amount of energy consumed by substantially isothermal air compression to produce the compressed air supply. Although pressure of the compressed air supply may vary over a range (e.g. as a compressed air storage unit is depleted), the gas turbine may run under almost constant conditions, facilitating its integration with the apparatus. The air turbines may operate at lower temperatures than the gas turbine, and they may include features of turbines employed to turbocharge large reciprocating engines. |
| US08726625B2 |
Combined cycle power plant
A combined cycle power plant is provided and includes a gas turbine engine to generate power from combustion of a fuel and air mixture, a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) disposed downstream from the gas turbine engine to receive heat energy from the gas turbine engine from which steam is produced, the HRSG including a superheating element and a drum element, and a steam turbine engine to be receptive of the steam produced in the HRSG and to generate power from the received steam, the HRSG further including a valve operably disposed to isolate the superheating element from the drum element when a risk of condensate formation in the HRSG exists. |
| US08726623B2 |
Crop divider hinge kit and method
Provided is a simple, inexpensive, truly feasible technical solution that readily permits do-it-yourself retrofitting of existing combine harvester heads to allow their crop dividers to pivot out of the way for transport. Provided is a retrofit hinge kit adapted for use with square tube frames and methods for its use. |
| US08726620B2 |
Self-adjusting centring device
A device for centring objects, comprising a supporting frame (10) which supports an overall flat grid, the individual cells of which are each suitable for downwardly guiding an object to be centred, the device comprising a plurality of parallel rows of distinct centring members (400) which define nodes of the grid, each single row of the centring members (400) being supported by a single straight guide (202, 204, 224 ) of a series of coplanar, parallel straight guides (202, 204, 224), the straight guides (202, 204, 224) being mobile on the supporting frame (10), and being connected to one another by a second mechanism (211) which is configured such as to allow a reciprocal nearing and distancing of the straight guides (202, 204, 224) by second moving means (210, 210′ 202′, 204′) provided for activating said second mechanism (211), the centring members (400) of each row being slidingly coupled to their relative straight guide (202, 204, 224) characterized in that each centring member (400) of each straight guide is directly connected to the adjacent ones by a single mechanism (311) configured in such a way as to allow the centring members 400) of each straight guide to near and distance reciprocally while remaining equidistant to one another, all the single mechanisms (311) being simultaneously activated by first means for moving (201, 203). |
| US08726619B2 |
Methods for sealing pharmaceutical vials
A capping system and method of use for sealing injectable drugs within vials is disclosed. The system includes a closure assembly and a locking cap. The closure assembly includes a retainer member and a resilient stopper located within the retainer member. The retainer member is arranged to be disposed on the vial whereupon a gap results between the stopper and the vial. The retainer member is movable to close that gap. The locking cap is used to permanently seal the vial. |
| US08726609B1 |
Modular turbine enclosure
The present application provides a modular enclosure for use with an equipment platform and a turbo-machine. The modular enclosure may include a first number of walls attached to a number of legs of the equipment platform and a second number of walls attached to the legs of the equipment platform. The first number of walls may include a number of pivotable panels. The second number of walls may include an access aperture therein. The equipment platform may provide a roof for the modular enclosure. |
| US08726603B2 |
Board assembly
A floor board assembly convenient to lay is characterized in that, in one embodiment, it comprises a frame, a filler board and an upper material with the frame and filler board affixed to the underside of the upper material. The frame includes latch tongues that extend outwardly from the lower side edges of the frame, and the tongues have locking projections that fit into recesses arranged just inside the periphery of the underside of the frame. The tongues and intervening spaces (with locking bars behind them) are space along the periphery of the board, such that any side of one board may be joined to any side of a similarly configured board. The upper material may be selected from a variety of materials, including LVT (luxury vinyl tile), carpet, high pressure laminate or other decorative material. The filler board may be selected to accomplish reduced cost, and/or improved acoustics. In other embodiments, a frame and/or upper material may be absent. The floor board assembly requires a lower manufacture cost and lower equipment investment, has stable quality, versatility and ease of installation. |
| US08726598B2 |
Non-structural insulating panel system
An insulating panel structure for application to the exterior of a building, the panel structure having an inner surface to be attached to the building and an outer surface to be attached to an exterior load such as cladding material. The panel structure has external stringers along the outer surface of the panel for attachment of the exterior load, connectors extending perpendicularly from the internal surface to the external stringers to transmit compressive forces from the exterior load to the building, lateral connectors that run diagonally upward from the external stringers to the inner surface to transmit tensile forces from the weight of the exterior load from the external stringers of the panel to the building, and insulating foam embedded in the space defined between the inner and outer surfaces. |
| US08726591B1 |
Field trimmable siding corner
A corner piece for covering or capping a structure corner adjacent shake shingle siding characterized by a lineally variable contour includes a field modifiable trim strip for reflecting and accommodating the contour of the siding adjacent the structure corner. A method of siding a structure with the new corner piece and a siding system including the new corner piece and lineally variable contour siding panels are also disclosed. |
| US08726584B1 |
Mobile elevated building
A mobile elevated building assembly is configured to be compactly transportable in a transportation mode yet readily reconfigured to an installed mode after set-up with a building held many meters off of the ground by a tower supported off of the ground by outriggers. A flat-bed trailer is used to transport the assembly while in its transportation mode, and the trailer can optionally remain attached to the bottom of the tower in the installed mode. A foldable stairway and top-of-stairs platform can form a subassembly that can be pivotally attached where they connect to one-another, and this connection can be supported by a horizontal upper member of the tower. The platform can include one of at least two horizontal support members for holding the building on top of the tower. Methods are provided for reconfiguring the assembly and subassemblies between their transportation mode and their installed mode. |
| US08726580B1 |
Standing seam cementitious roof
A system and method for installing a roofing system on a structure, said system comprising: means for installing a plurality of cementitious roof panels adjacent to one another to produce a roof surface having a plurality of substantially vertical oriented seams; means for placing a cementitious seam insert in each seam and attaching each said seam insert to the adjacent cementitious roof panels; and means for coating said cementitious roof panels and said cementitious seam inserts with a coating. |
| US08726575B1 |
Door or window seal
A one-piece seal for use on the bottoms of doors or windows of uniform cross-section has a planar base and upwardly extending members on each side of the base with engagement members at the top of the upwardly extending members. The seal also has downwardly extending fins and semicircular walls to engage a threshold. The seal is held upon a door by action of the flexible engagement members being pressed against the sides of the doors by the upstanding members. |
| US08726574B2 |
Drawing device
Provided is a drawing device that is capable of generating a damping force in accordance with the strength of a biasing force of an elastic member without increasing durability. The drawing device has a linear damper 24 of which a rod is extendable relative to a damper main body and a rotary damper 25 of which a rotation axis is rotatable relative to the damper main body. When a slider 14 of a drawing device main body 4 moves relative to a base 12 of the drawing device main body 4 in the longitudinal direction by the biasing force of the elastic member 15, first, the linear damper 24 starts to operate thereby generating the damping force, then, the linear damper 24 is switched with the rotary damper 25 and the rotary damper 25 starts to operate thereby generating the damping force. |
| US08726568B2 |
Apparatus for growing living organisms
An apparatus for growing living organisms having at least one growing unit adapted to receive at least one living organism, a source of fluid, a conduit operably connecting the source of fluid and the growing unit in fluid supplying relation, and at least one system for supplying the requirements by which the living organism can grow in the growing unit. |
| US08726566B2 |
Seed labels and manufacturing method thereof
A seed label which can be removably affixed to a package includes a label layer removably attached to a clear film layer by an adhesive layer, and at least one seed disposed between the label layer and the clear film layer. The label layer may be made of biodegradable material and may include water-based ink printing thereon. The adhesive layer may be a dry release-clean release adhesive layer can be formed of a water-based adhesive. The seed label can be placed in a container for germinating the seeds. A method of manufacturing a seed label includes providing a label layer, automatically placing at least one seed on one side of the label layer, and automatically attaching the label layer to a clear film layer by an adhesive layer, with the seed disposed between the label layer and the clear film layer. |
| US08726563B2 |
Non-snagging fish hook which automatically clamps a set fish hook to the mouth of a fish
A non-snagging fish hook having a shaft with a barb at one end and an opening at another end for receiving a line is attached to a wire loop member. The wire loop member is a continuous length of flexible wire bent back upon itself at a place between its two ends to provide a first end having an open loop, a second end having said two ends, and two substantially parallel wires that extend from the first end to the second end. The second end is attached to the fish hook near the opening for receiving a line. The wire loop member is not in tension and does not engage the barb end of the fish hook. When a pushing force is applied, it resists with a progressively increasing resistance force. |
| US08726560B2 |
Chamber insert lock installed within an AR-15/16 barrel extension for locating and reducing movement of an associated sub caliber action
The present invention teaches an insert locking mechanism incorporated into a sub caliber action device, installable within an upper receiver of an AR-15 type firearm, and which interfaces with an upper receiver mounted forward assist for use with such as .22 caliber ammunition and in order to eliminate movement or play of the chamber insert adaptor associated with the substituted sub caliber action. The mechanism includes a generally cylindrical shaped body supported upon the action and exhibiting a plurality of radially projecting and circumferentially extending lugs which are configured to mate and seat within a plurality of grooves circumferentially arrayed within a barrel defined in the upper receiver. |
| US08726557B2 |
Hand guard attachment system for firearms
A hand guard attachment assembly for a firearm having a barrel and a receiver fastened to the barrel by a barrel nut. The hand guard attachment assembly includes a forearm having a monolithic mounting rail/hand guard that is removably connected to the receiver. The monolithic rail/hand guard interfaces with an integral multi-slot mounting portion of the receiver. A cinch block is mated to the slots of the receiver and held in place by the monolithic rail/hand guard. A tension block is mated at one end of the monolithic rail/hand guard and is attached to the cinch block by a fastener to securely hold the monolithic rail/hand guard in place. |
| US08726553B2 |
Simulated-woven label for use with a woven label on a garment
Labels for a garment include a fabric first label with brand indicia woven therein for attachment to the garment and a fabric second label with content indicia printed thereon for attachment to the garment. The printed content indicia has an appearance of being woven like the woven brand indicia. The content indicia is preferably printed in a font having an appearance similar to alphanumeric characters of the woven brand indicia. The font preferably resembles a thread pattern of the alphanumeric characters of the woven brand indicia. |
| US08726549B2 |
Systems and methods for an informational attachment on a container
Embodiments described herein include a single-use beverage container assembly having a beverage container which includes an inner surface defining a chamber capable of receiving a liquid, an opening configured to provide access to the chamber and an outer surface comprising a receiving cavity. In certain embodiments, the beverage container further includes an informational attachment including promotional information. The receiving cavity can be configured to receive the informational attachment such that the informational attachment can be stowed in the receiving cavity. The beverage container assembly can also be configured to permit the informational attachment to be at least partially removed from the receiving cavity such that the informational attachment can be separated from the beverage container. |
| US08726542B2 |
Shoe having a bridge mechanism
Disclosed is a shoe including a sole support, a midsole and an outsole, wherein the edge of the sole support has one or more bridges at the left and right toe area and heel, respectively. |
| US08726540B2 |
Footwear
A footwear upper including a first layer and a second layer disposed on the first layer exteriorly of the first layer. The second layer defines grooves in a rhombille tiling pattern. |
| US08726539B2 |
Heater and controls for extraction of moisture and biological organisms from structures
A gas heater with specialized controls allows an operator to deploy a single device to heat and to dry when extracting moisture from a structure. The heater has a fan in a blow thru arrangement ahead of a burner. The burner uses either natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas. The heater has air flow, fan motor, temperature, and ignition controls and sensors. The heater delivers high temperature air to the structure that hastens evaporation as the heated air absorbs great concentrations of water vapor. Then the moisture laden heated air exits the building as the heater draws in fresh air, ducts it into a structure, and pressurizes the structure. This moisture laden air then leaks from the building through select windows using the energy imparted from the fan and then exhausts the moisture to the atmosphere, drying the structure. |
| US08726535B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for controlling heated air drying
An apparatus, system and method of controlling heated air drying of product. Exhaust temperature is measured during drying and compared to a target or ideal exhaust temperature function or reference. The exhaust temperature function or reference is correlated to a target or ideal drying rate for the product. Drying factors are adjusted to compensate for variance between measured exhaust temperature and the target or ideal exhaust temperature function to influence actual exhaust temperature to follow the target or ideal exhaust temperature function during drying. Drying factors such as inlet air temperature and drying pressure can be controlled manually or automatically by the comparison to promote efficient and controlled drying. |
| US08726530B2 |
Relative angle sensing device and electric power steering apparatus
A relative angle sensing device is provided with: a sensor that is contained in a housing in which a communication hole communicating inside and outside is formed, and outputs an electric signal according to a relative rotation angle between two rotary shafts coaxially arranged; an electric cable that transmits the electric signal outputted from the sensor to a device arranged at outside of the housing; an electric cable holding member that is fitted with the communication hole of the housing and that holds the electric cable; and an outer component that is arranged at a position outside the electric cable holding member in the communication hole of the housing. The outer component is provided with an introducing part that introduces the electric cable into inside thereof, and a plurality of exiting parts that make the electric cable having been introduced through the introducing part exit to outside in different directions. |
| US08726527B2 |
Dual drive pencil sharpener
A portable pencil sharpener is capable of being manually operable or operable to be driven by a remote torque driver. The pencil sharpener is capable of sharpening either a carpenter's pencil or a Number 2 pencil. Pencil shavings are retained in a compact housing and removed through a retractable panel. |
| US08726525B2 |
Magnetic peeler set
A fruit or vegetable peeler includes a handle with a blade, in which the peeler is shaped such that a first peeler can nest with or be secured to a second peeler. In some versions, the peeler includes a magnet secured to the peeler such that a first peeler is magnetically attracted to a second peeler having a similar attached magnet. |
| US08726517B2 |
Trimmer mechanism, hair trimmer, and hair trimmer attachment
A trimmer mechanism suitable for use in a hair trimmer and hair trimmer attachment is described. The trimmer mechanism allows for a linearly reciprocating motion to be used to obtain a close trim or shave. The trimmer mechanism includes two sets of blades that are moveable relative to each other to define a pair of cutting zones. One set of blades provides a coarse trim, while the following set of blades provides a finer trim. Also provides is a blade arrangement and a method of manufacture of a blade arrangement. |
| US08726516B2 |
Method for manufacturing inclined curve-type blade body, blade body made therefrom, and nail clipper having blade body thereof
The present invention is related to a method for manufacturing a blade body of a nail clipper having a 3-dimensional inclined curve-type blade, including steps of forming an inclined curve with a curvature Ra using a boundary line which is formed when the periphery of grinding media with a radius Rg in an upright position is merged with an upper inclined surface having a predetermined angle θ1 with respect to a vertical line, forming a lower inclined surface by extending the inclined curve downward at an angle θ2 corresponding to the angle θ1, forming blade bodies using the upper and lower inclined surfaces to be inner inclined surfaces of the blade bodies, and grinding the ends of the upper and lower inclined surfaces simultaneously via grinding media with the radius Rg, whereby forming upper and lower 3-dimensional inclined curve-type blades with the curvature Ra, respectively. |
| US08726513B2 |
Method for processing a side edge of a panel, and a device for carrying out the method
The invention relates to a method for processing a side edge of a panel (2), in particular a floor panel, with a top (18) and a bottom (19), which on at least two side edges lying opposite one another has profiles corresponding to one another such that two identically embodied panels (2) can be joined and locked to one another in the horizontal and vertical direction by an essentially vertical joining movement, wherein the locking in the vertical direction can be produced by at least one tongue element formed in one piece from the core and moveable in the horizontal direction, which tongue element during the joining movement snaps in behind a locking edge extending essentially in the horizontal direction and the tongue element is exposed by means of at least one essentially vertical slot with respect to the core, and at least one of the slots is not embodied in a continuous manner over the entire length of the side edge, wherein the at least one non-continuous slot is produced by at least one guided tool (41) such that the panel (2) is conveyed in a transport direction (x) under the tool (41), the tool (41) dips into the core of the panel (2) by means of a swivel motion and is lifted out again in the opposite direction before the panel (2) has been completely conveyed past under the tool (41). |
| US08726512B2 |
Metal building panel and method of making same
A contoured metal building panel comprising an inner layer formed from a piece of flexible material that has been manipulated to create contours along its surface and an outer coating that substantially encases and hardens the flexible material so that the contours are substantially rigid and fixed. |
| US08726511B2 |
Method for production of panels
The invention relates to a method for production of panels for floor, wall or ceiling coverings, with the panels being cut from a large starting sheet and provided on their long sides (11, 12) with locking strips (15, 16). The starting sheet is hereby provided with parallel grooves (4, 5) along the topside and underside thereof, with the upper groove (4) and the lower groove (5) extending in the sheet plane (PE) at an offset in relation to one another at a distance (a), thereby forming a breaking web (6). The starting sheet (1) is then divided along the breaking web (6) such that projecting longitudinal strips remain along the long sides (11, 12) and are used for shaping the locking strips (15, 16). |
| US08726510B2 |
Method of making a clip for a self-ligating orthodontic bracket
An orthodontic bracket having a body having an archwire slot and adapted to be secured to a tooth, and a clip coupled to the body and movable between an open position, permitting access to the archwire slot, and a closed position, inhibiting access to the archwire slot. The clip has a base material having recesses formed by laser-ablation, and a coating formed over at least one of the recesses. |
| US08726508B2 |
Flat tube, flat tube heat exchanger, and method of manufacturing same
A number of flat tubes, flat tube heat exchangers, and methods of manufacturing both are described and illustrated. The flat tubes can be constructed of one, two, or more pieces of sheet material. A profiled insert integral with the flat tube or constructed from another sheet of material can be used to define multiple flow channels through the flat tube. The flat tubes can be constructed of relatively thin material, and can be reinforced with folds of the flat tube material and/or of an insert in areas subject to higher pressure and thermal stresses. Also, the relatively thin flat tube material can have a corrosion layer enabling the material to resist failure due to corrosion. Heat exchangers having such flat tubes connected to collection tubes are also disclosed, as are manners in which such tubes can be provided with fins. |
| US08726506B2 |
Heat pipe and method for forming the same
A heat pipe and a method for forming the same are provided. The method includes: defining a closed end, a closed portion, and a contact section in sequence along a heat pipe to be processed; closing the opening of the closed end and the passage of the closed portion so as to finalize the heat pipe; and cutting axially the contact section into a plurality of equal parts, bending the equal parts outward to assume a divergent shape, thereby providing the contact section with an area for contact with a heat-generating source. Heat is directly transferred from the heat-generating source to the heat pipe via the contact section, thereby enhancing heat dissipation. |
| US08726502B2 |
Turbine servicing apparatus and methods
Apparatuses and methods for servicing a turbine are disclosed. Various embodiments of the invention include an apparatus adapted to service a turbine, where that apparatus includes: a base member fixedly mountable on an inlet of the turbine; an adjustment system mounted on the base member; a machining device operably connected to a first end of the adjustment system; and a control member operably connected to a second end of the adjustment system, the control member adapted to modify a position of the machining device to service a portion of the turbine inside the inlet of the turbine. |
| US08726501B2 |
Method of welding single crystal turbine blade tips with an oxidation-resistant filler material
A method for depositing material on a turbine airfoil having a tip wall extending past a tip cap, wherein the tip wall includes a first alloy with a single crystal microstructure. The method includes: depositing a second alloy on at least a portion of the tip wall to form a repair structure, wherein a high temperature oxidation resistance of the second alloy is greater than a high temperature oxidation resistance of the first alloy, and wherein the repair structure has a crystallographic orientation that is substantially the same as a crystallographic orientation of the tip wall. |
| US08726498B2 |
Methods for filling holes in printed wiring boards
The invention comprises methods for filling holes in printed wiring boards and printed wiring boards produced by these methods. The methods involve plating metal conductors inside the holes of the printed wiring boards while protecting the conducting surfaces of the printed wiring boards from being plated using photoresist film. The side surfaces of a printed wiring board are covered with photoresist. The photoresist is exposed to developing light, except the photoresist covering the holes on one side of the board is masked to prevent exposure of the holes to the developing light. The undeveloped photoresist covering the holes is removed. The board is subjected to a plating process, which deposits conductive materials in the holes, but the photoresist on the conducting surfaces of the board prevents conductive materials to be plated on the surfaces of the board. |
| US08726497B2 |
Methods of making composite electrodes
A method of making a component for use in a touch sensor includes modifying a substrate having disposed on it a plurality of electrically isolated conductors. Subsets of the conductors are electrically coupled to form composite electrodes. The component can be used as a set of electrodes in a customized touch sensor. |
| US08726495B2 |
Multi-layer board manufacturing method thereof
A base material (20) is arranged on top of at least one first internal layer base material (10), and a second internal base material (30) is arranged underneath the base material (10). And thereafter a surface layer circuitry conductive foil (40) is arranged underneath the base material (30), and subsequently these materials are colaminated for forming a colaminated body (80). While this colaminating operation, conductive portions being formed in the base materials 10, 30 are aligned to electrically connect one another for forming an internal circuitry. And thereafter, an interlayer conductive portion (51) being electrically connected to the internal circuitry is formed, and a minute circuitry is formed on the top of the base material (20) and the conductive foil (40) accordingly. |
| US08726492B2 |
Insulated conductive element having a substantially continuous barrier layer formed through multiple coatings
Coating an elongate, uncoated conductive element with a substantially continuous barrier layer. The substantially continuous barrier layer is formed through relative movement of the conductive element to a frame between sequential coatings of a barrier material. |
| US08726490B2 |
Method of constructing core with tapered pole pieces and low-loss electrical rotating machine with said core
An electrical rotating machine having a stator or a rotor with a core that includes a plurality of tapered pole pieces is a low loss electrical machine that results in improvements such as higher output power, higher torque and higher efficiency than a machine that does not have tapered pole pieces. The stator or the rotor with tapered pole pieces may be applied to a power train in automobiles, power tools, and various appliances. A method of constructing the core includes winding an iron-based amorphous magnetic alloy ribbon to form a cylinder-shaped core, then heating, impregnating with resin, and machining the cylinder-shaped core to form a plurality of tapered pole pieces being separated in an alternating manner by a plurality of slots. The cores having an outside diameter in a range of 50 mm-1200 mm, a tapered angle in a range of 10°-45°, and a slot depth in a range of 10 mm-210 mm are advantageous. |
| US08726486B2 |
System for loading collars onto bolts in large-scale manufacturing operations
Collars having a center opening are conveyed through a feed channel by compressed air to a swaging die tool for bolts. There is sufficient clearance between the collar and the channel to permit movement of the collar as the forward end of the die pin engages a central opening of the collar, the feed assembly or the swaging die tool being moveable sufficiently thereafter to permit a die-pin engaged collar to move forward for engagement with a tail end of a bolt. The collar is loaded onto the bolt and the collar moved forward to a stackup of parts prior to a bolt being moved through an opening in the stackup for engagement with the collar. |
| US08726483B2 |
Methods for uniform crimping and deployment of a polymer scaffold
A medical device-includes a scaffold crimped to a catheter having an expansion balloon. The scaffold is crimped to the balloon by a process that includes one or more balloon pressurization steps. The balloon pressurization steps are selected to enhance scaffold retention to the balloon while retaining, at least partially, the original balloon folds as the balloon is pressurized and de-pressurized within a crimper head. By at least partially retaining the original balloon folds, a uniformity of scaffold expansion by the balloon is improved. |
| US08726481B2 |
Method of forming barbs on a suture
A method is provided for forming a barbed medical device which includes the steps of providing a blank workpiece and forming at least one barb on the blank workpiece by applying vibrational energy to a tool and bringing the tool and the blank workpiece into contact with each other at an angle such that the tool cuts into the surface of the blank workpiece. A barbed medical device formed by this method is also provided. |
| US08726479B2 |
Woven fabric comprising weft wires
A woven fabric includes warp threads or wires and includes weft wires, wherein, the woven fabric includes an offset weft wire. The offset is particularly suitable for fastening objects separate from the woven fabric. A method uses the woven fabric as a facade hanging by using the woven fabric as a base structure for bearing an object separate from the woven fabric. The object is borne on the offset separate from the woven fabric. |
| US08726477B2 |
Rotor centralization for turbine engine assembly
One or more support elements radially extend through one or more openings defined in a turbine engine casing and are configured to centralize and at least partially support a rotor assembly of the engine during an engine disassembly or assembly procedure. The support elements are configured to transfer any rotor assembly weight loads to an engine casing while a bearing support of the rotor assembly is absent or removed. |
| US08726476B2 |
Tire valve tool having air communication means
A multipurpose tire valve tool is provided for the purposes of maintenance of a Schrader valve and for replacing the tube of a pneumatic tire. The tool comprises a valve core removal key, a valve stem tap arm, a first air inlet end, and a second valve stem attachment end. Through the body of the tool is an air conduit and an internal valve core post for depressing the same. A check valve along the air inlet end allows air to be communicated into the tool, whereby the air flows therethrough and into an attached Schrader valve for filling the tire tube while the tool is thereattached. The tool facilitates removal of the valve core, cleaning of the valve stem threads, and filling the tire or tire tube with air while the tool maintains the position of the valve stem through the rim. |
| US08726475B2 |
Method for producing piezoelectric thin-film resonator
A method for producing a piezoelectric thin-film resonator includes forming a sacrificial layer on a substrate, performing a plasma treatment on the sacrificial layer so that the surface roughness (Ra) of end surface portions of the sacrificial layer is about 5 nm or less, forming a strip-shaped dielectric film so as to be continuously disposed on the surface of the substrate and the end surface portions and the principal surface of the sacrificial layer, forming a piezoelectric thin-film area including a lower electrode, an upper electrode, and a piezoelectric thin-film disposed therebetween so that a portion of the lower electrode and a portion of the upper electrode surface each other at an area on the dielectric film, the area being disposed on the upper portion of the sacrificial layer, and removing the sacrificial layer to form an air-gap between the substrate and the dielectric film. |
| US08726473B2 |
Clipping fixation device allowing an adjustment in two directions
A clipping fixation device for assembling two elements such as automotive panels or other components in a manner that provides a secure connection of the elements in an assembly direction while permitting relative longitudinal and transverse positioning of the two elements in directions orthogonal to the assembly direction. The clipping fixation device may include a first clip member and a second clip member, wherein the first clip member has a pin extending to a head and the second clip member includes two clipping arms defining a receiving space into which the first clip member can be inserted under force. The first and second clip members are dimensioned such that the pin may slide along the receiving space in the transversal direction and move in the longitudinal direction by flexing of at least one of the clipping arms without disengagement of the head from the clipping arms. |
| US08726472B2 |
Positioning and binding buckle
A positioning and binding buckle includes a main body and a positioning element, and the main body is formed by bending a plate to form two side plates and a connecting portion, and a hollow is formed between the two side plates and two stop portions are formed at the bottom of the two side plates and passed through a buckle hole a containing hole containing a compression spring, and positioning element is disposed across the two side plates by its cut groove and limited between at least two opposite lugs, and the positioning element is passed through the containing hole by an insert pin and pushed by the bottom edge of the compression spring, and the positioning element can be lifted towards the connecting portion and pushed back by the compression spring, such that the bottom is aligned evenly with the stop portion. |
| US08726465B2 |
Hinge assembly
A hinge assembly comprises a first machine part having a first axis, a second machine part having a second axis and a hinge part pivotably connecting the first machine part with the second machine part. The first machine part is connected with the hinge part via at least one first hinge point configured to permit rotation of the first machine part around the first axis relative to the hinge part. The second machine part is connected with the hinge part via at least one second hinge point configured to permit rotation of the second machine part around the third axis relative to the hinge part. The third axis is perpendicular to the second axis. |
| US08726461B2 |
Dual stage cyclonic vacuum cleaner
A home cleaning appliance comprises a housing, an airstream suction source, a cyclone main body, and a dirt cup. The housing includes a main suction opening. The airstream suction source is mounted to the housing and includes a suction airstream inlet and a suction airstream outlet. The suction source selectively establishes and maintains a flow of air from the main suction opening, via the airstream inlet, to the airstream outlet. The cyclone main body is supported by the housing and is in communication with the main suction opening. The cyclone main body has a uniform outer circumference and includes a first stage separator, and a plurality of downstream second stage separators. The first stage separator has a longitudinal axis offset from a longitudinal axis of the cyclone main body in order to accommodate the second stage separators. The dirt cup is connected to the cyclone main body. The dirt cup includes a first particle collector and a second particle collector. The first particle collector communicates with the first stage separator for collecting dust particles from the first stage separator. The separate second particle collector communicates with the plurality of second stage separators for collecting dust particles from the second stage separators. |
| US08726460B2 |
Vacuum cleaner
A vacuum cleaner having a vacuum source adapted to generate an airstream, a filter, a separating unit having a first sub-separator and a second sub-separator, and airflow passages to connect the vacuum source, the filter and the separating unit in a first configuration corresponding to a vacuum cleaning mode and a second configuration corresponding to a filter cleaning mode. In the vacuum cleaning mode, the airflow passages are configured to direct the airstream through the separating unit such that the airflow passes in parallel through the first sub-separator and the second sub-separator, then in a forward direction through the filter. In the filter cleaning mode, the airflow passages are configured to direct the airstream through the separating unit such that airflow passes in a reverse direction through the filter, and then through the separating unit such that the airflow passes in series through the first sub-separator and the second sub-separator. |
| US08726445B1 |
Shower-mounted back scrubber
A shower-mounted back scrubber aids in scrubbing and cleaning one's back while in the shower and includes a brush surface attached to a wall of a shower or tub by at least one (1) mounting bracket. Each mounting bracket includes a slot that accepts brush base. The brush base includes a plurality of soft bristles for gentle cleansing and a coarse bristles for more aggressive cleaning. |
| US08726444B2 |
Starch head for cleaning a target surface
A head for cleaning a target surface, such as a toilet bowl. The head has a longitudinal axis and comprises a starch based material. The material may be provided as a sheet, and formed to make a generally round head or a head of laminae. The head may optionally contain granules, which optionally define a core and improve the stiffness of the head. The starch based material may be extruded to have a machine direction oriented in the longitudinal direction of the cleaning device. |
| US08726441B1 |
Floor sweeper with split brush assembly
