Document Document Title
US08739683B2 Gas spring piston with partial bellows support feature and gas spring assembly including same
A piston for use in forming a gas spring assembly includes a longitudinally extending axis, a first end wall extending approximately transverse to the axis, and an outer side wall extending longitudinally from adjacent the first end wall. The outer side wall includes a first side wall portion that forms a fully circumferential outer surface and a second side wall portion that forms a partially circumferential outer surface that extends longitudinally beyond the fully circumferential outer surface. A gas spring assembly including such a piston is also included.
US08739682B2 Pneumatic actuator
A pneumatic actuator is provided for an active hood and includes a cylinder and a piston, which is movable in the cylinder between a lower terminal position, in which the volume of a chamber delimited by piston and cylinder, which may be impinged using compressed gas, is minimal, and an upper terminal position, in which the volume of the chamber is maximal. The piston is lockable in the lower terminal position by a detent body engaging in first recesses of the cylinder and the piston. A slider is displaceable by impingement using the compressed gas out of an idle position, in which it fixes the detent body in the first recesses, into a triggering position, in which a second recess of the slider overlaps with one of the first recesses and is capable, together with a single one of the first recesses of accommodating the detent body.
US08739680B2 Hydraulic pressure feedback for servovalves
A spool for a servovalve. The spool includes a first end land and a second end land. The spool includes an intermediate land having a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The intermediate land is positioned between the first end land and the second end land in a spaced-apart, axially aligned relationship such that a first annular space is defined between the first end land and the first side of the intermediate land and a second annular space is defined between the second end land and the second side of the intermediate land. The intermediate land further includes at least one fluid passageway formed in and extending through the intermediate land from the first side to the second side to establish fluid communication between the first annular space and the second annular space to provide a fluid pressure feedback between the first and second annular spaces.
US08739678B2 Hood-lifting actuator with disarmable return braking arrangement
The triggered stroke actuator comprises a cylinder (12) housing a movable assembly constituted by a piston (13), a rod (16) projecting from one end of the cylinder (12), and a slidable element (17) that is movable inside the cylinder (12). The actuator also includes means for propelling the piston (13) in response to a trigger command, and a return braking arrangement. The return braking arrangement is constituted by at least one ball (18) housed in an annular cavity (19) defined by the inside surface of the cylinder (12) and by the slidable element (17), a return spring (22) connecting the slidable element (17) to the piston (13), and a link element (23) connecting the ball (18) to the piston (13). The ball (18) is positioned by the link element (23) in a first segment (20) of the annular cavity (19) when the return spring (22) is relaxed, and in a second segment (21) of decreasing radial extent when the return spring (22) is compressed. Thus, the braking arrangement is released when the force applied to the piston (13) drops below a threshold value.
US08739677B1 Boresight verification device
A boresight verification device (BVD) comprised of a circular housing with a rear portion of smaller diameter and a front portion of larger diameter. The front portion securely holds a level. The circular housing also contains a plurality of spring plungers which grip the inside of a muzzle when BVD is inserted into a muzzle for use. A tooling ball provides a stable reference point.
US08739675B2 Armor panel system to deflect incoming projectiles
An armor panel system has a projectile-deflecting section having an outwardly facing surface. The projectile-deflecting section is formed of a material arranged in parallel layers, the layers arranged at a non-parallel angle to the outer surface. The non-parallel angles deflect or rotate an incoming projectile.
US08739670B2 Method and apparatus for trimming material from a web
Unattached elastic portions of an elasticised web are grasped and raised above a support surface for feeding the elasticised web. The raised portions are brought into contact with a knife blade that is positioned to protrude through the thickness of the raised elastic layer into free space so as to remain spaced from the support surface that is moving beneath the blade in a direction normal to the support surface. The raised elastic layer is held raised during trimming with the knife blade by an elevation element over which the elastic layer runs. A grasping device holds the unattached portion being cut in a taut state in the cross machine direction. The elastic layer thus spans across the elevation element and the grasping device. The knife blade extends through the thickness of the elastic layer along the spanned part of the elastic layer into free space.
US08739667B2 Rotary cutting apparatus with vibration attenuation means
Rotary cutting apparatus has a frame, a first rotary device and a second rotary device. Each of the first and second rotary devices has a shaft concentrically arranged about a rotational axis and a drum and are arranged in the frame in such a way that said first and second axes are substantially horizontal and substantially in the same vertical plane. A pair of bearing housings is arranged on either side of each of the drums. A first pair of bearing housings is movable relative to the frame in a transverse direction to the first rotational axis by means of a force means. Means is provided for passive vibration attenuation of at least the first shaft, the means being able to reduce vibrations due to impacts of the first drum in relation to the second drum.
US08739666B2 Window covering cutting machine
A window covering cutting machine sized and configured to trim window covering work pieces is disclosed. The cutting machine includes a base, a work surface connected to the base, at least one cutting mechanism adjacent the work surface, one or more controllers connected to the one or more cutting mechanisms and at least one data entry device connected to the controller. The controller includes a program. The program is configured to determine an amount to be cut from a window covering work piece based on allowance input received from one or more of the data entry devices. The one or more controllers are configured to prompt a user to provide the allowance input to the program. The allowance input identifies an allowance value used by the program to determine the amount to be cut.
US08739663B2 Device for holding an ancillary device at right angles to an imaginary axis of rotation
A device for holding a tool holder for face milling a brake disc present on a vehicle has a coupling section which can be connected to a shaft or hub rotating around the axis of rotation, as well as a support for supporting the ancillary device, and holding the ancillary device at right angles to the axis of rotation. The holder comprises a hinge construction, a first part of which having a sphere function and the second part of which having a scale function, one of the parts being connected to the coupling section and the other part being connected to the support.
US08739662B2 Telescopic handle for a hand tool
A telescopic handle for a hand tool includes a main shank connected to a tool head at a distal end and insertable into an outer sleeve which a user grips. The main shank has a plurality of axially spaced retained regions such that a radially movable retaining member is engageable with a selected one of the retained regions. A key-and-keyway mechanism is disposed to guide axial movement of the outer sleeve and to guard against rotation of the outer sleeve relative to the main shank so as to permit delivery of an appropriate torque to the main shank. An operating member is disposed on and movable axially relative to the outer sleeve to radially move the retaining member.
US08739661B2 Device for tightening and releasing clamping tools
The invention relates to a device (1) for tightening and releasing clamping tools (16), such as draw-in collet chucks, mandrels and the like which allows a torque to be concentrically transferred onto a clamping device, such as a locknut (17), clamping screw or the like without radial stress and without the threaded sections of the clamping device (17) and the collet chuck base (31) or the like being subjected to an unbalanced load. In a preferred embodiment, the device (1) is universally applicable, has an especially simple design and can be rapidly adapted to the respective clamping tools (16).
US08739660B2 Screw head and tool for use therewith
Disclosed is a screw head having a slot (2) in the upper surface of the screw head, an upper peripheral wall (9) of hexalobular planform extending down into the screw head, the upper peripheral wall (9) being parallel or near parallel to the axis of the screw, a sloping transition surface (15) extending downwardly and inwardly with respect to the lower edge of the upper peripheral wall (9), and a tapered recess (11) extending downwardly from the lower edge of the sloping transition surface (15), in which the dimensions of the screw head are such that when the screw head is engaged by a tool (6) having upper (16) and lower engagement (17) sections, there is a ‘stick fit’ between the surface of the tapered recess (11) and the external surface of the lower engagement section (17), and there is no engagement with the sloping transition surface (15).
US08739658B2 Damaged bolt and screw removing devices
A bit for removing a broken fastener comprises a tip from which extend two or more notches separated by traction or biting surfaces formed from two-sided frusto-conically-shaped regions. The surfaces are bounded on one side by a nonlinear cutting edge and on the other side by a non-cutting edge and are configured to cut into the fastener when the bit is rotated in a direction opposite to the fastener's direction of engagement. Specific embodiments include configurations where the cutting edges extend at different angles with respect to the bit axis, where the biting surfaces comprise a plurality of serrations, and where the cutting edges are separated by flutes which spiral along a longitudinally extending periphery of the bit.
US08739656B2 Boat drive comprising auxiliary drives
A pivotal boat drive having a transmission unit (1) which is driven by a drive engine via a connection point (A). The connection point has an input shaft (11) of a drive device (10) that is rotatably positioned around a first rotational axis (5) and an output shaft (3) that is coupled with the input shaft (11) and rotatable around a second rotational axis (6). The rotational axes (5, 6) are neither parallel nor concentrically positioned with respect to one another. At least one additional connection point (B, C) is provided at the transmission unit (1), at which an additional drive device (20), driven by an additional drive engine, can be positioned to drive the output shaft (3).
US08739651B2 Handlebar assembly for bicycles and bicycle having a handlebar assembly
A handlebar assembly for a two-wheeled vehicle, in particular a bicycle having a first end and having a second end and having a mounting portion positioned between the ends, wherein the handlebar assembly forms at least one through hole or passage area for air flowing through between said first end and the second end, and a bicycle having such a handlebar assembly.
US08739650B2 Control lever device for work vehicle
A control lever device for a work vehicle. The control lever device comprises a plurality of control levers to be movable along paths arranged in parallel with each other, a vertical limit member including lever openings formed therein for the plurality of control levers and extending to allow the movement of the control levers, dust-proof members movable along the back surface of the vertical limit member following the movement of the control levers to close the lever openings, lateral limit members for limiting displacement of the dust-proof members in a lateral direction relative to the moving direction of the control levers, and a base defining a movable surface for the dust-proof members. The vertical limit member and the lateral limit members are formed as a single cover to cover the dust-proof members.
US08739649B2 Operation unit
An operation unit includes a case and an operation member molded integrally through injection molding. The operation member includes an outer surface and a slide portion supported by the case. The slide portion is slidable and movable relative to the case. The operation member further includes a knob operated by an operator, a parting line formed continuously from the slide portion to the knob along the outer surface, and a ridge line formed on the outer surface. At least part of the parting line is formed along the ridge line.
US08739646B2 Roller screw and method of circulating rollers in roller screw
There is provided a roller screw in which a twisted amount of an unloaded return path is reduced.The roller screw has a screw shaft 1 having a spiral roller-rolling surface 1a on an outer peripheral surface thereof; a nut 2 having a spiral loaded roller-rolling surface 2a on an inner peripheral surface thereof, the spiral loaded roller-rolling surface being opposed to the roller-rolling surface 1a of the screw shaft 1; a circulation member 7 arranged in the nut 2 and formed to have an unloaded return path 8 connecting one end and the other end of the loaded roller-rolling surface 2a, whose turn number is less than one, of the nut 2; and a plurality of rollers 4 arranged in a one-turn roller circulation path composed by a loaded roller-rolling path 6 and the unloaded return path 8. The circulation member 7 guides the rollers which have moved and arrived at the one end of the loaded roller-rolling path 6 having less than one turn, to the unloaded return path 8, and then returns the rollers to the other end of the loaded roller-rolling path 6 having less than one turn. The number of turns of the loaded roller-rolling path 6 is set to be less than one turn, whereby the rollers 4 which have arrived at one end of the loaded roller-rolling path 6 can be transferred to the other end of the loaded roller-rolling path 6 without changing their attitudes.
US08739645B2 Toothed-rack steering gear, and servo steering system equipped with the same
Described is a toothed-rack steering gear having a drive pinion (3) which is rotatably mounted in a steering housing (2) and which engages into a toothed rack (4) which is axially movably mounted in the steering housing (2), having a thrust piece (5) which preloads the toothed rack (4) against the drive pinion (3), and having at least one further machine element (15) which is operatively connected to the toothed rack (4) and which is mounted so as to be radially immovable with respect to the toothed rack (4), wherein the preload force exerted on the toothed rack (4) by the thrust piece (5) causes bending of the toothed rack (4).
US08739642B2 Sensor assembly
A sensor assembly includes a sensor and a sensor housing that supports the sensor and that operably engages a connector. The sensor housing includes a first retainer and a second retainer. The first retainer includes a tapered surface that tapers relative to the longitudinal axis, and the tapered surface abuts against the aperture surface of the connector to guide the sensor housing as the sensor housing moves substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis into the aperture. The sensor housing is engageable with the connector to receive the connector between the first retainer and the second retainer and to limit relative movement of the sensor housing and the connector in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The second retainer abuts against the aperture surface of the connector to limit relative rotation of the sensor housing and the connector about the longitudinal axis.
US08739639B2 Footwear having sensor system
A sensor system is adapted for use with an article of footwear and includes an insert member including a first layer and a second layer, a port connected to the insert and configured for communication with an electronic module, a plurality of force and/or pressure sensors on the insert member, and a plurality of leads connecting the sensors to the port.
US08739636B2 Electromagnetic flow meter having a circuit that provides positive and negative magnetic excitation electric currents to a magnetic excitation coil
With the non-magnetic-excitation period until a specific amount of time elapses from the commencement of the transition from the positive magnetic excitation period to the non-magnetic-excitation period defined as a first period T1 and the non-magnetic-excitation period until a specific amount of time elapses from the commencement of the transition from the negative magnetic excitation period to the non-magnetic-excitation period defined as a second period T2, the sum of a voltage produced at a detecting electrode and a voltage produced at a detecting electrode, at the time of each first period T1 and second period T2, is calculated as a sum of voltages between electrodes, and a fault in an electromagnetic flow meter, such as detection of an empty state, adhesion of an electrically insulating object to an electrode, and so forth, is evaluated based on the sum of voltages between electrodes.
US08739631B2 System and method for non-destructive testing of railroad rails using ultrasonic apparatuses mounted within fluid-filled tires maintained at constant temperatures
A rolling search unit including an ultrasonic device and a heat exchanger mounted within a fluid-filled tire may be utilized to perform ultrasonic testing on an underlying railroad rail. The ultrasonic device may transmit or receive ultrasonic beams into or from the railroad rail, and the heat exchanger may be utilized to maintain the temperature of the fluid within the tire at a preferred level or within a preferred range. In such a manner, the results of testing obtained using the rolling search unit may be standardized regardless of the ambient temperature in the environment where the testing is being performed, and regardless of any heat gained or lost by the rolling search unit during operation.
US08739630B2 Pulse-echo method for determining the damping block geometry
The invention relates to a nondestructive ultrasonic test method in which at least one ultrasonic pulse is emitted into a workpiece under test by means of at least one ultrasonic transmitter (3), the ultrasonic pulse is reflected on boundary surfaces within the workpiece, the reflected ultrasound is received by at least one ultrasonic receiver (2), and the associated signals are evaluated, the ultrasound penetrating a damping block (4) that is arranged between the workpiece and the transmitter or receiver. Said method is characterized in that it includes at least one step for determining at least one dimension (alpha, d1, d2) of the damping block (4) that is relevant for the ultrasonic test; in said step, the propagation time of at least one ultrasonic pulse which is generated by the ultrasonic transmitter (3), is reflected on a boundary surface (5) of the damping block (4), and is received by the ultrasonic receiver (2) is measured, and at least one dimension (alpha, d1, d2) of the damping block (4) that is relevant for the ultrasonic test is determined from said measurement.
US08739627B2 Inertial sensor with off-axis spring system
An inertial sensor (20) includes a drive mass (30) configured to undergo oscillatory motion and a sense mass (32) linked to the drive mass (30). On-axis torsion springs (58) are coupled to the sense mass (32), the on-axis torsion springs (58) being co-located with an axis of rotation (22). The inertial sensor (20) further includes an off-axis spring system (60). The off-axis spring system (60) includes off-axis springs (68, 70, 72, 74), each having a connection interface (76) coupled to the sense mass (32) at a location on the sense mass (32) that is displaced away from the axis of rotation (22). Together, the on-axis torsion springs (58) and the off-axis spring system (60) enable the sense mass (32) to oscillate out of plane about the axis of rotation (22) at a sense frequency that substantially matches a drive frequency of the drive mass (30).
US08739626B2 Micromachined inertial sensor devices
A micromachined inertial sensor with a single proof-mass for measuring 6-degree-of-motions. The single proof-mass includes a frame, an x-axis proof mass section attached to the frame by a first flexure, and a y-axis proof mass section attached to the frame by a second flexure. The single proof-mass is formed in a micromachined structural layer and is adapted to measure angular rates about three axes with a single drive motion and linear accelerations about the three axes.
US08739624B2 Wheel balancer with means for determining tyre uniformity
The present application relates to a wheel balancer which includes a stationary frame, a measuring shaft mounted rotatably about a shaft axis on the stationary frame and adapted to receive coaxially a rim/tyre assembly. The wheel balancer further includes an encoder configured to determine the angular positions of the measuring shaft or of the rim/tyre assembly, a load device configured to apply a load to the periphery of the rim/tyre assembly, a first measuring device configured to measure forces resulting from an unbalance of the rotating rim/tyre assembly, a second measuring device configured to measure forces acting between the load device and the periphery of the rim/tyre assembly, and a locking device configured to keep the distance between the shaft axis and a contact portion at which the periphery of the rim/tyre assembly contacts the load device constant during the measurement of the forces acting between the load device and the periphery of the rim/tyre assembly.
US08739622B2 Capacitive humidity detector with nanoporous hydrophilic dielectric
A humidity sensor of capacitive type, a device for detecting or measuring humidity including the sensor, and a method to fabricate the sensor. The humidity sensor includes at least one nanoporous dielectric material positioned between at least one first electrode of a capacitor and at least one second electrode of the capacitor.
US08739614B2 Deterioration determination apparatus for airflow meter and deterioration determination method
When a deterioration determination apparatus determines a degree of deterioration in characteristics of an airflow meter, a driving condition of an engine is maintained at a specified condition in which intake air flow rate is greater than a specified value. A measurement error of the airflow meter is computed based on an intake air flow rate measured with the airflow meter. The degree of deterioration due to stain is determined based on the measurement error.
US08739609B2 Test sample heating apparatus and method
A test sample heating apparatus and method includes a heating jacket that applies heat to a sample vessel containing a test sample. The heating jacket has a vessel-receiving recess that is sized and shaped to allow the sample vessel to be placed within the recess with limited annular spacing between at least part of the sample vessel exterior surface and at least part of the heating jacket recess interior surface. Proximate surfaces of at least one of the heating jacket and the sample vessel may be coated with a dark coating to enhance heat transfer.
US08739598B2 System and method for calibrating an automated materials handling system
A method of calibrating positions within a materials handling system, wherein the materials handling system includes multiple stations for carrying out tasks and a carrier that is movable between the multiple stations, includes the steps of: providing calibration points at a plurality of the multiple stations; moving the carrier to at least some of the calibration points; contacting the calibration points; recording the locations of the calibration points; and determining locations of key components of the stations based on the locations of the calibration points. In some embodiments, the method includes contacting the calibration points with a calibration tool, which may include: a cylindrical body; a groove in the cylindrical body sized and configured to receive jaws from the carrier; and a cylindrical upper flange positioned on an upper end of the cylindrical body. In this configuration, the tool can be gripped by the carrier and employed to perform a variety of calibration functions.
US08739595B2 Punching press
The invention relates to a punching press with a clamping plate (27) and with a press ram (1) which lies opposite the upper side of the clamping plate (27) and operates towards the clamping plate (27) and is moveable up and down via four tension columns (2) by means of a crank drive arranged below the belt movement plane (X) of the punching press. The press ram (1) is guided exclusively via the tension columns (2) which, in turn, are guided in inclination-tolerant guides (3) in the belt movement plane (X) in such a manner that the press ram (1) and the tension columns (2) can be positioned obliquely as a consequence of differing longitudinal expansion of the tension columns (2) under an eccentric load by the tension columns (2) being inclined about axes of inclination running in the region of the belt movement plane (X) of the punching press. By means of the configuration according to the invention, distortion of the punching press under an eccentric load, which would lead to uncontrollable operating conditions during the punching and a high degree of wear at the guides of the machine, is avoided, and it can be ensured that, in the event of a possible skewed position of the ram, no tool offset, which would result in a high degree of tool wear or even in tool fracture, occurs.
US08739593B2 Foil configuring device
A device for configuring foil for use in cooking food comprising: a base portion; a first plurality of rotatable elements operatively associated with the base portion; a support mounted on the base portion; and a second plurality of rotatable elements operatively associated with the support; the support operating to pivot relative to the base portion so as to allow entry of foil between the first and second plurality of rotatable elements in a first position and engagement of the first and second plurality of rotatable elements in a second position; whereby in the second position the first and second plurality of rotatable elements impart a configuration to the foil.
US08739591B2 Electrode tip dressing apparatus and tool used therefor
There are provided an electrode tip dressing apparatus and an electrode tip dressing tool for resistance welding, which are miniaturized by reducing a rotational driving-force of a dressing tool. By adjusting a curvature radius of a dressing portion 4 of a dressing tool 2, a contact width, wherein a top electrode tip 5 abuts to the dressing portion 4 of the dressing tool 2, is adjusted from a rotational center of the dressing tool 2 to the outer side of the dressing tool 2. Dressing work done with the dressing tool 2 is thus made to be constant at the whole area of the dressing portion 4, from the rotational center of the dressing tool 2 to the outer side of the dressing tool 2. Accordingly, excess dressing work, which brings decline of productivity, can be avoided, thus enabling to dress the top electrode tip 5 with the minimal dressing work. A rotational driving-power of the dressing tool 2 is thereby reduced, enabling to labor-save and miniaturize the electrode tip dressing apparatus.
US08739587B2 Rekeyable lock assembly with blown cylinder protection
A rekeyable lock cylinder includes a plug body with a keyway opening along a longitudinal axis and a multiple of channels transverse to the axis. A locking bar generally parallel to the longitudinal axis, the locking bar having an extension. A slide movably mounted to an end section of the plug body, the slide having a slot which selectively permits passage of the extension during a rekeying procedure.
US08739584B2 Door lock retainer
A door lock retainer may include a door-latch-mechanism frame, a retainer, and a door-lock cylinder. The door-latch-mechanism frame may support a linkage and include a landing surface. The retainer may include an aperture and a first surface engaging the landing surface and restricting deflection of the linkage. The door-lock cylinder may be received in the aperture and supported by the retainer.
US08739583B2 Combination lock with reduced axial length
A lock includes a cylinder with a locking tab extending axially from a distal end, a rod movable between a locked position and an unlocked position. At least one protrusion on the rod, and a pair of blocking elements positioned adjacent to the locking tab. A marked wheel is rotatably mounted on the rod and cylinder, and includes an inner wheel including a ridge extending from an inner surface and a slot extending through the ridge. The rod slides relative to the cylinder when the slot is aligned with the protrusion on the rod.
US08739582B2 Locking arrangement
A locking arrangement for the latching of a door to a counterpart has an upper part and a lower part. The upper part has at least one base section, a first side section which is angled with respect to the base section, a cover section which is angled with respect to the first side section, and a securing section which is angled with respect to the cover section and has a securing opening. The lower part has at least one base section and a securing section which is angled with respect to the base section of the lower part and has a securing opening. A holding means for the holding of a hoop lock is provided at the upper part or at the lower part. The upper part and the lower part can be positioned in a position of use relative to one another such that the securing opening of the upper part and the securing opening of the lower part are arranged in alignment to be able to secure the two securing sections to one another by means of a lock hoop. The cover section of the upper part has a key opening for a front-side introduction of a key.
US08739580B2 Pulley electric motor for a washing machine, actuation system for a washing machine and washing machine
A pulley electric motor for a washing machine, comprising a stator, a rotor, electronic power circuitry for actuating the rotor, and electronic control circuitry for controlling both the electronic power circuitry to control movement of the rotor and a discharge electric pump of the washing machine. An actuation system for a washing machine is also described, comprising a pulley electric motor for the actuation of a washing drum and a discharge electric pump for discharging water, controlled by the electronic control circuitry, the pulley electric motor equipped with electronic control circuitry which also controls the discharge electric pump. Also described is a washing machine comprising a housing body for a rotary washing drum, a pulley electric motor connected to the drum through a kinematic belt/pulley coupling, a discharge electric pump, and electronic control circuitry for controlling the pulley electric motor. The electronic control circuitry also controls the discharge electric pump.
US08739577B2 Washing machine
A washing machine is disclosed. A washing machine includes a cabinet configured to define an exterior appearance thereof; a tub installed in the cabinet to hold wash water therein; a drum rotatably installed in the tub to accommodate laundry therein; at least one venting portion provided in an upper portion of the tub to communicate with an outside of the tub; and a ventilation part (300) provided in a lower portion of the tub to communicate with an inside of the tub. The above configuration enables convection current of internal air of the tub generated via the venting portion and the ventilation part (300).
US08739576B2 Washing/drying machine and deodorization apparatus
The inventive washing machine is capable of deodorizing a daily commodity with cleaning air in a shorter period of time. When the daily commodity is deodorized with the cleaning air, a control section (120) causes a heater (100) to heat air in a washing tub (3) to maintain an inside air temperature of the washing tub (3) within a predetermined temperature range. This promotes the deodorization with the cleaning air, as long as the cleaning air is not decomposed by the heating. As a result, the daily commodity can be satisfactorily deodorized irrespective of an operation period set by a timer (122), for example, even if a daily commodity deodorization process is performed with the use of the cleaning air in a shorter period of time (a minimum air-wash process is performed).
US08739573B2 Apparatus and method for manufacturing vitreous silica crucible
There are provided an apparatus and a method for manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible which can prevent the deterioration of the inner surface property in the manufacturing process of a vitreous silica crucible. The apparatus includes a mold defining an outer shape of a vitreous silica crucible, and an arc discharge unit having electrodes and a power-supply unit, wherein each of the electrodes includes a tip end directed to the mold, the other end opposite to the tip end, and a bent portion provided between the tip end and the other end.
US08739572B2 Component based glass casting system and method
A system and method for providing component based glass casting are disclosed. One embodiment comprises arranging at least one metal shape to define boundaries of a casting dam, lining the boundaries with ceramic fiber paper to create a containment including the at least one metal shape and the ceramic fiber paper, inserting glass in the containment, and firing the glass and the containment in a kiln to cast a glass shape corresponding to a portion of the containment.
US08739571B2 Manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing optical element
A manufacturing method for manufacturing an optical element includes: supplying a gas containing a mold-release acceleration substance to the space between a first mold and a second mold which sandwich an optical material and face each other; and pressurizing and transforming the optical material by bringing the first and second molds relatively close to each other.
US08739570B2 Eyeglass holder
A device or holder for holding a pair of eyeglasses that may be incorporated into a necklace assembly is provided. The holder or device may be connected to a necklace having a first and a second end by a linker, one linker attached to the holder and adapted to attach to a first end of a necklace and one linker attached to the holder and adapted to attach to a second end of a necklace. The first and second end of the necklace may have terminal loops. The necklace assembly may be worn about the neck having a device or holder for holding a temple piece of eyeglasses assembly connected between ends of the necklace. The device or holder for holding a temple piece of eyeglasses includes an eyeglass-holder tube and optionally a first and a second linker.
US08739561B2 Turbo compressor, turbo refrigerator, and method of manufacturing turbo compressor
A turbo compressor includes an impeller fixed to one end portion of a rotation shaft by a predetermined fastening member, and a regulating portion which is used to regulate rotation of the rotation shaft during fastening of the fastening member and is provided in the other end portion of the rotation shaft. The regulating portion is formed as a recessed portion recessed from an end surface of the other end portion of the rotation shaft.
US08739559B2 Method for selecting lubricants for heat pumps
Provided is a method for selecting a lubricant and a refrigerant for use in a vapor-compression refrigeration device such that the combination of the lubricant and refrigerant produces a fluid system having a lubricant-rich phase and a refrigerant-rich phase, yet exhibits miscible-type properties.
US08739558B2 Automatic cold and hot air conditioner system
The various embodiments herein provide an air conditioner system for providing cold and warm air in cars and buildings. The air conditioner system includes a chamber, a plurality of input air blades, a plurality of input air filters, an electrical ventilator, one or more wet heat exchangers, and one or more dry heat exchangers installed in the chamber, an outgoing air heat exchanger, an operation selection valve, an electrical circulating pump, one or more sets of water sprayers nozzles, one or more water sprayer pumps, one or more thermoelectric modules and a microcontroller unit. The passing of air through the chamber is automatically controlled by the microcontroller unit based on the operation of the system in the cooling or heating mode. The air is cooled in the cooling mode using the multistage water evaporation mechanism.
US08739556B2 Cryopreservation device
A cryopreservation device of the present invention includes: a cryopreservation vessel; a house which houses the cryopreservation vessel; and a handling robot provided on the house, wherein the cryopreservation vessel comprises a vessel body which holds a low-temperature liquefied gas, a cap which closes an opening section of the vessel body and has a plurality of insertion holes formed to pass through in a vertical direction, and ampoule storing tools which are housed so as to be able to pass through the insertion holes of the cap, in which the ampoule storing tools are each comprised of a support pillar and a plurality of ampoule storing sections which are attached to the support pillar so as to be arrayed in a vertical direction of the support pillar, and an ampoule-putting-in/out work hole is formed in the cap so as to pass through in a vertical direction.
US08739554B2 Thermal block unit
The present invention discloses a thermal block unit for thermal treatment of samples comprising temperature regulating units, temperature sensors for measuring temperature at different locations of the thermal block unit, a converter for converting signals from the temperature sensors into digital signals and a thermal block interface for communicating with an instrument.
US08739545B2 Burner for a gas turbine engine
A burner for a gas turbine engine is provided. The burner includes a radial swirler for creating a swirling fuel/air mix, a combustion chamber where combustion of the swirling fuel/air mix occurs, and a pre-chamber located between the radial swirler and the combustion chamber. The radial swirler includes a plurality of vanes arranged in a circle, generally radially inwardly extending flow slots are defined between adjacent vanes in the circle, each flow slot includes a radially outer inlet end, a radially inner outlet end, first and second generally radially inwardly extending sides provided by adjacent vanes, and a base and top. A flow slot includes a first gas fuel injection hole in its base and a flow slot includes a second gas fuel injection hole in its first side wherein the amounts of gas fuel injected via the first and second gas fuel injection holes are independently variable.
US08739542B1 Closed vapor system
A closed vapor system includes a boiler arranged to store a vapor and a heating source configured to heat the vapor to a predetermined temperature. A source of pressure maintains the pressure of the vapor in a range of about 100 pounds per square inch to 150 pounds per square inch. Pressurized vapor is drawn from the boiler at a pressure in the range of about 100 pounds per square inch. A motor is responsive to the torque of the pressurized vapor drawn from the boiler and is configured to rotate a shaft. A compressor pump is responsive to rotation of the motor shaft and is arranged to receive effluent vapor from the motor to repressurize the effluent vapor and return it to the boiler. The closed vapor system may function as a battery, vehicle engine and a stationary power source.
US08739541B2 System and method for cooling an expander
A Rankine cycle system includes: an evaporator configured to receive heat from a heat source and circulate a working fluid to remove heat from the heat source; an expander in flow communication with the evaporator and configured to expand the working fluid fed from the evaporator; a condenser in flow communication with the expander and configured to condense the working fluid fed from the expander; a pump in flow communication with the condenser and configured to pump the working fluid fed from the condenser; a first conduit for feeding a first portion of the working fluid from the pump to the evaporator; and a second conduit for feeding a second portion of the working fluid from the pump to the expander.
US08739540B2 Vapor vortex heat sink
A hermetic Rankine cycle in a sealed casing powers an internal centrifugal condensate pump with an internal vapor turbine during forced convective heat transfer between a heat source and a heat sink. No work is imported into the cycle during operation. A centrifugal pumping disk shears the working fluid against a heating surface, sweeping evolving vapor into radial vortices which provide sink flow conduits to a vapor space at the center of the cylindrical turbine. Convective mass flow through the vapor space to the condensing end of the casing spins the turbine and the centrifugal pumping disk which is connected to it. Vapor is continuously swept from the heating surface, so bubbles do not form and superheat while blocking heat flux into liquid working fluid. Vapor is sucked through the radial vortices into the central vapor space and into the condensing end of the casing along the low pressure gradients in vortex cores established by cooling power. A high heat flux surface is thereby thermally connected to a conventional heat sink having high cooling power, for maximal heat extraction at data centers or other heat sources. Vapor vortices organize counterflow of vapor and condensate in a continuous mass flow cycle, and extract work from heat. Organic working fluids can be used in the casing to make even low temperature waste heat a power source.
US08739523B2 Rotary vibration damper with centrifugal force pendulum
A rotary vibration damper with an input part and an output part having a centrifugal force pendulum disposed on a flange part of the input part or output part, with several mass parts distributed over the circumference of the flange part, and disposed on two sides of the flange part, in raceways of the flange part, and limitedly displaceable in the circumferential direction, and in the radial direction by which two mass parts are interconnected respectively on opposite sides of the flange part.
US08739522B2 Systems and methods for pre-heating compressed air in advanced adiabatic compressed air energy storage systems
Systems and methods provide for capturing heat energy in a power generation system. The system includes: a first compressor configured to exhaust a first compressed, heated air flow; a heat exchanger connected to the first compressor and configured to receive the first compressed, heated air flow and configured to transfer heat energy from the first compressed, heated air flow to an oil; at least one pump connected to the heat exchanger and configured to pump the heated oil in a closed-loop system from the heat exchanger to an insulated storage tank; a second compressor connected to the heat exchanger and configured to exhaust a second compressed, heated air flow; and an energy storage unit connected to the second compressor and configured to store heat energy from the second compressed, heated air flow.
US08739521B2 Cogeneration apparatus
In a cogeneration apparatus, a heat exchanger includes an exhaust gas passageway for passage therethrough of exhaust gas, a heat medium passageway for passage therethrough of a heat medium that gives heat energy to a water heater etc., and a water passageway for taking heat from the exhaust gas and giving the heat to the heat medium. Cooling water for a water-cooled engine is given to the water passageway. The cogeneration apparatus requires reduced numbers of the heat exchanger and pipes, and hence a reduced number of necessary component parts, so that the cogeneration apparatus can be reduced in cost.
US08739507B2 Interlocking cable track system
A convertible interlocking cable track system for receiving and handling a flexible member for use in a longwall mining operation. The cable track system includes a series of links adapted to retain the flexible member, each of the links including a single pull link adapted to interconnect with adjacent links, wherein the single pull link is configured to cooperate with a cable control member to form an opening for receiving and handling the flexible member. The cable control member comprises either a shaped rod to form a single pull cable track system, or an outer link to convert the single pull link to a twin pull link in order to satisfy certain loading requirements. The cable track system also includes a securing arrangement for securing the cable control member to the single pull link and an interlocking system for joining the series of links to one another.
US08739505B2 Methods of harvesting downed corn
A method of harvesting downed corn using a combine harvester equipped with a corn head having a corn rake mounted to the head. The corn rake includes pairs of rake tines mounted on a camshaft. With the camshaft rotating, the combine harvester is driven through the downed corn, the pairs of rake tines assisting in providing the downed corn to an auger area of the corn head.
US08739503B2 Foldable carrier packaging
A foldable and flexible carrier which may include a polymeric form that is foldable to provide a carrier having sufficient strength to securely hold and carry items while maintaining position about the items and which can be assembled without fastening hardware.
US08739502B2 Methods and apparatus for evaluating packaging materials and determining wrap settings for wrapping machines
A method of determining a wrap force or payout percentage at which to wrap a load with packaging material may include dispensing packaging material. The method may also include forming a tear in a portion of the packaging material. The method may further include identifying a first payout percentage at which the tear exhibits a first behavior. The method may also include identifying a second payout percentage at which the tear exhibits a second behavior. The method may further include selecting a third payout percentage between the first payout percentage and the second payout percentage, for wrapping the load.
US08739500B2 Bag neck sealer
A bag neck sealer includes a base. The base includes an installation wheel, a rotary wheel, a press plate, a movable blade unit and a fixed blade unit. The fixed blade unit has a seat. The seat includes a fixed blade and a protective piece thereon. The protective piece is connected with an elastic member to be against one side of the fixed blade opposite to the seat to shield the edge of the fixed blade. Therefore, when the user operates the bag neck sealer, the user's fingers can be protected from the fixed blade through the protective piece, preventing the fingers from being hurt so as to enhance the safety of the bag neck sealer.
US08739498B2 Fire door
An insulated fire door includes a door shell having spaced first and second exterior panels and a gypsum panel between the first and second exterior panels. The insulated fire door includes a plurality of spacers bonded across an interior side of each of the first and second exterior panels. The spacers maintain the gypsum panel in a spaced position from the interior sides of the first and second exterior panels as the door bows during a fire on one side of the door, until the gypsum disintegrates. Each of the spacers may have a flat portion contacting the gypsum panel, a leg extending from the flat portion spacing the gypsum from the interior sides of the first and second exterior panels, and a flange extending from the leg bonding the spacer to the first and second exterior panels.
US08739492B2 Space frame connector
A space frame connector is provided for attaching an oblique strut tube to an axial chord of a space frame. The space frame connector includes a collar adapted to fit over an axial chord. The collar is equipped with one or more attachment flanges. The space frame connector also includes a strut tube having an extrusion flange formed in at least one of its ends. The extrusion flange is made up of two parallel leaves that define a slot between them. The slot is sized and shaped to fit over an attachment flange on the collar that is positioned over the axial chord. The extrusion flange can be formed using simple press and punch tools. Space frames used to support solar energy collector arrays can be assembled in the field, including formation of the extrusion flanges on the oblique strut tubes, or multiple strut tubes can be attached to axial chords and compactly packed and transported to the field for use in constructing space frames, for example for supporting large parabolic trough solar collectors.
US08739484B2 Roof panel systems for building construction
Roof panels and roof panel assemblies, comprising roof panels and ridge beams, assemblies are disclosed for use in building construction. The roof panels and ridge beams comprise components formed of composite materials, and certain aspects of the invention include designs that provide for the absorption of solar heat and the promotion of hot air flow within the roof to heat the interior building or generate electricity, among other attributes.