A floor sweeper for recovering material from a surface to be cleaned comprises a handle assembly pivotably attached to a foot assembly. The foot assembly comprises a housing forming a brush chamber having a bottom opening. The foot assembly comprises a pair of driving gears and a split brush assembly rotatably mounted within the brush chamber and adapted to contact the surface through the opening. The brush assembly comprises two separately-rotatable halves each corresponding to one of the driving gears, with each half comprising a brush core, brush paddles or bristles affixed to an exterior of the brush core, and a brush gear adapted for rotation with the brush core. Each brush gear is driven by a corresponding driving gear to the corresponding brush core as the floor assembly is moved across the surface in order to drive the brushes to cleaning of the surface. |
| US08726439B2 |
Multi tool stand for digital device method and apparatus
A multi tool with a handle arranged along a longitudinally aligned axis. The handle has a first end and a second end and a housing for containing a first tool. The multi tool also has a prop which interoperates with the first handle and provides stability against overturning of the multi tool when supporting a device. The multi tool also has a mount which is interoperable with either the handle or the prop. The mount will maintain a device in an upright position. |
| US08726435B2 |
Pillowcase with one or more pockets
A pillowcase having one or more pockets is provided. In one embodiment, the pillowcase includes a first panel, a second panel, an open end adapted to receive a pillow, and a pocket. The pocket is coupled to the pillowcase to form a pocket cavity, and an entry thereto. The pocket cavity is adapted to receive, through the entry, an appendage of a user. |
| US08726432B1 |
Sleeping bag and hood assembly
A sleeping bag assembly having a sleeping bag and non-integral hood is constructed so as to allow the user to be able to sleep on either side, back or stomach without rotating the sleeping bag while all the time keeping a face opening of the hood in position relative to the user's face. |
| US08726430B2 |
Pedicure spa station with separate integrated drain
A pedicure spa station platform that includes a raised platform having a front and a rear, and a seat area on the top surface of the platform for attaching a seat or chair. The platform has a basin tray for holding a basin. The basin tray area is positioned in front of the seat mount location. A well entrance is located between the seat area and the basin tray. The well has a sidewall with a front portion and a back portion, and a drain positioned in the sidewall. The sidewall forms a rim near the front portion (the well entrance). A vertical riser is positioned in front of the basin tray, and the vertical riser terminates in a footrest, where the footrest extends in part over and above the basin tray. The foot rest is movable with respect to the raised platform. |
| US08726429B1 |
Spa and spa cover assembly
Spa cover assemblies for use with a spa are contemplated herein. Each cover assembly is configured to pivotally couple to opposing end walls of the spa base and pivot between a closed position and an open position. Each cover assembly includes a first cover piece pivotally coupled to an end wall of the spa base, two bracket assemblies pivotally coupled to the end wall and the first cover piece, and a second cover piece pivotally coupled to the first cover piece. The second cover piece is substantially planar with the first cover piece when in the closed position and stacked on the first cover piece when in the open position. The first and second cover pieces form a shelf extending from the spa base when in the open position. |
| US08726426B2 |
Shoulder pad cover
A garment made of a compression fabric is provided to serve as a shoulder pad covering. The garment includes a torso portion having a front portion connected to a back portion. The torso portion defines a torso opening, a neck opening, a left arm passage, and a right arm passage. A left shoulder portion is connected to the torso portion adjacent to the left arm passage. The left shoulder portion includes a left shoulder cap pocket. A right shoulder portion is connected to the torso portion adjacent to the right arm passage. The right shoulder portion includes a right shoulder cap pocket. A left epaulette passage is positioned between the neck opening and the left shoulder portion. A right epaulette passage is positioned between the neck opening and the right shoulder portion. |
| US08726424B2 |
Energy management structure
An energy management structure is adapted to absorb a force applied thereto. The structure includes a first component possessing a first compressive response profile, a second component possessing a second compressive response profile different from the first compressive response profile, and a third component connecting the first component to the second component. Upon application of a force, the second compressive response profile of the second component is additive to the first compressive response profile of the first component to result in an overall compressive response profile of the energy management structure that meets a design compressive response profile. |
| US08726423B2 |
Undergarment, particularly for men
An undergarment for a man includes a waistband and a partitioning panel having an upper edge and an opposed lower edge. The upper edge is interconnected with a waistband. The partitioning panel has an opening defined therethrough. The undergarment may include a boxer style pants portion with the panel being inside the pants portion. |
| US08726418B2 |
Adjustable glove
A glove for use by a soccer goalie includes several adjustment mechanisms, such as straps. The straps allow the glove to be adjusted for fit, such as by manipulating the width of the glove across the palm or the size of the wrist opening. Additionally, the glove includes a pull tab that allows the wearer to adjust the position of the fingers of the hand within the glove quickly so that the webs of the fingers remain in contact with the inside of the glove at the bases of the finger stalls. |
| US08726417B2 |
Clamp assembly and apparel containing same
This invention relates to a clamp assembly useful for attaching together two items of clothing, a garment comprising the clamp assembly, and a process for attaching two items of clothing; the clamp assembly including a circular band and a tubular resilient cover having a hollow body, and wherein the clamp is positioned in the hollow and is encased on all sides by the resilient cover. |
| US08732857B2 |
Client-side access control of electronic content
Systems, methods and computer program products for controlling access to electronic content on a client device are provided. Whether access to electronic content is allowed or blocked is based on information and processes performed at the client device. Controlling access to electronic content on a client device can involve locally determining whether access to the electronic content will be allowed, blocked, or will depend upon further analysis performed by a remote device, such as a server. If a webpage is requested, for example, a client device may compare the URL address of the requested webpage, along with keywords and phrases found on the webpage, to locally-stored updateable lists of banned URL addresses and banned keywords and phrases to determining whether access to the electronic content will be allowed, blocked, or will depend upon further analysis. |
| US08732853B1 |
Web-based system providing sharable content item links with link sharer specified use restrictions
A system and method providing sharable content item links with link sharer specified use restrictions. The method includes: receiving, from a device used by a link sharer, a request to share a server-stored content item as a sharable link; causing a user interface to be presented at the device that allows the link sharer to specify one or more restrictions on how the sharable link is used to access to the content item; receiving, through the user interface presented at the device, a specification of at least one of the restrictions; receiving, from a device used by a link submitter, a request to access the content item at the sharable link; determining whether the at least one restriction prevents the link submitter from the requested access; and granting the requested access only after determining that the at least one restriction does not prevent the link submitter from the requested access. |
| US08732848B2 |
File-distribution apparatus and recording medium having file-distribution authorization program recorded therein
A file-distribution apparatus includes a file-distribution unit configured to distribute an image file received from an image-forming device to a terminal device, a source-reference-information storage unit configured to store source-reference authorization information, and a security-management unit configured to determine whether a source-apparatus identifier corresponding to the image file is included in the source-reference information, and thus permits distribution of the image file if the determination is affirmative, and denies distribution of the image file if the determination is negative. |
| US08732847B2 |
Access control model of function privileges for enterprise-wide applications
Techniques are provided for access control in a system. A request is received for checking whether a subject has a privilege for a resource. A security class that defines a plurality of privileges that include the requested privilege is determined. One or more access control lists have been configured for the security class. The one or more access control lists comprise one or more access control entries. Each of the one more access control entry defines whether one or more subjects has been granted or denied to zero, one or more of the plurality of privileges defined in the security class. Based on the access control lists configured for the security class, it is determined whether the subject should be granted the privilege for the requested resource. |
| US08732846B2 |
Platform for providing a social context to software applications
The present invention provides a system and method for providing a social context to software applications. According to one embodiment of the invention, a user of a social network authorizes access by an external software application to information available in the social network. At some time later, the user of the social network uses an application designed by a third-party software developer. The application contacts the social network provider for permission to access the information available in the social network. If access has been authorized, the application incorporates the information from the social network into its interaction with the user, providing a social context to the user's interaction with the application. |
| US08732841B2 |
Software license server with geographic location validation
A computer software license management system wrapper for use in a local computer is described. The software wrapper includes a wrapper interface that provides controlled access to a computer software application file. The software application file is encapsulated by security software code to protect it from unauthorized access. The software wrapper also includes a software license key identifying a license policy specifying a use limitation within a geographic boundary. In addition, the software wrapper includes a license validation mechanism that periodically determines compliance with the license policy. The license validation mechanism permits access by another process operating on the local computer through the wrapper interface in response to a valid license confirmation signal received from the license server. A license server that utilizes and an electronic storefront that sells software license wrappers having software use limitations within a geographic boundary also are described. |
| US08732838B2 |
Evaluating the effectiveness of a threat model
Evaluating a threat model for structural validity and descriptive completeness. A threat modeling application provides a progress factor or other overall score associated with the structural validity and descriptive completeness of the threat model being evaluated. The structural validity is evaluated based on a data flow diagram associated with the threat model. The descriptive completeness is evaluated by reviewing descriptions of threat types in the threat model. The progress factor encourages modelers to provide effective models to a model reviewer, thus saving time for the model reviewer. |
| US08732835B2 |
System, method, and computer program product for interfacing a plurality of related applications
A system, method and computer program product are provided for interlacing a plurality of applications. Initially, a signal is received at an interface indicating that a first application has responded to an event with a first response. The interface, in turn, prompts a second response to the event by a second application. |
| US08732834B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting illegitimate applications
A computer-implemented method for detecting illegitimate applications may include 1) identifying an installation of an application on a computing system, 2) determining, in response to identifying the installation of the application, that at least one system file with privileged access on the computing system has changed prior to the installation of the application, 3) determining that the application is illegitimate based at least in part on a time of the installation of the application relative to a time of a change to the system file, and 4) performing a remediation action on the application in response to determining that the application is illegitimate. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US08732830B2 |
Scripting engine externalized function execution control
Various embodiments include at least one of systems, methods, software, and data structures to evaluate function calls within a host, such as a scripting or application programming interface (API) host, prior to execution. Such embodiments may determine if a called function is authorized for execution. When the function is not authorized for execution, the function is not executed. Authorized and unauthorized functions may be set in a representation including one or both of authorized and unauthorized function functions. The representation may be stored external to the host so as to be modifiable. |
| US08732825B2 |
Intelligent hashes for centralized malware detection
A suspicious entity is identified. An intelligent hash for the suspicious entity is generated, wherein the intelligent hash includes a set of metadata that is specific to the suspicious entity and at least some of the metadata is invariant over changes to the suspicious entity. The intelligent hash is transmitted to a server for evaluation of whether the suspicious entity corresponds to the malware entity. The server is adapted to determine whether the suspicious entity corresponds to the malware entity based on the intelligent hash. A result is received from the server specifying whether the suspicious entity corresponds to the malware entity. |
| US08732820B2 |
Method for inputting usernames and passwords to access or use different assets
A method for imputing different usernames and passwords using an input device with a display to use different protected assets that requires the inputting of a preselected username into a username enter box and the inputting of a preselected password into a password entry box immediately prior to use. The method includes the steps of designating two or more username keys on said input device, each said username key being assigned with a unique letter or number located on said input device and to a unique username made of a plurality of alpha-number characters, designating two or more password keys on the input device each being assigned with a letter or number located on said input device and to a unique password made of a plurality of alpha-number characters. Next the protected asset is then accessed and the username key and keyword key assigned to the asset is imputed. |
| US08732819B2 |
Method and a device for generating a secret value
A device and a method for graphical passwords. A device displays an initial image comprising a plurality of graphical elements, each graphical element having at least two variants; receives user input to select a variant of a number of the graphical elements, thereby generating a modified image; and generates the secret value from at least the selected variants of the graphical elements. The graphical elements are advantageously seamlessly integrated in the images, thereby making the system resistant to shoulder surfing attacks. |
| US08732818B2 |
End-to-end authentication of session initiation protocol messages using certificates
End-to-end authentication capability based on public-key certificates is combined with the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to allow a SIP node that receives a SIP request message to authenticate the sender of request. The SIP request message is sent with a digital signature generated with a private key of the sender and may include a certificate of the sender. The SIP request message my also be encrypted with a public key of the recipient. After receiving the SIP request, the receiving SIP node obtains a certificate of the sender and authenticates the sender based on the digital signature. The digital signature may be included in an Authorization header of the SIP request, or in a multipart message body constructed according to the S/MIME standard. |
| US08732816B2 |
Method and apparatus for exchanging data between a user equipment and a core network via a security gateway
The present invention concern a methods and an apparatus for exchanging data between a user equipment and a core network via a security gateway. The invention concerns the establishment of an inactive pair of tunnel mode security associations between the UE and the security gateway, as well as the application of the pair of security associations when the UE detects attachment to or need to attach to an untrusted access network. |
| US08732813B2 |
Method and system for securing data from an external network to a non point of sale device
A data control system allows non-point of sale devices (135, 155) on the LAN to receive data from an external network (160) when established conditions are met. The data control system may allow the data to be sent to a non-point of sale device (135, 155) only if the data has not been received via a secure connection reserved for point of sale devices (125, 145). The secure connection is, for example, a virtual private network connection. The data control system may also allow the data to be sent to a non-point of sale device (135, 155) only if the data is associated with a communication session initiated by the non-point of sale device (135, 155). The data control system may also allow the data to be sent to the non-point of sale device (135, 155) only if it is not received from a restricted source. The restricted source may be, for example, a payment host (170), a secure host (180) or any unidentified source. |
| US08732808B2 |
Data plan activation and modification
A method, implemented by a router device, for guiding a user in establishing access privileges for a data exchanger includes causing the data exchanger to establish a remote link with a data service provider. Access content is obtained from the data service provider and presented to a client device. Access data provided in response to the presenting of the access content is received. The access content when presented by the client device enables a user to supply the access data. The access data is useable by the data service provider to set access privileges associated with the data exchanger that enable the data exchanger to be utilized to perform a desired function. The access data is returned to the data service provider via the remote link. The data exchanger is utilized to implement the desired function. |
| US08732807B2 |
Method and system using a cyber ID to provide secure transactions
A method and system for securing a user transaction involving a subscriber unit (“SU”) (having a processor, memory, and a display configured to accept user input), a credential information manager (“CIM”) (having a processor and memory), and a transaction service provider (“TSP”) (having a processor and memory). A cyber identifier (“CyberID”), a subscriber identifier (“SubscriberID”), and subscriber information, each associated with the user, is stored in the CIM. A transaction request is sent from the SU to the TSP, which creates a transaction identifier (“TID”), stores it in the TSP memory and transmits it to the SU. The SU transmits an authentication request, the TID, and SubscriberID to the CIM, which authenticates the SubscriberID and verifies the TID to the TSP. The TSP verifies the TID and reports it to the CIM, which transmits the CyberID and subscriber information to the TSP, and transmits a transaction authorization to the SU. |
| US08732798B2 |
Automatic disabling of enabled connection profile for wireless network
To reduce automatically a number of enabled connection profiles in a mobile station, for example, while the number of enabled connection profiles is at its maximum, a mobile station automatically selects one of the existing enabled connection profiles to disable and automatically disables the auto-selected connection profile. |
| US08732797B2 |
Host usability and security via an isolated environment
Architecture that addresses security concerns while still providing transparent user experience with ability to perform tasks. When a user machine is considered incompliant or compromised due to, for example, a suspected infection, the user machine can be blocked from further access to a network or other computing hosts until the incompliance is resolved. A notification is presented that indicates the nature of the problem, and a way to access an automatically configured isolated environment via which to continue working. The user can be automatically routed to use the alternative isolated environment for temporary access to network resources. Once the user finishes activities in the isolated environment, the system hosting the isolated environment is reverted back to a known good state. |
| US08732796B1 |
Addressing security in asymmetrical networks
Security in an asymmetrical network is addressed. At a security element, a handshake message is received on a path within the asymmetrical network. The handshake message is associated with an attempt to establish a session. A determination is made as to whether there is an entry for the handshake message in a local state table. When there is no entry in the local state table, then an entry is generated in the local state table, a notification of the handshake message is sent to a centralized computing platform that tracks handshake messages received by a plurality of security elements in the asymmetrical network, and the handshake message is allowed to pass along the path. A notification is received from the centralized computing platform that the session associated with the handshake message is allowed, based on associated handshake messages received at the centralized computing platform. |
| US08732794B2 |
Browser plug-in firewall
A browser plug-in firewall manages data exchanged between a browser and a plug-in according to a pre-defined list of rights. |
| US08732789B2 |
Portable security policy and environment
The present invention provides a portable security policy and environment, which can accompany a user conveniently, wherever the user goes. The portable security policy and environment involves authenticating the identity of a client end, checking the security environment of the client end, generating policy based on the security environment, and delivering policy to network devices. |
| US08732785B2 |
Transmission system and relay device
Provided is a system for supplying a power from a sink device to a source device. Not only the source device but also a cable or a repeater device to be connected thereto has compatibility in power supply. A physical address obtained from information of an EDID memory forms a base of CEC message exchange, but a physical address of the cable or repeater device is overlapped with the source device or unknown. The cable or a repeater device uses changes the type of a message while using the same physical address as the source device or use such a message having the physical address information of the source device is described in a parameter of the message using the unknown physical address. The message having a supply or reception current for each device described therein is exchanged with the sink device or the source device to adjust current reception. |
| US08732782B1 |
Systems and methods for providing communication services over telephone lines
A system and method is described for providing communication services, including voice communications, data communications, audio/video-on-demand, and broadcast audio/video, over twisted-pair telephone lines. The system and method are based on broadband transmission techniques, such as fiber-to-the-neighborhood (FTTN) and digital subscriber line (DSL) techniques. This approach can be applied to develop an access network comprising an array of remote terminals connected to one or more telephone central offices by fiber optic cables and connected to subscriber nodes by twisted-pair lines. Each remote terminal has the capacity to support multiple subscribers and to switch broadcast channels onto subscriber lines. Each subscriber is provided the capability to individually select via the DSL interface one or more a broadcast channels from a larger set of channels. |
| US08732778B1 |
On-demand mobile wireless broadcast video delivery mechanism
A mobile broadcast service center and a mobile wireless network to deliver broadcast video to mobile wireless devices. When the mobile broadcast service center receives a request to deliver a broadcast video channel to a target mobile wireless device, it designates as target an intermediate node in the network that serves the target mobile wireless device. The mobile broadcast service center first determines if an existing channel bundle is routed to the target intermediate node. If this first determination is negative, the mobile broadcast service center routes a new channel bundle to the target intermediate node, including the requested broadcast video channel. If the first determination is positive, the mobile broadcast service center then determines if the requested broadcast video channel is in the existing channel bundle. If this second determination is negative, then it adds the requested broadcast video channel to the existing channel bundle. |
| US08732776B2 |
End of show handling
A content delivery system that works in a broadcast and linear content environment causing real time display of received linear content. The system limits the display of the linear content by determining a time to automatically change the display of the linear content based upon program guide information and other factors, unless a signal is or has been received from a user indicating further interest in the content. |
| US08732771B2 |
System for providing DBS DSL video services to multiple display devices
Systems and methods for providing direct broadcast satellite (DBS) and digital subscriber line (DSL) video services to multiple display devices are disclosed. Generally the disclosed system receives a plurality of DBS channels and DSL content. The system receives a first user-initiated video selection and generates a first television signal based on the first user-initiated video selection. The first television signal combines video from at least one DBS channel and video from DSL content for simultaneously displaying at least a portion of the video from at least one DBS channel and at least a portion of the video from the DSL content on a display device. The first television signal is then transmitted to a first display device. Additionally, the system receives a second user-initiated video selection, generates a second television signal based on the second user-initiated video selection, and transmits the second television signal to a second display device. |
| US08732769B2 |
Wireless video transmitter
A technique is offered which is applied to a system for wirelessly sending and receiving control commands and which permits mutual communications owing to the control commands between a wireless video transmitter and wireless video receivers to be operated stably with low delay. The transmitter makes a decision as to whether commands received from the receivers are certain commands. If so, the transmitter assigns transmissible periods, in which the receivers can send commands, more preferentially to the wireless video receiver that has sent out the certain commands than the other wireless video receivers. |
| US08732768B2 |
System and method for providing virtual AV service
A system for providing virtual AV service includes a local device middleware (LDM) media server which stores AV contents and a resource cooperation server (RCS) which separates the AV contents from the LDM media server into video contents and audio contents. The video contents and the audio contents are reproduced by an LDM video renderer and an LDM audio renderer, respectively. An LDM control point (LDMCP) controls the LDM media server and the LDM media renderers using the LDM protocol and a virtual device ensembler (VDE) controls the RCS and the LDMCP. |
| US08732766B2 |
Video object tag creation and processing
Methods, and systems, including computer programs encoded on computer-readable storage mediums, including a method for presenting a video content item in a first display area; concurrently presenting, with the video content item in the first display area, objects that are displayed during the presentation of the video content item in a second display area, wherein the objects persist in the second display area after the object is no longer displayed during the presentation of the video content item in the first display area; receiving an indication identifying one of the objects presented in the first display area or the second display area; and processing a tag associated with the object, the tag comprising a reference to a media item, wherein the processing comprises: accessing the media item referenced by the tag; and presenting the media item at least partially in the first display area or the second display area. |
| US08732765B2 |
Electronic television program guide schedule system and method with remote product ordering
An electronic program schedule system with product ordering capability which includes a data processor for receiving program schedule information for a plurality of programs, and a user control apparatus, such as a remote controller, for generating user control commands and transmitting signals to the data processor in response thereto. The television program schedule information is displayed on a display apparatus such as a television receiver. A video display generator receives video control commands from the data processor and program schedule information and displays a portion of the program schedule information on the receiver. The program schedule information indicates the availability of a product or service for certain of the programs included in the program information, wherein the product or service is associated with the program, such as a program transcript or videocassette. The viewer utilizes the remote control apparatus to generate a first command for displaying information on the receiver describing the product or service, and a second command for placing an order for the product or service. The data processor receives the user control commands and in response to the first command causes the video display generator to display information describing the product or service and in response to the second command generates an order for the product or service. |
| US08732762B2 |
Information providing apparatus, information acquisition terminal, broadcast reception terminal, information providing system, information providing method and program
An ECG server, which provides program contents-related ECG information to a television terminal and a user terminal, comprises a storage unit that stores the program contents-related ECG information, a configuring unit that configures an ECG module in correspondence to the program contents, made up with a plurality of sets of ECG information including tuning information to be used to allow the television terminal to select the program contents, a setting unit that sets timing information, which will allow the ECG module to be provided to the user terminal by linking with consignment of the program contents and a providing unit that provides, in conformance to the timing information, the ECG module to an user terminal capable of providing the tuning information to the television terminal. By utilizing the ECG server, the ratings of the program contents can be improved and the program contents can be more easily selected. |
| US08732761B2 |
Content discovery and delivery with multiple servers
A system may include a client and a home media server in communication with the client. The home media server may be configured to receive a request for media content from the client; determine content restrictions associated with the client; discover at least one other home media server; receive content listings of media content from the at least one other home media server; aggregate the received content listings to create a unified content listing including instances of media content stored on multiple home media servers; filter the unified content listing according to the content restrictions; and send the filtered unified content listing to the client. |
| US08732759B2 |
Method of browsing recorded news program and browsing apparatus for performing the method
Provided are a method of browsing a recorded news program and a browsing apparatus for performing the method. The method includes grouping moving picture news reports included in a plurality of news programs according to news report, and selecting one moving picture news report from among each of a plurality of groups according to preference information input by a user, thereby reproducing only a user desired part from contents of a moving picture news report. Thus, the method can be used to rapidly and efficiently browse the plurality of news programs. |
| US08732758B2 |
Television system with aided user program searching
A system having an adaptive browse feature and an adaptive flip feature is provided. The adaptative browse and flip features may be selected to receive program viewing suggestions. The system may provide a suggestion by displaying an adaptive browse region or adaptative flip region including a program suggestion. The system identifies programs to suggest based on a user=s viewing activity. The system uses different algorithms that are user-selectable and user-adjustable to identify program suggestions. The system may query a program guide database to build a list of programs having attributes similar to the attributes of the current program or the last viewed program. The system may use an adaptive learning algorithm such as a neural network. The neural network may be trained by the program guide by monitoring user-viewing activity.Each algorithm may be personalized for multiple users. |
| US08732757B2 |
System and method for targeted advertisement display responsive to user characteristics
A system and method for utilizing data stored in an EPG database for modifying advertisement information. In this way, a service provider and/or an advertiser can transmit a single advertisement to all the television stations regardless of their geographic location and other user specific information, and need not re-transmit the advertisement even if there is a change in the show's program description. When the advertisement is displayed, the correct updated information is retrieved from the EPG database and inserted into the advertisement.In one aspect, the present invention describes a method for modifying an advertisement in an EPG comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information in a first database; storing advertisement information in a second database; incorporating a portion of the television schedule information into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and displaying the modified advertisement on a screen. |
| US08732754B2 |
Expanded programming guide
Systems, methods and computer program products utilize a content receiver to generate a dynamically modifiable expanded programming guide with a grid containing a plurality of regions. Each region is associated with a plurality of channels over a timeframe. The content receiver transmits the expanded programming guide to a content display. The grid may be utilized to navigate through regions and therefore across a large amount of programming information associated with a wide range of channels and timeframes. The content receiver may transmit a magnified view of the expanded programming guide and may display content-related information associated with a subset of regions for the associated channels and timeframes. |
| US08732749B2 |
Virtual desktop services
Methods and apparatus are described for providing access to arbitrary applications via an interactive television service using a pool of remote virtual desktops. |
| US08732746B2 |
System for and method of targeting broadcast messages
A system for and method of targeting a broadcast message to a subset of potential electronic receivers in a broadcast network is presented. The system and method may comprise collecting identifying information associated with designated electronic receivers of a targeted broadcast message, generating, using a computer processor, a data set structure using the identifying information, associating the data set structure with the targeted broadcast message, and broadcasting the targeted broadcast message and the data set structure to a plurality of electronic receivers, wherein the data set structure provides information allowing at least one of the plurality of electronic receivers to determine whether the targeted broadcast message is targeted to the at least one electronic receiver. |
| US08732743B2 |
Passenger information control device and method for providing video data for passenger information control device
A passenger information control device having a video display controller that transmits video data sent from a ground transmission controller to display devices in a train includes: a storage unit that stores a program table and the video data, the program table storing a number of times an advertisement video has been presented, a validity period of the advertisement video, a time period from the last presentation time to the present, and a volume of the video data, being associated with each advertisement; a deletion determining unit that determines whether to designate the video data as a candidate for deletion based on a program table; and a deleting unit that deletes the video data stored in the storage unit based on determination by the deletion determining unit. |
| US08732740B2 |
Content control in a device environment
Devices and methods are disclosed for controlling content within a device environment through interaction among electronic devices of the environment. The device has a transmitter, receiver, memory storing interaction rules and content rules and a processor for implementing the interaction rules and content rules in association with the transmitter, receiver, and other devices of the environment. Methods involve obtaining content information of the media about to be played and comparing the content information to the content rules stored at a device. An instruction about playback of the media content is generated. Methods may also involve seeking rights information for media content and determining whether rights information exists for identified media content in response to the request. When rights information does exist for the identified media content, a message is sent that includes the rights information. |