US08739483B1 System for mounting wall panels to a wall structure
A system for mounting wall panels to a wall, includes wall panels, each including a main wall panel, and at least two bent end sections with a cut-out section and a wall thickness; and a plurality of main fastening extrusions, each including a base section to be secured to the wall, and two parallel, spaced apart flexible and resilient bent end securing walls extending from the base section, each bent end securing wall including a projection facing the other bent end securing wall, the bent end securing walls spaced apart corresponding to the wall thickness of two bent end sections, such that pressing of the bent end sections into the spacing between the bent end securing walls causes biasing away of the bent end securing walls until the projections engage in respective cut-out sections with the bent end sections being at least in near abutting relation.
US08739480B1 Emergency storm shelter assembly
An emergency storm shelter assembly extends from a wall of a structure to establish, a shelter space resistant to collapse in the event the structure collapses on the assembly. The assembly includes a first panel and a second panel. A pivotable anchor is coupled to a base edge of the first panel such that the first panel is selectively positionable parallel to a wall of the building structure. An upper edge of the second panel is pivotably coupled to a top edge of the first panel. A holding mechanism is coupled to the first panel and the second panel securing the first panel and the second panel in a fully extended static position defining a sheltered space.
US08739477B2 Modular safety system
Embodiments provide modular seismic safety systems and methods of providing safe zones and emergency equipment for use in public and private buildings. In various embodiments, the modular safety systems may include at least one safety module that may be installed in a pre-existing structure in order to provide a safety zone configured to withstand a seismic emergency. In various embodiments, the safety module may be configured to withstand the forces of an earthquake, and may be seismically isolated from the preexisting structure by an expansion joint. In some embodiments, a plurality of safety modules may be installed, and they may work together to form in internal bracing structure. Various embodiments also may include a freestanding safety capsule that contains safety equipment and that is exterior to the building. Also disclosed are methods of providing a cost-effective modular safety system for use in a school or other public building.
US08739475B2 Foldable building units
Foldable building units are provided based on structural frame and connection assembly designs that enable greater construction efficiency and flexibility. The structural frame and connection assembly designs allow for easier connection of frame elements in the prefabrication process of the foldable building units and for easier connection of frame elements at the building site, for example, of foldably connected frame elements after unfolding. They also allow for more finish in the prefabrication process, and/or less and faster work at the building site, for example, by enabling conventional structural lumber grids that can be continuous through the edges and corners of the building envelope for conventional exterior finishing, while providing a tight building envelope with reduced heat transfer, particularly, through the edges of the foldable building unit.
US08739474B2 Portable shelter
A portable shelter is erectable on a support surface for providing short to long term housing for humans. In general, the shelter includes a foundation, a floor supported by the foundation, and an enclosure. The shelter defines an interior which may be inhabited by a human. The shelter may include front, rear, side, and top walls, all of which may be folded to define inboard and outboard folds which enhance the structural integrity of the walls. The floor of the structure may include indentations corresponding to inboard folds of one or more walls for receiving the inboard folds for enhancing structural integrity of the shelter. The floor may be folded to form upstanding portions adjacent the indentations for securing the inboard folds in the indentations. Moreover, the walls may be folded to define feet which engage the support surface.
US08739473B2 Trellis and accent band
A trellis system is disclosed wherein the trellis comprises a front tube, a back tube, and two end tubes joined together, a plurality of roof panels, each panel having a perimeter, wherein the perimeter of the panel is coupled to at least a back tube surface and a front tube surface; a plurality of cross member assemblies wherein the cross member assemblies assist in creating tension between the front tube and the back tube, and a plurality of fasteners coupling the front tube to the end tubes, the back tube to the end tubes, and the roof panels to at least the front tube and the back tube, wherein the fasteners are not visible when the trellis system is installed. The trellis system also includes accent bands. A plurality of turnbuckles allows for easy leveling of the trellis.
US08739468B2 Door opening and closing device
Provided is a door opening and closing device wherein the device width can be made small and wherein the movement of a retraction arm can be stabilized. In a body case (102) which is slender and extends in one direction, there is provided an arm block (121) for a retraction arm (104) which rotates from the open state to the closed state. On one side of the body case (102), there is provided a first slider (134) which, being interlocked with the rotation of the arm block (121), makes linear movements in one direction. In the body case (102), there is provided an arm shaft (105) which serves as the center of rotation of the arm block (121). A second slider (131) which, being interlocked with the rotation of the arm block (121), makes linear movements in one direction, is provided opposite the first slider (134), in such a way as to have the arm shaft (105) held between the first and second sliders (134, 131). On one side of the body case (102), there is provided a force applying member (128) which applies force on the first slider (134) in one direction. On the opposite side of the body case (102), there is provided a damper which resists the linear movement of the second slider (131).
US08739464B2 Delayed-activation, hydration maintenance apparatus and method
A composite, time-delayed, polymer-coated, granulated material for maintaining hydration in plants is formulated to delay acceptance of water in order to operate in drilling, plugging, and disking equipment used for aeration, soil amendment, or both. Whether potted or outdoors, whether relying on a third-material binder or a small, hydrated portion of the polymer itself as a binder, the material may be injected or otherwise placed below the surface of soils. Water is eventually absorbed sufficiently to expose the bulk of the hydrating particles attached to each granule. Addition of the granulated material as a soil amendment resists dehydration normally occurring in plants between waterings, yet its initial delay in hydrating supports water-jet injection and soil integration by resisting premature expansion from hydration.
US08739459B2 Bobber for hiding or shielding a hook
A bobber, including a buoyant body having a cavity at a first end connected with a passageway through the bobber, and a first shielding structure extending from the body at the first end and at least partially surrounding said cavity. When gravity and/or acceleration forces cause the bobber to slide down the fishing line, the diameter or cross-sectional dimension of the bobber body is sufficiently greater than the diameter or size of the first shielding structure to shield or hide the barbed tip of a fishing hook when a portion of the hook is disposed in the bobber cavity and the tip is disposed outside of the first shielding structure.
US08739457B1 Animal attracting apparatus and method of use
An animal attracting apparatus comprising a water source, a collection tube pivotable vertically between an upwardly disposed first position and a downwardly disposed second position, and a rotatable shaft attached to the collection tube for concomitant rotation therewith. Animal attractant devices are mounted to the shaft for concomitant rotation therewith. In operation, water gravity flows from the water source into the collection tube. After water in the collection tube reaches a predetermined level, the collection tube pivots from the first position to the second position and dispenses water from the collection tube. After water in the collection tube is dispensed, the collection tube pivots from the second position back to the first position to be refilled by water. As the collection tube pivots, the collection tube rotates the shaft. As the shaft rotates, the animal attractant devices are actuated to emit animal attractants.
US08739455B2 Temperature regulated, pressure activated scent dispenser and method of using thereof
The present disclosure relates to a temperature regulated, pressure activated liquid scent dispenser. The pressure in the interior of the container may increase as ambient temperature increases. A release structure of the container may release a portion of the liquid scent once a threshold pressure or threshold amount of pressure build-up is reached in the interior of the container. A method comprises filling the interior volume with a liquid scent so that the interior volume also includes a volume of air, suspending the dispenser over a ground surface, and dispensing the liquid scent from the interior volume through the release structure. Due to an increase of pressure of the volume of air, and upon reaching a threshold air pressure, the release structure releases a portion of the liquid scent from the interior volume. Applications may include dispensing animal attractant or repellent.
US08739450B2 Barrel extension
The present invention relates to barrel extensions for firearms that have been converted to fire different, most likely lower, caliber ammunition than the firearms were originally designed to accommodate. The present invention in several embodiments is a barrel extension designed to supplement or replace the barrels and/or barrel extensions of firearms that have a sub-caliber conversion installed. Several embodiments of the present invention are configured to be installed on AR15 family rifles with a .22LR ammunition conversion to allow for accurate shooting of the .22LR ammunition through the barrel extension.
US08739448B2 Handguard systems for firearms
A hand guard assembly for attachment to a firearm includes an anchor member and a sleeve. The anchor member is coupled to the firearm and defines an inner bore through which a barrel of the firearm extends when the anchor member is coupled to the firearm. The sleeve surrounds a portion of the barrel of the firearm in an overlying relationship. The sleeve is coupled to the anchor member at a first end so that when the assembly is attached to the firearm, the sleeve is cantilevered from the anchor member with an inner surface of the sleeve and an outer surface of the barrel being radially spaced apart from one another.
US08739447B2 Systems and methods for providing a firearm with an extendable light source
The present invention relates to systems and methods for making and using a firearm that includes an extendable light source that can be selectively moved closer to and farther from a longitudinal axis of a barrel of the firearm. In some cases, the light source includes a laser or a light bulb, such as an LED. By being able to selectively move closer to and farther from the barrel's longitudinal axis, the light source can be adjusted so that it is able to shine past one or more attachments that are placed on a distal end of the firearm. Other implementations are also described.
US08739446B2 High capacity magazine with multiple springs
A high capacity box magazine is provided. A plurality of nested followers may be adapted to nest one within another and a plurality of springs may be configured to nest one within another to facilitate the advancement of cartridges within the box magazine to a firearm. A spring cup or cups may be used to nest additional springs that work in series and are nested within each other to further reduce the required height of the springs. The reliability of a conventional lower capacity box magazine may be maintained or exceeded without requiring significantly greater length in order to accommodate the increased capacity. The high capacity box magazine typically requires less frequent magazine changes than conventional lower capacity box magazines.
US08739441B2 Apparatuses for providing power for illumination of a display object
An exemplary power regulator apparatus provides power for illumination of a display object, such as a merchandise package or container, which has a light emitting apparatus comprising a secondary inductor and an illumination source. A support structure, such as a point of purchase display, typically contains or supports one or more power regulators and display objects. The power regulator comprises a controller and a primary inductor, and the controller is adapted to provide a voltage or current to the primary inductor to generate a primary inductor voltage. The controller may also comprise a plurality of switches and a memory adapted to store values for switching frequency or switch on-time durations or pulse widths. The illumination source emits visible light when the power regulator is in an on state and when the secondary inductor is within a predetermined distance of the primary inductor.
US08739431B2 Light solidifying device having a magnetic slide cover
A light solidifying device includes a body, a magnetic slide cover unit connected to the body, a control unit connected to the body, and a light solidifying unit disposed in the body. An inner case of the body is a polygonal case, and an inclined sidewall of the inner case is arranged to face to a user's finger nails in a direction perpendicular to the inclined sidewall. The magnetic slide cover unit can be movable to adjust the opened area of a first opening and a second opening of the body for shielding the light rays emitted from the light emitting diode to prevent from irradiation of the light on the user's eyes and skin during use.
US08739429B2 Systems and methods for drying a rotating substrate
A system for drying a surface of a substrate is provided. The system for drying a surface of a substrate comprising: a rotary support; a first dispenser fluidly coupled to a source of liquid, the first dispenser positioned above the surface of the substrate so as to be capable of applying a film of the liquid to the surface of the substrate; a second dispenser fluidly coupled to a source of drying fluid with a supply line, the second dispenser positioned above the surface of the substrate so as to be capable of applying the drying fluid to the surface of the substrate; and a proportional valve operably coupled to the supply line between the second dispenser and the source of drying fluid, the proportional valve capable of being incrementally adjusted from a closed position to an open position.
US08739427B2 Manual thickness measurement gage
A manual gauge measures a specimen's thickness by pressing surface contactors against its opposing surfaces. A rigid C-frame has upper and lower jaws providing a means for engaging a specimen and for gauging its thickness using a linear probe that is caused to move linearly between the jaws by a handle assembly. The handle assembly is joined with the C-frame at a point that is co-linear with a force vector of the probe against a workpiece resting on one of the jaws. The force of the probe is transmitted through the specimen to the jaw. The handle leverages from this jaw so that there is no force applied between the jaws thereby avoiding error due to the varying hand pressure by the operator and the resultant strain in the C-frame during measurements.
US08739425B2 Encoder scale member and method for mounting
A coordinate positioning apparatus is described. The coordinate positioning apparatus comprises a mounting surface, a motion guide mountable on the mounting surface, a first member comprising a sensor for sensing scale markings, the first member being mountable on the motion guide, and an encoder scale member comprising a first set of scale markings which are, in use, sensable by the sensor. At least part of the encoder scale member is retained between the mounting surface and the motion guide such that the encoder scale member is supported by the mounting surface at least in the vicinity of the first set of scale markings. The motion guide may be a guide rail or a bearing, for example. En encoder scale member for use with such a coordinate positioning apparatus is also described.
US08739422B2 Plan orientation template
A collaboration tool is presented for accurately guiding two or more communicating users to reference common locations in similar but separate architectural drawings. The collaboration tool includes a transparent planar sheet having at least one squared corner, and a grid of squares imposed on at least one side of the transparent sheet. The grid of squares has an X axis and a Y axis originating from the at least one square corner. Each square in the grid of squares is associated with a unique X-axis designator and a unique Y-axis designator. The apparatus further includes an aperture provided within each square of the grid of squares, for allowing a marking instrument therethrough for making a mark at a designated location on an architectural drawing underneath the transparent planar sheet.
US08739418B2 Engine-driven cutter
A handheld engine-driven cutter is provided with a disk blade and a four-stroke engine that drives the disk blade, a filter through which air provided to the four-stroke engine passes, a carburetor that mixes fuel and the air that passed through the filter, a casing that houses the filter and the carburetor, and a filter bracket intervened between the filter and the carburetor, which guides the air having passed the filter to the carburetor. An oil separator is formed integrally with the filter bracket that protrudes out toward the carburetor.
US08739405B2 Method of manufacturing an evaporator for looped heat pipe
An evaporator for a looped heat pipe (LHP) system, in which a working fluid circulates to cool heat generating electronic components that generate heat during operation, the evaporator including: a body comprising an inlet through which the working fluid enters and an outlet through which the working fluid is discharged; a sintered wick that is included in the body, wherein the sintered wick is formed by sintering a metal powder, and a plurality of pores are formed in the sintered wick; and an additional layer that is formed on a vaporization surface of the sintered wick where evaporation of the working fluid occurs, wherein a plurality of through holes are formed in the additional layer such that the working fluid changed into a vapor state passes through the additional layer after passing the sintered wick.
US08739404B2 Turbine components with cooling features and methods of manufacturing the same
The present disclosure is directed to the use and manufacture of cooling features within a component used in a hot gas path, such as within a turbine. In one embodiment, channels are formed within an external surface of the component and filled with a removable material. The external surface and channels may then be coated with one or more layers, such as a structural layer and/or top coat. The removable material may then be removed to leave the channels free of the removable material.
US08739403B2 Method of manufacturing a medical lead
A method of manufacturing a segmented electrode assembly. An electrically conducting tube is coupled to an electrically insulating material. The tube is generally cylindrical and hollow and defines one or more gaps at a first axial position. The tube also includes one or more bridges located at a second axial position. The method includes removing at least a portion of the bridge resulting in a segmented electrode assembly having at least one segment. A number embodiments of making a tube are also provided. In another embodiment a method of manufacturing a medical lead using a segmented electrode assembly is provided.
US08739399B2 Making electronic storage system having code circuit
A method of making an electronic storage system includes receiving a substrate and a circuit template. A transceiver including a transceiver substrate separate from the substrate is disposed over the substrate. The transceiver includes an output electrical-connection pad, and a plurality of input electrical-connection pads. A circuit template is disposed over the substrate so that at least one of the conductors of the circuit template is electrically connected to the output pad and at least one of the conductors of the circuit template is electrically connected to each of the input pads. At least one electrically-conductive strap is printed over the substrate so that each strap electrically connects the output pad to the at least one of the input pads through at least two of the conductors of the circuit template.
US08739396B2 Technique for limiting transmission of fault current
Several embodiments of a novel technique for limiting transmission of fault current are disclosed. Current power distribution systems typically have an impedance, or reactor, on the output of the network equipment to limit current in the case of a fault condition. A low resistance switch, which changes its resistance in the presence of high current, is connected in parallel with this reactor. Thus, in normal operation, the current from the power generator bypasses the reactor, thereby minimizing power loss. However, in the presence of a fault, the resistance of the switch increases, forcing the current to pass through the reactor, thereby limiting the fault current.
US08739392B2 Cast grid array (CGA) package and socket
A cast grid array (CGA) package comprises shaped solder posts which may be reflowed and connected directly to a circuit board, such as mother board, or remain in a solid state with the shape allowing them to be secured within a CGA socket which, in turn, may be connected to the a board. Embodiments of the CGA allows for a lower cost socket and package combination by using solder post to interface the socket and not requiring a loading mechanism on every socket.
US08739390B2 Method for microcontact printing of MEMS
The embodiments disclosed herein are directed to fabrication methods useful for creating MEMS via microcontact printing by using small organic molecule release layers. The disclose method enables transfer of a continuous metal film onto a discontinuous platform to form a variable capacitor array. The variable capacitor array can produce mechanical motion under the application of a voltage. The methods disclosed herein eliminate masking and other traditional MEMS fabrication methodology. The methods disclosed herein can be used to form a substantially transparent MEMS having a PDMS layer interposed between an electrode and a graphene diaphragm.
US08739386B2 Method for magnetically attaching and detaching portable items
A method for removably attaching portable items which are usable with each other. The method comprises the steps of removably inserting a first magnetically attractable component into a first portable item, thereby forming a first magnetically attractable item; removably inserting a second magnetically attractable component into a second portable item, thereby forming a second magnetically attractable item; allowing the first magnetically attractable item to magnetically engage the second magnetically attractable item, thereby forming a detachable magnetic assembly, wherein the detachable magnetic assembly can magnetically engage a magnetic surface, enabling the detachable magnetic assembly to be removably secured to the magnetic surface, and enabling one of the first or second portable items to be removed from the detachable magnetic assembly while maintaining the other first or second portable item in engagement with the magnetic surface.
US08739385B2 Assembly of a part that has no plastic domain
A method of assembling a member made of a first material in a part made of a second material having no plastic domain, including forming the part with an aperture; inserting an intermediate part, which is made of a third material and includes a hole into the aperture without any stress; introducing the member into the hole without any stress; elastically and plastically deforming the intermediate part by moving two tools towards each other axially, respectively on the top and bottom parts of the intermediate part, so as to exert a radial stress against the member and against the wall of the part surrounding the aperture by causing the elastic deformation of the part, in order to secure the assembly in a manner that is not destructive for the part. The member can be a time piece.
US08739384B2 Method for stent retention on a balloon catheter
A balloon is inflated from a collapsed configuration, then deflated. A polymeric stent is then disposed over the deflated balloon and the stent crimped to the balloon.
US08739378B2 Portable magnetic positioning tool
Apparatus and methods for positioning one or more components relative to a work surface are provided. The apparatus can include a frame having a first support member extending therefrom. At least one extendable member can be disposed on the first support member. The extendable member can be adapted to move in a linear direction. At least one magnet can be disposed on the frame. The magnet can include at least one contact side that can be switchable between a magnetized state and a non-magnetized state.
US08739367B2 Hidden door hinge
In accordance with the disclosure, in various door constructions, a projection of a door leaf is inserted in a hollow of a doorframe, height of the door leaf is minutely adjusted, and an interval between the door leaf and the doorframe is adjusted, which results in easy fastening of the door leaf and the doorframe and reduced construction time. In addition, the door leaf is completely fastened to the doorframe through the locking mechanism, the door leaf is prevented from being twisted in long use, thereby increasing its durability.