| US08732735B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing presentation of media content
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set top box having a controller to monitor for a triggering event that is associated with viewing of media content, retrieve a screen saver from a remote server when the triggering event is detected, and apply the screen saver to a display device connected with the set top box. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08732733B2 |
Optical disc driving device having shaft upwardly protruding from chucking mechanism
There is provided an optical disc driving device including: a sleeve holder fixed to a base member; a sleeve fixed to the sleeve holder; a shaft rotating while being inserted into the sleeve; a rotor hub fixed to the shaft and rotating together with the shaft; a chucking mechanism fixed to the rotor hub and having a disc mounted thereon; and an upper case forming an internal space, together with the base member, wherein the shaft is protruded upwardly from the chucking mechanism. |
| US08732731B2 |
Streaming server administration protocol
Network server information has traditionally been obtained through the use of operating systems functions and calls. By adding URL protocol code to the network server, such data may be obtained by use of a URL. In the URL, path information for the container in the server where such data resides is included. Specific server data may be retrieved, or such data may be retrieved recursively among several levels of containers. System calls and other functions may also be added to the URL path name for searching for particular data, or similar types of data through successive levels of containers. The protocol allows server administrators to access server data, in real time, from any user device in a network in which the server resides. |
| US08732728B2 |
System and method to allow multiple plug-in applications real-time access to a camera application in a mobile device
A mobile device having a camera application is provided. The mobile device includes a camera and a controller coupled to the camera. The controller is configured to launch a first plug-in application within the camera application. The controller is also configured to launch a second plug-in application within the camera application. The first and second plug-in applications communicate with the camera application through an application programming interface. The controller is further configured to receive, from a user of the mobile device, a selection of one of the first and second plug-in applications. Based on the selection from the user of the mobile device, the controller is configured to update a user interface of the camera application to correspond to the selected plug-in application. |
| US08732727B2 |
Agnostic execution cluster for an agnostic execution environment
The disclosed subject matter facilitates an execution environment in which services can be made available for use by one or more devices independently of such devices' hardware, operating systems, or run-time environments. The services can be abstracted and accessed by way of a Service Programming Interface (SPI). Execution environment devices can be members of one or more execution clusters and can interoperate by way of a logical bus, for example by contemporaneously signaling among member devices on an electronic signaling logical bus (ESLB). Signaling can be by way of event messages, which can facilitate distributed computing and/or agnostic execution behavior. |
| US08732726B2 |
Managing internode data communications for an uninitialized process in a parallel computer
A parallel computer includes nodes, each having main memory and a messaging unit (MU). Each MU includes computer memory, which in turn includes, MU message buffers. Each MU message buffer is associated with an uninitialized process on the compute node. In the parallel computer, managing internode data communications for an uninitialized process includes: receiving, by an MU of a compute node, one or more data communications messages in an MU message buffer associated with an uninitialized process on the compute node; determining, by an application agent, that the MU message buffer associated with the uninitialized process is full prior to initialization of the uninitialized process; establishing, by the application agent, a temporary message buffer for the uninitialized process in main computer memory; and moving, by the application agent, data communications messages from the MU message buffer associated with the uninitialized process to the temporary message buffer in main computer memory. |
| US08732723B2 |
Execution apparatus and method
An execution apparatus that executes a computer program executes the computer program and loads a class that is requested while the computer program is being executed. The loaded class is the class in response to the computer program that is being executed. |
| US08732721B2 |
Method for reducing trap overhead when executing a guest in a virtual machine
A processor includes a VM trap logic and a buffering logic. The VM trap logic determines whether or not an instruction acquired from a VM (Virtual Machine) satisfies a predetermined VM trap condition. The buffering logic determines whether or not the instruction acquired from the VM satisfies a predetermined buffering condition. |
| US08732715B2 |
Resource management method, device and program thereof
There are resource managers provided for various kinds of resources including hardware and software, and a system resource manager that manages the entire system including the resource managers. Configuration management of the system resource manager grasps the system configuration by XML-based definition information and detects a control method of each of the resources. Accepting an operation instruction to a resource, the system resource manager specifies a target resource to be controlled under configuration management and sends an event to a resource manager that manages the target resource by event control. The resource manager that receives the event specifies the target resource to be controlled under configuration management and sends a control instruction to the target resource by event control to operate the target resource. |
| US08732707B2 |
Composing and executing service processes
A computer-implemented method for automatically and dynamically composing and executing workflow-based service processes may include receiving a request, the request including a user-selected service type, guided by one or more rules for questionnaire creation, dynamically generating a sequence of one or more electronic inquiries in accordance with the user-selected service type, receiving information based on the sequence of the one or more electronic inquiries, based on the information received, creating a goal for the request by constructing logical state representations of a current state constituting a pre-condition of the goal and of a target state constituting a post-condition of the goal and generating a service process by determining a sequence of services which together fulfill the goal, where the services are selected from a plurality of services such that pre-conditions and post-conditions associated with the selected services together match the pre-condition and the post-condition of the goal. |
| US08732700B2 |
Virtualization system with a remote proxy
A remote proxy provides remote control to a virtualization system. The virtualization system includes a computer having virtualization software executing on the computer, and one or more virtual machines executing on the computer by way of the virtualization software, each of the virtual machines having a guest operating system. The remote proxy receives over a network connection a plurality of logical channels of a multi-channel remote control protocol at a first domain of a plurality of domains of the virtualization system. Each of the logical channels convey information corresponding to one of the domains. For each logical channel, the remote proxy identifies the corresponding domain. Further, for each of the logical channels corresponding to a domain other than the first domain, the remote proxy forwards the logical channel to the corresponding domain. |
| US08732699B1 |
Migrating virtual machines between physical machines in a define group
In a system including plural physical machines containing virtual machines, a first group including a subset, of the plural physical machines is defined. A controller is provided in the first group for identifying a placement of virtual machines on the physical machines in the first group. Migration is performed of at least one of the virtual machines between or among the physical machines in the first group according to the identified placement. |
| US08732698B2 |
Apparatus and method for expedited virtual machine (VM) launch in VM cluster environment
Method and apparatus for expedited virtual machine (VM) launch in VM cluster environment. In one embodiment, at least one VM is launched within a host platform. Once initialized, a VM may issue a hypercall to a VM monitor (VMM) of a VM host platform. In response, the VMM may capture a runtime image of the VM. In one embodiment, the VMM loads the runtime image of the VM within a node of the host platform as a child VM. In an alternative embodiment, the VMM issues a VM clone command to a VMM of a next host platform including the runtime image of the VM. In response, the VMM of the next platform loads the runtime image of the first VM within a node of the second host platform as a cloned VM. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08732697B2 |
System, method and apparatus for managing applications on a device
The disclosure provides a system, a method and a computer program product that facilitate access to one or more applications by a computing device. The disclosure includes a step of determining one or more contexts associated with the computing device or a user of the computing device, such that the one or more contexts describe environment or activity of the user or the computing device. The disclosure also includes a step of generating at least one contextual tag corresponding to the one or more contexts, after which the one or more applications associated with the at least one contextual tag are identified and the computing device is enabled to access the one or more applications. |
| US08732695B2 |
Method of distributing software and supplemental display data to a client device
A method of distributing software and supplemental display data and a client device having the same. The method reduces the cost of providing software to a number of devices on a multi-cast network. The software allows the user to gain access to the multi-cast network, and the supplemental display data is transferred to the client device over the network. |
| US08732693B2 |
Managing continuous software deployment
Concepts and technologies are described herein for managing continuous software deployment. A deployment controller can manage deployment of code to a data center. The deployment controller can execute workflows for checking in, verifying, deploying the code, or other processes. The code can be deployed using a differencing disk that includes data indicating changes between software hosted by the data center and a version of software resulting from deployment of the code. The differencing disk can be linked to the disk or virtual resource hosting the software and executed collectively to provide an updated version of the software. Traffic to one or more virtual machines of the data center can be controlled by the deployment controller. If errors are detecting during deployment or after updating, the update can be rolled back. |
| US08732692B2 |
Deployment and management framework
A system and method for deploying and managing software components to a plurality of network devices of an extended data communications network. In one embodiment of the invention, a client type defining software components required for at least one network device of the plurality of network devices may be determined. At least one network device of the plurality of network devices corresponding to the client type may be determined. The software components may be provided to the at least one network device based in part on the client type. The software components may be installed on the at least one network device such that functional capabilities of the software components may be employed by the network device. In another embodiment, a record of the software components installed on the at least one network device on a hub server associated with the extended data communications network may be stored. |
| US08732686B2 |
Generating optimal instruction sequences for bitwise logical expressions
A sequence generator generates a table of optimal instruction sequences for all bitwise expression having a specific number of variables. An index generator generates a bit-string index that corresponds to a particular bitwise expression. The bit-string is generated from a truth table. A table lookup unit is coupled with the index generator. The table lookup unit finds an optimal instruction sequence for the bitwise expression from within the table of optimal instruction sequences based at least in part on the generated bit-string index. |
| US08732685B2 |
Methods and system for executing a program in multiple execution environments
A method and medium are disclosed for executing a technical computing program in parallel in multiple execution environments. A program is invoked for execution in a first execution environment and from the invocation the program is executed in the first execution environment and one or more additional execution environments to provide for parallel execution of the program. New constructs in a technical computing programming language are disclosed for parallel programming of a technical computing program for execution in multiple execution environments. It is also further disclosed a system and method for changing the mode of operation of an execution environment from a sequential mode to a parallel mode of operation and vice-versa. |
| US08732684B2 |
Program conversion apparatus and computer readable medium
According to one embodiment, a first program code including a plurality of variables is converted to a second program code to be executed by a multi-core processor including a plurality of cores. Specifically, an access pattern of each variable in the first program code is decided. All variables in the first program code are classified into a plurality of groups each of which variables belong to the same access pattern. A member structure of each group having variables belonging to the same access pattern is created. Each member structure includes variables of one group. A route-pointer indicating an address (in a memory) of variables of the member structure is created. The variables in the first program code are converted to the member structure and the route-pointer (in the second program code) that indicate the variables. The second program code is outputted to the multi-core processor. |
| US08732683B2 |
Compiler providing idiom to idiom accelerator
A wake-and-go mechanism may be a programming idiom accelerator. As a processor fetches instructions, the programming idiom accelerator may look ahead to determine whether a programming idiom is coming up in the instruction stream. If the programming idiom accelerator recognizes a programming idiom, the programming idiom accelerator may perform an action to accelerate execution of the programming idiom. A compiler may recognize programming idioms and expose the programming idioms to the programming idiom accelerator within the resulting machine language instructions. |
| US08732682B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting and tolerating atomicity violations between concurrent code blocks
The system and methods described herein may be used to detect and tolerate atomicity violations between concurrent code blocks and/or to generate code that is executable to detect and tolerate such violations. A compiler may transform program code in which the potential for atomicity violations exists into alternate code that tolerates these potential violations. For example, the compiler may inflate critical sections, transform non-critical sections into critical sections, or coalesce multiple critical sections into a single critical section. The techniques described herein may utilize an auxiliary lock state for locks on critical sections to enable detection of atomicity violations in program code by enabling the system to distinguish between program points at which lock acquisition and release operations appeared in the original program, and the points at which these operations actually occur when executing the transformed program code. Filtering and analysis techniques may reduce false positives induced by the transformations. |
| US08732679B2 |
Loop transformation for computer compiler optimization
A new computer-compiler architecture includes code analysis processes in which loops present in an intermediate instruction set are transformed into more efficient loops prior to fully executing the intermediate instruction set. The compiler architecture starts by generating the equivalent intermediate instructions for the original high level source code. For each loop in the intermediate instructions, a total cycle cost is calculated using a cycle cost table associated with the compiler. The compiler then generates intermediate code for replacement loops in which all conversion instructions are removed. The cycle costs for these new transformed loops are then compared against the total cycle cost for the original loops. If the total cycle costs exceed the new cycle costs, the compiler will replace the original loops in the intermediate instructions with the new transformed loops prior to generation of final code using the instruction set of the processor. |
| US08732678B2 |
Methods and apparatus for dynamic best fit compilation of mixed mode instructions
Methods and an apparatus for dynamic best fit compilation of mixed mode instructions are provided. In one embodiment, a provided method includes receiving a non-native software instruction at a device, generating a first native software instruction from a first instruction set based on the non-native software instruction, the generation of the first native software instruction occurring at the device, executing the first native software instruction at the device, generating a second native software instruction from a second instruction set based on the non-native software instruction, the generation of the second native software instruction occurring at the device, and executing the second native software instruction at the device. |
| US08732677B2 |
System and method for extending legacy application with undo/redo functionality
In a system and method for recalling a state in an application, a processor may store in a memory data representing a first set of previously executed commands, the first set representing a current application state, and, for recalling a previously extant application state different than the current application state, the processor may modify the data to represent a second set of commands and may execute in sequence the second set of commands. |
| US08732673B2 |
Automated debugging system and method
System and method for automatically identifying a source of a run-time error in a computer system comprises a static analysis system (SAS), an instrumentation system (IS) and a post-execution analysis system (PEAS). The is arranged to generate static analysis data on computer program code (CPC) for the computer system, including information on possible behaviors of the CPC when executed. The IS is arranged to instrument the CPC by inserting marker triggers into the CPC that, generate a marker associated with each of a number of predetermined points in the CPC that would be reached during execution of the CPC. Each marker is, uniquely identifiable. The predetermined points are determined in dependence on the static analysis data. The PEASpost execution analysis system is arranged to processes data on a run-time error produced by execution of the instrumented CPC, wherein the generated markers and the static analysis data to identify the source of the run-time error. |
| US08732672B2 |
Constraint derivation in context following for use with object code insertion
A method of creating constraints for use with object code insertion technology can include deriving an A-representation and a B-representation of values produced by execution of instructions of a portion of object code, wherein prior to object code insertion the A-representation and the B-representation of a value produced by same instruction(s) are equivalent. The method further can include identifying equalities between A-representations of values produced by different instructions and determining constraints from the identified equalities using B-representations, where the constraints are observed after object code insertion. |
| US08732670B1 |
Ensuring determinism during programmatic replay in a virtual machine
Aspects of an application program's execution which might be subject to non-determinism are performed in a deterministic manner while the application program's execution is being recorded in a virtual machine environment so that the application program's behavior, when played back in that virtual machine environment, will duplicate the behavior that the application program exhibited when originally executed and recorded. Techniques disclosed herein take advantage of the recognition that only minimal data needs to be recorded in relation to the execution of deterministic operations, which actually can be repeated “verbatim” during replay, and that more highly detailed data should be recorded only in relation to non-deterministic operations, so that those non-deterministic operations can be deterministically simulated (rather than attempting to re-execute those operations under circumstances where the outcome of the re-execution might differ) based on the detailed data during replay. |
| US08732669B2 |
Efficient model checking technique for finding software defects
A method for detecting defects in a computer program. The method steps include obtaining source code and a potential defect definition; identifying, based on the potential defect definition, a set of program objects associated with a potential defect in the source code; extracting an executable program slice having the potential defect from the source code; generating, by a processor, an abstracted model of the program slice by: modeling, using data abstraction, the set of program objects as data-abstracted variables, identifying, within the program slice, a set of control statements including predicates necessary for evaluating the set of control statements, modeling, using predicate abstraction, the predicates as predicate-abstracted Boolean variables, and creating, based on the data-abstracted variables and the predicate-abstracted Boolean variables, a finite state machine (FSM) model of the program slice; and identifying an error state of the FSM indicating an occurrence of the potential defect within the program slice. |
| US08732668B2 |
System and method of error handling in a platform as a service environment
A system and method of improving error handling in a development environment created by a platform provider in which a third party developer develops applications for use by customers The method includes storing business objects and error messages, where the error messages corresponds to potential errors during run time processing of the plurality of business objects. The method further includes receiving a first user input regarding an error situation, where the error situation includes a resolution of the error situation, and receiving a second user input that associates the error situation with a sub-subset of a subset of the error messages. In this manner, the usability of the platform is improved. |
| US08732665B2 |
Deploying environments for testing by providing instantaneous availability of prebuilt environments
Environments for testing are deployed. A library of different topology groupings is provided. An interface is presented to a user for receiving environment definitions. Elements from the library of different topology groupings are automatically provided to the user for creating a test environment according to the received environment definitions. The platform delivers fully configured instantaneous topology deployments of all flavors for product development and testing efforts. The topology deployment service platform is used to create reliable topologies of varying layers of complexity, varying machine providers, different roles, different product builds, integration with partners and varying product configurations. The ability to launch and create multiple test and development environments trivially in an automated reliable fashion allows complicated customer scenarios and configurations to be deployed. |
| US08732664B2 |
Document serialization and comparison via object model
Technologies are described herein for serializing in-memory objects of an application program for purposes of comparison. A request to serialize in-memory objects of an application program is received. A list of one or more objects, properties, or methods to be serialized is read from a serialization driver file and the one or more objects, properties, or methods in an object memory of the application program are accessed through an object model exposed by the application program. Values from the one or more objects, properties, or methods in the object memory are serialized and stored in a generic object container that facilitates comparison between the serialized values from the application program and corresponding values from other versions of the application program. |
| US08732658B2 |
Layered interface in an industrial environment
System(s) and method(s) are provided for implementing a set of interface components across a set of layers of an industrial environment, and for managing at least one interface component or at least one layer of the industrial environment. To implement an interface component in at least one layer in the set of layers, a specification that defines the interface component is acquired and, based at least on the specification, a service is generated. Execution of the service implements the interface component. The managing includes deploying or discovering the at least one interface component or the at least one layer of the industrial environment. The managing also includes indexing specific functional feature(s) of the at least one interface component and searching across the set of layers for one or more interface components that satisfy specific functional criteria. Moreover, the managing can include supplying metadata related to interface component(s) or layer(s). |
| US08732656B2 |
Development environment for managing database aware software projects
Embodiments of the invention introduce development tools that connect various artifacts in a database aware fashion. For example, embodiments of the invention integrate SQL query builders across multiple application development interfaces (e.g., a source code editor, XML editor, database scripting tools, etc.), significantly improving developer productivity, reducing development cost and time. Thus, the process of consuming heterogeneous artifacts in an application (or creating them for consumption) becomes a very productive experience, eliminating the need to manually cut/paste information in multiple project files in many cases. |
| US08732655B2 |
Systems and methods for metamodel transformation
Some aspects relate to systems to determine a first metamodel conforming to a first meta-metamodel supporting metamodel class inheritance at the first metamodel level, identify one or more segments of an aggregation-free tree of nodes of the first metamodel, identify a lowest-level node of one of the one or more segments, identify all higher-level nodes of the one of the one or more segments, and consolidate attributes of each of the identified nodes of the one of the one or more segments into a node of a second metamodel conforming to a second meta-metamodel. |
| US08732653B1 |
System and method of providing resource modification in a virtual community
A system and method of modifying a resource in a resource based virtual community is disclosed. The method of modifying a resource includes the steps of (a) accessing the resource, (b) selecting a sub element of the resource for modification, (c) making modifications to the sub element, and (d) submitting the modifications to a virtual community server. Alternatively, a method of displaying a modified sub element of a resource in a resource based virtual community includes the steps of (a) accessing a virtual community server, (b) receiving the modified sub element of the resource in the virtual community server, (c) applying the modified sub element to the resource, (d) and displaying the modified resource. |
| US08732652B2 |
System and method for creating multi-mode applications
Multi-mode wireless communication devices capable of wLAN and WAN wireless network communication modes can be configured to communicate for backend services (e.g. Web Services, database, events) via a network gateway to operate in response to available modes. For example, for some activities (e.g. notification messages), the devices may be configured to communication in any available mode (WAN or wLAN) while for other activities (e.g. high bandwidth communications), the devices may be restricted to one mode only (e.g. wLAN). Component applications for execution by the devices can specify message delivery properties to indicate the mode(s) that may used for a particular message. A programming tool and method are described for configuring such component applications to specify mode delivery properties and to be responsive to mode information generated by a runtime environment generating, executing and supporting the component applications. |
| US08732647B1 |
Method for creating physical connections in 3D integrated circuits
An electronic design automation method implemented in a computing system is provided for creating a physical connections netlist for a pre-floorplan partitioned design file of 3D integrated circuits. The inputs are a 3D stack defining the topology of multiple dies, and a given design partitioning. The design partitioning defines the logic implemented in each die. The method identifies through-silicon-vias (TSVs), bump pins (BPs) and net connections. |
| US08732646B2 |
PLD architecture for flexible placement of IP function blocks
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a hole is formed within an LE array of a PLD by interrupting the LE array base signal routing architecture such that a hole is left for IP function block to be incorporated. An interface region is provided for interfacing the remaining LE array base signal routing architecture to the IP function block. |
| US08732645B2 |
Placement and routing cells on integrated circuit chips
Methods and apparatuses to place and route cells on integrated circuit chips along paths. In one aspect of the invention, methods to layout an integrated circuit are based on placing and routing cells along paths. In one embodiment, a method to layout an integrated circuit including: routing a wire to connect a first cell of the integrated circuit and a second cell of the integrated circuit; and placing a third cell of the integrated circuit after the wire is routed to connect the first cell and the second cell. In one example, the first, second and third cells are on a first path; and, the third cell is connected to one of the first and second cells on the first path by only one net. The first path is selected from a set of paths; and the first and second cells are placed before the wire is routed to connect the first cell and the second cell. Timing is analyzed using a route of the wire connecting the first cell and the second cell to select a second path from the set of paths before a cell is placed on the second path. |
| US08732640B1 |
Methods, systems, and articles for multi-scenario physically-aware design methodology for layout-dependent effects
Disclosed are methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for implementing multi-scenario physically-aware design of electronic circuit design(s). In some embodiments, the method captures layout dependent effect(s) when a critical component instance, which corresponds to multiple candidate configurations, is being created in a physical design to enable a designer to create partial layout(s) from layout alternative(s) and to extract parameter(s) from the partial layout(s) in different layout contexts. The method may extract parasitics between components and analyzes impact(s) of layout dependent effect(s) on an electronic design by performing simulation(s) with layout dependent effect(s) in the schematic domain and may perform some partial routing based on some routing style(s) in each of the different layout contexts to generate just enough interconnects that may affect the electronic design. |
| US08732638B1 |
Verifying proper representation of semiconductor device fingers
A system for verifying that device fingers of a semiconductor circuit have been properly represented by a corresponding layout diagram. The system determines a plurality of sub-circuits, from within a netlist of a schematic diagram, to be verified. Each sub-circuit of the plurality of sub-circuits includes a multi-finger device. The system also determines a first number of fingers included in the plurality of sub-circuits as represented by the schematic diagram. The system also determines a second number of fingers included in the plurality of sub-circuits as represented by the corresponding layout diagram. The system compares the first number of fingers against the second number of fingers. The system reports an error if the first number of fingers does not correspond to the second number of fingers. |
| US08732637B2 |
Formal verification of bit-serial division and bit-serial square-root circuit designs
Methods and apparatuses are described for formally verifying a bit-serial division circuit design or a bit-serial square-root circuit design. Some embodiments formally verify a bit-serial division circuit design using a set of properties that can be efficiently proven using a bit-level solver. In some embodiments, the set of properties that are used for verifying a bit-serial division circuit design does not include any terms that multiply a w-bit partial quotient with the divisor. Some embodiments formally verify a bit-serial square-root circuit design using a set of properties that can be efficiently proven using a bit-level solver. In some embodiments, the set of properties that are used for verifying a bit-serial square-root circuit design does not include any terms that compute a square of a w-bit partial square-root. |
| US08732636B2 |
Method, system, and computer program product for implementing multi-power domain digital / mixed-signal verification and low power simulation
Disclosed are a method, system, and computer program product for implementing various embodiments of the methods for implementing multi-power domain digital or mixed-signal verification and low power simulation. The method or the system comprises automatically generating one or more net or terminal expression, set, or one or more overriding net or terminal expression by reading, importing, or interpreting the power data file for the electronic circuit design; identifying one or more schematics of the electronic circuit design; generating an annotated schematic of the electronic circuit design by automatically annotating at least one of the one or more schematics with some of the one or more net or terminal expression, set, or one or more overriding net or terminal expression; and performing verification of the electronic circuit design by using at least the annotated schematic. |
| US08732635B2 |
Apparatus and methods for power management in integrated circuits
A programmable logic device (PLD) includes a non-volatile memory, a configuration memory, and a control circuitry. The control circuitry couples to the non-volatile memory and to the configuration memory. A set of voltages are derived from the outputs of the control circuitry, and are applied to circuitry within the PLD. |
| US08732629B2 |
Method and system for lithography hotspot correction of a post-route layout
Disclosed herein are correcting methods and devices for lithography hotspots of the post-routing layout, used for correcting lithography hotspots detected in the post-routing layout. At least one two-dimensional pattern of changeable size or position of the number of hotspots in the local area is selected and adjusted, so that the simulation value of the aerial image intensity of various local areas is optimized. The simulation value of the aerial image intensity is derived through calculation with respect to a set of optical simulation model cells that can be determined by the numerical value of distribution of the aerial image intensity of a number of basic two-dimensional patterns. After adjustment, the aerial image intensity of the local area can be calculated with respect to a set of optical simulation model cells, and a number of cells in the simulation model cells are selected to synthesize the two-dimensional pattern after the change. |
| US08732628B1 |
Method and system for photomask assignment for double patterning technology
A method comprises: selecting a circuit pattern or network of circuit patterns in a layout of an integrated circuit (IC) to be fabricating using double patterning technology (DPT). Circuit patterns near the selected circuit pattern or network are grouped into one or more groups. For each group, a respective expected resistance-capacitance (RC) extraction error cost is calculated, which is associated with a mask alignment error, for two different sets of mask assignments. The circuit patterns in the one or more groups are assigned to be patterned by respective photomasks, so as to minimize a total of the expected RC extraction error costs. |
| US08732627B2 |
Method and apparatus for hierarchical wafer quality predictive modeling
A method for performing enhanced wafer quality prediction in a semiconductor manufacturing process includes the steps of: obtaining data including at least one of tensor format wafer processing conditions, historical wafer quality measurements and prior knowledge relating to at least one of the semiconductor manufacturing process and wafer quality; building a hierarchical prediction model including at least the tensor format wafer processing conditions; and predicting wafer quality for a newly fabricated wafer based at least on the hierarchical prediction model and corresponding tensor format wafer processing conditions. |
| US08732622B2 |
Input apparatus and display control apparatus
In an input apparatus, a display portion displays a plurality of function items on a screen to form a plurality of rows that are parallel in a predetermined row direction. The function items are provided with selection regions, respectively. One of the selection regions is selected, using a pointer according to a predetermined selection manipulation, and is determined according to a predetermined determination manipulation. When a first function item in a first row of the plurality of rows is selected, a selection region of the first row is enlarged in a direction directing at a row next to the first row. |
| US08732621B2 |
Method and apparatus for information visualized expression, and visualized human computer interactive expression interface thereof
A method, interface, and apparatus for expressing data objects is described. A method for expressing information can comprise the steps of: extracting attributes of a plurality of data objects, wherein the attributes reflect information associated with the data objects; hierarchically grouping the data objects based on the attributes of the data objects to form a hierarchical data object structure; establishing basic representation units, wherein each basic representation unit is described using multimedia attributes and each unit corresponds to at least one data object; establishing a multi-dimensional mapping relationship between distinct attributes of a subset of the data objects that correspond to each basic representation unit and the multimedia attributes used to describe that unit and displaying the basic representation units to reflect the hierarchical grouping of the data objects on a multimedia display device, wherein the mapping relationship is used to determine the multimedia attributes of the basic representation units. |
| US08732619B2 |
Methods and systems for interactive user interface objects
Methods and systems for interactive user interface objects are provided. The user interface allows for users to manipulate different objects represented by icons within a user interface, such as that of an iPhone or iPad or other touch screen devices. Users may bump objects together, flick one object towards another, bump an object against the edge of a screen, flick an object towards a certain area such as a dock, or otherwise manipulate the objects. The user's actions or manipulations of objects may result in an action by the objects or may have no effect. Depending on the compatibility of objects, the objects may be neutral towards one another, may attract each other, or may repel. The objects that attract may share content or communicate with each other via a one-time interaction, or may establish links or connections with each other that enable longer term communication or broadcasts that occur upon pre-determined triggers. |
| US08732615B2 |
Unified interface for display and modification of data arrays
In an embodiment, a method is provided for displaying data arrays in a graphical user interface. In this method, a first data array and a second data array are accessed. Here, the second data array is nested in the first data array. The first data array comprises first data elements and the second data array comprises second data elements. A hierarchical tree structure of the first and second data arrays is constructed where the first data array is ranked higher than the second data array in the hierarchical tree structure based on the nesting of the second data array in the first data array. An arrangement of the first and second data elements is displayed in the graphical user interface, where the arrangement is based on the hierarchical tree structure. |
| US08732614B2 |
Toolbar document content sharing
A system may provide a toolbar in a browser at a client, where the toolbar permits user selection from multiple different services for sharing document content. The system may receive a selection of a first one of the multiple different services from a user via the toolbar and may receive a selection of content of a first document browsed by the user. The system may post the selected content in a second document associated with the first one of the multiple different services. |
| US08732607B1 |
Seamless integration of non-native windows with dynamically scalable resolution into host operating system
A method for integration of dynamically scalable non-native windows into a host operating system (OS), including launching a Virtual Machine (VM) running a guest OS on a computer system with the host OS and a host desktop being displayed to a user; displaying a window of a non-native desktop on the host desktop; and scaling the window in response to user action, so that items displayed in the window are scaled with the same ratio, wherein the VM interfaces to a virtual adapter for its maintenance of the window, and wherein a resolution of the displayed window changes dynamically in response to the user action. |
| US08732606B2 |
Computer implemented methods and apparatus for dynamic windowing in user interfaces
Disclosed are implementations of methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable storage media for rendering information. In some implementations, user interface data including content capable of being displayed on a page is received. A dynamic window including one or more links linked with respective identifiable portions of the content on the page can be generated. The page of content and the dynamic window can be displayed in a user interface on a display of a computing device. The user interface can have a first state in which a first view of the page of content is displayed and a second state in which a second view of the page is displayed, where the second view is different from the first view. The dynamic window is capable of remaining displayed independent of a change of the user interface from the first state to the second state. |
| US08732602B2 |
System and method for altering a user interface of a power device
A system and method for altering a user interface of a power device is provided. The user interface includes an interface structure. The method includes acts of receiving user preference information, determining additional configuration information of the power device, adapting the interface structure based at least in part on the user preference information and the additional configuration information and providing at least a portion of the adapted interface structure to a user via the user interface. |
| US08732601B2 |
Clinical review and analysis work flow for lung nodule assessment
An image display system includes user configurable viewports for the review and analysis of image data. The user configurable viewports include a review viewport and an analysis viewport. The review viewport displays in a review mode, a plurality of image views of the image data. The analysis viewport displays in an analysis mode, a plurality of image views of the image data. The review viewport and the analysis viewport may be configured for simultaneous display of related image data. |
| US08732596B2 |
Transformation of hierarchical data formats using graphical rules
There is provided a method of creating computer instructions for transforming inbound instances, being instances of a hierarchical inbound data format, into outbound instances, being instances of at least one hierarchical outbound data format, wherein each inbound instance is transformed into zero, one or more outbound instances, the inbound and outbound data formats each having a number of segments arranged in a hierarchical manner, the method using a computing device having at least a processor, a memory, a display device and an input device, and the method including: retrieving from the memory and providing on the display device a number of operation icons each representing at least one operation to be performed on data; and enabling a user of the computing device to select and arrange at least some of the operation icons on the display device. |
| US08732593B2 |
Shared virtual area communication environment based apparatus and methods
Improved systems and methods for navigating and interacting in virtual communication environments are described. At least some of these systems and methods provide a framework that includes one or more virtual areas and supports realtime communications between the communicants. At least some of these systems and methods provide an interface that includes navigation controls that enable a user to navigate virtual areas and interaction controls that enable the user to interact with other communicants in the one or more virtual areas. |
| US08732586B2 |
Complex system function status diagnosis and presentation
Status of complex system functions is diagnosed and reported by analyzing traffic on a data network of the complex system. The network traffic may be placed on the data network by systems that perform functions for the complex system. A user may make a view selection via a remote user interface. The view selection identifies rules for determining a status of a selected subset of the functions or a status of selected ones of the functions for a selected state of operation, such as during initial power-up. The status of the functions may be determined from the network traffic using the rules and presented to the user via the user interface. The user may interact with the presentation to make different view selections. Multiple different view selections made via multiple different user interfaces may be supported simultaneously. |
| US08732582B2 |
Display control apparatus, display control method, display control program, and display system
A display control apparatus which realizes display capable of providing an overview of a group of thumbnail images and which includes an object controller (52a) for performing control to, when a viewer (52) allocates images to be displayed to a predetermined number of image-frame objects (52g), in the case where the number of the images to be allocated to the individual image-frame objects exceeds the number of the image-frame objects (52g), allocate a plurality of images to at least some of the image-frame objects (52g) and, when the plurality of images are allocated to each image-frame object (52g), display all the images to be displayed within a certain time by switching the images to be displayed at predetermined time intervals. |
| US08732580B2 |
Imaging apparatus and user interface
A screen ST1 of an LCD with which a digital camera is provided displays an icon of a folder F1 indicating that the folder F1 has been selected. Image files P11 and P12 are captured reproduced images. A display frame SC displays a currently captured picture of an object, files P11 and P12, and the icon of the folder F1. To switch the folder F1 to a folder F2, the user presses a down button of a cross key 27. When the user presses the down button on the screen ST1, the screen ST1 is switched to a screen ST3 through a screen ST2. On the screen ST2, the number denoted in the icon is changed. The screen ST2 displays a state of which the folders are being switched. An icon displayed on the screen ST3 indicates that the folder F1 was switched to the folder F2. |
| US08732578B2 |
System and method for using a cursor to convey information
Methods and systems are provided for the controlled cursor's behavior. According to one example method, any desired data may be linked to a cursor and a desired cursor behavior could be defined to convey the linked data using the cursor. When a change in the linked data is detected, the example method includes using the desired cursor behavior to convey the changed data independent of a location where the cursor is placed on a screen. |
| US08732577B2 |
Contextual, focus-based translation for broadcast automation software
Contextual, focus-based language translation within a broadcast radio automation software application allows the user interface to enable interaction with users having various written or graphical language requirements. The software does not require special training or learning to enable the translation of text within the application. When the user enters a translation mode and selects a text string in the original language, the program displays a corresponding text string in a second language based on the specific display area, e.g., child window. The translated text string can be displayed proximate to original first text string within the specific display area, and can further be displayed as an entry in a table of a translation window which also displays additional text strings in the second language corresponding to additional text string fields for the specific display area. |
| US08732574B2 |
System and method for parameterizing documents for automatic workflow generation
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method for generating a new workflow for an application. The method includes generating a parameter tree related to a current workflow, wherein the parameter tree includes a different node corresponding to each parameter included in one or more documents associated with the current workflow, modifying a value associated with a first node included in the parameter tree based on an input, wherein the first node corresponds to a first parameter included in a first document associated with the current workflow, evaluating a second document associated with the current workflow based on the modified value associated with the first node, and generating the new workflow based on the evaluated second document. |
| US08732573B2 |
Visual display of room information
An apparatus and method for the visual display of room information for multiple units. Information of interest is graphically displayed in a manner which conveys the information to in a form which aids in comprehension of the information. Specifically, the information is preferably conveyed on the unit level through the use of a matrix. A graphical cell is used to represent each room in the unit. Components of the cell indicate key considerations for every room. Additional information may also be displayed by clicking on a component of the cell. |
| US08732566B2 |
Methods and apparatus for digital content handling
In one aspect, the invention provides a content handling system that comprises a digital data store containing a plurality of instruction sets, each defining a content handling workflow. The system further includes a content handling engine in communications coupling with the store, wherein the content handling engine identifies an embedded code in an article of content. The engine executes on at least that article of content one or more of the instruction sets associated with the embedded code. The instruction set can specify, for example, one or more destinations for articles of content (e.g., e-mail addresses, local or network file system folders, and on-line data stores). |
| US08732564B2 |
Error floor reduction in iteratively decoded FEC codes
A method which makes use of the syndrome information at each iteration, combined with the bit reliability information available at a FEC decoder, to extract the minimum estimated bit error configuration, i.e. the block which is closest to the transmitted codeword during the decoding process, and to select such block if the result at the final decoding iteration has a higher number of estimated bit errors. |
| US08732558B1 |
MPE-FEC system capable of selecting an FEC mode, a forward error correcting method performed in the MPE-FEC system, and an FEC mode selecting method performed in the MPE-FEC system
A forward error correcting method in a multi protocol encapsulation-forward error correction (MPE-FEC) system, in which FEC modes are selected. The forward error correcting method includes comparing a number of received ERASUREs with a number of reference ERASUREs, selecting an ERASURE ONLY mode in which FEC is performed based on information about locations and sizes of errors, when the number of received ERASUREs is less than or equal to the number of reference ERASUREs, wherein the ERASURE ONLY mode is an FEC mode, selecting a NORMAL RS mode in which FEC is performed with respect to errors whose locations and sizes are not known, when the number of received ERASUREs is greater than the number of reference ERASURES, wherein the NORMAL RS mode is an FEC mode, and performing FEC in the selected FEC mode. |
| US08732557B2 |
Data protection across multiple memory blocks
Data protection across multiple memory blocks can include writing a first portion of a codeword in a first memory block and writing a second portion of the codeword in a second memory block. The first memory block and the second memory block can be different memory blocks. The first portion of the codeword can be written in a different location in the first memory block than the second portion of the codeword is written in the second memory block. |
| US08732553B2 |
Memory system and control method thereof
The embodiments include an error correction processing unit and an error correction history recording unit. The error correction processing unit performs an error correction process based on data read from a non-volatile semiconductor memory and a second-step error correction code corresponding to the data. The error correction history recording unit records error correction history indicating whether first error correction is successful through the first error correction process, in association with unit data. When error correction history of target unit data to be read indicates that correction is not successful, the second error correction process is executed without executing the first error correction process. |
| US08732549B2 |
Data recovery in a solid state storage system
Methods for data recovery and memory systems are provided. According to at least one such method, when defective data is read from a memory location, the data is recovered by an XOR operation on the remaining good data and associated RAID data to reconstruct the defective data. The defective data is excluded from the XOR operation. |
| US08732541B2 |
Error correction for a persistent resource allocation
Methods and apparatus for communicating and utilizing persistent allocation of resources are described herein. A base station may allocate persistent resources to a client station, and may associate the client station or persistent resource allocation with a particular shared NACK channel. The base station may monitor the NACK channel for a NACK indicating a map error. The base station may monitor the resource allocation to implicitly determine a map error. The base station may resend one or more persistent resource allocation information elements in response to the NACK or implicit error determination. A client station having a persistent resource allocation may monitor persistent resource allocation information elements in map messages and/or may indicate failure to receive a persistent resource allocation information element in a NACK message on a shared NACK channel. |
| US08732535B2 |
Method of detection of erroneous memory usage
A method of detection of erroneous memory usage is provided. The method includes starting a computer and executing a program and a monitoring tool to collect calls to a memory during execution of the program, detecting a call to the memory using the monitoring tool, extracting lines of code which request access to a memory address via the call to the memory, detecting a set of variables to which access is granted via the call to the memory, extracting, after execution of the predetermined program, the set of variables for each of the lines of code, detecting erroneous memory usage by matching the extracted lines of code with the set of variables, and determining the call as erroneous upon access being granted to the memory corresponding to the set of variables during execution of the predetermined program when access is not possible during the execution of the program. |
| US08732532B2 |
Memory controller and information processing system for failure inspection
An information processing system comprises a memory module having a plurality of unit memory regions, a memory controller, connected to the memory module via memory interface, configured to control access to the memory module, an error detector, which is in the memory controller, configured to perform an error detection on data read from the memory module, a failure inspection controller configured to switch a mode of the memory controller from a normal mode to a failure inspection mode, read data from an address, where data was written, to be inspected for each of the plurality of unit memory regions, cause the error detector to detect an error in the read data and perform a failure inspection and a determining unit configured to determine a memory failure or a transmission path failure on the basis of the state of the error detected from the unit memory regions. |
| US08732517B1 |
System and method for performing replica copying using a physical copy mechanism
A system that implements a data storage service may maintain tables in a data store on behalf of clients. The service may maintain table data in multiple replicas of partitions of the data that are stored on respective computing nodes in the system. In response to detecting a failure or fault condition, or receiving a service request from a client to move or copy a partition replica, the data store may copy a partition replica to another computing node using a physical copy mechanism. The physical copy mechanism may copy table data from physical storage locations in which it is stored to physical storage locations allocated to a destination replica on the other computing node. During copying, service requests to modify table data may be logged and applied to the replica being copied. A catch-up operation may be performed to apply modification requests received during copying to the destination replica. |
| US08732516B2 |
Method and system for providing customer controlled notifications in a managed network services system
An approach for supporting automated fault isolation and recovery is provided. A notification configuration option is transmitted to a browser interface utilized by a user associated with a customer network that is monitored by a service provider, wherein the user selects the notification configuration option to input notification information. The notification information is received, via the browser interface, from the customer. A notification message is received from a platform configured to create a workflow event in response to an alarm indicative of a fault within the customer network, wherein isolation and recovery of the fault is performed according to the workflow event, the notification message including information about the customer network during the fault isolation and recovery process. The notification message is transmitted in accordance with the stored notification information. |
| US08732514B2 |
Using pulses to control work ingress
Clock pulses of a variable speed clock are adjusted relative to system utilization. A load monitor periodically collects sensor measurements of resources and based on the sensor measurements, the load monitor adjusts the clock speed up or down. |
| US08732512B2 |
Semiconductor device having DLL circuit
A semiconductor device with a clock control circuit that outputs an internal clock signal configured by delaying external clock signals based on at least a feedback clock signal; a plurality of output buffers that output data in synchronization with the internal clock signal; an output replica that is a replica of the output buffers and that generates the feedback clock signal in synchronization with the internal clock signal and supplies the feedback clock signal to the clock control circuit; and a clock tree that receives the internal clock signal from the clock control circuit and transmits the internal clock signal to the plurality of output buffers and the output replica such that signal line are substantially equal to one another. |
| US08732511B2 |
Resistor ladder based phase interpolation
An apparatus comprising a reference circuit, a resistor ladder, and an output circuit. The reference circuit may be configured to generate a reference signal in response to (i) a clock signal, (ii) a first phase signal and (iii) a second phase signal. The resistor ladder circuit may be configured to generate a tap voltage in response to the reference signal. The tap voltage may be generated by enabling one or more of a plurality of tap resistors. The output circuit may be configured to generate an adjusted clock signal in response to (i) the tap voltage, (ii) the clock signal, (iii) the first phase signal, (iv) the second phase signal, and (v) a reset signal. The adjusted clock signal may have an adjusted phase with respect to the clock signal. |
| US08732505B2 |
Method for reducing the energy consumption of an electronic terminal by modifying timeout-before-standby duration, corresponding terminal and computer program
A method and apparatus are provided for reducing the energy consumption of an electronic terminal. The method implements a step of modifying the timeout-before-standby duration for said terminal after an action performed by and/or on said terminal at a current instant, depending on the membership of the current instant in a given temporal category, from among at least two predefined temporal categories. |
| US08732504B2 |
Conserving power by reducing voltage supplied to an instruction-processing portion of a processor
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates reducing static power consumption of a processor. During operation, the system receives a signal indicating that instruction execution within the processor is to be temporarily halted. In response to this signal, the system halts an instruction-processing portion of the processor, and reduces the voltage supplied to the instruction-processing portion of the processor. Full voltage is maintained to a remaining portion of the processor, so that the remaining portion of the processor can continue to operate while the instruction-processing portion of the processor is in reduced power mode. |
| US08732503B2 |
Information processing apparatus and controlling method thereof
An information obtaining unit provided inside a system controller obtains operation states of processing units and processing units respectively of cabinets, calculates an average utilization of CPUs of the processing units, and determines whether or not any processing unit can be disconnected. When a hardware resource can be disconnected as a result of the determination, an electric power control determining unit calculates possible combinations of hardware resources to be disconnected and performs a disconnection by a cabinet unit when there is a combination enabling a disconnection by a cabinet unit. |
| US08732498B2 |
System and method of modifying power use within an information handling system
A system and method of modifying power use within an information handling system is disclosed. In one form, a method of managing power within an information handling system is disclosed. The method can include establishing a threshold power level of a first information handling system, and detecting a first power demand of a first operating state in excess of the threshold power level. The method can also include detecting a request to invoke a first forced reduced power state of the first information handling system, and determining a first alternative power state different from the threshold power level and the first forced reduced power state. The method can further include initiating the first alternative power state. |
| US08732491B2 |
System and method for adjusting an energy efficient ethernet control policy using measured power savings
A system and method for adjusting an energy efficient Ethernet (EEE) control policy using measured power savings. An EEE-enabled device can be designed to report EEE event data. This reported EEE event data can be used to quantify the actual EEE benefits of the EEE-enabled device, debug the EEE-enabled device, and adjust the EEE control policy. |
| US08732483B2 |
Methods and apparatus for securing keystrokes from being intercepted between the keyboard and a browser
The invention described herein provides a method and system for foiling a keylogger by creating a custom keyboard driver and passing the keystrokes directly to the browser in an encrypted format. The browser (which is used to access the Internet) has a component that decrypts the keystroke before it is sent to the website. Thus the present invention enables the user to go to any website and enter sensitive information (passwords, credit card numbers, etc.) without the keystrokes being intercepted by Keyloggers. In general terms, the invention described herein provides a method and system for (1) modifying the keyboard driver, (2) encrypting the keystrokes between the keyboard driver and the browser, and (3) notifying the user if the invention has been compromised. |
| US08732482B1 |
Incremental encryption of stored information
A method and apparatus are utilized to incrementally encrypt stored information, and can be applied to an existing medium storing unencrypted information. Information can be conditionally encrypted and/or decrypted as necessary and a separate storage area can be used to record whether a given block of information is stored encrypted or unencrypted. An embodiment of the present invention can be used as a retrofit device in a mechanism to encrypt information without causing undue interruption of normal operations. A variety of mechanisms and policies can also be used to manage, set and eliminate encryption keys. |
| US08732474B1 |
Safe installation of browser extensions
Methods and apparatus for installing browser extensions are disclosed. An example method includes receiving a browser extension installation package in a main browser process, validating a digital signature of the installation package and launching a sandboxed sub-process of the browser application. The example method includes, in the sandboxed sub-process: respectively transcoding or recoding at least one of the plurality of constituent files, where the transcoded and/or recoded files replace their corresponding original constituent files. The example method includes, after the transcoding and/or recoding, passing the constituent files from the sandboxed sub-process to the main browser process and installing the browser extension to the browser application using the transcoded and/or recoded files. |
| US08732473B2 |
Claim based content reputation service
In some embodiments, a system may comprise a database and one or more servers. The database may, for example, store a plurality of content claims for previously evaluated data items, with each of the plurality of content claims being associated in the database with a corresponding stored digital fingerprint of a previously evaluated data item. The server(s) may, for example, be configured to receive a determined digital fingerprint of a data item from a client device on another network node, to submit a query to the database using the determined digital fingerprint as a primary key, and to transmit one or more content claims returned by the query to the client device. In some embodiments, the server(s) may be further configured to receive the content claim(s) and the digital fingerprint associated therewith from one or more computers on another network node, and to cause the received content claim(s) and digital fingerprint associated therewith to be stored in the database. |
| US08732470B2 |
Storage system in which fictitious information is prevented
According to one embodiment, a storage system includes a host device, a secure storing medium, and a non-secure storing medium. The secure storing medium includes a memory provided with a protected first storing region which stores secret information sent from the host device, and a second storing region which stores encoded contents, and a controller which carries out authentication processing for accessing the first storing region. The host device and the secure storing medium produce a bus key which is shared only by the host device and the secure storing medium by authentication processing, and which is used for encoding processing when information of the first storing region is sent and received between the host device and the secure storing medium. The host device has the capability to request the secure storing medium to send a status. |
| US08732466B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
According to one embodiment, a device includes a first memory area to store a first key. A second memory area stores encrypted secret identification (ID) information generated from secret ID information with a family key. A third memory area stores a family key block including data generated from the family key with an ID key. An authentication module performs authentication. A second key is generated from a first number with the first key, a session key is generated from a random number with the second key, and authentication information is generated from the secret ID information with the session key. The encrypted secret ID information, family key block and the authentication information is output. |
| US08732454B2 |
Key setting method, node, and network system
A key setting method executed by a node transmitting and receiving a packet through multi-hop communication in an ad-hoc network among ad-hoc networks, includes receiving a packet encrypted using a key specific to a gateway and simultaneously reported from the gateway in the ad-hoc network; detecting a connection with a mobile terminal capable of communicating with a server retaining a key specific to a gateway in each ad-hoc network among the ad-hoc networks; transmitting to the server, via the mobile terminal and when a connection with the mobile terminal is detected, the encrypted packet received; receiving from the server and via the mobile terminal, a key specific to a gateway in the ad-hoc network and for decrypting the encrypted packet transmitted; and setting the received key specific to the gateway in the ad-hoc network as the key for encrypting the packet. |
| US08732451B2 |
Portable secure computing network
As provided herein, when using an untrusted network connection, a secure online environment can be created for a remote machine by connecting to a trusted computer with a trusted network connection. A proxy server is installed on a first computing device and shared encryption keys are generated for the first device and a portable storage device. A connection is initiated between a second computing device (e.g., remote device), connected to an untrusted network, and the first computing device, comprising initiating a proxy server protocol from the portable storage device (e.g., attached to the second device), using the second computing device. A secure connection between the first and second devices is created using the encryption keys. |
| US08732450B2 |
System and method for configuring option ROM
An information handling system includes a processor, a first memory, a device, and a management controller that includes a second memory. The management controller obtains configuration data for the device and stores the configuration data in the first memory while the processor is powered off, and configures the device based upon the configuration data from the first memory in response to booting the information handling system. |
| US08732449B2 |
Changing the personality of a device by intercepting requests for personality information
A method and system for a target to adopt the personality of a source without loading the personality information of the source onto the target is provided. The personality system extracts personality information from the source and stores the personality information on a removable storage medium. The storage medium is then connected to the target. The personality system intercepts requests of the target to retrieve personality information, which but for the interception would be serviced based on personality information of the target. When a request is intercepted, the personality system retrieves the personality information from the connected storage medium, rather than from the personality information of the target. The personality system then replies to the request with the retrieved personality information. |
| US08732446B2 |
Selectively compressing blocks of a bootable snapshot image during booting
Provided are a booting apparatus and method using a snapshot image. A snapshot image may be divided into a plurality of blocks. Each of the blocks may be stored in a nonvolatile memory in a compressed or non-compressed format. The snapshot image may be incrementally loaded in units of the blocks during booting. The loading and decompression of the blocks may be performed in parallel. |
| US08732437B2 |
Low-overhead misalignment and reformatting support for SIMD
Systems and methods for performing single instruction multiple data (SIMD) operations on a data set. The methods may include examining a structure of the data set to determine what reorganization may be necessary to facilitate SIMD processing. The method may include selecting a stored bit mask corresponding to the organization of the data set and loading the bit mask into an application specific register (ASR). Subsequently, the data may be reorganized inline according to the ASR as the data is loaded into the SIMD functional unit such that the SIMD functional unit may operate on the data set. The results of the SIMD operation may be written to a results register. |
| US08732431B2 |
Logical address translation
The present disclosure includes methods for logical address translation, methods for operating memory systems, and memory systems. One such method includes receiving a command associated with a LA, wherein the LA is in a particular range of LAs and translating the LA to a physical location in memory using an offset corresponding to a number of physical locations skipped when writing data associated with a range of LAs other than the particular range. |
| US08732429B2 |
Preserving a deleted data volume
An apparatus, system, and method for preserving a deleted storage volume. One embodiment of the apparatus includes a receiving module, a reference module, and a preservation module. The receiving module receives a deletion command to delete a data volume managed by a storage controller. The data volume is associated with one or more deletion parameters specifying that data of the data volume is to be preserved upon deletion of the data volume. The reference module references the deletion parameters. The preservation module preserves the data of the data volume prior to the storage controller deleting the data volume. The preservation module preserves the data of the data volume according to the deletion parameters. |
| US08732428B2 |
Computer system and its control method
Provided is a system in which, when connecting an external storage apparatus to a primary storage apparatus, the setting of an external volume to be mapped to the primary storage apparatus can be set to the external storage apparatus by a volume creation request to the primary storage apparatus without requiring direct setting processing on the external storage apparatus. When an administrator registers, in the primary storage apparatus, a command for setting a volume to the external storage apparatus and the administrator executes processing for setting a volume to the primary storage apparatus, if the primary storage apparatus determines that it is necessary to create a volume in the external storage apparatus, the primary storage apparatus sends the registered command to the external storage apparatus so that the administrator can set the volume to the external storage apparatus via the primary storage apparatus. |
| US08732427B2 |
Systems and methods for collapsing a derivative version of a primary storage volume
Disclosed is a method of collapsing a derivative version of a primary storage volume into the primary storage volume. The method comprises generating the derivative version of the primary storage volume that contains a plurality of data items stored in a secondary storage volume, wherein the derivation version comprises a plurality of blocks, identifying changed blocks of the plurality of blocks that changed as a result of modifying at least one of the data items, identifying which of the changed blocks of the plurality of blocks that changed remain allocated, and collapsing the derivative version of the primary storage volume into the primary storage volume by copying those blocks identified as changed and allocated to the primary storage volume. |
| US08732426B2 |
Scheduling of reactive I/O operations in a storage environment
A system and method for effectively scheduling read and write operations among a plurality of solid-state storage devices. A computer system comprises client computers and data storage arrays coupled to one another via a network. A data storage array utilizes solid-state drives and Flash memory cells for data storage. A storage controller within a data storage array comprises an I/O scheduler. The characteristics of corresponding storage devices are used to schedule I/O requests to the storage devices in order to maintain relatively consistent response times at predicted times. Should a device exhibit an unscheduled behavior which may be indicative of the device being in an unknown state, the scheduler may schedule one or more reactive operations on the device configured to cause the device to enter a known state. |