US08739365B2 Hinge structure
A hinge structure includes a first connecting member, a tray for securing a first component, and a second connecting member for securing a second component. The first connecting member includes two clamping panels substantially parallel to each other. A retaining panel extends from the tray. The second connecting member is rotatably secured to the first connecting member. The retaining panel is located between the two clamping panels, for preventing the tray from moving in a direction substantially perpendicular to the two clamping panels.
US08739363B2 Removable grommet device with enlargeable slit and method thereof
A grommet device and method of using a grommet device is provided. The grommet device includes a substantially circular base structure. A substantially circular top structure is connected to the substantially circular base structure with a substantially cylindrical middle portion, wherein an aperture having an interior space is positioned interior of the substantially cylindrical middle portion. A flexible top surface is connected to the substantially circular top structure, wherein the flexible top surface is substantially planar. At least one enlargeable slit is formed within the flexible top surface and through an entire thickness of the flexible top surface, wherein an unobstructed path is positioned from a location proximate to an exterior side of the flexible top surface, through the at least one enlargeable slit, and into the interior space of the aperture.
US08739357B2 Filter construction for a surface cleaning apparatus
A surface cleaning apparatus comprises an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet, an air treatment member and a suction motor. The surface cleaning apparatus comprises a main body comprising a front end and a rear end. A plurality of wheels may be rotatably mounted on to the surface cleaning apparatus. The surface cleaning apparatus may comprise a filter in a filter compartment wherein an axle or an axle mount for at least one of the wheels defines an axis of rotation that projects through the filter compartment.
US08739354B2 Mobile method for servicing or cleaning a utility sewer or drainage pipe
The present invention relates to a compact user friendly multi tool mobile sewer jetting and in ground utility servicing vehicle with one or more reels mounted on an articulated boom which is pivotably mounted to a service vehicle via a slewing ring gear. A vacuum excavation system with a vacuum hose and vacuum hose reel may also be mounted on the mobile vehicle. The articulated boom having a first end pivotably mounted to a mobile vehicle via a slewing ring gear. The articulated boom may have sufficient strength to support a jetter hose reel mounted near a second end of the boom and the boom may have sufficient move ability to position and stabilize the reel near a man hole or service work area for user friendly use by an operator. Sensors, monitors and controllers are included to gather data related to the operation of the service vehicle.
US08739352B2 Touchscreen smudge eraser
The present invention relates to a device or apparatus for wiping and cleaning the surface of an electronic device screen. The device comprises a base and a blade covered with a blade fabric, such as microfiber, with the blade inserted into the base. A user may grip the base to apply the blade to the screen surface. The blade may have a blade support under the blade fabric to provide some rigidity and resiliency to the blade fabric. A cap is further provided for reversibly coupling to the base of the device when not in use to protect the blade. The blade may also be reversibly coupled to the base to allow for its replacement. A replacement blade itself is also provided.
US08739345B2 Down hole cleaning tool
A cleaning apparatus (2) comprising a hollow first cylindrical end collar (4), a hollow second cylindrical end collar (6) and a substantially tubular cleaning section, open at each end, extending therebetween, wherein the tubular cleaning section comprises a plurality of elongate strip brushes (8) disposed between the first cylindrical collar (4) and the second cylindrical collar (6) and arranged such that there are radical openings in the tubular cleaning section between said elongate strip brushes (8).
US08739344B2 Vibrating toothbrush
A vibrating toothbrush is provided with vibration-isolating zones that substantially isolate vibrations in the head and reduce vibrations transmitted to the handle without sacrificing structural integrity around the vibration-isolation zones. Such zones may generally comprise neck material that is reduced in cross-section, thinned, replaced by dampening material, or removed altogether to create transmission-inhibiting voids. The vibration-isolating zones may be further supported by the housing of the vibratory element to maintain the structural integrity around the zones and to thereby alleviating weakness conditions that might subject the toothbrush to fatigue and breakage conditions.
US08739340B1 Drill bit driver
The present invention allows for convenient drilling and screwing. Using the present driver, one can insert the stem into the drill, turn the swivel arm on the pivot pin so that the drill bit is facing outwards, slide the collar up and over the opposite side of the swivel arm and covering the drill bit until it is force fit in. Drill the hole, slide the collar back, turn the swivel arm so that now the screw bit is facing outwards and repeat the steps above in order to force bit the collar and thereby prohibiting the swivel arm to spin. The swivel arm is also equipped with a screw tight mechanism in order to hole the screw bit or drill firmly in the swivel arm. This also allows a person to switch different size drill bits and screw bits.
US08739338B2 Inflatable cushion valve and attachment apparatus
An attachment apparatus (20) for attachment to the air conduits (6,8,10,12) of a zoned air cell cushion A or mattress to an associated valve. The attachment apparatus comprises a connector assembly (24) with connectors (26, 28, 30, 32) secured in the ends (N1, N2, N3, N4) of air conduits secured in a conduit constraint (38). Each air conduit is in fluid communication with a separate inflation zone (r,s,t,u) of the cushion or mattress. The connectors are in fluid cooperation with a valve (60) that places normally isolated zones into fluid communication and vice versa. The connector assembly may function as a base for any one of a number of valves (60, 103, 150, 200, 400, 500).
US08739334B2 Iso-roll table
An improved medical procedure table has motorized elevation, Trendelenburg tilt, floating tabletop with both longitudinal and lateral travel, multi-caster control, and an iso-roll device for the tabletop. The iso-roll device is connected between a roll plate and a cross plate. The iso-roll device includes a pair of iso-roll guide plates, which are mounted laterally to a bottom of the roll plate. Each iso-roll guide plate has an arcuate guide channel therein having an upwards concave shape. A set of cam followers are positioned in both guide channel and travel therein and also fixedly mounted to a base on the cross plate. A center of radius of the arcuate guide channel is approximately 5 inches above the tabletop. Further, mounted between the iso-roll guide plates and to the roll plate is a support guide plate having an arcuate bottom surface.
US08739333B2 Bedbug infestation-resistant bed
A bedbug-resistant bed comprises a horizontal right-rectangular frame including four open angled rigid members pair-wise joined at their eight termini in four corners; one or more support members extending across the frame near the upper edge of the joined angled members; and a right-rectangular wire mesh infill expanse extending within a perimeter of the frame and affixed along upper inwardly extending expanses of the joined angled members. A bedbug-resistant bed in another embodiment comprises two right-rectangular horizontal frames differentially dimensioned in three orthogonal axes such that one of the two frames is fittable within a three-dimensional enclosure defined by the other of the two frames for stowage of the bed, the two frames configured in deployment in a proximate side by side arrangement, each frame including four open angled rigid members joined at their eight termini to define a perimeter and four corners of the frame, each frame further including one or more solid support members extending across the frame, and each frame further including four legs extending downwardly from the four corners of the frame.
US08739330B2 Tri-fold sofa
A convertible sofa and sofa frame deployable between a sofa orientation and a bed orientation. The frame has a base frame with a seat extension frame comprising a seat frame and a mid-frame pivotally secured to the base frame. Cushioning is on one side of the base frame. A seat back frame is pivotally secured to the base frame, the second cushioning on what is a back side when in the sofa orientation. Removable seat back cushions engage the front side of the seat back frame in the sofa orientation. In the bed orientation, the seat frame is extended, the seat back portion is pivoted horizontally, and the removable seat back cushions are located on the mid-frame between the seat frame and the seat back frame.
US08739329B2 Bed lifting apparatus
A bed lifting apparatus comprising a base and a support frame connected by at least one linkage arm, the at least one linkage arm including at least one biasing arrangement arranged to maintain the base and the support frame in a spaced apart relationship, wherein, in use, when a bed is located on the support frame, the bed is maintained in a spaced apart relationship from a floor surface.
US08739321B2 Automatic toilet seat or lid lift apparatus and methods of using the same
An automatic toilet seat or lid moving apparatus includes a common toilet seat or lid having a torsion spring or other counterbalance means to counterbalance the weight of a toilet seat or lid, and a motor for raising and/or lowering the toilet seat or lid when desired. A control is utilized for signaling the motor to raise and/or lower the toilet seat or lid. Methods of using the same are further provided.
US08739320B1 Waterless urinal odor trap with helical flow-path fins for sealant conservation and level-gauging
Conservation of oily liquid sealant in coaxial odor trap cartridges for waterless urinals is accomplished in the present invention by the addition of a liquid-flow-diverting structure having at least one helical fin encircling the outer surface of the cylindrical partition that extends downwardly from the cartridge top cap. In a preferred embodiment two similar diametrically-opposed helical fins conserve sealant by modifying the otherwise vertical downward flow path to a downward incline that minimizes down-the-drain sealant loss by intensifying recovery of stray traces of sealant that become detached from the main layer of sealant and get swept along with the downward flow of wastewater in the outer chamber during a usage event. The sealant recovery action of the helical fins that takes place in the outer chamber is further enhanced by specially proportioning the cross-sectional flow area of the three chambers in the cartridge to maximize the cross-sectional flow area of the outer chamber. The upper portion of at least one helical fin may be utilized to implement sealant-level-gauging capability that can be readily observed from above the cartridge. The bottom region of the cartridge is reshaped to provide a drip ring at the base of the stand-tube to facilitate replacement manipulation by preventing migration of wastewater and residue outwardly onto the bottom surface of the cartridge.
US08739318B2 Helmet comprising an occipital adjustment mechanism
A hockey or lacrosse helmet having a front shell; a rear shell having an elongated slot extending along a longitudinal axis of the helmet; a rear inner pad for facing the back and left and right side regions of the head, the rear inner pad being mounted to the rear shell; an occipital inner pad located below the rear inner pad for facing the occipital region of the head; a central member extending along the longitudinal axis of the helmet, the central member having an upper part hingedly mounted with respect to the rear shell and a lower part mounted to the occipital inner pad; and a single wedging member located between the rear shell and the central member, the single wedging member being movable along the longitudinal axis of the helmet from a first position to a second position.
US08739317B2 Rebound-dampening headgear liners with positioning feature
A liner adapted to be interposed between the interior surface of a protective headgear and a wearer's head includes a plurality of networked fluid cells adapted to distribute and dissipate an impact force to the liner, and/or headgear with which the liner is used, across a larger area of the wearer's head as compared with the impact location, and also to dampen the tendency of the wearer's head from rebounding back from the impact location by transferring fluid through the network from fluid cells at the impact location to those in an opposed region. Discrete fluid cells interspersed among the networked fluid cells maintain the liner and/or the headgear in a predetermined orientation on the wearer's head. Fluid flow within the liner may be restricted or directed by configuring the fluid passageways. A liner may further include means for moving fluid into or out of the fluid cells.
US08739315B2 Garment with non-penetrating touch-sensitive features
A garment including a shell adapted to receive a portion of a body of a wearer therein, the shell having an interior surface, an exterior surface and an aperture is provided. The garment also includes a conductive member having a first end disposed on the interior surface of the shell, a second end disposed on the exterior surface of the shell, and extending through the aperture to connect the first end and the second end where the conductive member enables the wearer to interact with an electronic device having a capacitive-type touch-sensing interface.
US08739314B2 Garment with tethering system
A garment includes an outer garment having a skirt portion with an inner side and a pair of elastic tethers having first fastening elements, and an undergarment having a front panel and a pair of second fastening elements. Each of the first fastening elements of the tethers of the outer garment is adapted to engage releasably a corresponding one of the second fastening elements of the undergarment. The first and second fastening elements may include snap elements, buttons, pins, zippers, or hook and loop fasteners.
US08745760B2 Malware classification for unknown executable files
Devices, methods and instructions encoded on computer readable medium are provided herein for implementation of classification techniques in order to determine if an unknown executable file is malware. In accordance with one example method, an unknown executable file comprising a sequence of operation codes (opcodes) is received. Based on the operation codes of the unknown executable, a subset of executable files in a training set is identified in which each of the files in the subset have the same beginning sequence of operation codes as the unknown executable. After the subset is identified, a feature set extracted from the unknown executable file is compared to one or more feature sets extracted from each of executable files in the identified subset. A determination is made, based on the feature set comparison, whether the unknown executable file is malware.
US08745754B2 Device for secure access to digital media contents, virtual multi-interface driver and system for secure access to digital media contents
A device for secure access to digital media contents, the device comprising an access means for accessing digital media contents from a data source and a reader for authenticating a user, the authentication being performed by checking some authentication data. An internal communication path between the access means and the reader is not directly accessible from outside the device.
US08745753B1 Systems and methods for blocking of web-based advertisements
Systems and methods are provided that discover undesired advertisements on publisher web pages and automatically block advertisers or advertising channels associated with the placement of those advertisements from placing advertisements on the publisher web pages. An advertisement discovery and blocking system may discover advertisements on a particular publisher web page and placement pathways associated with those discovered advertisements. The system may then compare the discovered advertisements and placement pathways with a set of rules in an advertiser rule list. The system may detect advertisement violations based on the comparison of the set of rules in the advertiser rule list with the discovered advertisements and placement pathways. The system may add advertisers and advertising channels associated with the detected advertisement violations to a list of blocked advertisers. The list of blocked advertisers may be provided to the publishers and the advertising channels.
US08745745B2 Systems and methods involving features of hardware virtualization such as separation kernel hypervisors, hypervisors, hypervisor guest context, hypervisor context, rootkit detection/prevention, and/or other features
Systems, methods, computer readable media and articles of manufacture consistent with innovations herein are directed to computer virtualization, computer security and/or data isolation. According to some illustrative implementations, innovations herein may utilize and/or involve a separation kernel hypervisor which may include the use of a guest operating system virtual machine protection domain, a virtualization assistance layer, and/or a rootkit defense mechanism (which may be proximate in temporal and/or spatial locality to malicious code, but isolated from it), inter alia, for detection and/or prevention of malicious code, for example, in a manner/context that is isolated and not able to be corrupted, detected, prevented, bypassed, and/or otherwise affected by the malicious code.
US08745736B2 Internet protocol address space management to mitigate and detect cloaking and other abuse
In one embodiment, an intelligent detection system 102 may determine if a network target 108 is an adversarial site based on comparing responses to different network sources. The intelligent detection system 102 may select a test apparent network source 110 and a control apparent network source 112 from a network source pool 106. The intelligent detection system 102 may receive the test response responding to a test request from the test apparent network source 110 to a network target 108. The intelligent detection system 102 may receive the control response responding to a control request from the control apparent network source 112 to the network target 108. The intelligent detection system 102 may execute a comparison of the test response to the control response.
US08745735B2 Monitoring system, program-executing device, monitoring program, recording medium and integrated circuit
To aim to provide a monitoring system and a program execution apparatus that are capable of maintaining the security intensity even in the case where an unauthentic install module is invalidated. Install modules included in an apparatus each monitor an install module, which is a monitoring target indicated by a monitoring pattern included therein, as to whether the install module performs malicious operations. An install module that performs malicious operations is invalidated in accordance with an instruction from an update server. The monitoring patterns are restructured by the update server such that the install modules except the invalidated install module are each monitored by at least another one of the install modules. The restructured monitoring patterns are distributed to the install modules except the invalidated install module.
US08745734B1 Managing virtual computing testing
Systems, methods, and interfaces for the management of virtual machine networks and other programmatically controlled networks are provided. Hosted virtual networks are configured in a manner such that a virtual machine manager of the virtual network may monitor activity such as user requests, network traffic, and the status and execution of various virtual machine instances to determine possible security assessments. A security assessment may be performed before, after, or simultaneous to the execution of the activity associated with the security assessment event. The execution of an activity may further be synchronous with the results of the security assessment. The timing of the assessment may correspond to the type of assessment or type of activity that is requested or detected.
US08745730B1 Secure computer provisioning and operation
A networked computer device can be customized to contain provisioning and/or authorization logic in its firmware or the firmware of one of its subcomponents. The computer device is thus configured to provision itself from a provisioning server that is identified within the firmware, and to periodically query an operations authority for continued authorization to operate with the received provisioning. Upon failure to receive authorization, the firmware may implement various security measures, such as storage protection, boot protection, communications protection, and so forth. The firmware may also implement remote reporting, to assist an investigator when a device has been lost or stolen.
US08745725B2 Highlighting in response to determining device transfer
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: determining that a computing device that was presenting an item has been transferred from a first user to a second user; and presenting, via the computing device, one or more highlighted portions of the item, the one or more highlighted portions being highlighted in response, at least in part, to said determining. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
US08745724B2 Methods of on-chip memory partitioning and secure access violation checking in a system-on-chip
Systems and methods for partitioning memory into multiple secure and open regions are provided. The systems enable the security level of a given region to be determined without an increase in the time needed to determine the security level. Also, systems and methods for identifying secure access violations are disclosed. A secure trap module is provided for master devices in a system-on-chip. The secure trap module generates an interrupt when an access request for a transaction generates a security error.
US08745723B2 System and method for providing unified transport and security protocols
The system and method described herein may provide unified transport and security protocols. In particular, the unified transport and security protocols may include a Secure Frame Layer transport and security protocol that includes stages for initially configuring a requester device and a responder device, identifying the requester device and the responder device to one another, and authenticating message frames communicated between the requester device and the responder device. Additionally, the unified transport and security protocols may further include a Secure Persistent User Datagram Protocol that includes modes for processing message frames received at the requester device and the responder device, recovering the requester device in response to packet loss, retransmitting lost packets sent between the requester device and the responder device, and updating location information for the requester device to restore a communications session between the requester device and the responder device.
US08745717B2 Management of multiple connections to a security token access device
An electronic device, system and method for automatically managing wireless connections with a plurality of other devices are provided. The electronic device may be a security token access device and may be adapted to wirelessly pair and optionally securely pair with other devices. Connection information, which may comprise security information, is maintained at the electronic device for each connected device. When a connected device becomes stale, the electronic device implements one or more steps to manage the stale device's connection.
US08745714B2 Secure software development environments
The mock tool can be configured to create a mock execution environment for supporting software development processes. The mock execution environment is isolated from resources of the computing system supporting the mock execution environment and other mock execution environments. Further, the mock execution environment can be created to simulate disabling on any features of the operating system supporting the mock execution environment that could cause problems in the software development process.
US08745711B2 Access management system, access management method, access management server, cooperation server, and computer-readable medium
A system includes an access management server and a cooperation server, wherein the access management server comprises issuance unit that issues a token corresponding to the managed user account in response to a request of the cooperation server, and deletion unit that deletes a user account, of the managed user accounts, which satisfies a predefined deletion condition, and the cooperation server comprises acquisition unit that acquires, when acquisition of a token corresponding to the user account managed by the access management server is requested by another server, if the deletion unit has not deleted the user account, an issued token corresponding to the user account, and to cause, if the deletion unit has already deleted the user account, the access management server to re-register the user account to acquire a token issued for the re-registered user account.