| US08732425B2 |
Electronic apparatus
An electronic apparatus is provided with an arrangement of discrete circuit elements designed to reduce power consumption. Such an arrangement comprises a memory; a memory controller to generate a control signal which controls the memory according to a predetermined operating clock; and a transmission line disposed between the memory controller and the memory to allow the control signal to be transmitted to the memory, wherein the timing of the control signal is controlled by a change of the operating clock. |
| US08732421B2 |
Storage system and method for reallocating data
The present invention comprises a virtual volume 50, which is a virtual storage area comprising multiple virtual page groups, a pool 60, which is a storage area comprising multiple pool page groups having different access performance, and a controller 13, which comprises a corresponding relationship between the virtual page and the pool page, and accesses the pool page corresponding to the virtual page based on accesses to the virtual page from other apparatuses, and the controller 13, based on an access load trend with respect to each virtual page in each time slot, executes processing for deciding an ideal pool page allocation destination for each virtual page in each time slot, and reallocating a virtual page to the ideal pool page at a time, which is prior to a start time, so that the ideal pool page can be allocated to each virtual page by the start time of each time slot. |
| US08732419B2 |
Maintaining multiple target copies
Provided are techniques for maintaining instant virtual copies. A request to perform an instant virtual copy operation to create an instant virtual copy from a first volume to a new volume is received. It is determined that the first volume has not been modified since a last instant virtual copy operation has been performed. It is determined whether an intermediate volume and an intermediate map have already been created. In response to determining that the intermediate volume and the intermediate map have not already been created, the intermediate volume and the intermediate map are created, the intermediate volume is made dependent on the first volume in a dependency chain based on the intermediate map, and the new volume is made dependent on the intermediate volume in the dependency chain. |
| US08732418B1 |
Shadow registry
This disclosure relates to a method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for backing up and restoring a registry. In some embodiments, this includes detecting one or more changes to a registry by a first thread of a backup application, wherein the backup application runs a plurality of threads, wherein a buffer is associated with each thread, generating a snapshot of the changes, storing the snapshot to the buffer associated with the first thread, synchronizing the first thread and one or more other threads in the plurality of the threads, and writing the snapshot from the buffer to a file. |
| US08732417B1 |
Techniques for creating snapshots of a target system
Techniques for creating snapshots of a target system are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for creating snapshots of a target system comprising a module for tracking modifications to a target system after a given time, a module for storing information from the target system in a read-only snapshot and a writable snapshot, and a module for modifying the writable snapshot after the given time. |
| US08732415B2 |
Write data mask method and system
In various embodiments, dedicated mask pins are eliminated by sending a data mask on address lines of the interface. A memory controller receives a request for a memory write operation from a memory client and determines the granularity of the write data from a write data mask sent by the client. Granularity, as used herein, indicates a quantity of write data to which each bit of the received write data mask applies. In an embodiment, the memory controller generates a particular write command and a particular write data mask based on the granularity of the write data. The write command generated is typically the most efficient of several write commands available, but embodiments are not so limited. The write command is transmitted on command lines of the interface, and the write data mask is transmitted on address lines of the interface. |
| US08732414B2 |
Control device, controller module, and control method
A control device including: a storage device that includes a first storage area including a plurality of blocks into which data can be written more than once and a second storage area into which data can be written only once, wherein the first storage area further stores a flag for each of the blocks, the flag indicating whether or not the block is allowed to be used; a flag management information creation unit configured to create, on the basis of the flag, a flag management information for managing whether or not data can be stored in each block of the storage device; and a management information controller configured to cause the flag management information to be stored in the second storage area. |
| US08732411B1 |
Data de-duplication for information storage systems
Technologies for eliminating duplicate data within a storage system can efficiently identify and eliminate duplication by remapping borrower regions to share physical storage space with lender regions. Block-level de-duplication can co-exist with storage architectures for thin provisioning and snapshot management. Lending maps can track redirected pointers from borrower regions to shared physical storage from lender regions. The lending maps can track the freed status of regions to support efficient write I/O operations without defaulting to unnecessary read-modify-write cycles to complete data writes. Redundancy of de-duplicated data can maintain one or more copies to support recovery from media errors. Candidate regions for de-duplication can be identified by monitoring the times and patterns of data access operations. A sampled mechanism for calculating and comparing signatures of data blocks can support the efficient identification of duplicated data within the storage system. |
| US08732406B1 |
Mechanism for determining read-ahead length in a storage system
A storage system tracks statistical behavior of client read requests directed to a storage device to form prediction about data that the client will require next. The storage system collects the size of read sequences for various streams into a data structure, which summarizes past behavior of read requests. This data structure reports the number of streams in each equivalence class of stream sizes that is tracked. The data structure is then used to determine expected size of a selected read stream. The data structure is also used to improve predictions about an expected size computed by a known technique. |
| US08732405B2 |
Method of reducing response time for delivery of vehicle telematics services
A method of operating a predictive data cache includes receiving a request for telematics service from a telematics service requester, determining the subject matter of the request, querying a predictive data cache to determine if the predictive data cache includes a service response to the subject matter of the request and, if the predictive data cache includes the service response, then providing the service response to the requester and updating the predictive data cache using the subject matter of the request. The subject matter can include one or more of: an event description, an event period, or an event location based on the request. |
| US08732401B2 |
Method and apparatus for cache replacement using a catalog
Methods and systems to intelligently cache content in a virtualization environment using virtualization software such as VMWare ESX or Citrix XenServer or Microsoft HyperV or Redhat KVM or their variants are disclosed. Storage IO operations (reads from and writes to disk) are analyzed (or characterized) for their overall value and pinned to cache if their value exceeds a certain defined threshold based on criteria specific to the New Technology File System (NTFS) file-system. Analysis/characterization of NTFS file systems for intelligent dynamic caching include analyzing storage block data associated with a Virtual Machine of interest in accordance with a pre-determined data model to determine the value of the block under analysis for long term or short term caching. Integer values assigned to different types of NTFS objects in a white list data structure called a catalog that can be used to analyze the storage block data. |
| US08732400B2 |
Data store maintenance requests in interconnects
Interconnect circuitry for a data processing apparatus is disclosed. The interconnect circuitry is configured to provide data routes via which at least one initiator device may access at least one recipient device. The interconnect circuitry comprises: at least one input for receiving transaction requests from the initiator device(s); at least one output for outputting transaction requests to the recipient device(s); a plurality of paths for transmitting said transaction requests between the at least one input and the at least one output; wherein at least one of said transaction requests comprises a data store maintenance request requesting a data store maintenance operation to be performed on data stores within the data processing apparatus; and control circuitry for routing the received transaction requests from the at least one input to the at least one output; wherein the control circuitry is configured to respond to receipt of the data store maintenance operation by transmitting the data store maintenance operation along at least one of the plurality of paths followed by a barrier transaction request, the control circuitry being configured to maintain an ordering of at least some transaction requests with respect to the barrier transaction request within a stream of transaction requests passing along the at least one of said plurality of paths, such that at least some transaction requests subsequent to the data store maintenance request in the stream of transaction requests are held behind the data store maintenance request by the barrier transaction request. |
| US08732399B2 |
Technique for preserving cached information during a low power mode
A technique to retain cached information during a low power mode, according to at least one embodiment. In one embodiment, information stored in a processor's local cache is saved to a shared cache before the processor is placed into a low power mode, such that other processors may access information from the shared cache instead of causing the low power mode processor to return from the low power mode to service an access to its local cache. |
| US08732393B2 |
Apparatus, method and program product for determining the data recall order
To provide a technique for optimizing the processing order of recall requests in which the average latency time of a host apparatus is minimized. A storage manager accepts a request of the host apparatus for the recalling data from a tape library, and stores the request in a queue table. In response to storage of the request, the storage manager calculates the latency time for each request in all the conceivable execution orders for all the requests stored in the queue table. The storage manager determines the execution order which minimizes the total calculated latency time for all the requests including the active request, and rearranges the requests in the queue table. |
| US08732392B2 |
Systems and methods for determining the status of memory locations in a non-volatile memory
Systems and methods are provided for storing data in a portion of a non-volatile memory (“NVM”) such that the status of the NVM portion can be determined with high probability on a subsequent read. An NVM interface, which may receive write commands to store user data in the NVM, can store a fixed predetermined sequence (“FPS”) with the user data. The FPS may ensure that a successful read operation on a NVM portion is not misinterpreted as a failed read operation or as an erased NVM portion. For example, if the NVM returns an all-zero vector when a read request fails, the FPS can include at least one “1” or one “0”, as appropriate, to differentiate between successful and unsuccessful read operations. In some embodiments, the FPS may also be used to differentiate between disturbed data, which passes an error correction check, and correct data. |
| US08732389B2 |
Memory wear control
The disclosure is related to systems and methods of controlling wear of a memory. In a particular embodiment, a system is disclosed that comprises a memory and a performance governor circuit coupled to the memory. The performance governor circuit is adapted to control a wear of the memory as a function of time. |
| US08732387B2 |
Flash memory apparatus with automatic interface mode switching
A flash memory controller with automatic interface mode switching is applied to a flash memory apparatus with a plurality of flash memories and the controller contains: a memory interface, a microprocessor, and an interface mode controller. The microprocessor recognizes the supported interface mode of every flash memory connected with the memory interface in an initial setting process, and individually sets the corresponding interface mode setting value into the interface mode controller. Thus, when the flash memory apparatus is operating in a normal operation state, the interface mode controller can output the corresponding interface mode setting value according to the present enabled flash memory, and the memory interface can adjust and switch the interface mode according to the interface mode setting value outputted by the interface mode controller. Thereby, the present invention can achieve the purpose whereby the flash memory apparatus can speed up accessing and increase efficiency. |
| US08732384B1 |
Method and apparatus for memory access
A device and methods are provided for accessing memory. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request for data stored in a device, checking a local memory for data based on the request to determine if one or more blocks of data associated with the request are stored in the local memory, and generating a memory access request for one or more blocks of data stored in a memory of the device based when one or more blocks of data are not stored in the local memory. In one embodiment, data stored in memory of the device may be arranged in a configuration to include a plurality of memory access units each having adjacent lines of pixel data to define a single line of memory within the memory access units. Memory access units may be configured based on memory type and may reduce the number of undesired pixels read. |
| US08732381B2 |
SAS expander for communication between drivers
A SAS expander that includes a virtual device manager and a communications manager. The virtual device manager is to generate a virtual device table comprising virtual device PHYs associated with virtual device drivers for host device drivers to allow communication between the host device drivers. The communications manager is to receive a request from a first host device driver of a first host to communicate with a second host device driver of a second host, and in response to receipt of the request, establish communication between the first host device driver and a virtual device PHY associated with a virtual device driver of the second host device driver. |
| US08732380B2 |
System and method for using a multipath
In a path determination unit of a SAS expander connected to a SAS initiator and connected via first and second paths to a SAS target, an SSP controller receives an SSP command frame received from the SAS initiator; a requested-data-length manager stores a requested data length of the SSP command frame in a requested-data-length storage unit; and a data-transfer-amount manager selects one of the first and second paths having a smaller one of the data transfer amounts stored in a data-transfer-amount storage unit, and adds the requested data length to the data transfer amount of the selected path. The SSP command frame is transmitted to the SAS target via the selected path. Upon receipt of an SSP response frame responding thereto, the requested data length is deleted from the requested-data-length storage unit, and the requested data length is subtracted from the data transfer amount of the selected path. |
| US08732379B2 |
Adapting legacy/third party IPs to advanced power management protocol
An apparatus adapts a pre-designed circuit module not supporting a power management protocol to a power management protocol. The apparatus disconnects a bus interface, disables interrupt and stops a clock to the pre-designed circuit module on a external idle request signal. |
| US08732376B2 |
Data forwarding circuit, data forwarding method, display device, host-side device, and electronic apparatus
The timing controller determines the number of data lanes (11, 12, 13), which are used to transfer data, based on information in relation to an amount of data to be transferred during a predetermined time period. Out of the plurality of data lanes (11, 12, 13), the determined number of data lane(s) (11, 12, 13) are used to transfer data. Further, a data lane(s) (11, 12, 13) which is not used in the data transfer is deactivated. |
| US08732374B2 |
Subscriber node of a communication system having a functionally separate transmission event memory
A subscriber node of a communication system, a communication system and a method for transmitting a message in the communication system. The message is transmitted from a first subscriber node of the communication system via a data bus of the communication system to a second subscriber node of the communication system. An application program of the first subscriber node files the message, that is to be sent, in a message memory, from where it is retrieved by a communication controller, upon a sending command of the application program, and is transmitted via the data bus. In particular in the case of a cancellation of the transmission job, in order to be able to improve the capacity utilization and the efficiency of a host CPU, it is provided that a transmission event for the message, that is to be sent or that has been sent, is stored in at least one transmission event memory, that is functionally separate from the message memory, and that the application program is able to access the data stored in the event memory at any time. |
| US08732370B2 |
Multilayer arbitration for access to multiple destinations
An arbiter is provided for arbitrating for access to a shared resource by a plurality of requesters and by a background requester in a processing system. A priority value is assigned to each of the plurality of requestors. A multilayer arbitration contest is performed to resolve each conflict in transaction requests to the shared resource, however, a requester of the plurality of requesters having a highest priority value does not always win an arbitration contest. An arbitration contest will be overridden whenever the background requester initiates a transaction request, such that the background requester always wins the overridden arbitration contest. The shared resource is accessed by the winner of each arbitration contest. |
| US08732367B2 |
Bus host controller and method thereof
A bus host controller and a method thereof are provided. If a terminal device coupled to the bus is a non-periodic device, the bus host controller places a higher priority on data packet transferring request than start-of-frame (SOF) packet transferring request. |
| US08732366B2 |
Method to configure serial communications and device thereof
In response to a reset condition, the state of a steady-state signal at an I/O pin of the serial communication port of an integrated circuit die is determined. The serial communication port is configured to support one of the plurality of serial communication protocols based upon the detected steady-state condition. |
| US08732363B2 |
Data processing apparatus and data processing method
A data processing apparatus may include a data conversion unit that arranges the input data in each transfer data in the conversion unit using one transfer data as one transfer unit and a predetermined number of transfer units as one conversion unit when converting a plurality of input data input sequentially into transfer data having a bit number identical to a predetermined bit number of a data bus and sequentially transferring the converted transfer data. The data conversion unit may include a data generation unit and a first data arrangement changing unit. The first data arrangement changing unit may include a bit change number calculating unit, a bit change number analysis unit, a first data sorting unit, and a data coupling unit. |
| US08732360B2 |
System and method for accessing memory
A storage system and method for storing information in memory nodes. The storage or memory nodes include a communication buffer. Flow of information to the storage nodes is controlled based upon constraints on the communication buffer. In one embodiment, communications between a master controller and a storage node have a determined maximum latency. |
| US08732359B2 |
Data sharing in high-fidelity simulation and real-time multi-core execution
When executing a graphical model of a dynamic system that includes two or more concurrently executing sets of operations, a processor is configured to create a first buffer and a second buffer within the executable graphical model. A first set of operations is configured to write data to the first buffer during a first execution instance of the first set of operations. The first set of operations is configured to write data to the second buffer during a second execution instance of the first thread. A second set of operations is configured to read the data from the first buffer during an instance of the second thread that executes contemporaneously with the second execution instance of the first set of operations. Determinations regarding access to the first buffer and second buffer by the first thread and second thread are self-contained within the first thread and second thread, respectively. |
| US08732358B2 |
Circuit systems and methods using prime number interleave optimization for byte lane to time slice conversion
Circuit systems and methods use prime number interleave optimization for byte lane to time slice conversion of incoming data streams. Generally, the systems and methods buffer data for at least a number of samples equal to the number of byte lanes. Then the samples are transferred to a bank of buffers whose width is the smallest prime number greater than or equal to the number of byte lanes, N. Thus, the systems and methods utilize P minus N phantom lanes. As data is transferred, the data is circularly interleaved (position*N modulo P) so that all data which will be needed at the same time wind up in different readable devices, i.e. the buffers. By appropriate addressing, the data in the different readable devices may then be read in the form of time slices. The process can be reversed for time slice to byte lane conversion. |
| US08732356B2 |
Storage system, and access path state update method
A storage system includes: an access path management unit managing a state of each access path for each logical disk; an I/O speed calculation unit storing, for each of the access paths, a data size and required time obtained when an I/O is executed, and calculates an I/O speed for every calculation cycle; a path candidate selection unit selecting an access path in the available state as an I/O use candidate; and a path candidate exclusion unit which excludes access paths of which speed is slow from the candidates, using a highest speed value among the speed values of the access paths selected as candidates, and the access path management unit sequentially changes the states of the access paths, out of the remaining candidates, to the I/O use states, in order of the I/O speed from the fastest until the number of access paths reaches the maximum number of paths. |
| US08732353B2 |
Transmitter device, receiver device, transmission method, reception method, and transmitter/receiver device
There is provided a transmitter device including an interface unit that is an interface for connection to a receiver device via a transmission path, a pre-emphasis unit configured to generate a pre-emphasis signal, the pre-emphasis signal being obtained by adding to an input signal another signal for compensating for a high-frequency component of the input signal, and a transmission control unit configured to acquire identification information indicating whether the receiver device is capable of performing a process of receiving the pre-emphasis signal, switch the receiver device to a state in which the receiver device is capable of performing the process of receiving the pre-emphasis signal in accordance with the identification information, and control the pre-emphasis unit to generate the pre-emphasis signal. |
| US08732347B2 |
Automatic attachment and detachment for hub and peripheral devices
A device comprises circuitry and a transceiver. In operation, the device is configured to cause the transceiver to: receive a first message from another device to support at least one aspect of attachment of the device and the another device, send, to the another device, a second message after the first message and prior to attachment, receive, from the another device, a third message that is sent after the second message and prior to attachment, send, to the another device, a fourth message after the third message and prior to attachment, receive, from the another device, a fifth message that is sent after the fourth message and prior to attachment, and send, directly to the another device, data utilizing at least one channel for data transfer utilizing a second one of the addresses for identification in association with the device on the shared wireless communication medium. |
| US08732340B2 |
Transport agnostic SCSI I/O referrals
The present invention is a method for providing multi-pathing via Small Computer System Interface Input/Output (SCSI I/O) referral between an initiator and a storage cluster which are communicatively coupled via a network. The method includes receiving an input/output (I/O) at a first target device from the initiator via the network. The I/O includes a data request. The method further includes transmitting a SCSI I/O referral list to the initiator when data included in the data request is not stored on the first target device, but is stored on a second target device. The referral list includes first and second port identifiers for identifying first and second ports of the second target device respectively. The first and second ports of the target device are identified as access ports for accessing the data requested in the data request. |
| US08732339B2 |
NPIV at storage devices
One embodiment is a storage device that has multiple physical ports receiving input/outputs (I/Os) from a host computer. Each of the ports presents plural virtual ports using N_Port ID Virtualization (NPIV) to prioritize the I/Os. |
| US08732335B2 |
Device communications over unnumbered interfaces
A method and a network device for enabling communication between unnumbered interfaces are provided. A device level address may be assigned to a network device. The network device may announce the assigned device level address to a neighboring network device over a link. A corresponding device level address associated with the neighboring network device may be received over the link. A route may be stored including the received device level address associated with the neighboring network device and the link. In some implementations, the announcement of the assigned device level address is performed during protocol configuration. |
| US08732334B2 |
Storage area network multi-pathing
Provided are a method, computer program product and system for network multi-pathing. Paths to a storage system are through a first network type and a second network type. The first network type has a higher Input/Output (I/O) per second performance characteristic than the second network type. A length is determined from a received I/O request. The I/O request is sent on one of the paths to the storage system through the first network type in response to determining that the length of the I/O request is below a threshold length. The I/O request is sent on one of the paths to the storage system through the second network type in response to determining that the length of the I/O request is above the threshold length. |
| US08732329B2 |
Media player with integrated parallel source download technology
A media player implements an integrated parallel source download technology to receive a media file from streamed and segmented media file sources. A first source streams delivery of streamed media packets of the media file in sequential packet number order to the media player, while a second source provides segmented delivery of segmented media packets of the media file in random order to the media player. The media player combines the streamed media packets and the segmented media packets to produce the media file. |
| US08732324B2 |
Keep-alive hiatus declaration
In an embodiment, a method is performed by one or more processors and comprises obtaining a hiatus declaration that indicates that a network device will be incommunicable; suspending communication with the network device until expiration of a hiatus time period during which the network device is expected to be incommunicable; resuming communication with the network device in response to any of: determining that the hiatus time period has expired; obtaining a keep-alive message from the network device; or obtaining other indication that the network device can communicate. |
| US08732319B2 |
Context awareness proximity-based establishment of wireless communication connection
A mechanism for context awareness proximity-based establishment of wireless communication connections can be implemented in Bluetooth-compatible devices for simplifying procedures for device discovery, connection, service discovery, and content exchange. In response to determining to execute a context task associated with an application associated with a first communication device, the first communication device can determine whether a second communication device is within a threshold detection distance from the first communication device. If the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance from the first communication device, the first communication device can establish a communication link with the second communication device based, at least in part, on one or more connection parameters associated with the second communication device. The first communication device can determine whether to execute the context task based, at least in part, on a service list associated with the second communication device and the context task. |
| US08732301B1 |
Video aware pages
Analytics describing video data published to one or more destination sites are calculated. Metrics describing performance of the video data, such as performance in different geographical areas, in different demographics and in different devices are calculated. An interface simplifies calculation of the video metrics to simplify analysis by allowing a user to identify different videos or sets of videos for analysis. Additionally, interaction with one or more web pages including the video data is also captured and combined with video data performance metrics. For example, a report describing interaction with one or more web pages within a website and video data included on the one or more web pages is generated. |
| US08732300B2 |
Application monitoring in a stream database environment
Methods and systems for monitoring a stream application are disclosed. The stream application is composed from a plurality of processing elements executing on one or more compute nodes. A graphical user interface display presents a user with at least a portion of an operator graph in a running stream application. The operator graph represents the plurality of processing elements, and links between processing elements, corresponding to a flow of data tuples through the stream application. A monitoring application then monitors user interactions with the presentation of the portion of the operator graph on the graphical user interface display and identifies at least a first modification to the stream application based on a processing state of the stream application and the monitored user interactions. |
| US08732297B2 |
Time-based graphic network reporting navigator
The presently disclosed embodiments are directed to representing network performance information using a network map by partitioning a graphical affordance representing a network element in the network map into segmented sections in accordance with a temporal encoding scheme to encode temporal information in the network map. The segmented sections are encoded using a performance encoding scheme to identify a level of performance associated with the segmented sections so that the network map depicts a performance of the network element over time. |
| US08732293B2 |
System and method for tracking individuals on a data network using communities of interest
The current invention relates to a system and method for tracking or locating a target entity on a data network, such as the public Internet, by analyzing network traffic and communication among interacting network nodes. The invention describes a system of creating an information set of data related to the traffic patterns associated with a specific entity over a time period, and comparing the information set to other information related to the traffic patterns associated with a group of entities over the same time period. By excluding information that is common to both the specific entity and the group of entities from the information set, the information set is left with only the information that helps identify the specific entity on the network. |
| US08732290B2 |
Virtual workplace software based on organization characteristics
Virtual workplace server software may be selected for and/or provided to an organization server based on various characteristics of the organization. One or more inputs may be received corresponding to organization characteristics, for example, organization type and size, along with other potential organization characteristics and additional relevant information. Based on the organization characteristics and/or other relevant information, virtual workplace software may be selected for an organization server. The selection of the virtual workplace software may be output and/or the corresponding software may be downloaded and installed to provide desktop virtualization at the organization server. After the virtual workplace software is installed at a desktop virtualization server, the software may be used to provide virtual desktops to authorized end users and management functionality to authorized administrators. |
| US08732285B2 |
Upgradeable persistent virtual storage
A method to provide at least one of a scalable, a replaceable, and an upgradeable device via remote access solution virtual media includes emulating a physical plug-and-play universal serial bus device to a managed host server system as a virtual media device using firmware in a service processor and a virtual media engine of a remote access solution comprising a remote access card disposed in the managed host server system, the physical plug-and-play universal serial bus device disposed in the remote access card, proxying data communications between the physical plug-and-play universal serial bus device and the managed host server system through the service processor, and allowing remote access to the physical plug-and-play universal serial bus device by a remote management client using the firmware in the service processor and the virtual media engine via an out-of-band dedicated remote access card network interface card disposed in the remote access card. |
| US08732281B2 |
Actively updating clients with selected data
In an embodiment, a data processing apparatus comprising one or more electronic digital processors; Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server logic coupled to the one or more processors; an active leasequery channel response logic coupled to the DHCP server logic which when executed causes the one or more processors to perform receiving, from a particular DHCP client among a plurality of DHCP clients, an active leasequery initiation message requesting the DHCP server logic to actively send update messages about changes in network address leases that the DHCP server logic manages; wherein the active leasequery initiation message comprises a channel identifier value; determining whether the channel identifier value matches a client class that the DHCP server logic manages; in response to determining that the channel identifier value does match a client class identifier that the DHCP server logic manages, sending, to the particular DHCP client, one or more DHCP response messages describing any changes in network address leases that the DHCP server logic performs only for a subset of the DHCP clients that are in the matched client class. |
| US08732277B1 |
Pre-loaded identifiers to identify media content for mobile devices using captured audio
In general, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to techniques for determining a user's potential exposure to defined audio content (e.g., television and audio advertisements) using a mobile device. In one example, a method includes receiving first audio content. The method further includes generating a first digital representation of the first audio content. The method also includes accessing a data structure, wherein the data structure contains at least a second digital representation of at least second audio content. The method also includes comparing the first digital representation to at least the second digital representation contained in the data structure and if there is a match between the first digital representation and at least the second digital representation contained in the data structure, transmitting a message to a remote server indicating the match. |
| US08732273B2 |
Data inquiry system and method for three-dimensional location-based image, video, and information
This invention discloses a data inquiry system for three-dimensional location-based image, video, and information, which comprises a client device and a remote server. The client device provides space parameters and lens parameters to the remote server through a transmission module. The remote server determines a space inquiry range by the space parameter and lens parameter, inquires an object data of an object space position parameter at the space inquiry range, shows the object data in an image data displayed by the client device to facilitate users to identify the desired viewing object, and further inquires the object data and related image and/or video data. |
| US08732272B2 |
Methods and apparatus for obtaining integrated content from multiple networks
A method and apparatus for obtaining location content from multiple networks is disclosed. The method may comprises: obtaining coarse location content at a wireless communication device (WCD) from a first network using a first protocol, wherein the coarse location content includes information defining locations of geographic coverage regions for one or more second networks which use a second protocol, obtaining WCD location information, determining from the WCD location information and the coarse location content if the WCD is within the geographic coverage region of a second network, accessing the determined second network using the second protocol, receiving from the accessed second network fine location content, and generating an integrated location content item by combining the coarse location content with the fine location content. |
| US08732271B1 |
Sponsored message network based on community preferences
The invention described here is a system and method for efficiently presenting sponsored messages to the user of a participating information site or service, based on the level of interest recently expressed in those messages by other visitors to the same site. Presentation of sponsored messages may also be based on the level of interest expressed by other visitors across the network who are in the individual user's geographic region. |
| US08732270B2 |
Controlling communication among multiple industrial control systems
A communication control method and system for controlling communication among multiple industrial control systems connected via a network. The communication control system includes: a communication relay apparatus for relaying communication between at least two of multiple industrial control systems; a monitoring section for monitoring the multiple industrial control systems; and a control section for switching, if the monitoring section detects an anomaly from at least one of the multiple industrial control systems, communication between an industrial control system detected with an anomaly and a second industrial control system so that the communication is performed via the communication relay apparatus. |
| US08732268B2 |
Global traffic management using modified hostname
A particular method includes receiving a request from a client at a server and sending a global traffic management identifier in response to the request from the client. The global traffic management identifier is determined based on an attribute of the client. In response to the client requesting access to a service based on a modified hostname of the service, a data center associated with the service is identified based on the modified hostname of the service. The modified hostname identifies the global traffic management identifier, and the identified data center is useable by the client to access the service. |
| US08732265B2 |
Reconciliation and remediation with communication archives
Techniques for reconciliation and remediation of messages sent by a server for storage in an archive are described. Some techniques may comprise receiving a message to be reconciled corresponding to a message sent by a server to be stored in an archive. The received message may be categorized for reconciliation, and a delivery confirmation query may be issued to the archive according to categorization of the message for reconciliation. Based on the response to the delivery confirmation query, it can be determined with certainty whether the message sent to the archive for storage is indeed stored at the archive. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08732256B2 |
Message challenge response
A system and method are disclosed for registering a email sender for the purpose of sending an email message to an email receiver including receiving a challenge message wherein the challenge message includes a machine answerable question; processing the challenge message to determine that it is a challenge message sent for the purpose of authorizing delivery of the email message; analyzing the question to determine a valid response to the challenge message; and sending the valid response that includes the answer wherein a nontrivial amount of resources are required to send the valid response. |
| US08732250B2 |
Provision of secure RSS feeds using a secure RSS catcher
A device that resides behind a firewall and receives content to be further directed towards one or more users, such as high-volume emails. The device captures the incoming content that is delivered over a secure communication channel from an external content source and creates personalized RDF or XML files for the intended recipients. The URLs associated with the files include a unique code that is generated using at least a portion of the addressing information or other parameters of the message. An RSS reader can then be employed to read the content from the RDF or XML file. |
| US08732248B2 |
System and method for providing multi-media services to communication devices over a communications network
A method of processing multi-media service requests received at a multi-media services provider computer system, including a processor coupled to a media gateway controller and to a media server. The method includes receiving a message from a SIP INVITE-enabled communication device at the media gateway controller. The message is processed at the media gateway controller for generating an instruction message with unique indicators, which is communicated to the media server in a SIP INVITE format. The media server processes the instruction message to provide media services and collect user-information from the communication device. The media server processes the user-information and generates a first message in an HTTP form POST format with unique indicators, which includes the user-information and which can be processed at the processor. In this manner, the multi-media services provider computer system is compatible with the SIP INVITE-enabled device. |
| US08732245B2 |
Method, system and computer software product for pre-selecting a folder for a message
In a computer system, a system, method and computer program product for pre-selecting a folder for a current message. The system, method and computer program product involve (a) providing a folder pre-selection cache having n configurable entries, n being a predetermined positive integer greater than one, each configurable entry being configured to include an associated pre-selection criterion for matching with the current message, and an associated folder identification for identifying an associated folder in the plurality of folders; (b) for at least one entry in the folder pre-selection cache, comparing a comparison criterion, obtained from the current message, with the associated pre-selection criterion to determine a matching entry in the folder pre-selection cache; and, (c) pre-selecting the folder identified by the associated folder identification of the matching entry when the message comparison module determines the matching entry in the folder pre-selection cache. |
| US08732243B2 |
Method and system for application layer link control
The present invention discloses a method and a system for application layer link control. The method comprises: judging whether the number “a” of links which have been established between an exterior IP and a multimedia messaging service gateway (MMSG) in current granularity is less than a threshold number “A” of links for establishing a connection with the MMSG in the current granularity (S1); if it is determined to be “yes”, subtracting the “a” from the “A” to obtain a threshold number “B” of links for establishing a connection with the MMSG in a next granularity (S2), wherein B=A−a; and otherwise, obtaining the threshold number “B” of links for establishing a connection with the MMSG in the next granularity, wherein B=0, and rejecting a request that the exterior IP initiates to establish a connection with the MMSG in the next granularity. With the present invention, effective control for establishing a link with the MMSG is realized, the MMSG link resource is distributed fairly and perfect distribution of the link resource is realized. |
| US08732242B2 |
Methods and systems for bandwidth adaptive N-to-N communication in a distributed system
Methods and systems for bandwidth adaptive computing device to computing device communication are described. Bandwidth adaptive communication includes receiving a communication from a first participant, storing the payload data of the communication in a channel memory element associated with the first participant, and transmitting the payload data to a second participant. |
| US08732231B2 |
Provision of services through communication networks
Disclosed is a method for providing services through a communication network to an end user device connected to the communication network, the method comprising allowing a service to be defined by providing a pointer to a standard format file comprising content for the service, reading content from the standard format file, and sending at least some part of said content through said communication network to the end user device. |
| US08732230B2 |
Computers and microchips with a side protected by an internal hardware firewall and an unprotected side connected to a network
A computer or microchip comprising an internal hardware firewall configured to separate a protected side from an unprotected side of the hardware of the computer or microchip, the unprotected side being configured to connect to a network of computers; the protected side of the computer or microchip being protected by the internal hardware firewall and including at least one microprocessor or processing unit; the unprotected side of the computer or microchip being located outside of the internal hardware firewall and including one or more additional microprocessors or processing units and hardware network communications components; and the one or more unprotected microprocessors or processing units being separate from the internal hardware firewall. The unprotected side can include two or more unprotected microprocessors or processing units that are configured for parallel and/or multitasking processing. |
| US08732228B2 |
Publishing documents in a publish/subscribe data processing system
Documents are published in a publish subscribe data processing system. A first document to be published may have an associated topic. The first document is retained as a retained document. A second document to be published is retained as the retained document in response to receiving the second document before a predetermined time interval has passed. A copy of the second document is sent to a subscriber of the topic. A copy of the retained document is sent to the subscriber of the topic in response to a determination that the predetermined time interval has passed. |
| US08732222B2 |
Integrating specialized knowledge sources into a general search service
Embodiments are described for a system for integrating expert sources of knowledge into a general search service. The method can include a general search engine interface to receive a search query with at least one search term from a user. An expert knowledge engine can enable retrieval of expert information and analyzes. A predictive model module can be used to determine a probability that an expert knowledge engine may provide a valuable response to the query. The search query can be routed to the expert knowledge engine based on a cost-benefit analysis. A query reformulation module can reformulate a query for use by the expert knowledge engine. A display module can be employed to combine the expert search results with other search results. |
| US08732220B2 |
Virtualized file system
File system views are created for each application executed by a user, where this user-specific view comprises operating system files needed to run the application and file system changes made with this application for this user. Changes made to the file system during execution are allowed (in accordance with the user's permissions), but by default, those changes are not visible to other applications or to other users. Optionally, a user or administrator may specify that one or more file system views are to be accessible from other views. The view-specific isolation of file system changes applies also to system files and meta-data alterations that might be made to the operating system. In one alternative approach, file system views may be created for an application without regard to individual users, where that application's view is then used for all users who execute the application. |
| US08732219B1 |
Method and system for determining correlated geographic areas
A method of determining a geographic area having similar characteristics to a first geographic area associated with a user includes receiving a plurality of inputs related to characteristics of a plurality of geographic areas and constructing a feature vector for each of the geographic areas based on the plurality of inputs. The method also includes receiving a plurality of inputs related to characteristics of the first geographic area and constructing a feature vector for the first geographic area associated with the user. The method further includes receiving an input from the user related to a city of interest, comparing the feature vector for the first geographic area to feature vectors associated with geographic areas located in or adjacent to the city of interest, and ranking the geographic areas located in or adjacent to the city of interest using the comparing step. |
| US08732209B2 |
Computerized system and method for rendering reports in a healthcare environment
Computerized systems and methods for dynamically rendering reports in a healthcare environment are provided. In accordance with one method of the invention, two XML files are provided. The first XML file contains data representing information to be presented in the report. The second XML file contains data representing a format for the report. The second XML file is converted to an XSL stylesheet and applied to the data contained in the first XML file to create a third XML file. The third XML file contains the data representing the information to be presented in the report and the data representing the format for the report. The report is rendered using the third XML file. |
| US08732207B2 |
Attribute-based linked tries for rule evaluation
An embodiment for evaluating rules pertaining to an event includes providing a rule trie comprising multiple nodes, wherein match conditions must be met to trigger a given rule, and each match condition corresponds to a different node. An attribute trie is provided for a string attribute, which includes a node sequence having a value. The string attribute is extracted from the event and also has a value. The value of the extracted string attribute and the value of the node sequence are compared, by traversing a path extending along the node sequence. Responsive to determining that the values of the extracted string attribute and the node sequence are the same, notice is provided that the match condition of a particular node of the rule trie has been met by an attribute of the received event. |
| US08732205B2 |
Universal device identifier for globally identifying and binding disparate device identifiers to the same mobile device
Embodiments of the invention are directed to determining a universal device identifier (UDID) for a client device, based on multiple service-dependent identifiers (SDIDs) used by client applications, websites, or other services to identify the client device. SDID types are prioritized with pre-assigned weights. A received SDID causes a single database read to access all other SDIDs, and any existing UDID(s) associated with the client device. A final UDID is created or selected based on the SDID weights. The database is updated in a sequence that enables self recovery of a prior UDID in case of database error during update. First, any non-selected UDID records are updated with the final UDID. Next, lower weighted SDID records are updated. The final UDID record is updated. The highest weighted SDID record is updated last, to preserve the prior UDID as long as possible in case of update error, which aborts the remaining update. |
| US08732203B2 |
Image forming apparatus and control method thereof
An image forming apparatus includes a first storage medium to store a storage target file, without storing storage management information of the storage target filed. The image forming apparatus may also have a controller to control storing the storage management information of the storage target file separately from the storage target file. Therefore, without the storage management information that is indispensable for accessing the storage target file the file is secure regardless of detaching the first storage medium from the image forming apparatus. |
| US08732196B2 |
One-stop shopping system and method
A system and method are disclosed for one-stop shopping for health-care services and related needs. The one-stop shopping system and method provide objective information for the system enrollee to assess and decide on health-care insurance and services. The system and method provide this objective information in a way that is easily accessible by system enrollees in an economical and rapid manner. |
| US08732194B2 |
Systems and methods for generating issue libraries within a document corpus
A computer-implemented method of generating an issue library from a corpus of documents defining a citation network includes semantically linking, by a computing device, electronic documents within the corpus of documents by pairing reasons-for-citing in citing documents with cited-text-areas in cited documents and storing citation entries associated with the semantically-linked electronic documents in a citation-pairing metadata file. The method may further include searching the citation-pairing metadata file for reasons-for-citing and cited-text-areas that are semantically similar to at least one issue to thereby group similar documents and reasons-for-citing by issue, and storing information regarding groups of semantically-similar reasons-for-citing and cited-text-areas in a plurality of issue library metadata entities. Each issue library metadata entity is associated with an individual issue. |
| US08732192B2 |
Searching for web pages based on user-recalled web page appearance
In a method for searching for a previously visited web page, a first computer receives a plurality of search parameters from a second computer. The plurality of search parameters include a parameter identifying a characteristic of an element of a previously visited web page and a parameter identifying a weight of confidence in a recollection of a user that the element has the characteristic. The first computer searches for the characteristic of the element in a database including one or more characteristics of elements of indexed web pages. The first computer finds a match between the characteristic of the element and a characteristic of an element of an indexed web page of the indexed web pages. The first computer creates a list including an identification of the indexed web page. The first computer sends the list to the second computer. |
| US08732191B2 |
System and method for improving application connectivity in a clustered database environment
A clustered database environment (e.g. Oracle Real Application Cluster (RAC)) includes multiple database instances that appear as one server. An application server (e.g. WebLogic Server (WLS)) can use a data source (e.g. an Oracle GridLink data source) and connection pools to connect with the clustered database. In accordance with an embodiment, a data source configuration allows for specification of a preferred affinity policy, such as a data affinity, temporal affinity, and/or session or session-based affinity policy. In accordance with an embodiment, the system includes a number of features that improve application connectivity in the clustered database environment, including a select-only case for application continuity, wherein an application-independent infrastructure, e.g. implemented within a Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) driver, enables recovery of work from an application perspective and masks system communications, hardware failures and hangs. |
| US08732190B2 |
Network calling privacy with recording
Compliance with a privacy database and call-specific applications is provided within a network. A service control function (SCF), in communication with a privacy database, selectively establishes a call between an origin and a destination. Based on origin or destination identifiers, call parameters are determined for further operations associated with the call. A server, responsive to the call parameters, performs monitoring of the call or post-call disposition to update the privacy database. |
| US08732188B2 |
Method and system for providing contextual based medication dosage determination
Methods and devices for statistical determination of medication dosage level such as bolus amount based on contextual information are provided. |
| US08732176B2 |
Web-based tool for detecting bias in reviews
One embodiment provides a computer system for detecting associations between a reviewer and an entity under review. During operation, the system estimates a relationship strength between the reviewer and the entity under review, and determines whether the relationship strength between the reviewer and the entity under review exceeds a predetermined threshold. |
| US08732170B2 |
Method and apparatus for real-time multi-dimensional reporting and analyzing of data on application level activity and other user information on a mobile data network
A method and apparatus for real-time, multi-dimensional reporting and analyzing of data on application level activity and other user information on a mobile data network. A report manager communicates with a data manager to develop and test real-time reports about aggregate and user-level network usage. The data manager provides a database of non-aggregate, user-specific event data and a set of tables specifying combinations of monitored variables satisfying a set of defined reports. The report manager comprises a report generation module, which receives operator instructions for aggregate usage information. The report module determines whether the requested information can be satisfied by combinations of monitored aggregate variables, or whether it must be retrieved from a non-aggregate, user-specific, event data database. Furthermore, the report module is responsive to operator instructions to add a test report to the set of defined real-time reports. |
| US08732169B2 |
Lateral search
A search query is received. Personal information for a user is then determined. A search is performed in a general subdomain of general content using the search query. For example, the general subdomain of general content may be a WWW search. Then, a vertical subdomain is determined based on the personal information. A search is then performed in the vertical subdomain of specialized content using the search query. The search performed in the general subdomain and the search performed in the vertical subdomain generate general search results and vertical search results. The results may be combined and outputted to a client. |
| US08732167B1 |
Identifying digital resources relating to entities
Methods, apparatuses, and systems for identifying and ranking digital resources relating to entities. A keyword included in a search query that is received, is determined to be a name of an entity. A database of names of distinct entities that uniquely identifies distinct entities that have a same name is searched. It is determined that the database associates the keyword with a first and a second entity. First and second resources, determined to be relevant to the first and the second entity, respectively, are identified from the database. In response to receiving the search query, search results directed to the first entity and separate search results directed to the second entity are provided. The search results include one or more links to the provided one or more resources. |
| US08732163B2 |
Query optimization with memory I/O awareness
System, method, computer program product embodiments and combinations and sub-combinations thereof for tuning query execution performance in a database management system are described. In an aspect, query optimization in a database management system (DBMS) with memory I/O (input/output) awareness includes determining compensated physical I/O (PIO) values indicative of memory I/O operations, including an approximate cache occupancy level, of an executing query in a DBMS, and utilizing the compensated PIO values as feedback to a query optimizer of the DBMS for optimization of future query execution. |
| US08732161B2 |
Event based organization and access of digital photos
Architecture and its implementation of an event-based media management system and method are disclosed. A generic model for events is used for developing architecture for media management, called Eventcentric Media Management (EMMa) system. The system focuses on event experiences and provides flexible functionality for media management. The system and method analyze cross-media files for features to extract atomic events and apply algorithms to cluster files including similar or related features. Thus, the EMMa system allows unified media indexing of multiple media types, better abstraction of the real world, use of context, media processing operations to compute and store features and tags, and a more intuitive support for multiple users. It provides environments for querying and browsing media related to events and authoring of multimedia presentations for sharing with other individuals. |
| US08732158B1 |
Method and system for matching queries to documents
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for the analysis of large document archives by matching queries against documents are disclosed. These include generating an ordered sequence of query tokens for each query, generating an ordered sequence of document tokens for each document, selecting an ordered sequence of document tokens from the tokenized one or more documents, selecting an ordered sequence of query tokens from the tokenized one or more queries, configuring a buffer to hold a subsequence of the selected ordered sequence of document tokens, comparing the selected ordered sequence of query tokens to successive subsequences of the selected ordered sequence of document tokens in the configured buffer where each of the successive subsequences and the selected ordered sequence of query tokens have the same length in tokens, and determining a match result based upon the comparison. |
| US08732146B2 |
Database integrated viewer
A database integration viewer that allows additional properties to be associated with a record as viewed in a single record or table, even though those additional properties are not owned by the record in the underlying source record or table in the database. Using this integration view, a viewed version of record or table may be different than the actual structure of the source record or table. In the viewed version of the record or table, the viewed record or table or may include some or all of the properties for the records of the subject record or table, while incorporating one or more additional properties for the record into the viewed table. The properties may be scalars, or may be computed to populate the viewed version of the record or table. |
| US08732143B2 |
Reducing locking during database transactions
Concepts and technologies are described herein for reducing locking during database transactions without using a cache. In accordance with the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a server application generates a changeset in response to receiving an operation for modifying base data stored in a database. The changeset is stored as a set of tables that are stored at the database with the base data, and include a first table reflecting records in the base data that have been created and/or modified by the operations. The changeset further can include a second table reflecting records in the base data that have been deleted by the operations. |
| US08732142B2 |
Generation of suggestions to correct data race errors
A method of removing a first data race condition by generating a list of suggested solutions is provided. The method comprises detecting the first data race condition involving a shared resource that is accessed first by a first thread and then by a second thread; suggesting one or more solutions using a lockset mechanism; suggesting one or more solutions using a vector clock mechanism; suggesting that a user create a new synchronization object; suggesting that a user replicate the shared resource; and displaying the list to the user. |
| US08732137B2 |
Separating content from noisy context in template-based documents for search indexing
In one embodiment, a mechanism for separating content from noisy context in template-based documents for search indexing is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes selecting a plurality of documents for index comparison, identifying one or more identical elements found in each of the plurality of documents, and removing the one or more identical elements from consideration in an indexing process of the plurality of documents. |
| US08732134B2 |
Collection of data associated with storage systems
Example embodiments provide various techniques for collecting data associated with the performance of a storage system. In one method, an attribute associated with the storage system is detected and a data collection policy associated with the attribute is identified. Here, the data collection policy defines a type of data associated with the performance to be collected. With the data collection policy identified, the data are then collected based on the data collection policy. |
| US08732130B2 |
Virtualization switch, computer system, and data copy method
A virtualization switch connected to a host computer and a plurality of physical storage devices includes a plurality of communication line connection terminals and storage virtualizing unit allowing the host computer to recognize a storage area generated by combining some or all of storage areas of the plurality of physical storage devices as a virtual storage device, a plurality of copy process unit copying data in the storage area, and control unit controlling a copy process operation by assigning copy sessions based on instructions from the host computer to the plurality of copy process unit. When the number of copy process units is larger than number of copy sessions, the control unit performs control to distribute part of a copy process in the one or copy process units that are currently performing the copy process to the one or more copy process units that are not performing the copy process. |
| US08732128B2 |
Shadow copy bookmark generation
Systems and methods for generating a bookmark for a snapshot of one or more volumes of a production server include initiating a snapshot process to capture a shadow copy of a snapshot-volume set, which includes one or more volumes of the production server. The snapshot process (e.g., Volume Shadow Copy Service of Windows™ operating system) may include (a) temporarily freezing operations on a file system of the production server, and (b) releasing a freeze of operations on the file system of the production server. A bookmark for the shadow copy (representing a consistent state of the associated volumes) may be generated such that the bookmark corresponds to a completion of the temporarily freezing or releasing a freeze of the operations. The bookmark may include a point in time of the completion of the temporarily freezing or releasing the freeze of the operations. |
| US08732127B1 |
Method and system for managing versioned structured documents in a database
A method for processing a query for a versioned structured document includes providing vNodes representing objects of at least one version of a structured document. Each vNode includes versioning information associated with a version(s) of the structured document. A query for a version(s) of the structured document is received. The query includes a vFunction having an argument(s) relating to versioning information associated with versions of the structured document. In response to receiving the query, a first vNode is identified that represents a first object in at least one version of the structured document and that includes versioning information satisfying the query. The first vNode is then used to determine a version(s) of the structured document that satisfies the query. |
| US08732126B2 |
Filtering workload for database replay
A method and apparatus for capturing database system workload and replaying that workload in a database system is provided. According to one aspect, in order to subject a test database system to the same workload to which the production database system actually would be subjected, a database server in the production system captures and records workload that the database server receives from external entities. This captured workload is processed. Processes external to a database server in the test database system send the processed workload to that database server. As a result, the test database system is subjected to the same workload to which the production database system originally was subjected. The foregoing technique permits a database administrator to determine how the production database system will fare if the difference that is present in the test database system is introduced into the production database system. |
| US08732124B1 |
Multisite replication with coordinated cycle switching
Handling asynchronous data provided by at least two sources includes synchronizing data between the at least two sources, coordinating cycle switching between the at least two sources, where an asynchronous cycle of data from one of the sources corresponds to an asynchronous cycle of data from an other one of the sources, receiving asynchronous data corresponding to a data cycle from at least one of the sources, and saving at least some of the received data. A first portion of data for a particular cycle may be transmitted from one of the sources and a second portion of data for the particular cycle, different from the first portion of data, may be transmitted from an other one of the sources and the first portion and the second portion together may correspond to all of the data for the particular cycle. |
| US08732120B1 |
Concurrent editing of large geographic data sets
Systems, methods, and computer storage mediums are provided for collaboratively editing geographic features in a shared geographic database. An example method includes receiving a request from a first user to edit data associated with a plurality of geographic features geocoded within a first geographic area. The first geographic area is selected by the first user and defined by a first set of coordinates. The method then determines whether the first geographic area intersects a second geographic area. The second geographic area is selected by a second user and defined by a second set of coordinates. The intersection between the first and second sets of coordinates is determined by comparing the coordinates of the first and second geographic areas. When the first and second geographic areas do not intersect, the method locks the first geographic area to prevent other users from editing the geographic features geolocated within the first geographic area. |
| US08732119B2 |
Concurrent engineering conflict manager
A conflict manager according to the present invention is provided for managing concurrent engineering. A common work area is provided and accessible by engineers who also maintain local work areas. The conflict manager immediately notifies users when a drawing file on the common work area is modified. The conflict manager further includes locking, versioning and conflict functionalities. |
| US08732113B2 |
Method for quantifying and modeling degree of nonlinearity, combined nonlinearity, and nonstationarity
A degree of nonlinearity based on intra-wave frequency modulation is proposed here with the value substantially between 0 and 1. The degree of nonlinearity is used for obtaining the state rather than a system. The data required for defining the degree of nonlinearity is the state of the motion or the observed data. For a complicate state with more than one IMF containing prominent energy density, the degree of nonlinearity has also considered the amplitude variations. The combination of the intra-wave frequency modulation and the amplitude variation gives the Combined Degree of nonlinearity. With the definitions of degree of nonlinearity, the nonlinearity characteristic can be quantified, and the discussion of nonlinear effects could be conducted more precisely. |
| US08732111B2 |
Method and system for performing root cause analysis
A root cause analysis engine uses event survival times and gradual deletion of events to improve analysis accuracy and reduce the number of required calculations. Certainty factors of relevant rules are recalculated every time notification of an event is received. The calculation results are held in a rule memory in the analysis engine. Each event has a survival time, and when the time has expired, that event is deleted from the rule memory. Events held in the rule memory can be deleted without affecting other events held in the rule memory. The analysis engine can then re-calculate the certainty factor of each rule by only performing the re-calculation with respect to affected rules that are related with the deleted event. The calculation cost can be reduced because analysis engine processes events incrementally or decrementally. Analysis engine can determine the most possible conclusion even if one or more condition elements were not true, because analysis engine can calculate the certainty factor of rule even if one or more events were not notified to analysis engine. |
| US08732110B2 |
Method and device for classifying a packet
A method and a device for classifying a packet, in the field of communications technologies, are provided to reduce rule duplication in a classification process and improve classification efficiency. The method classifies a packet by receiving a packet; searching for a rule matching the packet in at least one created decision tree (created after an original rule set is divided based on a segmentation code); and classifying the packet according to a found rule. The method and the device may be applicable to a router. |
| US08732109B1 |
Structured requirement generation and assessment
A method and apparatus comprising a requirement generator and a quality assessor. The requirement generator is configured to generate a group of elements of a requirement. The quality assessor is configured to identify a quality level for the elements based on words in the elements and quality criteria. |
| US08732108B2 |
Rule authoring for events in a grid environment
A rules engine can be initialized as part of an object grid, wherein the rules engine is executable code executing using computer resources. The rules engine updates a business mapper. The rules engine receives a business rule definition to form a business rule. The rules engine determines business terms are present in the business rule. The rules engine converts the business terms to technical terms based on the business mapper, responsive to a determination that business terms are present. The rules engine determines that the business rule comprises a temporal rule. The rules engine receives rule criteria, wherein the rule criteria is at least one selected from the group consisting of frequency, delay and timing dependency, responsive to the determination that the business rule is a temporal rule. The rules engine stores the business rule to the rules engine. The rules engine publishes the business rule to a publish-subscribe topic. |
| US08732104B2 |
Method, system, and apparatus for determining a predicted rating
Embodiments of the invention can incorporate a method and interface to accomplish one or more of the following three processes: input, analysis, and output. With respect to input, the user(s) identifier(s), item(s) identifier(s), and user(s)-item(s) rating data 22 can be accepted through an interface 23 from an application 21. With respect to analysis, the method and interface can then take the actual user-item ratings 31 and process 32 the data to generate and store item predictor information 33. The predicted user-item ratings 41 and the actual user-item ratings 42 can then be outputted by, for example, passing these outputs to the application via an interface 44. |