US08745707B2 Method and apparatus providing optimistic locking of shared computer resources
Techniques for concurrent access to a resource object, such as a database object, include generating a lock data structure for a particular resource object. The lock data structure includes data values for a resource object identification, a lock type, and a version number. The version number is related to a number of changes to the resource object since the lock data structure was generated. By carrying a lock version number in a lock data structure managed by a lock manager, improved optimistic locking is provided in a database. In particular, the approach enables introduction of optimistic locking to a legacy database without requiring burdensome changes to a database table schema.
US08745706B2 Secure communication of distributed ruby requests
Various embodiments of systems and methods for providing a secure communication are described herein. A client application generates a Distributed Ruby (DRb) request based on a request received from a user. The obtained DRb request is wrapped to obtain an HTTPS request, which includes the DRb request and one or more authentication information. The generated HTTPS request is forwarded to an HTTPS server, which verifies the HTTPS request based on the authentication information. The HTTPS request is then unwrapped to obtain the DRb request, which is executed by a DRb server to obtain a result of execution of the DRb request.
US08745705B2 Account management for multiple network sites
Disclosed are various embodiments for account management for multiple network sites. Multiple accounts of a user are maintained for multiple network sites in a computing device. A secured resource of a network site is to be accessed by the computing device. A new account is created, or an existing account is upgraded, in response to determining that the accounts are not capable of accessing the secured resource. A set of information about the user is provided to the network site to create, or upgrade, the account.
US08745695B2 Hybrid networking master passphrase
A method and apparatus for providing a passphrase-based security setup for a hybrid network including multiple network interfaces configured for communicating over one or more communication media are provided. The method includes receiving a passphrase from a user at a network interface of the multiple network interfaces. The received passphrase is then used for authenticating the device for one or more network interfaces. The authentication can be performed irrespective of a communication medium used by the network interfaces.
US08745693B2 Transcription data security
A computer program product for use with dictated medical patient information resides on a computer-readable medium and comprises computer-readable instructions for causing a computer to analyze the dictated information, identify likely confidential information in the dictated medical patient information, and treat the likely confidential information disparately from likely non-confidential information in the dictated medical patient information.
US08745692B2 Method for securing the exchange of data between an external access unit and field device
A method for safe data communication via WAN, LAN (e.g. Internet) between at least one external access unit and a field device, or a field bus adapter for determining or monitoring at least one physical or chemical process parameter. According to the method unauthorized accessing of a field device, or a field bus adapter, in the field is blocked in that the operator of the field device or the field bus adapter permits the external access unit to have targeted access to the field device, or the field bus adapter.
US08745691B1 System, method, and computer program product for preventing communication of data over a network connection
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for preventing communication of data over a network connection. In use, a plurality of network connections that exist for a device is identified. Furthermore, data is conditionally prevented from being communicated over at least one of the network connections of the device, based on the identification.
US08745690B2 Deriving service provider constraints from service consumer context
A context for a service request made by a service consumer can be used to establish a constraint rules set that is applied by a service provider. A context associated with a first service request can be received from a service consumer. An identity of the service consumer can be verified. A constraint value request associated with the service request can be received from a service provider responding to the service request. One or more constraints can be derived from the first context. An identity of a service provider that will fulfill the service request can be verified. The one or more constraints can be provided to the service provider. Related systems, apparatus, methods, and/or articles are also described.
US08745687B2 Digital closed caption transport in standalone stream
A method and system for digital closed caption transport are provided. In one example, the method involves receiving closed caption data and a program feed having video content, embedding the closed caption data into a standard video syntax, and encoding the video content into the standard video syntax as a background, wherein the closed caption data and the video content are encoded into a closed caption program feed.
US08745685B2 Methods and apparatus for upgrading set top box devices without the loss of stored content
Methods and apparatus for smoothly and efficiently upgrading set top boxes, e.g., personal video recorders, which have customer selected content stored thereon are described. The described methods allow content stored on a set top box to be uploaded to a network storage device, e.g., automatically at a predetermined time prior to a scheduled upgrade, or in some cases, via manual control of the set top box to be upgraded. After stored content is uploaded to the network storage device, the set top box is replaced with a new set top box. The new set top box can be preloaded with the previously uploaded content or a content download can be triggered, e.g., by activating a hidden application and by supplying information identifying the set top box being replaced as part of the upgrade process.
US08745684B1 Facilitating video search
A method of facilitating video search is disclosed. A video on or linked to by a display page is located. A video search index entry associated with the video is generated, at least in part, using an additional information data, retrieved at least in part programmatically from a location other than the display page.
US08745680B2 Techniques for call integration with a television set-top box (STB)
Techniques for call integration with a television set-top box (STB) are provided. Call logs associated with multiple voice accounts are acquired and integrated as an integrated call log. The integrated call log is presented within a display to a user. The user can take a variety of actions on the integrated call log as a whole or on individual entries within the integrated call log.
US08745676B2 Admitting a data file into a channel
In a method for admitting a new data file into a channel, a request for admission of the new data file into the channel is received. It is determined as to whether at least a minimum number of bits of at least one current data file has been transferred to the receiver. The rate at which the at least one current data file is transferred is reduced below a minimum constant bit rate in response to a determination that at least a minimum number of bits of the at least one current data file has been transferred to the receiver and the new data file is admitted into the channel.
US08745675B2 Multiple audio streams
A system and method for providing multiple audio streams for a video over a network such as the Internet. The system comprises a server that includes an encryption unit and a slicing unit, a plurality of boxes, and an ordering box. The server encodes multiple audio streams and a single video to be sliced into segments. The sliced segments of multiple audio streams and the single video are seeded to a number of the plurality of boxes. This may be repeated for other videos with multiple streams. When the ordering box makes a request for a single video with a single audio, then the number of boxes with segments of the requested video and multiple audio streams, filters and sends the requested video and requested single audio stream to the ordering box. Similarly, multiple closed caption streams can be handled and provided like the audio streams.
US08745673B2 Wireless video transmission device, wireless video reception device and wireless video communication system using same
In a wireless video communication system, a wireless camera has an image capturing unit for generating video data, a video clipping unit for generating high priority video data and lower priority video data having mutually different image regions from the video data, a first and a second wireless communication unit for communicating with a first and a second access point and a communication control unit for controlling the wireless communication by the first and second wireless communication units. The communication control unit can cause the high priority video data and lower priority video data to be transmitted from the first and second wireless communication units as two individual video streams, and is configured to determine whether each wireless communication unit should transmit none, one or both of the video streams depending on the wireless communication quality and the condition of a handover.
US08745670B2 System and method for promoting marketable items
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media processor having a controller to receive from a media communication system metadata describing one or more marketable items depicted in a media program supplied by the media communication system, present images of the media program at a media presentation device without highlighting the one or more marketable items, present an icon at least at one of a remote controller managing operations of the media processor or the media presentation device to indicate a presence of the one or more marketable items in one or more of the images presented at the media presentation device, detect a selection of the icon, and highlight the one or more marketable items. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08745669B2 Series reminders and series recording from an interactive program guide
An interactive television program guide system with program series reminder and recording capabilities is provided. The system allows a user to set a reminder or schedule a recording for a single episode or for each episode of a program series. In addition, other options may be provided that allow the user to determine, for example, whether to schedule reminders/recordings for episodes on all channels on which the program airs or only on a selected channels, whether to schedule reminders/recordings for all episodes including reruns or only new episodes, whether to schedule reminders/recordings for network or syndicated episodes, and whether to schedule reminders/recordings for episodes on all days or only on selected days of the week. Before the scheduled broadcast time of each episode of each selected program series, the system sends a reminder message to the user that reminds the user of the program episode or sends a record command to a videocassette recorder to initiate recording of the episode. The system allows a user to view a list of all currently requested program reminders and scheduled program recordings. The user may update, change, or cancel any entry in either list or the system may automatically update the lists to match new broadcast schedule information. If the user sets a reminder or schedules a recording that conflicts with an existing reminder or recording, the system may inform the user of the conflict and allow the user to resolve the conflict or the system may resolve the conflict.
US08745663B2 Systems and methods for providing information in response to electronic program guide usage
Systems and methods provide information to a user in response to usage of an electronic program guide provided by an appliance coupled to a display. Usage of the electronic program guide is observed from within the appliance, and any triggering events in the usage of the electronic program guide are identified. An instruction is then executed in response to the triggering event to thereby provide the information on the display. Information provided may include a graphic display, a video clip, a highlight of any portion of the electronic program guide, or other information as appropriate.
US08745661B2 Systems and methods for providing enhanced sports watching media guidance
Systems and methods for enhanced sports-related media content access and display are provided. An intelligent tuning module for multi-tuner systems may designate one sporting event as a primary sporting event and another sporting event as a secondary sporting event. A primary tuner may tune the primary event whenever possible and a secondary tuner may tune the secondary event whenever possible. Sporting events may be assigned user profile scores and tuned away from in reverse priority order. An interactive scoreboard may also be displayed with various game status and alert icons. The interactive scoreboard may allow a viewer to quickly tune between high-interest sporting events. Sports-specific features, such as wagering and fantasy league support, are also provided.
US08745660B2 Mechanism for rendering advertising objects into featured content
Systems and methods are provided for inserting advertisements into a video. In accordance with one implementation, a method is provided that includes processing a data stream including a video content selection to extract a metatag that models a template object appearing within a first content segment featuring primary content of the video content selection, the template object enabling a transformation of an advertising object. Further, the method includes identifying an advertising descriptor based on characteristics of a scene and the metatag extracted from the first content segment and selecting the advertising object based on the identified advertising descriptor. The method also includes modifying the video content selection by inserting the advertising object in the data stream such that the advertising object is integrated into a scene of the video content selection and transmitting the video content selection to a recipient.
US08745659B2 In-program content targeting
In-program content targeting is described. A default data stream containing default content associated with multiple segments of a particular program is generated and transmitted. An alternate data stream containing alternate content for one or more of the multiple segments is also generated and transmitted. A client device receiving the default content via the default data stream detects the availability of alternate content via the data stream. Based on profile data associated with the client device (or a user of the client device) and profile data associated with the alternate content, the client device may access the alternate data stream for one or more segments of the particular program.
US08745655B2 Emergency alerts during playback of video streams on portable devices
Video content that is streamed to portable devices may be interrupted based on an emergency alert system (EAS) broadcast. In one implementation, first video content may be streamed over an Internet Protocol (IP) network to a portable device and an indication of a location of the portable device may be determined. Whether the location of the portable device is in a geographic region covered by an EAS broadcast may also be determined. When the portable device is determined to be in the geographic region covered by the EAS broadcast, a notification may be transmitted to the portable device, where the notification instructs the portable device to interrupt the first video content with video content corresponding to the EAS broadcast. The video content corresponding to the EAS broadcast may be streamed to the portable device.
US08745651B2 Systems and methods for auditing authorization of a service using displayed watermarks
Auditing systems and methods detect access authorization of a media device for a service during an audit. An exemplary embodiment receives an audit trigger at a media device communicating the service to a media presentation device, determines whether the media device is authorized to communicate the service to the media presentation device, and communicates a security watermark from the media device to the media presentation device. The security watermark is displayed on a display of the media presentation device and indicates authorization to access the service to an auditor performing the audit.
US08745649B2 Apparatus and method for operating a multi-unit storage facility
A system and method of operating a multi-user storage facility is provided. For each distinct user of the storage facility, the distinct user is associated with at least one storage unit of the facility. Video monitoring of the at least one storage unit is provided producing a video output. Each distinct user is provided over a digital communication network with private access to a view of the video output associated with the user. In this manner, each of a plurality of distinct users has access to a view of the video output associated with the user.
US08745647B1 Method and system for internet video and rich media behavioral measurement
This disclosure describes methods and systems to quantify and understand the behavior and consumption patterns of audiences with respect to Internet video and rich media applications. In operation, an end user video player or a rich media application (such as an interactive advertisement built with Flash or other method) is instrumented to capture data. The data is collected by a service provider and made available for viewing by customers of a video experience and rich media behavior measurement service.
US08745646B2 Disk loading device and disk device
An apparatus includes a rotation section to engage with a disk in a housing and rotate the disk around an axis of the disk; an information reading/recording section to carry out reading and/or recording from/to the disk; a holding member to hold the rotation section and/or the information reading/recording section; and a moving section to move the holding member in a direction that the holding member moves toward the disk and/or that the holding member moves away from the disk. The moving section includes a first cam member surrounding at least part of the holding member for arcuate movement along the holding member around an axis. The holding member and/or the first cam member has a grooved portion inclined with respect to a direction along the axis of the arcuate movement while the other has a first engaging portion for engaging with the grooved portion.
US08745641B1 Automatic verification and anomaly detection in a representational state transfer (REST) application programming interface
Methods for automatically detecting an anomaly in an application programming interface (API) having a plurality of invariants is provided. Such an API may conform to a Representational State Transfer (REST) model or style of software architecture. Such methods enable users to build simple test scripts that can be fed into specialized software applications configured to automatically exercise and test the API using the test scripts. Further, such methods allow automatic testing of API functionality regardless of whether or not the expected output value(s) for a given input are specified.
US08745640B2 Integration and management apparatus, integration and management system and computer readable information recording medium
An integration and management apparatus is connected to an information processing apparatus in which one or plural pieces of software operates, which one or plural pieces of software has a program interface opened to the outside and realizes a function, and includes an obtaining part that obtains, from the software, a linkage software component including setting information and an extended program for a linkage of the function realized by the one or plural pieces of software; an analyzing part that analyzes the linkage software component obtained by the obtaining part, and obtains an analyzing result; and an executing part that executes, in response to a function providing request, the extended program, and carries out the linkage of the function by using the program interface provided by the software, based on the analyzing result obtained by the analyzing part.
US08745637B2 Middleware for extracting aggregation statistics to enable light-weight management planners
Management of a planner through use of a middleware layer. A computer system is configured with the middleware layer in communication with both a planner and a data repository. One or more modules are provided in the middleware layer to support the functionality of the planner. Application program interface calls are employed to call the modules, thereby mitigating duplication of the functionality in separate planners.
US08745635B2 Managing business process messaging
Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media for managing business process messaging include receiving a business process message at a first node of multiple nodes in a distributed computing environment, the business process message comprising a message payload; correlating the business process message with a business process executing on one or more of the plurality of nodes in the distributed computing environment based on the message payload; identifying the one or more of the plurality of nodes in the distributed computing environment; providing the business process message to the identified one or more of the plurality of nodes; and mapping the message payload to the business process executing on the identified one or more of the plurality of nodes.
US08745634B2 System and method for integrated workflow scaling
A system is provided. The system comprises a first computer located in a first plant, a first memory, and a first object based process management application stored in the first memory. The system further comprises a second computer located in a location separate from the first plant, a second memory, and a second object based process management application stored in the second memory. When executed on the first computer, the first application invokes scripts in response to events and the scripts launch tasks. When executed on the second computer, the second computer invokes scripts in response to events and the scripts launch tasks, one of the events acted on by the second application is a message received from the first application.
US08745633B2 System and method for managing resources in a partitioned computing system based on resource usage volatility
A system and method for managing resources in a partitioned computing system using determined risk of resource saturation is disclosed. In one example embodiment, the partitioned computing system includes one or more partitions. A volatility of resource usage for each partition is computed based on computed resource usage gains/losses associated with each partition. A current resource usage of each partition is then determined. Further, a risk of resource saturation is determined by comparing the computed volatility of resource usage with the determined current resource usage of each partition. The resources in the partitioned computing system are then managed using the determined risk of resource saturation associated with each partition.
US08745622B2 Standalone software performance optimizer system for hybrid systems
Standalone software performance optimizer systems for hybrid systems include a hybrid system having a plurality of processors, memory operably connected to the processors, an operating system including a dispatcher loaded into the memory, a multithreaded application read into the memory, and a static performance analysis program loaded into the memory; wherein the static performance analysis program instructs at least one processor to perform static performance analysis on each of the threads, the static performance analysis program instructs at least one processor to assign each thread to a CPU class based on the static performance analysis, and the static performance analysis program instructs at least one processor to store each thread's CPU class. An embodiment of the invention may also include the dispatcher optimally mapping threads to processors using thread CPU classes and remapping threads to processors when a runtime performance analysis classifies a thread differently from the static performance analysis.
US08745617B1 Managing applications on a client device
A system and methods for managing applications on a mobile device. One method includes: receiving context data related to the mobile device; assigning a situational utility score to one or more applications available in an application repository by analyzing the context data and tags associated with the one or more applications to determine which applications have situational usefulness; and when a first application has a situational utility score greater than a first threshold value, displaying a prompt on the mobile device to install the first application.
US08745616B1 Systems and methods for providing digital certificates that certify the trustworthiness of digitally signed code
A computer-implemented method for verifying the trustworthiness of code prior to issuing code-signing certificates may include (1) receiving a request from a software publisher to sign code, the request including a copy of the code and a digital signature that verifies the integrity of the code, (2) prior to signing the code, verifying the trustworthiness of the code based at least in part on an analysis of the copy of the code included within the request, (3) upon verifying the trustworthiness of the code, signing the code by generating a digitally signed trustworthiness certificate for the code that certifies that the code is trustworthy, and then (4) providing the trustworthiness certificate to the software publisher to enable the software publisher to attest that the code is trustworthy. Various additional methods, systems, and encoded computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08745613B2 Method and configuration/software update server for transmitting data between a customer device and the server
A method configures, in a semi-automatic manner, a communication device, connected to a packet-switched network, especially Internet, for communication with another, especially remote, subscriber. For this purpose, configuration data are provided on a configuration/software update server and are retrieved by the user of the device according to the user-specific or device-specific conditions by selecting from at least two types of inquiry data characterizing the conditions, e.g. inquiry data containing first country information items and second inquiry data containing second Internet service provider information items, and determination data.
US08745609B2 Imaging system
An imaging system has a lens unit including an imaging device which converts an optical image representing an object into image data by an imaging unit, a main body unit which holds the lens unit in such a manner that the lens unit is attachable to and detachable from the main body unit and a controller configured, by use of an integrated firmware in which one or a plurality of firmwares of the lens unit and one or a plurality of firmwares of the main body unit are integrated, to exchange the integrated firmware between the lens unit and the main body unit via a communication device, and to upgrade one of the firmwares with a corresponding firmware in the integrated firmware.
US08745608B2 Scheduler of reconfigurable array, method of scheduling commands, and computing apparatus
A scheduler of a reconfigurable array, a method of scheduling commands, and a computing apparatus are provided. To perform a loop operation in a reconfigurable array, a recurrence node, a producer node, and a predecessor node are detected from a data flow graph of the loop operation such that resources are assigned to such nodes so as to increase the loop operating speed. Also, a dedicated path having a fixed delay may be added to the assigned resources.
US08745605B2 Execution contexts with polymorphic type implementations
Various domains may wish to specify different implementations of the type; e.g., a compilation domain may describe the type statically, an execution domain may instantiate objects of the given type, while a debugging execution domain may associate additional debugging information such as a symbol name. This may be achieved by specifying a type implementation of a particular type within respective domains which all implement a common type interface. A type binding instruction set may then select a type implementation for the type within the target instruction set according to the domain, and may bind type instances of the type within target instruction set to the selected type implementation for the current domain. This technique yields domain-specific variance in type implementation without having to reconfigure the target instruction set or perform domain-checking logic there-within.
US08745604B1 Transferring data in a parallel processing environment
An integrated circuit includes a plurality of tiles. Each tile includes a processor, a switch including switching circuitry to forward data over data paths from other tiles to the processor and to switches of other tiles, and a switch memory that stores instruction streams that are able to operate independently for respective output ports of the switch.
US08745603B2 Application program interface of a parallel-processing computer system that supports multiple programming languages
A runtime system implemented in accordance with the present invention provides an application platform for parallel-processing computer systems. Such a runtime system enables users to leverage the computational power of parallel-processing computer systems to accelerate/optimize numeric and array-intensive computations in their application programs. This enables greatly increased performance of high-performance computing (HPC) applications.
US08745599B2 Probabilistic pointer analysis method using SSA form
A computer-implemented probabilistic pointer analysis method using SSA form comprises the steps of: evaluating a program in an SSA form comprising a target pointer to determine pointer relations between the target pointer, a plurality of aliased pointers related to the target pointer and at least a probable location of the target pointer; and generating a direct probabilistic relation between the target pointer and the at least a probable location of the target pointer according to the pointer relation.
US08745595B2 Information processing apparatus and method of acquiring trace log
In an information processing apparatus, a program execution section executes a program, and in the stage of execution of a log acquisition command, acquires the value of a variable set in the log acquisition command. A trace log generation section generates a trace log including identification information on a file set in the log acquisition command, version number on a source code, and the acquired value of the variable, and stores the trace log in a storage device. A source code acquisition section acquires a source code corresponding to a combination of the identification information and the version number, based on the trace log. A character string addition section extracts a character string related to the value of the variable included in the trace code, from the acquired source code, adds the extracted character string to the trace log, and stores the trace log in a storage device.
US08745592B1 Input selection for automatic test suite generation
Some embodiments provide a system that generates a test suite for a software program. During operation, the system obtains a set of inputs for the software program and determines a coverage of the software program associated with the set of inputs. Next, the system determines a subset of the inputs which substantially provides the coverage of the software program. Finally, the system uses the subset of inputs as the test suite for the software program.
US08745590B2 Testing an application
A device receives a test case from a management server. The test case includes a request used for a test of an application, an expected response to the request, and an identifier of an application server that executes the application. The device transmits, based on the identifier, the request to the application server. The device further receives a test response in reply to the request. The device also generates a test result based on the expected response and the test response, and displays the test result.
US08745589B2 Automatic extraction of test case for a build in testing lifecycle
Systems and methods for testing in a testing lifecycle are described herein. In one embodiment, the testing system includes an extraction module to extract at least one test case pertaining to a requirement associated with a first build, a modified requirement and an incremental requirement associated with an updated build. Further, an execution module executes the extracted test cases on the build to verify the requirement associated with the build.
US08745578B2 Eliminating false-positive reports resulting from static analysis of computer software
A system for eliminating false-positive reports resulting from static analysis of computer software is provided herein. The system includes the following components executed by a processor: a modeler configured to model a computer code into a model that defines sources, sinks, and flows; a static analyzer configured to apply static analysis to the code or the model, to yield reports indicative of at least one issue relating to one or more of the flows; a preconditions generator configured to generate preconditions for eliminating false-positive issues in the reports, based on the model and user-provided input; and a preconditions checker configured to apply the generated preconditions to the reports for eliminating false-positive issues in the reports.
US08745577B2 End to end automation of application deployment
Automatic deployment of an information technology (TT) system instance having hardware and software components. An application model of the software components is generated based on use cases and is associated with functional and non-functional requirements. An infrastructure model of the hardware components is generated based on the application model. The same software component modeling language represents both the application and infrastructure models. A markup language computer file is generated to include a design of the IT system instance and instructions for accessing library-stored assets that specify the hardware and software components. The computer file is exported to a deployment tool for automatic deployment of the IT system instance based on carrying out the instructions. In one embodiment, the impact of a proposed change is identified and managed in real time prior to a deployment of the proposed change.
US08745576B2 Digital multimedia contact center
A tiered service model for a digital multimedia contact center assigns an entering contact to an initial service tier based on routing criteria for the contact and may escalate or de-escalate the contact to a different service tier if the routing criteria chances. The routing criteria is initially determined based on a media type associated with the contact. The digital multimedia contact center contains a set of media routers, each of which passes a contact of a particular media type to a workflow engine which executes workflows to direct the processing of contacts at service tiers that require agent activity. Agents are allocated to contacts by a dynamic automate contact distributor and the appropriate media router is used to route the contact to an agent. The workflow engine also executes workflows for agents to control the allocation of agents to contacts.
US08745575B2 Pattern based adminstration of an operation in a component based computing solution
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to administering and automating operations in a component based application and provide a method, system and computer program product for the pattern based administration of operations in a component based computing solution. In one embodiment of the invention, a composite application data processing system enabled for pattern based administration of an operation can include a dependency matrix model, a set of artifacts, each artifact associated with a particular action for a particular computing platform, and a pattern generated operation task control enabled to process an instance of the dependency matrix model through an invocation of selected ones of the artifacts.
US08745573B2 Platform-independent application development framework
Embodiments of the invention provide a platform-independent application development framework for programming an application. The framework comprises a content interface configured to provide an Application Programming Interface (API) to program the application comprising a programming code to be executed on one or more platforms. The API provided by the framework is independent of the one or more platforms. The framework further comprises an application environment configured to provide an infrastructure that is independent of the one or more platforms and one or more plug-in interfaces configured to provide an interface between the application environment and the one or more platforms.
US08745572B2 Software development automated analytics
The discussion relates to software development automated analytics. One example can access a database related to a software development project. The database can include both software code and non-code metadata. The example can analyze the non-code metadata and the software code to identify parameters. It can relate the parameters to aspects of the software development project. The example can cause a graphical user interface to be presented that conveys an individual aspect.
US08745568B2 Method and apparatus for determining relevance values for a detection of a fault on a chip and for determining a fault probability of a location on a chip
A method for determining relevance values representing a relevance of a combination of an input node of a first number of input nodes with a measurement node of a second number of measurement nodes for a detection of a fault on a chip applies a third number of tests at the first number of input nodes, measures for each test of the third plurality of tests a signal at each of the second number of measurement nodes to obtain for each measurement node of the second number of measurement nodes a third number of measurement values, and determines the relevance values, wherein each relevance value is calculated based on a correlation between the third number of test input choices defined for the input node of the respective combination and the third number of measurement values associated to the measurement node of the respective combination.
US08745563B2 Computationally efficient modeling and simulation of large scale systems
A system for simulating operation of a VLSI interconnect structure having capacitive and inductive coupling between nodes thereof, including a processor, and a memory, the processor configured to perform obtaining a matrix X and a matrix Y containing different combinations of passive circuit element values for the interconnect structure, the element values for each matrix including inductance L and inverse capacitance P, obtaining an adjacency matrix A associated with the interconnect structure, storing the matrices X, Y, and A in the memory, and performing numerical integration to solve first and second equations.
US08745558B1 Deployment of transmission gate logic cells in application specific integrated circuits
A method is provided for designing an integrated circuit. The method includes generating a net list of an integrated circuit design, wherein the net list includes one or more component cells selected from a cell library. The component cells include transmission gate logic cells and sourcing cells that drive the transmission gate logic cells. Each transmission gate logic cell has an associated timing model with a timing characteristic defined as a function of a driving strength attribute of a sourcing cell used to characterize the transmission gate logic cell. The method further includes auditing the net list to determine if a given sourcing cell in the integrated circuit design has a sufficient driving strength based at least on the driving strength attribute of a transmission gate logic cell being driven by the given sourcing cell.
US08745554B2 Practical approach to layout migration
The present disclosure provides an integrated circuit design method in many different embodiments. An exemplary IC design method comprises providing an IC design layout of a circuit in a first technology node; migrating the IC design layout of the circuit to a second technology node; applying an electrical patterning (ePatterning) modification to the migrated IC design layout according to an electrical parameter of the circuit; and thereafter fabricating a mask according to the migrated IC design layout of the circuit in the second technology node.
US08745550B2 Fracture aware OPC
The present disclosure describes an OPC method of preparing data for forming a mask. The method includes setting a plurality of dissection points at the main feature and further includes setting a target point at the main feature. The method includes arranging the two dissection points crossing the main feature symmetrically each other. The method includes separating two adjacent dissection points at one side of the main feature by a maximum resolution of the mask writer. The method includes dividing the main feature into a plurality of segments using the dissection points. The method includes performing an OPC convergence simulation to a target point. The method includes correcting the segments belonging to an ambit of the target point and further includes correcting the segment shared by two ambits.
US08745549B2 Method and system for forming high precision patterns using charged particle beam lithography
A method for fracturing or mask data preparation or proximity effect correction or optical proximity correction or mask process correction is disclosed in which a set of charged particle beam shots is determined that is capable of forming a pattern on a surface, wherein critical dimension (CD) split is reduced through the use of overlapping shots.
US08745547B1 Method for making photomask layout
A method for making a photomask layout is disclosed. A graphic data of a photomask is provided. A first correction step is performed to the graphic data. A first verification step is performed to all of the graphic data which has been subjected to the first correction step, wherein at least one failed pattern not passing the first verification step is found. A second correction step is performed to the at least one failed pattern, so as to obtain at least one modified pattern. A second verification step is performed only to at least one buffer region covering the at least one modified pattern, wherein the buffer region has an area less than a whole area of the photomask. Besides, each of the first correction step, the first verification step, the second correction step and the second verification step is executed by a computer.
US08745539B2 Automatic lifecycle management for pages on a mobile application
User interface state (UI) information (such as UI control values) are stored and revived when the user navigates and returns to an application. When an instance of a page is created, the page registers with a tombstone list and indicates which page state information on the page is to be stored and revived when a user navigates away from the application. When the user provides an input indicating navigation away from the application, the application accesses the tombstone list and stores the UI page state information. UI page state information is stored in a page state dictionary data structure that corresponds to the current instance of the page. Then, when the user navigates back to the application, the application accesses the page state dictionary and restores the values of the UI page state information so that the user interface display is in the same state as when the user navigated away from the application.
US08745535B2 Multi-dimensional desktop
A graphical user interface has a back surface disposed from viewing surface to define a depth, and one or more one or more side surfaces extend from the back surface to the viewing surface. An icon receptacle is disposed on one or more of the side surfaces, and one or more icons are disposed within the icon receptacle. The one or more icons correspond to one or more desktop items.
US08745532B2 Display device
The display device allows easily operating plural controlled devices connected to a network. The display device includes a communication unit communicating with controlled devices X1 through Xn connected to a network; an information acquiring unit acquiring operation-related information from controlled devices X1 through Xn through the communication unit; an information classifying unit classifying URL information into plural function groups based on operation information contained in operation-related information; a menu generating unit generating a menu page for each of the function groups; a display unit displaying the menu page generated by the menu generating unit; and a page operation unit operating the menu page.
US08745531B2 Media processing system supporting automated personal channel construction based on user profile and pre-selection
Systems and methods supporting automatic selection of media according to a user profile are disclosed. An embodiment of the present invention may automatically select media matching user-defined characteristics in a user profile, and may provide information identifying the selected media to a user via a user interface. The user interface may be displayed as one or more media channels, where a portion of each media channel may comprise information identifying the automatically selected media. The user may then access the automatically selected media via the user interface. The media selected may one or more of audio, still images, video, real-time video, and data.
US08745530B2 Method for generating an on-screen menu
A method for generating an on-screen menu comprising menu buttons and other menu items, e.g. help text, is characterized in that one or more groups of menu buttons or menu items are defined, wherein a group comprises one or more menu buttons or menu items and has associated a defined area on the screen. A state is assigned to a button, the state being “enabled” or “disabled”, wherein only an enabled button or item may be displayed, and wherein within a group not more than one button or item may be enabled. The state of a button can be changed by commands associated with other buttons.
US08745528B2 Utility object for specialized data entry
An object is associated with one or more controls in a software application. An object associated with a control determines the operation of the data entry user interface when the data entry user interface is being employed to enter data into the control. More particularly, the object may communicate interface e characteristics to a component that is responsible for providing the user interface to the user. Such a component may be, for example, a shared software module that renders the user interface on a display, receives input data from the user through the user interface, and routes the entered data to a designated destination. Alternately, the object itself may create a user interface having the specified characteristics.
US08745525B1 Presenting graphical windows on a device
Aspects of this disclosure are directed to presentation of graphical windows on a device. The graphical windows may be generated from one or more applications executing on the device. The device may receive a user gesture to modify a size of a first graphical window. The device may determine one or more attributes of the user gesture. The device may modify the size of the first graphical window based on the determination. The device may then display at least a portion of a second graphical window previously occluded or displaced off-screen by the first graphical window before the size of the first graphical window was modified. The size of the second graphical window may be substantially similar to the modified size of the first graphical window.
US08745523B2 Deletion in electronic backups
Systems and methods are provided for storing and restoring digital data. In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes displaying a current view, initiating a history view, the history view including two or more visual representations of corresponding earlier versions of the current view, identifying a selection of an item in a visual representation, receiving an input to delete the selected item, and deleting each instance of the selected item in the history view. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, computer program products, and computer readable media.
US08745522B2 Actionable media items
A user equipment (UE) and method are provided for displaying items associated with selected media content and to cycle such that multiple items are displayed over time. A UE is provided that includes at least one component configured to display a plurality of items provided in a filmstrip format and associated with a plurality of content and to cycle the items in the filmstrip format. A method therefore is also contemplated.
US08745516B2 Real time map rendering with data clustering and expansion and overlay
Systems and methods are provided for the organization, management, and graphical display of multiple logically related entities. In some embodiments, the systems and methods provide the real-time display of status and location information for a fleet of tracked vehicles. In some embodiments, the systems and methods permit the automatic clustering of assets based on a user's view of an underlying map. In some embodiments, the assets are vehicles that are a part of a managed fleet. In some embodiments, the assets are logically arranged into clusters of like assets. In some embodiments, the clusters provide graphical indications of status or class information of their underlying assets.
US08745515B2 Presentation of large pages on small displays
This invention relates to method for presenting at least a part of a page, comprising at least partially dividing at least one page into a plurality of areas, presenting said plurality of areas in a first representation, making at least one area of said plurality of areas an active area, and in response to a user operation on said at least one active area, presenting at least one of said at least one active areas in a second representation. Said at least one page may be a Hypertext Markup Language HTML page, or a page of a text document, and said display may be integrated in a portable electronic device. The invention further relates to a device, a system, a computer program and a computer program product.
US08745512B2 Method and computer-readable medium for interacting with a portion of an electronic document
A method and computer-readable medium are provided for interacting with a portion of an electronic document. According to the method, a UI control is displayed that includes a border surrounding the portion of the electronic document and one or more UI items that allow actions to be performed on the portion of the electronic document. The UI control may be displayed continually or displayed when user input is received within the portion of the electronic document. The border of the UI control may form a bounded region that is displayed transparently over the display of the portion of the electronic document. The transparency of the bounded region may be increased gradually when user input is received in the portion of the electronic document and removed gradually when user input is subsequently received outside the portion. A selectable region may be provided within the UI control for selecting and moving the portion of the electronic document to another location within the document.
US08745510B2 Complex operation execution tool
A method is presented for executing complex operations. The method may include providing basic packages that include execution instructions for at least partially executing a complex operation. Each basic package may also include combination instructions for combining the execution instructions with execution instructions of another basic package. Several basic packages may be selected. The complex operation may then be executed according to the execution instructions and the combination instructions associated with the selected basic packages.
US08745509B2 Image display system, graphical user interface, and image display method
An image display system includes: a plurality of image supply devices; and an image display device adapted to display one or more supply images out of supply images supplied from the respective image supply devices, wherein each of the image supply devices includes a display section, and an interface section adapted to display an operating image on the display section, the operating image being used for selecting at least one of the supply images to be displayed by the image display device and designating a layout of the images, and to transmit an instruction by a user via the operating image to the image supply devices.
US08745508B2 Systems and methods for user polling
Exemplary systems and methods for user polling are disclosed. An exemplary method includes a service provider subsystem receiving, from a poll provider subsystem, data representative of a poll comprising at least one poll question, transmitting the poll in a first data format to a plurality of translators for translation and distribution to a plurality of access devices associated with a plurality of users and with a plurality of distinct, heterogeneous media platforms, receiving from the plurality of translators, data representative of one or more responses to the at least one poll question provided by one or more of the plurality of access devices, aggregating the data representative of the one or more responses, generating poll results based on the one or more responses, and transmitting data representative of the poll results to the poll provider subsystem and/or the plurality of access devices. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
US08745505B2 Web based desktop environment
A web based desktop environment is disclosed. The desktop environment comprises a work area configured to display application windows in a web browser operating on a computer server. A resident application bar is displayed adjacent the work area and configured to display only icons for resident desktop applications. A power bar resident desktop application is configured to launch web applications to be displayed in the work area. A task board operating in the power bar resident desktop application comprises a vertically resizable two dimensional window located at a selected edge of the work area. The task board is configured to display a web application icon for each web application launched in the power bar resident desktop application.
US08745504B1 Goal flow visualization
System and method for visualizing network traffic data. Webpage visits are grouped into nodes connected by traffic paths. Steps in an online process are used to assign nodes to levels in the visualization.
US08745502B2 System and method for interfacing interactive systems with social networks and media playback devices
A system and method for interfacing interactive systems with social networks and media playback devices is described. For example, a system for generating and interacting with media content is described. In one embodiment, the system includes an interactive system that displays media content, wherein the interactive system includes a first computer and sensors for recording a user's interaction with the displayed media content, and a kiosk that allows a user to share the interactive media content with social networks and media playback devices, wherein the interactive media content includes the media content and metadata representing the user's recorded interaction with the media content.
US08745498B2 Incorporating interactive media into a playlist
An exemplary system includes a media control operable to begin playing a media segment automatically after buffering the media segment, and a host application operable to receive a reference to the media segment, initialize the media control with the media segment, and cause the media control to postpone playing of the media segment after the media segment is buffered. An exemplary method includes receiving a playlist referencing a first media segment and a second media segment, the second media segment operable to play automatically without a prompt after being loaded, presenting the first media segment, and prerolling the second media segment.
US08745492B2 Determining event patterns for monitored applications
Providing information of a monitored system through a graphical user interface (GUI) of a monitoring application to support simplified or automatic identification of events. The method includes initiating an event pattern script recording. The method also includes keeping track of user actions on said GUI and on activated GUI panels during said event pattern script recording by requesting a user to specify, once the user activates a further GUI panel, which panel information in a current GUI panel triggered activation of said further GUI panel and based on what criterion the triggering occurred. The user specified information results in triggering information. The method also includes, in response to receiving an indication that an event has been identified, stopping said event pattern script recording. The method also includes, storing said event pattern script recording, GUI panel information and said triggering information.