| US08732101B1 |
Apparatus and method for providing harmonized recommendations based on an integrated user profile
In certain implementations, a system may receive attribute data corresponding to attributes of a plurality of users and to one or more venues for which the plurality of users has an affinity. A user personality matrix may be calculated for one or more of the plurality of users based on interrelational nodal link strengths between the one or more users and the venues. The user personality matrices may be merged to calculate a combined personality matrix representing a unified taste profile for the one or more users. A candidate list of venues having the highest link strength with the combined personality matrix may be determined. One or more recommended venues from the candidate list of venues that have the strongest links to the combined personality matrix may be determined, and recommendation data corresponding to the recommended venues may be output. |
| US08732100B2 |
Method and apparatus for event detection permitting per event adjustment of false alarm rate
Method and apparatus for object or event of interest detection which minimizes the level of false alarms and maximizes the level of detections as defined on a per event or object basis by the analyst. The invention allows for the minimization of false alarms for objects or events of interest which have a close resemblance to all other objects or events mapped to the same multidimensional feature space, and allows for the per event or per object adjustment on false alarms for objects or events of higher interest. |
| US08732093B2 |
Systems and methods for enabling duty determination for a plurality of commingled international shipments
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer program products for enabling duty determination for each of a plurality of commingled international shipments being shipped to a plurality of consignees located in a country, the plurality of commingled international shipments being packed in an over packed carton. In general, various embodiments of the invention involve receiving information for each of the commingled international shipments that identifies the consignee for each of the commingled international shipments, creating an individual shipment identifier for each of the commingled international shipments, and associating each individual shipment identifier with the information for the corresponding commingled international shipment. Further, various embodiments of the invention involve transmitting the information for each commingled international shipment to a customs system to enable customs to consider each of the commingled international shipments separately for purposes of determining duty due for each of the commingled international shipments. |
| US08732090B2 |
Optimizing procurement spend compliance
Managing spend compliance may include receiving a set of spend transaction records containing one or more spend attributes, one or more compliance business rules and one or more investment scenarios that increase spend compliance. The compliance business rules may be applied to the transaction records and segments of transactions with predetermined high savings opportunities may be determined. A prioritized investment plan over one or more time periods that yield optimized return on investment may be generated based on applying the segments of transactions and the investment scenarios. |
| US08732087B2 |
Authorization for media content alteration
A classification method and system for possible content alteration of a media work may include criteria regarding content that is feasible for alteration. Such criteria may be maintained in records that are accessible to an interested party. Some embodiments may include a record of authorization rights applicable to a possible content alteration. Some embodiment implementations may include a derivative version of the media work wherein substitute content, such as an alterable component element having one or more designated aspects, is associated with a real-world entity or person. |
| US08732086B2 |
Method and system for managing rights for digital music
A method is described for managing rights for digital music, including registering music players, from among a plurality of music players, with digital archives that store songs, from among a plurality of digital archives, wherein songs can be copied from digital archives to music players, and from music players to digital archives, permitting a music player to copy a song from a digital archive for which it is registered, permitting a digital archive to copy a song from a music player that is registered with the digital archive, restricting a music player from copying a song from a digital archive for which it is not registered, and restricting a digital archive from copying a song from a music player that is not registered with the digital archive. A system and a computer-readable storage medium are also described. |
| US08732076B2 |
Methods and systems for providing a savings goal
Example embodiments describe a method and a system to control activities of a financial account. In example embodiments, a secondary account is linked to a primary account. Within the secondary account, a spending account and a savings account are established. A savings goal in the savings account of the secondary account that enables a portion of the savings account of the secondary account to be set aside is created. The savings goal includes a goal amount. An automatic purchase of a product associated with the savings goal upon the goal amount being met may be allowed. |
| US08732075B1 |
System and method for personalized commands
Various embodiments of a system and method for personalized commands are described. The system and method for personalized commands may include a payment service including a command management component. Such payment service may be responsive to one or more base commands. The command management component may be configured to generate a user interface for specifying personalized commands that correspond to the base commands. The command management component may be configured to generate mapping information from the information received via the user interface. The command management component may be configured to receive one or more messages that may include commands for the payment service, including personalized commands. From the personalized commands, the command management component may be configured to determine a corresponding base commands (e.g., based on the mapping information). Once the base command is determined, the payment service may perform the base command. |
| US08732072B2 |
System and method for establishing or modifying an account with user selectable terms
The present invention relates to methods for allowing an account holder to easily customize the terms of an account such as a loan account, an asset account, a mortgage account, an insurance account, or a brokerage account. Exemplary embodiments of the invention allow the user to specify various preferred terms such as cost (e.g., APR and annual fee), rewards programs, card design, affiliates, credit line, and payment due date, among others. The financial service provider issuing the account, e.g., the issuing bank, may make the various available terms for the account easily accessible to the user, for example through an internet website or an automated phone system, enabling the user to easily specify his or her preferences. The customization methods may be applied to the process of opening a new account or customizing an existing account. The customization methods may dynamically update the available terms as the user begins to select his or her desired terms. |
| US08732069B2 |
Systems and methods for monitoring credit of trading counterparties
Systems and methods are provided which monitor trades entered into and cleared by counterparties, track the net and gross positions of counterparties and the counterparties' parent entities, trigger warnings when counterparties or their parent entities exceed a warning limit, and shut-off counterparties' trading ability when counterparties exceed a credit limit. An operator of a credit system using these systems and methods is provided with a variety of interfaces through which the operator can set up new counterparties, search a list of counterparties, view and edit basic information for counterparties, view financial information for counterparties, view and edit notes regarding to counterparties, view and edit limits of counterparties, view position versus limit information for counterparties, view the current day's position information for counterparties, and view cumulative position information for counterparties. |
| US08732066B2 |
Method and apparatus for facilitating a transaction between a buyer and one seller
A seller server receives an offer which specifies a type of product (e.g. a seat on a flight), at least one condition (e.g. destination and date of departure), and an offer price specified by a buyer. The seller server also receives an associated payment identifier that specifies a financial account, such as a credit card account. The payment identifier essentially “guarantees” the offer in that the seller may receive payment from the financial account even if the buyer attempts to renege. The seller determines whether to accept the offer, based on various factors such as the offer price and the availability of appropriate products to satisfy the conditions of the offer. If the offer is accepted, payment is provided to the seller using the payment identifier. |
| US08732064B2 |
System and method for processing and displaying quantity information during user-configurable time periods
A system and method for displaying quantity related information determined for a plurality of time periods are described. According to one method, a trader may define one or more time periods for which a trading application may determine traded quantities, traded buys, traded sells, or other quantity related information at a plurality of price levels during the defined time periods. The trading application may then graphically display the quantities for each time period in relation to the static axis of prices. The method further includes periodically updating the displayed traded quantity to reflect the quantity during the defined time period, where the quantity is updated based on subsequent market updates that are received from the exchange for the tradable object. |
| US08732059B2 |
Method and system for building an investment portfolio
Methods and systems are disclosed that enable the leveraging of financial instrument research at an individual financial instrument level but across multiple classifications of financial instruments to efficiently build an investment portfolio for an investor based on a desired portfolio objective through a plurality of graphical user interfaces (GUIs). |
| US08732057B1 |
Systems and methods for administering self-service mutual fund and IRA distributions to participants
A self-service distribution system and method to request a withdrawal of funds from tax-deferred accounts (i.e., a distribution), such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs). The system may retrieve information about a participant's age and type of account from which a distribution is requested. A series of checks defined by rules and regulations that apply to tax-deferred accounts may be run against participant and account information retrieved by the system. A sequence of user interfaces may present information and warnings, such as tax consequences of the distribution, to the guide the participant. The participant may request distributions having a certain frequency, amount, and timing through the presented user interfaces. After all of the information is entered to initiate the distribution, a verification page is presented such that the participant may confirm the enter information is correct. Upon submitting the request, a confirmation is presented. |
| US08732055B1 |
Method and system for performing a financial rewind
A computing device of a user, including a processor, a memory, an electronic organization application comprising software instructions stored in memory and executed on the processor to store a plurality of activities associated with the user, and a rewind application configured to interact with the electronic organization application and including software instructions stored in memory and executed on the processor to present at least one question associated with each of the plurality of activities stored in the electronic organization application, receive a response to the at least one question, determine whether each of the plurality of activities is of a predetermined category based on the response received to obtain a subset of the plurality of activities, and store, in a repository, data associated with the subset of the plurality of activities for use in a financial application. |
| US08732053B2 |
Trading orders with decaying reserves
In various embodiments, an apparatus includes a processor and a memory. The memory is communicatively coupled to the processor. The memory stores software instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive a trading order for a particular quantity of a trading product. The trading order specifies that a first portion of the particular quantity is a displayed quantity and that a second portion of the particular quantity is a reserved quantity. The trading order specifies at least one of a decay rule, a decay interval, a decay rate, decay quantity, and one or more conditions. The software instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause the reserved quantity to decay based at least in part on at least one of the decay rule, the decay interval, the decay rate, and the decay quantity, and one or more conditions. |
| US08732051B2 |
Device, system, and method of generating a customized trade article
Some embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of generating a customized trade article. In one embodiment, a trade-article generator application is to receive trade information including a plurality of values of one or more trade-related parameters defining at least one trade with respect to at least one financial instrument, and to automatically generate a customized electronic trade article corresponding to the trade based on a predefined trade-article layout. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08732050B2 |
Stochastic control system and method for multi period consumption with goal satisfaction reporting
The present invention relates to dynamic optimization of system control over time. The need for dynamic optimization arises in many settings, as diverse as solar car power consumption during a multi-day race and retirement portfolio management. We disclose a reformulation of the control problem that overcomes the so-called “curse of dimensionality” and allows formulation of optimal control policies multiple period planning horizons. One optimal control policy is for power consumption by a solar car during a race, which involves many course segments, as course conditions vary through a day. Another is for risk in and consumption from a portfolio intended to support retirement. Both multi-period control policies take into account future uncertainty. Particular aspects of the present invention are described in the claims, specification and drawings. |
| US08732048B2 |
Automated trading system in an electronic trading exchange
An electronic exchange system network includes a trader site having an automated trading system capable of submitting orders and/or quotes to an exchange site. The automated trading system determines whether an order or quote should be submitted based on, for example, the current market price of an option and theoretical buy and sell prices. The theoretical buy and sell prices are derived from, among other things, the current market price of the security underlying the option. The theoretical buy and sell prices are calculated when underlying factors that contribute to the theoretical prices change. Computation times of the theoretical prices may be reduced by using precalculated values and/or using interpolation and extrapolation. Other techniques may be used in addition or in the alternative to speed automatic decision-making. In addition, a system of checks may be conducted to ensure accurate and safe automated trading. The automated trading system may be capable of automatically submitting orders in connection with the underlying security in order to hedge part of the delta risk associated with the automated option trades. |
| US08732043B2 |
Charging diversification using a modified online charging indicator
A system is configured to receive an indication that a session, associated with a user device, is to be established; obtain a profile, associated with the user device, that identifies one or more services to which a user, of the user device, has subscribed; determine that a service, associated with the session, corresponds to one of the services, where the profile identifies one or more charging actions that correspond to the service; instruct a first device to initiate online charging, when the service corresponds to a first type of service; instruct a second device to initiate offline charging, when the service corresponds to a second type of service; and instruct a third device to not initiate online charging or offline charging when the service corresponds to a third type of service. |
| US08732039B1 |
Allocating regional inventory to reduce out-of-stock costs
Methods and systems for allocating regional inventory to reduce out-of-stock costs are described. A method may include identifying a total number of units of an item to be stored in a plurality of regions and determining an order forecast for the item in each of the plurality of regions. The method may also include receiving a unit out-of-stock cost of the item in each of the plurality of regions and calculating an expected cost for each of the plurality of regions based, at least in part, on the total number of units of the item, each region's respective order forecast, and each region's respective unit out-of-stock cost. The method may further include allocating a portion of the total number of units of the item to each of the plurality of regions to reduce a sum of the expected costs. |
| US08732037B2 |
Method and system for providing a record
A method to facilitate network-based commerce includes determining a site that a user accesses, the site being one of multiple sites operated by a network-based commerce facility. A category list available for the site is retrieved, the category list identifying categories of offerings available via the site. The category list is communicated to the user. The site is a regional site, and the category list is a region-specific category list. |
| US08732036B2 |
Supplier/buyer network that provides catalog updates
Embodiments for a supplier/buyer (S/B) network providing catalog updates are disclosed. One method includes the S/B network receiving a request for an update of product information of a catalog. The S/B network receives a profile request of at least one supplier from a buyer. The S/B network confirms that the at least one supplier supports product updates. If the at least one supplier supports product information updates, then the S/B network receives the request for a product information update from the buyer, and requests the product information update from the at least one supplier. The S/B network receives the product information update from the at least one supplier, and the S/B network updates the catalog based on the product information update. |
| US08732033B2 |
Computer-based right distribution system with temporal variation
An automated ticket auctioning system receives and evaluates bid information records received from a plurality of remote terminals. Each bid information record corresponds to at least one bid for one or more desired seats at a venue. Each bid information record may also include a plurality of additional bids identified for different seats in the venue. The separate bids in each bid information record are prioritized. The automated ticket auctioning system includes a central controlling computer operable to receive the bid information records and determine, in order of priority, whether any of the bids in a bid information record is accepted. If one bid in a bid information record is accepted, all lower priority bids in that bid information record are dismissed. |
| US08732030B2 |
System and method for using image analysis and search in E-commerce
Embodiments described herein provide a system and method for providing merchandise items at a network site. According to an embodiment, an image of a merchandise item is obtained. The image is programmatically analyzed to determine information about the merchandise item. The information is used to generate a presentation that includes the merchandise item. |
| US08732026B2 |
User interface for a complex order processing system
A method for processing complex orders is disclosed. The method includes generating a customer portal view including a list of products and services associated with an account, a list of quotes associated with the account, a list of orders associated with the account, and a plurality of user-selectable options. The plurality of user-selectable options includes a move option to transfer a service profile by defaulting the existing services at an old location to a new location. |
| US08732024B2 |
Self-checkout method and apparatus
A point-of-sale self-checkout terminal includes a code reader device for automated entry of a product identification code present on items for purchase and a customer input device for receipt of data from a customer. A customer can initiate a purchase of a non-scannable item and, in response, a database is queried to identify items based on a prediction of purchase of the items, and the identified items are displayed for selection by the customer to purchase the item. Image processing and voice processing, can also be implemented to assist customers with the purchase of non-scannable items. |
| US08732023B2 |
Increased visibility during order management in a network-based supply chain environment
A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for a first business entity to provide a network-based supply chain framework for collaborative order management between at least a second and a third independent business entity, such as a service provider, vendor, reseller, manufacturer and the like. A request for an order is received over a network with an automated system, from at least a second business entity. The order is transmitted over a network, with an automated system, to at least the third business entity. Information is received from the third business entity relating to a status of completion of the order by the third business entity using a network. The progress in completing the order is tracked based on the information received from the third business entity. Progress reports from the tracking are generated periodically; and transmitted to the second business entity using the network. |
| US08732010B1 |
Annotated advertisements and advertisement microsites
An advertisement distribution system can generate advertisement creatives having annotations and advertisement microsites using content extracted from landing web page documents. An advertisement module of the advertisement distribution system can analyze landing pages and other documents to identify relevant information, such as a phone number for a click-to-call annotation, an address for a merchant, and additional product information. The advertisement module can automatically generate the advertisement creatives and/or microsites using the extracted content. The microsite can include less data intensive content than the landing page and be linked to the advertisement creative. In this way, the less data intensive microsite can be downloaded and displayed in response to a user selecting the advertisement creative rather than downloading the landing page. This supports quicker advertisement browsing and is especially useful for serving advertisements on wireless devices having slower download speeds. |
| US08732008B2 |
Display ads testing tool for rich media developers
An ad test tool allows rich media developers to test ads in both a stand-alone environment and within live web pages. The ad test tool includes a stand-alone ad test tool, a live site ad test tool, and a rules and compliancy engine. The stand-alone ad test tool tests ads in a stand-alone environment by providing the ad rendering framework necessary to render ads on the user's local device. The live site ad test tool tests ads on live web pages. The live site ad test tool includes a proxy that intercepts ad requests from web pages and replaces the ads on the web pages with test ads. The rules and compliancy engine checks test ads for compliancy for security and privacy purposes and also verifies that click tracking and/or impression tracking operate properly. |
| US08732004B1 |
Automated analysis of data to generate prospect notifications based on trigger events
Systems and methods are described for identifying a subset of interest from a general population and for monitoring a database of daily activity logs associated with the general population in order to identify database entries indicative of an occurrence of a pre-defined trigger event that is associated with a member of the subset of interest. In particular, systems and methods are described that allow a massive database of daily activity logs to be monitored to identify trigger events that have occurred within the past twenty-four hours or other very recent time period. Embodiments are described that may be advantageously used by a provider of credit-related products and/or services who wishes to accurately target prospective customers, identified by the system, based on occurrence of a trigger event, as being in a decision-making phase of credit shopping, for purposes of making a timely and targeted offering relevant to the customers' current activities. |
| US08732001B2 |
Apparatus and method for rewarding consumers
In order to reward a consumer for trying or learning about a product, the customer is given a unique identification number, preferably an unvalidated ATM readable card, and instructions for completing a test or survey by telephone or on the Internet. Upon successful completion of the test by the consumer, the identification number is validated so that the consumer may withdraw a cash reward from a temporary bank account funded when the identification number is validated via an ATM. Where the consumer is the patient of a physician, the patient may receive the number and card from the physician along with a prescription for redemption at a pharmacy whereat the pharmacy dispenses a supply of the drug to the patient and is paid by the manufacturer of the drug through the former's insurance payment processing system. |
| US08732000B2 |
Method for determining toll fees in a road toll system
Method for determining toll fees for vehicles in a road toll system including vehicle-onboard units and positionally distributed beacons capable of communicating with the onboard units via radio signals. The method includes: providing a toll fee level and a validity time frame; retrieving an identifier of the onboard unit, the toll fee level and the validity time frame from the onboard unit as a data record; resetting the toll fee level, if the validity time frame has expired; increasing the toll fee level and storing the updated data record in the onboard unit and the beacon; transmitting a request for deletion of stored data records for this identifier to other beacons; transmitting the data record from the beacon to the central station, if no deletion request for the data record arrives within the validity time frame; and deleting the data record in the beacon. |
| US08731998B2 |
Three dimensional visual representation for identifying problems in monitored model oriented business processes
A computer implemented method and system for monitoring a business process of an executing business application. Runtime information of a business process element of the executing business application is received. The runtime information is then associated with design time information of the executing business application by a processor. Next, a representation of the business process associated with the business process element is generated to determine a problem in the business process of the executing business application. |
| US08731996B2 |
Method and system for supporting business process design by modeling role relationship
The invention provides a method for extracting and evaluating risk information and synergy information arising out of role relationships among persons which are an essential part of a business process and realizing a safe and appropriate business process.A business process design support system in the invention includes: the business process definition unit 201 of the business process definition system 2 which receives role relationship information defined by a designer, etc. and transmits the information to the risk/synergy evaluation system 3; the risk/synergy extraction unit 301 which extracts risk/synergy factors and occurrence mechanism information based on the role relationship information; and a risk/synergy measures evaluation unit 401 which calculates risk/synergy measures candidates and estimated effects based on the risk/synergy factors and the occurrence mechanism information. |
| US08731995B2 |
Ranking products by mining comparison sentiment
A method of ranking a plurality of products includes obtaining a numerical user score for each of the plurality of products, calculating an opinion score for each of the plurality of products for which a written comparison sentiment applies, determining a final score by combining the numerical user rating and the opinion score for each of the plurality of products, and ranking the plurality of products based on the final score. The opinion score is derived from one or more written comparison sentiments containing a first product name and a second product name. In another aspect, a computer readable medium has instructions stored thereon which, when executed, cause a computer to perform a method of ranking a plurality of products including at least a first product and a second product. |
| US08731991B2 |
System and method of information technology application deployment
The invention generally relates to IT, and more particularly, to a method and system to achieve project-based diffusion of IT innovations. In accordance with aspects of the invention, the system comprises three integrated components. The first component is directed to the project management stages taken by an organization to deploy new technology innovations. This in turn consists of four stages: visioning, matching vision, deployment, and evaluation and improvement. The second component is directed to knowledge barriers to IT innovation diffusion. The third component is directed to critical success factors (CSF) of IT innovation implementations. In one embodiment the system includes of a Program Management Module (PMM) to implement corporate strategy for project management and to transform the organization into a learning one. In further embodiments, system is explained in detail using an example of ERP implementation. In this manner, implementations of the invention may be used to manage the lifecycle of IT innovation deployment using knowledge from other projects as well as knowledge fed back into the lifecycle. |
| US08731989B2 |
Project management systems and methods thereof
Project management systems and methods to streamline project planning, task management, time management, and other similar applications. The method includes filing a request to start a project on a project management system. The method further includes receiving notice that role handlers have been assigned to a plurality of tasks required to complete the project. The method further includes performing at least one task of the plurality of tasks. The method further includes receiving notice that the at least one task has been reviewed by at least one of the assigned role handlers. |
| US08731983B2 |
System and method for designing effective business policies via business rules analysis
Methods and systems are provided for analyzing the business rules, business metrics, and decision parameters for a firm or organization, processing a subset of such data to form output, and offering access to selective views of such output including evaluation and comparative data regarding execution of such business rules, information on corresponding business metrics or sets of business metrics, information on corresponding decision parameters or sets of decision parameters or scenarios, and other useful analytic information which can help a firm or organization evaluate and modify business policies based on said rules, metrics, and parameters. In addition to said rules, metrics and/or parameters, the data for the business rule analysis can include conventional historical data or hypothetical data based on simulations which the current system and method provide based on prescribed random and non-random algorithms. The simulated or hypothetical data enables users to conduct rule analysis based on historical data, simulated data, or hybrid models. In this manner, the methods and systems described in this invention provide for both an evaluation of a firm's current policies as well as an evaluation of policy modifications not actually executed but for which hypothetical data can be provided and analyzed. |
| US08731977B1 |
System and method for analyzing and using vehicle historical data
A system and method for analyzing and using vehicle historical data is provided. The system and method may include obtaining vehicle history data from a vehicle history data system, and analyzing various vehicle variables to determine final factors associated with such vehicle variables. The vehicle variables may be categorized based on the age of the vehicle, the amount of time that has occurred since some event, or other time period. The final factors can be combined to score particular vehicles. Vehicle history scores can be used to evaluate risk associated with a particular vehicle, including use in underwriting and rating insurance policies, vehicle financing, or vehicle warranties. |
| US08731976B1 |
System and method for providing a guarantee within a deferred annuity for insuring a security
A system for providing a guarantee within a deferred annuity for insuring a security against a change in value of the security is disclosed which comprises a computer system configured to have entered information related to a security to be insured by the guarantee within the deferred annuity, the computer system configured to prepare the guarantee within the deferred annuity based upon the entered information related to the security to be insured, the deferred annuity having an account value, and the security to be insured being held in an account separate from the account value of the deferred annuity. |
| US08731975B2 |
System and method for active insurance underwriting using registration data of IP-addressable devices
A system and method are disclosed herein for maintaining an inventory of assets located at an insured property covered under an insurance policy based on data received from IP-addressable devices located at the property. The system includes an inventory database for storing inventory information about assets located at an insured property, a communication interface for receiving registration and operational data associated with an IP-addressable device, and a business logic computer. The business logic computer creates a data structure for storing inventory information about assets located at the insured property in the inventory database for each insured property. The business logic computer determines, for the insured property, the inventory information about the insured property's assets based on registration and operational data received from its IP-addressable devices located at the property. The business logic computer stores the insured property's inventory information in its associated data structure in the inventory database. |
| US08731972B1 |
Method and system for market performance analysis
Methods and systems are disclosed for allowing a user to quickly and easily generate market performance analysis reports. The methods and systems use data mart and on-line analytical processing (OLAP) technology to provide users with summary and detailed information without requiring the user to have specific programming skills. In one implementation, the methods and systems may provide a data mart optimized for the auto insurance industry. Such a data mart may contain data pertaining to auto insurance policies, vehicles, operators, coverage, and incident. Data cubes may be used to organize the data in the data mart according to one or more dimensions. Corresponding perspectives may be constructed to allow the user to access the data in the data cubes. Report templates provide a starting point from which the user may modify for dynamic data exploration or dive deeper into the data “on the fly.” |
| US08731966B2 |
Systems and methods for real-time data ingestion to a clinical analytics platform to generate a heat map
The clinical analytics platform automates the capture, extraction, and reporting of data required for certain quality measures, provides real-time clinical surveillance, clinical dashboards, tracking lists, and alerts for specific, high-priority conditions, and offers dynamic, ad-hoc quality reporting capabilities. The clinical informatics platform may include a data extraction facility that gathers clinical data from numerous sources, a data mapping facility that identifies and maps key data elements and links data over time, a data normalization facility to normalize the clinical data and, optionally, de-identify the data, a flexible data warehouse for storing raw clinical data or longitudinal patient data, a clinical analytics facility for data mining, analytic model building, patient risk identification, benchmarking, performing quality assurance, and patient tracking, and a graphical user interface for presenting clinical analytics in an actionable format. |
| US08731965B2 |
Collaborative multi-facility medication management system
A computer implemented method and system is provided for managing health care and obtaining analytical insights using information related to health care in a collaborative environment. Health care users and health care providers access a medication management platform in the collaborative environment. The medication management platform comprises a medication management application and a research repository. The health care users and the health care providers interact and communicate with each other in the collaborative environment using collaborative tools provided on the medication management platform. The medication management application acquires health care information of the health care users' personal health records populated from health care information sources. The medication management application monitors and tracks the acquired health care information. The medication management application updates the de-identified research repository by consolidating the monitored and tracked health care information. The medication management application analyzes the consolidated health care information for obtaining the analytical insights. |
| US08731964B2 |
Integrated system for generation and retention of medical records