US08745490B2 Mobile terminal capable of controlling various operations using a multi-fingerprint-touch input and method of controlling the operation of the mobile terminal
A mobile terminal and a method of controlling the mobile terminal are provided. The method includes displaying an operation screen on a display module capable of identifying a fingerprint; if a multi-fingerprint-touch input including first and second fingerprint-touch inputs is received through the display module, selecting a locked operation menu from the operation screen; and if fingerprint information of the multi-fingerprint-touch input is authenticated, unlocking and then executing the selected operation menu. Therefore, it is possible to perform fingerprint authentication and the execution of an operation at the same time in response to a multi-fingerprint-touch input.
US08745489B2 Shell input/output segregation
Embodiments described herein are based on the principle that shells execute commands as units of characters. Accordingly, embodiments herein provide for a sending side with enough intelligence to isolate each command, examine it, perform some levels of validation, and deliver a structured representation of the command to the remote processor before doing any network operations. More specifically, embodiments herein provided for a mechanism of identifying a command and encapsulating the command into a single message (e.g., a SOAP, HTTPS, or other type message), which is then sent to a remote shell for processing as an entire unit. Accordingly, embodiments herein treat the command as a single unit, rather than as a character-oriented transmission.
US08745487B2 System and method for creating variable data print samples for campaigns
Methods and systems herein receive a selection of at least one variable data printing (VDP) pattern from a first user to compose an initial sample design. The methods receive image, text, and graphics into the initial sample design from the first user and the user tags such image, text and graphics with VDP pattern elements. The processes of receiving the image, text, and graphics and tagging alter the initial sample design into the tagged sample design. Further, the methods and systems can automatically convert the tagged sample design into at least one different format file. The methods and systems can automatically provide the different format file to at least one second user. Additionally, the second user can include data components into the different format file to support the composition of a targeted marketing campaign sample.
US08745486B2 Streamable interactive rendering-independent page layout
A computer output display system is provided. The system includes a layout component to determine one or more rendering rules that are applicable to a subset of display output controls. A format component communicates the rendering rules via a generic protocol that is employed by the subset of display output controls to render a display.
US08745483B2 Methods, systems and computer program products for facilitating visualization of interrelationships in a spreadsheet
Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for visually indicating relationships among cells in a spreadsheet. Each of a first graphical linking element extending between cells in a first branch of a dependency tree of a root cell and a second graphical linking element extending between cells in a second branch of the dependency tree of the root cell is independently displayed and hidden.
US08745478B2 System and method for generating inspiration boards
A system and method are provided for automatically generating an inspiration board. The system and method involves inputting at least one term into a computer system. Based on the inputted term, at least one image is selected from a database of images stored in the computer system and at least one pattern from a database of patterns stored in the computer system. The inspiration board is assembled by the computer system using the image and the pattern.
US08745476B1 Systems and methods for cyclic redundancy check implementation
In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for calculating a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) code for a message. A system includes a first CRC calculator and a second CRC calculator. The first CRC calculator is configured to receive a first data block of the message, and to calculate a first CRC value based at least in part on the first data block, the message including the first data block and a second data block. The second CRC calculator is configured to receive the first CRC value and the second data block of the message, and to calculate a second CRC value based on the first CRC value and the second data block, the second CRC calculator being different from the first CRC calculator.
US08745475B2 Semiconductor apparatus and information processing apparatus
A semiconductor apparatus includes a delay circuit to apply delay to an input signal, a phase detector to detect a phase of an output signal which is outputted from the delay circuit, a filter to set a range of the phase of the output signal for stable operation based on phase information outputted from the phase detector, a counter to count a number of detections of the output signal when the phase deviates from the range for stable operation, a discount controller to generate a discount signal indicating a discount number for the number counted by the counter, in accordance with an operating condition or an external factor outside the delay circuit and an error detector to determine whether or not an error of the phase of the output signal has occurred based on the number counted by the counter and a discount number indicated by the discount signal.
US08745473B2 Encoder, transmitting apparatus, coding method and transmission method
Disclosed are an encoder, a transmitting device, a coding method and a transmission method with which the transmission amount is reduced and a deterioration in transmission efficiency is suppressed while improving reception quality when QC-LDPC or a like block coding is used. A puncture pattern setting unit searches for a puncture pattern for each integral multiple of the number of columns or for each divisor of the number of columns of a sub block matrix that forms a check matrix (H) of a QC-LDPC code, and a puncture unit (data reduction unit) switches the puncture pattern for each integral multiple of the number of columns or for each divisor of the number of columns of the sub block matrix that forms the check matrix of the QC-LDPC code.
US08745470B2 Method and system for data transmission in a data network
The present invention relates to a method and system for data transmission in a data network. According to the method, a data packet is sent from a sender to a receiver. If a data packet is incorrectly received on the receiver, a repeat request is sent from the receiver to the sender. Upon receiving the repeat request on the sender, the data packet is resent from the sender to the receiver. After having received on the sender a predetermined number of repeat requests requesting the reseeding of the same data packet, a predetermined quantity of copies of the data packet is sent from the sender to the receiver, wherein the predetermined quantity includes at least two copies, or a predetermined quantity of additional information packets is sent from the sender to the receiver.
US08745468B1 Iterative decoding systems using noise-biasing
Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for improving the iterative decoding performance of a decoder, for example, as used in a wireless communications receiver or in a data retrieval unit. A decoding technique may receive and process a set of channel samples using an iterative decoder. If the iterative decoder output indicates a decoding failure, noise samples may be combined with the received channel samples to create biased channel samples. Noise samples may be generated using a pseudo-random noise generator and/or by using signals already present in the communications receiver or data retrieval unit. The biased channel samples may be provided to the iterative decoder and the iterative decoder may re-run using the biased channel samples.
US08745467B2 System and method for fault tolerant computing using generic hardware
A dual redundant process controller is provided. The controller comprises a process control application that executes on a first and a second module. When executed by the first module, a first application instance writes a first synchronization information to the second module, reads a second synchronization information from the first module, and, when the second disagrees with the first synchronization information after passage of a time-out interval, performs a resynchronization function; and wherein, when executed by the second module, the second application instance writes the second synchronization information to the first module, reads the first synchronization information from the second module, and, when the first disagrees with the second synchronization information after passage of the time-out interval, performs the resynchronization function. The first application instance calls the synchronization function provided by the multitasking real-time operating system before invoking a set events function provided by a multitasking real-time operating system.
US08745465B1 Detecting a burst error in the frames of a block of data bits
Methods and circuits detect a burst error in a block of data bits. Coset calculator circuits calculate coset leaders from a syndrome generated from the data bits of the block. The coset calculator circuits calculate the coset leaders for each frame of the data bits. For each frame, comparator circuits input a corresponding coset leader of the coset leaders. Each comparator circuit determines, for each burst-length portion of one or more burst-length portions within the corresponding coset leader, whether the coset bits of the corresponding coset leader are zero except for the coset bits within the burst-length portion. An error-locator circuit outputs an error vector describing the burst error in the block in response to one of the comparator circuits determining that the coset bits of the corresponding coset leader are zero except for the coset bits within one of the burst-length portions within the corresponding coset leader.
US08745461B2 Method and apparatus for N+1 packet level mesh protection
Methods and apparatus are provided for N+1 packet level mesh protection. An error correction encoder is provided for encoding message symbols, m0 through mN-1, to generate a codeword that includes the message symbols, m0 through mN-1, and one or more check symbols. The error correction encoder comprises a linear feedback shift register having one or more flip-flops to generate the check symbols after shifting the message symbols, m0 through mN-1, through the linear feedback shift register. An error correction decoder is also provided for decoding a codeword that includes message symbols, m0 through mN-1, and one or more check symbols. The error correction decoder comprises a linear feedback shift register having one or more flip-flops to generate an error symbol based on a remainder after shifting the message symbols, m0 through mN-1, and the one or more check symbols through the linear feedback shift register.
US08745460B2 Encoding/decoding apparatus and method
An encoder and a decoder employ an encoding scheme corresponding to a parity check matrix which is derivable from a bipartite protograph formed of variable nodes and check nodes, with each variable node corresponding to a codeword symbol position. The protograph has a plurality of groups of nodes, each group of nodes comprising both variable nodes and check nodes. Each of the check nodes in a group is of degree 2 and has connections to two variable nodes in the same group. The protograph also has a plurality of check nodes of degree n, where n is the number of said plurality of groups, wherein each of the plurality of check nodes has a connection to a variable node in each group such that the symbol positions in a codeword are interleaved between the groups of nodes.
US08745458B2 Data retransmission method and wireless communication apparatus
A data retransmission method for retransmitting a data using a wireless communication, including: receiving data transmitted from a transmitting apparatus; determining whether the received data is correct or not; transmitting data including information indicating that the received data is received correctly to the transmitting apparatus upon being determined the received data is correct, and transmitting data including information indicating that the received data is not received correctly to the transmitting apparatus upon being determined the received data is not correct; measuring an elapsed time from transmission of the data including information indicating that the received data is not received correctly; and monitoring whether to receive data corresponding to the received data from the transmitting apparatus before the elapsed time reaches a predetermined time.
US08745456B2 Controlling user-added boundary scan register with TAP of IP core
An integrated circuit carries an intellectual property core. The intellectual property core includes a test access port 39 with test data input leads 15, test data output leads 13, control leads 17 and an external register present, ERP lead 37. A scan register 25 encompasses the intellectual property core and ERP lead 37 carries a signal indicating the presence of the scan register.
US08745455B2 Providing an on-die logic analyzer (ODLA) having reduced communications
In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a logic analyzer such as may be implemented on a system-on-chip or another semiconductor device. The analyzer can include multiple lanes each having a filter to receive and filter debug data, a compressor to compress the debug data passed by the filter, a buffer, and a controller to store the compressed debug data into the buffer, where the compressed debug data can be stored without timing information. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08745450B2 Fully-buffered dual in-line memory module with fault correction
A memory system comprising a first memory, a control module, a test module, and a second memory. The first memory is configured to store pages of data to be tested. The control module is configured to store identifiers of the pages of data. The test module is configured to test the pages of data in the first memory. The second memory is configured to, while the pages of data stored in the first memory are being tested, store the identifiers of the pages of data and store the pages of data. The control module is further configured to, after the test module completes testing of the pages of data in the first memory, move the pages of data from the second memory to the first memory based on the identifiers of the pages of data.
US08745443B2 Memory system
According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a data manager and a data restorer. The data manager multiplexes difference logs by a parallel writing operation and stores them in a second storage area, the difference logs being difference logs indicating difference information before and after update of a management table; and thereafter multiplexes predetermined data as finalizing logs and stores them in the second storage area. The data restorer determines a system status at startup of the memory system, by judging whether irregular power-off occurs or data destruction occurs in the second storage area, based on a data storage state of the difference logs and the finalizing logs stored in the second storage area.
US08745438B2 Reducing impact of a switch failure in a switch fabric via switch cards
Techniques are disclosed for reducing impact of a switch failure in a switch fabric. In one embodiment, a server system is provided that includes a midplane, one or more server cards and one or more switch cards. The midplane may include a fabric interconnect for a switch fabric. The one or more server cards may be coupled with the midplane, where each server card is hot-swappable from the midplane. The one or more switch cards may also be coupled with the midplane, where each switch card is also hot-swappable from the midplane. Each switch card includes one or more switch modules, and each switch module is configured to switch network traffic for at least one server card.
US08745436B2 Information processing apparatus, information processing system, and control method therefor
A computer unit includes computer components each having a processor and a computer component controller for controlling the operations of the computer components by communicating a control signal with the computer components through a radio transmission path. Another computer unit has a similar configuration. At an instruction from an external control terminal which has recognized the fault of another computer component controller provided for the another computer unit, the computer component controller concurrently controls the operations of computer components provided for the another computer unit by communicating a control signal through a radio transmission path.
US08745434B2 Platform for continuous mobile-cloud services
Data that is collected and disseminated by mobile devices typically has to be processed, correlated with other data, aggregated, and then transmitted back to the mobile device users before the information becomes stale or otherwise irrelevant. These operations may be performed in a cloud-based solution that manages dataflow. The cloud-based solutions may be scalable and implemented in a fault-tolerant distributed system to support user-facing continuous sensing and processing services in the cloud-computing system. A system may monitor execution of data and shift workloads (i.e., balancing) in response to spatial and temporal load imbalances that occur in a continuous computing environment. A failure recovery protocol may be implemented that uses a checkpoint-based partial rollback recovery mechanism with selective re-execution, which may allow recovery of the continuous processing after an error while avoiding large amounts of downtime and re-execution.
US08745424B2 Electronic device that operates in two modes based on connection to power supply and command information
An information processing system has a power supply section which detects a predetermined potential applied to a USB terminal and supplying the potential as a source potential, an information detection section which detects the predetermined information supplied to the USB terminal, and a processing section which executes, subsequent to the detection of the predetermined potential, the encoding process or the decoding process in accordance with at least the operating information supplied from the operation key arranged on the body and in accordance with the predetermined information supplied to the USB terminal after detection of the predetermined information. The recording and reproducing operation can be performed with the operating key on the body with power supplied only from the USB terminal.
US08745423B2 System for combined input output module and zero power optical disk drive with advanced integration and power
An information handling system includes a module bay, a voltage control switch, and a controller. The module bay configured to receive a module, and to connect the module to the information handling system. The voltage control switch is in communication with the module bay, and is configured to provide power to the module bay. The controller is in communication with the module bay and with the voltage control switch. The controller is configured to detect a type of the module connected to the module bay, and to send a power control override signal to the voltage control switch when the type is a specific type, wherein the power control override signal causes the voltage control switch to disregard a power down signal received for the module bay and continue to provide power to the module bay.
US08745422B2 Power supply control method, program and power supply control system capable of exercising power supply control based on the type of a connected power supply apparatus
There is provided an information processing apparatus including a first connection unit with power supply type information, a second connection unit with power supply type information, a connection state determination unit for determining whether the connection states of the first and second connection units have changed, a power supply identification information acquisition unit for selectively acquiring the power supply type information from the first power supply apparatus and from the second power supply apparatus if the connection state determination unit determines that the connection states have changed, a power supply identification information management unit for managing connected-power-supply identification information, and a power supply control unit for controlling a feed from the power supply apparatuses connected to the first and second connection units and a charge on the first power supply apparatus connected to the first connection unit.
US08745421B2 Devices for control of the operation of data storage devices using solid-state memory based on a discharge of an amount of stored energy indicative of power providing capabilities
A variety of data storage devices, methods and systems are implemented for control of memory associated with backup functionality. One such data storage device includes a power circuit that provides main power. The data storage device has a first solid-state memory circuit that maintains data in the absence of electrical power. A second memory circuit is subject to data loss in the absence of electrical power. A storage circuit stores energy and provides the stored energy to the second memory circuit in response to a loss of main power. A test circuit discharges a portion of the stored energy to provide output data indicative of power-providing capabilities of the storage circuit. A memory controller controls data transfers to the data storage device by temporarily storing data destined for the first solid-state memory circuit and setting the amount of memory available for temporary storage in response to the output data.
US08745418B2 Methods, systems, and computer program products for selecting a resource based on a measure of a processing cost
Methods and systems are described for selecting a resource based on a measure of a processing cost. Resource information is received identifying a first resource and a second resource for processing by a program component. One or more of a first measure of a specified processing cost for the processing of the first resource and a second measure of the processing cost for the processing of the second resource is determined. One of the first resource and the second resource is selected based on at least one of the first measure and the second measure. The selected one of the first resource and the second resource is identified to the program component for processing.
US08745417B2 Computer system and notebook computer, and method for controlling computer system
The present invention provides a computer system, a notebook computer and a method for controlling a computer system. The method comprises steps of: determining current state of the main computer subsystem; turning off the power of the embedded subsystem or enabling the embedded subsystem into a low-power state of the embedded subsystem when the main computer subsystem stays in a power-on state of the main computer subsystem; and enabling the embedded subsystem into an operating state of the embedded subsystem when the main computer subsystem stays in a low-power state or a shut-down state of the main computer subsystem. The computer system comprises: a power supply, a main computer subsystem and an embedded subsystem, wherein the main computer subsystem comprises a state determination module and a state control module for the embedded subsystem. The notebook computer comprises a main board, an embedded subsystem and a power supply, wherein the main board comprises an embedded controller and a power switch controller as well. With the above technical solutions, the power consumption caused by the embedded subsystem is reduced while implementing a preset function in real time.
US08745415B2 Multi-drive cooperation to generate an encryption key
A system, method, and computer-readable storage medium for protecting a set of storage devices using a secret sharing scheme. The data of each storage device is encrypted with a key, and the key is encrypted based on a shared secret and a device-specific value. Each storage device stores a share and its encrypted key, and if a number of storage devices above a threshold are available, then the shared secret can be reconstructed from the shares and used to decrypt the encrypted keys. Otherwise, the secret cannot be reconstructed if less than the threshold number of storage devices are accessible, and then data on the storage devices will be unreadable.
US08745414B2 Switching between unsecure system software and secure system software
Unsecure system software and secure system software on the same computer system is switched between. A computer system includes one or more processors, which may not have any built-in security features, memory, and firmware. The memory stores secure system software and unsecure system software. In response to receiving a user signal, the firmware switches from the unsecure system software running on the processors to the secure system software running on the processors (and back again). While the unsecure system software is running, the secure system software is protected from tampering by the unsecure system software.
US08745412B2 Semiconductor memory device and method for realizing secure data storage
A semiconductor memory device includes a controller module as well as a universal interface module and a semiconductor memory medium module, which are connected electrically with the controller module respectively. The device also includes a one-time programmable memory, which stores a unique serial number. This one-time programmable memory is provided within the controller module or the semiconductor memory medium module. The number sequence of the unique serial number contained in each of the semiconductor memory device is different from that of another semiconductor memory device. While providing a mobile data storage function, this invention adopts a security technology to prevent from illegal data reading/writing. This increases significantly the difficulty in decrypting the data of a legal user, subsequently improving the security of the stored data of the user greatly. This invention also provides a method for realizing secure data storage with this semiconductor memory device. With the help of the unique serial number in this semiconductor memory device, the user can protect the stored data. This invention can be extensively used in information security fields, including ID authentication, copyright protection, etc.
US08745411B2 Protecting external volatile memories using low latency encryption/decryption
A data processing apparatus includes a volatile memory, a random number generator adapted for generating random numbers from which one or more keys are generated, and a memory encryption unit (MEU). The MEU is configured to receive an N-bit block of data and to divide the N-bit block of data into two more sub-blocks of data, where each sub-block contains fewer than N-bits. The MEU is further configured to encrypt each sub-block of data using the one more keys, to combine the encrypted sub-blocks into an N-bit block of encrypted data, and to write the encrypted N-bit block of data to the volatile memory.
US08745410B2 Method and apparatus to scramble data stored in memories accessed by microprocessors
A scrambler/descrambler module included in an integrated circuit device is operable for receiving a scrambling key and constant data that is unique to the integrated circuit device. The scrambler/descrambler module includes a first layer or circuit arrangement that uses a scrambling key to generate first scrambled data. The scrambler/descrambler module includes a second layer or second circuit arrangement that uses data that is unique to the integrated circuit device, and that is constant over the life of the integrated circuit device, to scramble the first scrambled data to generate second scrambled data.