A system for populating patient records by use of evidence-based relational database, which compares the medical practitioners diagnoses to predetermined responses, to produce accurate patient chart notes and the integration of stored and generated data into clinical and administrative medical record keeping and billing. Episodic encounters are developed into cases for a specific patient under the care of a practitioner. The subjective symptoms from the patient and the objective observations of the care provider concurrent with the episode are used to form a diagnosis which presents a treatment regimen from an evidence-based relational database and populates medical and administrative templates. Patient history and updated information are retained in the database. “Best practice” treatment plans are continually placed in the relational database from practice guides and experts in the field. |
| US08731963B1 |
Sensitive drug distribution system and method
A drug distribution system and method utilizes a central pharmacy and database to track all prescriptions for a sensitive drug. Information is kept in the database regarding all physicians allowed to prescribe the sensitive drug, and all patients receiving the drug. Abuses are identified by monitoring data in the database for prescription patterns by physicians and prescriptions obtained by patients. Further verification is made that the physician is eligible to prescribe the drug by consulting a separate database, and optionally whether any actions are taken against the physician. Multiple controls beyond those for normal drugs are imposed on the distribution depending on the sensitivity of the drug. |
| US08731961B2 |
Method and apparatus for verification of clinical trial adherence
A system and method of confirming administration of medication in a clinical trial is provided. The method comprises the steps of receiving information identifying a particular medication prescription regimen in accordance with the clinical trial, determining one or more procedures for administering such prescription regimen and identifying one or more activity sequences associated with such procedures. Activity sequences of actual administration of such prescription regimen are captured and then compared to the identified activity sequences to determine differences therebetween. A notice is provided if differences are determined. |
| US08731960B2 |
System and method for comparing and utilizing activity information and configuration information from multiple medical device management systems
A method of aggregating and using medical device data from a plurality of remote institutions. The system and method electronically receives at a central computer system a plurality of established medical device data, each of the plurality of established medical device data being received from a respective medication delivery system, each of the respective medication delivery systems having a respective plurality of medical devices within the respective remote institution, such as medication delivery pumps, associated therewith and utilized therein. The system and method electronically combines and stores the plurality of established medical device data from each of the plurality of remote institutions within a memory, and electronically provides a remote client computer access to at least one of a central reporting application adapted for providing summary information to the remote client computer about the medical device data, and/or other applications. |
| US08731959B2 |
Spectroscopic chemical compound identification
A spectroscopic chemical compound identification system includes a container, a memory, a spectrometer, and a processor. The container receives unknown chemical compound. The memory stores a plurality of spectral signatures corresponding to known chemical compounds. The spectrometer measures a spectral signature of the unknown chemical compound through the container. The processor is connected to the memory and the spectrometer, performs a comparison of the spectral signature with at least one of the plurality of spectral signatures, and determines the identity of the unknown chemical compound from the comparison. The system can be housed in a portable handheld housing. A chemical compound can include a pharmaceutical or controlled substance. The system can be also be used to determine if a pharmaceutical or controlled substance is present within an unknown mixture of chemical compounds. |
| US08731955B2 |
Ultrasonographic device
A technology that prevents leak of patient data, which is personal information, stored in a storage medium without requiring labor is disclosed. According to the technology, when a command for bulk-deleting pieces of data stored in memories 4 to 7 is entered using an operating unit 1 (Step 1), the pieces of data stored in the memories are bulk-deleted (Step S2). When a hospital name, a language to be used, a time zone, preset data, or user-customized data registered in advance is changed, a device is judged to have been resold. The pieces of data stored in the memories are bulk-deleted (Step 2). |
| US08731953B2 |
Methods and systems for linking an electronic address to a physical address of a customer using a delivery point identification key
An electronic account links an electronic address to a physical address of a customer. Services provided to the customer using the electronic account can be delivered to the physical address or the electronic address of the customer. If the customer requests to receive only physical mail, the link between the addresses can be used to deliver any electronic mail to the physical address of the customer. |
| US08731952B2 |
Apparatus and method for enhancing transactions using rule information to communicate with multiple applications
A method and apparatus provides information to enhance at least one of: a sales, a service and an administrative transaction by communicating with a plurality of applications from a group of applications in accordance with rule information and based on at least two of the received: end user identification information, client identification information and transaction type information. In one example, the apparatus includes a rules engine, an application integrator, an integration and presentation module, and an integrated user interface. The rules engine causes the application integrator to communicate with a plurality of applications in accordance with the rule information, and at least two of: the end user identification information, the client identification information, and the transaction type information. The application integrator then generates integrated output information received from the plurality of applications to produce the integrated user interface that includes output from the plurality of applications. Based on end user input, the integrated user interface then provides interactive user response information to the application integrator which passes the interactive user response information to the rules engine. The rules engine then determines which of at least one additional supporting application of available applications to use in a next stage of the transaction, which may be the same as or different applications from the plurality of applications. The application integrator then communicates with the additional supporting applications and accordingly updates the integrated output information on the integrated user interface to include output from the at least one additional supporting application. |
| US08731949B2 |
Method and system for audio encoding and decoding and method for estimating noise level
The present invention relates to a method and system for audio encoding and decoding and a method for estimating a noise level, and the method for estimating a noise level in the present invention comprises: estimating a power spectrum of an audio signal to be encoded according to a frequency domain coefficient of the audio signal to be encoded; and estimating a noise level of a zero bit encoding subband audio signal according to the power spectrum obtained by calculating, and this noise level for controlling an energy proportion of noise filling to spectral band replication during decoding; wherein a zero bit encoding subband refers to an encoding subband of which allocated bit number is zero. The present invention can well reconstruct the uncoded frequency domain coefficients. |
| US08731948B2 |
Audio signal synthesizer for selectively performing different patching algorithms
An audio signal synthesizer generates a synthesis audio signal having a first frequency band and a second synthesized frequency band derived from the first frequency band and comprises a patch generator, a spectral converter, a raw signal processor and a combiner. The patch generator performs at least two different patching algorithms, each patching algorithm generating a raw signal. The patch generator is adapted to select one of the at least two different patching algorithms in response to a control information. The spectral converter converts the raw signal into a raw signal spectral representation. The raw signal processor processes the raw signal spectral representation in response to spectral domain spectral band replication parameters to obtain an adjusted raw signal spectral representation. |
| US08731947B2 |
Coding method, decoding method, codec method, codec system and relevant apparatuses
A coding method, a decoding method, a coding-decoding (codec) method, a codec system and relevant apparatuses are disclosed. The coding method includes: obtaining an amplitude vector and a length vector corresponding to a vector to be coded; sorting elements of the amplitude vector and elements of the length vector; and obtaining a position index value according to the sorted amplitude vector and the sorted length vector. A decoding method, a codec system, and relevant apparatuses are also provided. |
| US08731945B2 |
Method for recognizing and interpreting patterns in noisy data sequences
This invention maps possibly noisy digital input from any of a number of different hardware or software sources such as keyboards, automatic speech recognition systems, cell phones, smart phones or the web onto an interpretation consisting of an action and one or more physical objects, such as robots, machinery, vehicles, etc. or digital objects such as data files, tables and databases. Tables and lists of (i) homonyms and misrecognitions, (ii) thematic relation patterns, and (iii) lexicons are used to generate alternative forms of the input which are scored to determine the best interpretation of the noisy input. The actions may be executed internally or output to any device which contains a digital component such as, but not limited to, a computer, a robot, a cell phone, a smart phone or the web. This invention may be implemented on sequential and parallel compute engines and systems. |
| US08731940B2 |
Method of controlling a system and signal processing system
A method of controlling a system which includes the steps of obtaining at least one signal representative of information communicated by a user via an input device in an environment of the user, wherein a signal from a first source is available in a perceptible form in the environment; estimating at least a point in time when a transition between information flowing from the first source and information flowing from the user is expected to occur; and timing the performance of a function by the system in relation to the estimated time. |
| US08731937B1 |
Updating speech recognition models for contacts
Systems, methods and apparatus for generating, distributing, and using speech recognition models. A shared speech processing facility is used to support speech recognition for a wide variety of devices with limited capabilities including business computer systems, personal data assistants, etc., which are coupled to the speech processing facility via a communications channel, e.g., the Internet. Devices with audio capture capability record and transmit to the speech processing facility, via the Internet, digitized speech and receive speech processing services, e.g., speech recognition model generation and/or speech recognition services, in response. The Internet is used to return speech recognition models and/or information identifying recognized words or phrases. The speech processing facility can be used to provide speech recognition capabilities to devices without such capabilities and/or to augment a device's speech processing capability. Voice dialing, telephone control and/or other services are provided by the speech processing facility in response to speech recognition results. |
| US08731936B2 |
Energy-efficient unobtrusive identification of a speaker
Functionality is described herein for recognizing speakers in an energy-efficient manner. The functionality employs a heterogeneous architecture that comprises at least a first processing unit and a second processing unit. The first processing unit handles a first set of audio processing tasks (associated with the detection of speech) while the second processing unit handles a second set of audio processing tasks (associated with the identification of speakers), where the first set of tasks consumes less power than the second set of tasks. The functionality also provides unobtrusive techniques for collecting audio segments for training purposes. The functionality also encompasses new applications which may be invoked in response to the recognition of speakers. |
| US08731934B2 |
System and method for multi-modal audio mining of telephone conversations
A system and method for the automated monitoring of inmate telephone calls as well as multi-modal search, retrieval and playback capabilities for said calls. A general term for such capabilities is multi-modal audio mining. The invention is designed to provide an efficient means for organizations such as correctional facilities to identify and monitor the contents of telephone conversations and to provide evidence of possible inappropriate conduct and/or criminal activity of inmates by analyzing monitored telephone conversations for events, including, but not limited to, the addition of third parties, the discussion of particular topics, and the mention of certain entities. |
| US08731932B2 |
System and method for synthetic voice generation and modification
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for generating a synthetic voice. A system configured to practice the method combines a first database of a first text-to-speech voice and a second database of a second text-to-speech voice to generate a combined database, selects from the combined database, based on a policy, voice units of a phonetic category for the synthetic voice to yield selected voice units, and synthesizes speech based on the selected voice units. The system can synthesize speech without parameterizing the first text-to-speech voice and the second text-to-speech voice. A policy can define, for a particular phonetic category, from which text-to-speech voice to select voice units. The combined database can include multiple text-to-speech voices from different speakers. The combined database can include voices of a single speaker speaking in different styles. The combined database can include voices of different languages. |
| US08731921B2 |
Frame erasure concealment technique for a bitstream-based feature extractor
A frame erasure concealment technique for a bitstream-based feature extractor in a speech recognition system particularly suited for use in a wireless communication system operates to “delete” each frame in which an erasure is declared. The deletions thus reduce the length of the observation sequence, but have been found to provide for sufficient speech recognition based on both single word and “string” tests of the deletion technique. |
| US08731913B2 |
Scaled window overlap add for mixed signals
A method for overlap-adding signals useful for performing frame loss concealment (FLC) in an audio decoder as well as in other applications. The method uses a dynamic mix of windows to overlap two signals whose normalized cross-correlation may vary from zero to one. If the overlapping signals are decomposed into a correlated component and an uncorrelated component, they are overlap-added separately using the appropriate window, and then added together. If the overlapping signals are not decomposed, a weighted mix of windows is used. The mix is determined by a measure estimating the amount of cross-correlation between overlapping signals, or the relative amount of correlated to uncorrelated signals. |
| US08731911B2 |
Harmonicity-based single-channel speech quality estimation
Speech quality estimation technique embodiments are described which generally involve estimating the human speech quality of an audio frame in a single-channel audio signal. A representation of a harmonic component of the frame is synthesized and used to compute a non-harmonic component of the frame. The synthesized harmonic component representation and the non-harmonic component are then used to compute a harmonic to non-harmonic ratio (HnHR). This HnHR is indicative of the quality of a user's speech and is designated as an estimate of the speech quality of the frame. In one implementation, the HnHR is used to establish a minimum speech quality threshold below which the quality of the user's speech is considered unacceptable. Feedback to the user is then provided based on whether the HnHR falls below the threshold. |
| US08731910B2 |
Compensator and compensation method for audio frame loss in modified discrete cosine transform domain
The invention provides a compensation method for audio frame loss in a MDCT domain, the method comprising: when a frame currently lost is a Pth frame, obtaining a set of frequencies to be predicted, and for each frequency in the set, using phases and amplitudes of a plurality of frames before a (P−1)th frame in a MDCT-MDST domain to predict a phase and an amplitude of the Pth frame, and using the predicted phase and amplitude to obtain a MDCT coefficient of the Pth frame at each corresponding frequency; for a frequency outside the set, using MDCT coefficients of a plurality of frames before the Pth frame to calculate a MDCT coefficient value of the Pth frame at the frequency; performing an IMDCT for the MDCT coefficients of the Pth frame to obtain a time domain signal of the Pth frame. |
| US08731909B2 |
Spectral smoothing device, encoding device, decoding device, communication terminal device, base station device, and spectral smoothing method
Disclosed is a spectral smoothing device with a structure whereby smoothing is performed after a nonlinear conversion has been performed for a spectrum calculated from an audio signal, and with which the amount of processing calculation is significantly reduced while maintaining excellent audio quality. With this spectral smoothing device, a sub band division unit (102) divides an input spectrum into multiple sub bands; a representative value calculation unit (103) calculates a representative value for each sub band using an arithmetic mean and a geometric mean; with respect to each representative value, a nonlinear conversion unit (104) performs a nonlinear conversion the characteristic of which is further emphasized as the value increases; and a smoothing unit (105) that smoothes the representative value which has undergone the nonlinear conversion for each sub band, at the frequency domain. |
| US08731908B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing packet loss or frame erasure concealment
The invention concerns a method and apparatus for performing packet loss or Frame Erasure Concealment (FEC) for a speech coder that does not have a built-in or standard FEC process. A receiver with a decoder receives encoded frames of compressed speech information transmitted from an encoder. A lost frame detector at the receiver determines if an encoded frame has been lost or corrupted in transmission, or erased. If the encoded frame is not erased, the encoded frame is decoded by a decoder and a temporary memory is updated with the decoder's output. A predetermined delay period is applied and the audio frame is then output. If the lost frame detector determines that the encoded frame is erased, a FEC module applies a frame concealment process to the signal. The FEC processing produces natural sounding synthetic speech for the erased frames. |
| US08731906B2 |
Systems and methods for gathering research data
Methods and systems are provided for gathering research data that includes information pertaining to audio signals received on a portable device, such as a cell phone. Frequency domain data is received or produced, a signature is extracted from the frequency domain data and an ancillary code is read from the frequency domain data. |
| US08731903B2 |
Handheld electronic device and method for disambiguation of compound text input and for prioritizing compound language solutions according to completeness of text components
A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software that is operable to disambiguate compound text input. The device is able to assemble language objects in the memory to generate compound language solutions. The device is able to prioritize compound language solutions according to various criteria, including the degree of completeness of the text components of a compound language solution. |
| US08731902B2 |
Systems and methods for accessing applications based on user intent modeling
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a computer-implemented method comprising storing information in a datastore, the information corresponding to a plurality of computer applications, wherein the plurality of computer applications have associated annotations, receiving an input from a user, providing a first verb and a first noun corresponding to a user intent based on said input, and specifying one or more of said plurality of applications based on the verb and noun annotations for the plurality of applications and the first verb and first noun corresponding to the user intent. The annotations comprise a verb describing one or more activities performed by an associated application and a noun describing work objects on which the activities are performed. Users access the applications in the datastore. |
| US08731901B2 |
Context aware back-transliteration and translation of names and common phrases using web resources
Described within are systems and methods for transliterating and translating source non-Romanized language text strings from a plurality of electronic sources to Romanized target language text strings by converting the source non-Romanized language text strings to a standard document encoding format, splitting the source non-Romanized language text strings into smaller units, transforming the smaller units into entity profiles, processing the entities profiles with data from external databases, translating the entities in the entity profiles into a Romanized target language, and outputting the entities into a plurality of data formats for external systems. |
| US08731897B2 |
Tape emulating disk based storage system and method with automatically resized emulated tape capacity
A data protection and storage system includes an array of disk drives for data storage. Data is received for storage on the disk drive via an interface that is configured to emulate a tape drive interface. A virtual tape data structure is created and stored on the disk drives. The allocated capacity of the virtual tape is dynamically and transparently alterable in response to data storage demand within the virtual tape. |
| US08731895B2 |
System and method for accessing and configuring field devices in a process control system
A system includes a client that presents a user interface to a user, where the user interface is associated with a field device in a process control system. The system also includes an interface component having (i) an emulator that emulates a device manager associated with at least the field device and (ii) a communication manager that communicates with the field device over a communication link using a specified protocol. The system further includes a server that provides a request to the emulator based on input from the user provided through the user interface, where the emulator provides the request to the communication manager for communication to the field device. The communication manager could include a communication DTM, and the emulator could emulate at least some functions of a device DTM. A device description (such as a DD/EDD file) could also be used to generate the user interface. |
| US08731893B2 |
Circuit simulation of MOSFETs
An arithmetic device calculates the surface potential of a silicon layer by performing computation based on a mathematical expression and device parameters stored in a storage device. Likewise, the arithmetic device calculates the surface potential of a bulk layer under a buried oxide film when the silicon layer is in a partially depleted state and when the silicon is in a fully depleted state. The arithmetic device then performs computation based on the calculated surface potential of the silicon layer, the calculated surface potential of the bulk layer, and mathematical expressions stored in the storage device, and obtains the surface potential of the bulk layer by iterative calculation. The arithmetic device performs computation based on the surface potential of the bulk layer obtained by iterative calculation and mathematical expressions stored in the storage device, and calculates the lower surface potential of the silicon layer. |
| US08731886B2 |
Simulator for estimating life of robot speed reducer
A simulator (10) for estimating a life of a speed reducer includes a rotation speed and load calculator (21) for simulating the operation program of a robot (12) and calculating the rotation speed of the robot speed reducers (G1-Gm) and the load exerted on the individual speed reducers; a storage (22) for chronologically correlating the rotation speed and the load and storing the rotation speed and the load; a speed reducer life calculator (23) for calculating the life of the individual speed reducers, based on the rotation speed and the load; an operating ratio setter (24) for setting an operating ratio of the robot; and a speed reducer life estimator (25) for estimating the life of the speed reducers, based on the life of the individual speed reducers and the operating ratio. |
| US08731883B2 |
Techniques for thermal modeling of data centers to improve energy efficiency
Techniques for modeling a data center are provided. In one aspect, a method for modeling a data center is provided. The method comprises the following steps. Spatially dense three-dimensional thermal distribution and air flow measurements made in the data center using a mobile off-line surveying system are obtained. A temperature and air flow model for the data center is created using the spatially dense three-dimensional thermal distribution and air flow measurements. The temperature and air flow model is used to make thermal distribution and air flow predictions of the data center. The thermal distribution and air flow predictions are compared with the thermal distribution and air flow measurements made using the mobile off-line surveying system to produce a validated model for the data center. |
| US08731879B2 |
Device for balancing a simulation platform, and associated method
Balancing a simulation platform including a nonlinear aeronautical system, the balancing including servoing of an output value of the system to a recorded value, including a first filter producing an inversion of a simplified model of the system for generating a control for the system based on a model correction information item estimating a modeling error of the simplified model and an information item on difference between the output value and the recorded value, and a modeling corrector looping including a second filter using the simplified model to calculate, based on the control and the output value, the model correction item to be supplied to the first filter. |
| US08731875B2 |
System and method for providing data corresponding to physical objects
There is provided a system and method for providing a visualization of data describing a physical structure. An exemplary method comprises defining an unstructured grid that corresponds to a three-dimensional physical structure, the unstructured grid comprising data representative of a property of interest. The exemplary method also comprises defining a probe as an object that comprises a set of topological elements, at least one of which does not share a common plane. The exemplary method additionally comprises providing a visualization of the unstructured grid data on the geometry defined by the probe. |
| US08731867B2 |
System and method for measuring performance of electronic products
A system and method for measuring performance of an electronic product using a measurement control device that connects to a measuring machine and a display device. A component of the electronic product is determined according to a coordinate array, and a physical factor of the component to measured is determined according to performance specifications of the electronic product. A sensor corresponding to the physical factor of the component is selected from sensors of the measuring machine, and a physical factor of each the component is measured by the selected sensor. The system indicates whether the electronic product is workable or unworkable by comparing the physical factors of the components with the performance specifications of the components, and generates a measurement report for evaluating the performance of the electronic product according to the indication results. |
| US08731866B2 |
Location system for street light monitoring
A street light monitoring system has a small fraction of the street lights in the system being anchor nodes that are configured to detect and store their own actual fixed position, thereby acting as reference points. Further, the other street lights are referred to as blind nodes and do not have their actual fixed position but can derive their position using the coordinates of the anchor nodes and estimating their distance to them. The distance estimation for any blind node can be performed using a received signal strength indication (RSSI) measured at the respective blind node for small distances of up to a threshold value and a link quantization technique takes advantage of the typical placement of the street lights. Inferred distances between the street lights can be assigned to pre-determined categories of distances for a coarse estimation and further position adjustment to a closest possible “real” position. |
| US08731865B2 |
Mobile image capture system
A mobile image capture system, a system comprising: a sensing unit for attaching to a vehicle, the sensing unit having a camera constructed and arranged to view a participant on the vehicle, the camera capturing at least one image; and processing electronics for storing data representing the captured at least one image or for relaying data representing the captured at least one image to a computer or a network. |
| US08731864B2 |
System and method of sensor installation validation
A glassbreak detector or motion detector includes circuitry responsive to an installation process. Data concerning the installation process can be automatically stored in non-volatile memory. The stored data can be retrieved as part of an after-installation review. |
| US08731863B2 |
Analyzing system, data processing apparatus, and storage medium
An analyzing system, data processing apparatus, and application program are provided that can display the measurement results and/or analysis results of a plurality of different types of measuring apparatuses on a user interface that is easily comprehended by the user. The data processing apparatus is capable of displaying on a screen the measurement results and analysis results of a plurality of measuring apparatuses that perform mutually different kinds of measurements of specimens. A plurality of measurement item group switching buttons are provided on the display screen, and specimen information tables that correspond to each measurement item can be displayed by a user clicking on the buttons. |
| US08731861B2 |
Gas sensor control device
For an A/F sensor 10 equipped with a sensor element 11, a cover 12 that covers the sensor element, and a heater 13 that raises the temperature of the sensor element 11 and provided to an exhaust system of an engine, an ECU 1A has timing estimation means for estimating a timing of vaporizing and disappearing of cover condensed water that is condensed water generated inside and outside of the cover 12 and determining whether an estimated timing has come, and heater control means for supplying a current to the heater 13 so that the temperature of the sensor element 11 becomes equal to a temperature at which the sensor element 11 does not crack even if the sensor element 11 is moistened until the estimated timing estimated by the timing estimation means at which the cover condensed water vaporizes and disappears comes. |
| US08731859B2 |
Calibration system for a force-sensing catheter
An apparatus, consisting of a rolling element, which is resting on a surface, and a force-sensing device, which is coupled to the surface. The force-sensing device is configured to make a first measurement indicative of a force exerted in a direction perpendicular to the surface. The force is exerted by a force-sensing probe pressing against the rolling element so as to hold the rolling element stationary. The apparatus further includes a calibration processor, which is configured to collect the first measurement from the sensing device, to collect a second measurement indicative of the force from the force-sensing probe, and to calibrate the force-sensing probe based on the first and second measurements. |
| US08731856B2 |
Frequency spectrum analyzing apparatus
A frequency spectrum analyzing apparatus for performing a frequency spectrum analysis with respect to a detected value of an operating parameter of an internal combustion engine in synchronism with rotation of the engine, is provided. The operating parameter is sampled at predetermined time intervals, and the sampled value is converted to a digital value. Intensities of first and second elements are calculated with respect to a predetermined number of the sampled values, wherein the first and second elements respectively correspond to a plurality of frequency components contained in the detected value, and a phase of the second element differs from a phase of the first element by 90 degrees. Frequency component intensities corresponding to the plurality of frequencies are calculated in synchronism with rotation of the engine, using the first element intensities and the second element intensities. Offset components contained in the first element intensities and the second element intensities are calculated, and the frequency component intensities are calculated after removing the offset components from the first and second element intensities. |
| US08731854B2 |
Utility meter with wireless pulse output
An arrangement for measuring electrical energy consumption includes an input circuit operable to generate a first signal representative of a line voltage waveform and a second signal representative of a line current waveform. The arrangement further includes a processing circuit operable to generate energy consumption data based on the first signal and the second signal. The processing circuit is further operable to generate a first pulse waveform having a plurality of output pulses based on the energy consumption data, each output pulse corresponding to a quantity of energy consumed. The arrangement further includes a wireless transmitter coupled to the processing circuit, the wireless transmitter configured to transmit an RF signal each time the first pulse waveform changes state. The arrangement also includes an external device positioned remote from the electrical utility meter, the external device including a receiver configured to receive the RF signal. |
| US08731851B2 |
Method for reconstructing an acoustic field
Disclosed herein is a method of reconstructing a sound field. The method comprises receiving measured values indicative of a first acoustic quantity measured at a set of measurement locations; defining a set of virtual source locations; and computing a second acoustic quantity for at least one target location from one or more wave functions each representative of a respective sound field originating from a respective one of the defined set of virtual source locations; wherein the one or more wave functions are weighted by respective one or more weighting factors, and wherein computing comprises determining the one or more weighting factors from a least-norm fit of the one or more wave functions to the received measured values. |
| US08731850B2 |
Method and device for detecting leaks in the intake tract of an internal combustion engine
A method for detecting a leak in an intake tract of an internal combustion engine involves operating the engine at two operating points and comparing a deviation of measured mass flows from expected mass flows at the first and at the second operating points. |
| US08731843B2 |
Oligomer sequences mapping
Mapping oligomer sequences includes receiving a set of related oligomer sequences, applying one or more key patterns derived from a set of oligomer sequence relationships to obtain one or more keys that are consistent with the set of related oligomer sequences, modifying positions within these keys, and locating the one or more keys in an index configured to map a plurality of candidate and/or validated keys to their respective possible and/or validated locations in a reference. |
| US08731842B2 |
Compositions and methods for biological remodeling with frozen particle compositions
Certain embodiments disclosed herein relate to compositions, methods, devices, systems, and products regarding frozen particles. In certain embodiments, the frozen particles include materials at low temperatures. In certain embodiments, the frozen particles provide vehicles for delivery of particular agents. In certain embodiments, the frozen particles are administered to at least one biological tissue. |
| US08731840B2 |
Compositions and methods for therapeutic delivery with frozen particles
Certain embodiments disclosed herein relate to compositions, methods, devices, systems, and products regarding frozen particles. In certain embodiments, the frozen particles include materials at low temperatures. In certain embodiments, the frozen particles provide vehicles for delivery of particular agents. In certain embodiments, the frozen particles are administered to at least one biological tissue. |
| US08731838B2 |
Fresnel zone fat ray tomography
A stable method for using fat-ray tomography to determine a high-resolution velocity model of the subsurface from seismic data (71). The velocity model (72) may be used in migrating the seismic data (76) to image the subsurface. Rays are traced from a subsurface reflection point to surface source and receiver locations (73), using Fresnel zone construction methods (74) that honor correct initial conditions, with the Fresnel radius being a function of velocity. |
| US08731834B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing user's route information in mobile communication system
An apparatus and a method search a route using a portable terminal. A controller establishes a call connection with another party and exchanges positional information with the other party. An analyzing unit analyzes the route information using a first positional information of the portable terminal and a second positional information of the other party. A displaying unit outputs the route information analyzed by the analyzing unit. The controller provides the route information analyzed by the analyzing unit. |
| US08731831B2 |
Method for representing linear features in a location content management system
Representation of linear features in a location content management system is disclosed. A linear feature is represented using a sequence of routing points that define a unique path when routed on a map through those points. A routing point consists of latitude, longitude, and optional stack position. Stack position defines an upper or lower level of a double-decker bridge or road. The data representing the linear feature is stored outside of a geographic database. |