US08745409B2 System and method for securing portable data
A data storage device that can be reversibly associated with one or more of a plurality of hosts. A “trusted” host on which the device is mounted is allowed access to a secure data area of the device automatically, without the user having to enter a password. Ways in which a host is designated as “trusted” include storing the host's ID in a trusted host list of the device, storing a representation of the host's ID that was encrypted using a trust key of the device in a cookie in the host, or storing a storage password of the device in a password list of the host. Alternatively, an untrusted host is allowed access to the secure data area if a user enters a correct user password.
US08745403B2 Enhanced content management based on watermark extraction records
Content screening operations are facilitated in devices that receive a content that is subject to screening obligations. When such a content is received at a device, a watermark extraction record is obtained and accessed to fulfill content screening obligations. Upon the receipt of such an extraction record, verification of the received extraction record is carried out based on a verification rate. If the verification is successful for an extraction record with permissive information, the verification rate is decreased, thereby reducing the processing load of the device. If the verification is unsuccessful, the verification rate is increased, which can adversely affect the processing load of the device.
US08745400B2 Method for authenticating key information between terminals of a communication link
With the help of a key management protocol, the transmitted key information is authenticated by at least one certificate signed by the terminals, and at least one fingerprint of the public keys or certificate, which were used for authenticating the key information, is added to the useful part of an SIP message. The identity information present in the header of an SIP message is additionally copied into a region of the header or the useful part, and a signature is produced by way of the fingerprint, the datum information presented in the header of an SIP message, the copied identity information, and optionally the certificate reference information, and is inserted into a further region of the header of the SIP message. The additional signature that is produced and inserted can remain uninfluenced during a transmission across several networks of different network operators.
US08745398B2 Providing services to devices using a ZigBee network
A network device may receive two different sets of authentication information from a user device over a ZigBee network. The network device may authenticate the user device based on the received two different sets of authentication information and permit, in response to authenticating the user device, the user device to obtain a service by exchanging information between the network device and the user device over the ZigBee network.
US08745387B2 Security management for an integrated console for applications associated with multiple user registries
A system for security management for applications associated with multiple user registries can include an integrated console configured to host a one or more applications or resource objects in corresponding realms. The system also can include one or more roles mapped to different ones of the resource objects and also to different users permitted to access the integrated console. The system yet further can include a user relationship system having associations with multiple different ones of the roles. Finally, the system can include console security management logic programmed to manage authentication for the users using realm of the resource object while not requiring a separate user registry for the integrated console.
US08745386B2 Single-use authentication methods for accessing encrypted data
Single-use authentication methods for accessing encrypted data stored on a protected volume of a computer are described, wherein access to the encrypted data involves decrypting a key protector stored on the computer that holds a volume-specific cryptographic key needed to decrypt the protected volume. Such single-use authentication methods rely on the provision of a key protector that can only be used once and/or that requires a new access credential for each use. In certain embodiments, a challenge-response process is also used as part of the authentication method to tie the issuance of a key protector and/or access credential to particular pieces of information that can uniquely identify a user.
US08745383B2 Secure computing environment using a client heartbeat to address theft and unauthorized access
Techniques for securing a client. An operating system agent is one or more software modules that execute in an operating system of a client, such as a portable computer. Portions of the operating system agent may monitor resources of the client. The operating system agent sends a message, which describes an operational state of the operating system agent, to a BIOS agent. The BIOS agent is one or more software modules operating in a BIOS of the client. The BIOS agent performs an action based on a policy that is described by policy data stored within the BIOS of the client. The BIOS agent performs the action in response to either (a) the operational state described by the message, or (b) the BIOS agent not receiving the message after an expected period of time.
US08745381B2 Methods, systems, and computer readable media for performing encapsulating security payload (ESP) rehashing
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for accelerating stateless IPsec traffic generation by performing ESP rehashing of ESP packets are disclosed. A first ESP packet is generated by encrypting a portion of the packet and adding ESP headers and trailers to the encrypted portion, hashing the encrypted portion and the ESP header to compute a first ESP integrity check value (ICV), and adding the ESP ICV as a trailer to the ESP packet. At least one second ESP packet is generated by modifying parameters in the first ESP packet. The first and second ESP packets are transmitted to a device under test.
US08745379B2 Systems and methods for securing data in motion
Two approaches are provided for distributing trust among a set of certificate authorities. Each approach may be used to secure data in motion. One approach provides methods and systems in which the secure data parser is used to distribute trust in a set of certificate authorities during initial negotiation (e.g., the key establishment phase) of a connection between two devices. Another approach provides methods and systems in which the secure data parser is used to disperse packets of data into shares. A set of tunnels is established within a communication channel using a set of certificate authorities, keys developed during the establishment of the tunnels are used to encrypt shares of data for each of the tunnels, and the shares of data are transmitted through each of the tunnels. Accordingly, trust is distributed among a set of certificate authorities in the structure of the communication channel itself.
US08745376B2 Verifying implicit certificates and digital signatures
Methods, systems, and computer programs for verifying a digital signature are disclosed. The verifier accesses an implicit certificate and a digital signature provided by the signer. The implicit certificate includes a first elliptic curve point representing a public key reconstruction value of the signer. The verifier accesses a second elliptic curve point representing a pre-computed multiple of the certificate authority's public key. The verifier uses the first elliptic curve point and the second elliptic curve point to verify the digital signature. The verifier may also use a third elliptic curve point representing a pre-computed multiple of a generator point. Verifying the digital signature may provide verification that the implicit certificate is valid.
US08745375B2 Handling of the usage of software in a disconnected computing environment
A method, computer program product and system of handling usage of software in a disconnected computing environment. A digital certificate including time frame constraints is generated, signed by a certificate authority and associated to the software. To be executed, the digital certificate previously signed must be validated by the certificate authority by checking public keys and the time frame constraints must be simultaneously satisfied in the disconnected computing environment. The use of software is controlled in disconnected computing environments and/or read-only computing environments, i.e. environments which are not modifiable or in which brought modifications are not persistent. The data collected by the software may be further encrypted and thus be controlled.
US08745374B2 Sending protected data in a communication network
A method of sending protected data from a sender unit to a receiver unit via an intermediate unit. The intermediate unit stores information associated with a certificate belonging to the receiver unit, and information associated with a certificate belonging to the intermediate unit, which has previously been signed by the receiver unit. The intermediate unit receives a request from the sender unit to send protected data to the receiver unit, and so it sends a response to the sender unit. The response includes the information associated with the certificate belonging to the receiver unit, which allows the sender unit to verify that the intermediate unit is authorized to receive data on behalf of the receiver unit. The intermediate unit then receives data from the sender unit that is protected using the information associated with the certificate belonging to the receiver unit for subsequent forwarding to the receiver unit. Having the receiver unit sign the intermediate unit's certificate allows the exchange of credentials to allow a sender unit to send protected data to a receiver unit via an intermediate unit.
US08745363B2 Bootable volatile memory device, memory module and processing system comprising bootable volatile memory device, and method of booting processing system using bootable volatile memory device
A bootable volatile memory device comprises a volatile memory area configured to be written to and read from by a host processor, a boot code area configured to store bootstrap code before a boot procedure is performed by the host processor, a first chip select terminal configured to output a signal used as a chip select signal where the host processor performs the boot procedure by reading the bootstrap code from the boot code area, and a second chip select terminal configured to output a signal used as a chip select signal where the host processor writes and reads data to and from the volatile memory area.
US08745362B2 Operating system aware branch predictor using a dynamically reconfigurable branch history table
A processor resource manager assigns a branch history resource to a first execution mode. The branch history resource is utilized for predicting a branch direction of a branch instruction. Next, the resource manager logs a number of branch mispredictions that occur while the processor executes a second execution mode. The resource manager, in turn, reassigns the branch history resource to the second execution mode based upon the number of branch mispredictions.
US08745361B2 Sandboxed execution of plug-ins
A sandbox architecture that isolates and identifies misbehaving plug-ins (intentional or unintentional) to prevent system interruptions and failure. Based on plug-in errors, the architecture automatically disables and blocks registration of the bad plug-in via a penalty point system. Publishers of bad plug-ins are controlled by disabling the bad plug-ins and registering the publisher in an unsafe list. Isolation can be provided in multiple levels, such as machine isolation, process isolation, secure accounts with limited access rights, and application domain isolation within processes using local security mechanisms. A combination of the multiple levels of isolation achieves a high level of security. Isolation provides separation from other plug-in executions and restriction to system resources such as file system and network IP. Moreover, the architecture is highly scalable, stateless, and low administration architecture for the execution of the plug-ins, which can be scaled by adding/removing additional sandbox servers on-the-fly without prior configuration.
US08745358B2 Processor to execute shift right merge instructions
Method, apparatus, and program means for performing bitstream buffer manipulation with a SIMD merge instruction. The method of one embodiment comprises determining whether any unprocessed data bits for a partial variable length symbol exist in a first data block is made. A shift merge operation is performed to merge the unprocessed data bits from the first data block with a second data block. A merged data block is formed. A merged variable length symbol comprised of the unprocessed data bits and a plurality of data bits from the second data block is extracted from the merged data block.
US08745357B2 Remapping for memory wear leveling
A method and a corresponding apparatus provide for remapping for wear leveling of a memory. The method is implemented as logic and includes the steps of receiving a memory operation, the memory operation including a logical memory address; dividing the logical address into a logical block address portion, a logical line address portion, and a logical subline address portion; translating the logical block address portion into a physical block address; selecting a line remap key; applying the line remap key to the logical line address portion to produce a physical line address; producing a physical subline address portion; and combining the physical block, line, and subline address portions to produce a physical address for the memory operation.
US08745352B2 Optimized approach to parallelize writing to a shared memory resource
Reducing contentions between processes or tasks that are trying to access shared resources is described herein. According to embodiments of the invention, a method of writing a set of data associated with a task to a memory resource is provided. The method includes calculating the amount of memory required to write said data to the memory resource and updating an expected end marker to reflect the amount of memory required to write the data to the memory resource. A flag is then set to an incomplete state, and the data is written to the memory resource. The flag can be set to a complete state and an end marker is updated. The end marker indicates the end of the data stored in the memory resource.
US08745347B2 Limited use data storing device
Embodiments of methods and systems for controlling access to information stored on memory or data storage devices are disclosed. In various embodiments, methods of retrieving information from a data storage device previously deactivated by modification or degradation of at least a portion of the data storage device are disclosed.
US08745344B2 Storage system using thin provisioning pool and snapshotting, and controlling method of the same
A storage system comprises a storage device from which a physical storage area is created for storing data processed in an external apparatus, a thin provisioning controller creating a physical storage area pool with a plurality of unit physical storage areas from the physical storage area, and creating a logical volume from the physical storage area pool, and a snapshot controller designating the logical volume as a primary volume, defining a secondary volume which is a partner of the primary volume as a combination of the primary volume and difference data, assigning unused one of the unit physical storage areas to the area into which the difference data is to be stored, and setting a volume pair created with the primary volume and the secondary volume into a synchronizing state and a non-synchronizing state.
US08745339B2 Multi-core system and method for processing data in parallel in multi-core system
A multi-core system and a method for processing data in parallel in the multi-core system are provided. In the multi-core system, partitioning and allocating of data may be dynamically controlled based on local memory information. Thus, it is possible to increase an availability of a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and a local memory, and is possible to improve a performance of data parallel processing.
US08745338B1 Overwriting part of compressed data without decompressing on-disk compressed data
Overwriting part of compressed data without decompressing on-disk compressed data is implemented by receiving a write request for a block of data in a compression group from a client, wherein the compression group comprises a group of data blocks that is compressed, wherein the block of data is uncompressed. The storage server partially overwrites the compression group, wherein the compression group remains compressed while the partial overwriting is performed. The storage server determines whether the partially overwritten compression group including the uncompressed block of data should be compressed. The storage server defers compression of the partially overwritten compression group if the partially overwritten compression group should not be compressed. The storage server compresses the partially overwritten compression group if the partially overwritten compression group should be compressed.
US08745336B2 Offloading storage operations to storage hardware
In a computer system with a disk array that has physical storage devices arranged as logical storage units and is capable of carrying out hardware storage operations on a per logical storage unit basis, the hardware storage operations can be carried out on a per-file basis using various primitives. These primitives include instructions for zeroing file blocks, cloning file blocks, and deleting file blocks, and these instructions operate on one or more files defined in a blocklist, that identifies the locations in the logical storage units to which the files map.
US08745334B2 Sectored cache replacement algorithm for reducing memory writebacks
An improved sectored cache replacement algorithm is implemented via a method and computer program product. The method and computer program product select a cache sector among a plurality of cache sectors for replacement in a computer system. The method may comprise selecting a cache sector to be replaced that is not the most recently used and that has the least amount of modified data. In the case in which there is a tie among cache sectors, the sector to be replaced may be the sector among such cache sectors with the least amount of valid data. In the case in which there is still a tie among cache sectors, the sector to be replaced may be randomly selected among such cache sectors. Unlike conventional sectored cache replacement algorithms, the improved algorithm implemented by the method and computer program product accounts for both hit rate and bus utilization.
US08745333B2 Systems and methods for backing up storage volumes in a storage system
Systems and methods for backing up storage volumes are provided. One system includes a primary side, a secondary side, and a network coupling the primary and secondary sides. The secondary side includes first and second VTS including a cache and storage tape. The first VTS is configured to store a first portion of a group of storage volumes in its cache and migrate the remaining portion to its storage tape. The second VTS is configured to store the remaining portion of the storage volumes in its cache and migrate the first portion to its storage tape. One method includes receiving multiple storage volumes from a primary side, storing the storage volumes in the cache of the first and second VTS, migrating a portion of the storage volumes from the cache to storage tape in the first VTS, and migrating a remaining portion of the storage volumes from the cache to storage tape in the second VTS.
US08745331B2 Technique for improving replication persistance in a caching applicance structure
A method for improving replication persistence in a caching appliance structure can begin when a primary catalog service receives a command to instantiate a data partition. The primary catalog service can manage a collective of caching appliances in a networked computing environment. The data partition can include a primary shard and at least one replica shard. The primary shard of the data partition can be stored within a memory space of a first caching appliance. The at least one replica shard of the data partition can be stored within a non-volatile storage space of a second caching appliance. The first and the second caching appliances can be separate physical devices. The memory space of the second caching appliance that could have been used to store the at least one replica shard can be available for storing primary shards for other data partitions, increasing the capacity of the collective.
US08745330B2 Technique for improving replication persistance in a caching applicance structure
A method for improving replication persistence in a caching appliance structure can begin when a primary catalog service receives a command to instantiate a data partition. The primary catalog service can manage a collective of caching appliances in a networked computing environment. The data partition can include a primary shard and at least one replica shard. The primary shard of the data partition can be stored within a memory space of a first caching appliance. The at least one replica shard of the data partition can be stored within a non-volatile storage space of a second caching appliance. The first and the second caching appliances can be separate physical devices. The memory space of the second caching appliance that could have been used to store the at least one replica shard can be available for storing primary shards for other data partitions, increasing the capacity of the collective.
US08745328B2 Updating error correction codes for data blocks
Systems and processes may be used to retrieve metadata from a nonvolatile memory of a portable device and transmit the retrieved metadata to an external host. Metadata may be analyzed using the external host and/or at least a portion of the metadata may be modified based on the analysis. Modified metadata may be transmitted from the external host to a memory controller of the host.
US08745327B1 Methods, systems, and computer readable medium for controlling prioritization of tiering and spin down features in a data storage system
According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for controlling prioritization of tiering and spin down features in a data storage system. The method is performed at a data storage array comprising a plurality of physical data storage disks for storing data and includes identifying data that is infrequently accessed. The infrequently accessed data is relocated to a subset of the physical data storage disks designated for storing infrequently accessed data and the spin rate of the subset of the disks is reduced.
US08745326B2 Request priority seek manager
As apparatus and associated method for a dual active-active array storage system with a first controller with top level control of a first memory space and a second controller with top level control of a second memory space different than the first memory space. A seek manager residing in only one of the controllers defines individual command profiles derived from a combined list of data transfer requests from both controllers. A policy engine continuously collects qualitative information about a network load to both controllers to dynamically characterize the load, and governs the seek manager to continuously correlate each command profile in relation to the load characterization.
US08745325B2 Using an attribute of a write request to determine where to cache data in a storage system having multiple caches including non-volatile storage cache in a sequential access storage device
Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for using an attribute of a write request to determine where to cache data in a storage system having multiple caches including non-volatile storage cache in a sequential access storage device. Received modified tracks are cached in the non-volatile storage device integrated with the sequential access storage device in response to determining to cache the modified tracks. A write request having modified tracks is received. A determination is made as to whether an attribute of the received write request satisfies a condition. The received modified tracks for the write request are cached in the non-volatile storage device in response to determining that the determined attribute does not satisfy the condition. A destage request is added to a request queue for the received write request having the determined attribute not satisfying the condition.
US08745321B2 Simulating a memory standard
An apparatus includes multiple first memory circuits, each first memory circuit being associated with a first memory standard, where the first memory standard defines a first set of control signals that each first memory circuit circuits is operable to accept. The apparatus also includes an interface circuit coupled to the first memory circuits, in which the interface circuit is operable to emulate at least one second memory circuit, each second memory circuit being associated with a second different memory standard.
US08745317B2 System and method for storing information in a multi-level cell memory
A method comprising: obtaining a value of source data; encoding the value of source data using an encoding process, to thereby obtain an encoded value; calculating a difference value based on the value of source data and the encoded value; mapping the difference value to a multi-digit binary value associated with a voltage level based on a mapping scheme; causing a cell of a multi-level cell memory to store the mapped multi-digit binary value; and causing the encoded value of source data to be stored in the multi-level cell memory.
US08745315B2 Memory Systems and methods supporting volatile and wear-leveled nonvolatile physical memory
A memory system includes nonvolatile physical memory, such as flash memory, that exhibits a wear mechanism asymmetrically associated with write operations. A relatively small cache of volatile memory reduces the number of writes, and wear-leveling memory access methods distribute writes evenly over the nonvolatile memory.
US08745314B1 Methods for a random read and read/write block accessible memory
In one embodiment of the invention, a memory apparatus is disclosed. The memory apparatus includes a memory array, a block read/write controller, and a random access read memory controller. The memory array is block read/write accessible and random read accessible. The block read/write controller is coupled between the memory array and an external interconnect. The block read/write controller performs block read/write operations upon the memory array to access blocks of consecutive memory locations therein. The random access read memory controller is coupled between the memory array and the external interconnect in parallel with the block read/write access controller. The random access read memory controller performs random read memory operations upon the memory array to access random memory locations therein.
US08745310B2 Storage apparatus, computer system, and method for managing storage apparatus
A storage apparatus includes a flash memory, a second memory for storing an address translation table, and a control section. The flash memory is formed of multiple pages, each having a spare area, and data are stored on a page-by-page basis. The control section has the functions of: saving the table to the flash memory; when writing/updating data, storing the user data, recording, in the table, a correspondence between a logical page address and an address of a page in which the data is stored, and storing information for identifying the corresponding logical page address in the spare area of the page; when the apparatus is started, detecting pages to which data was written after the most recent saving of the table; and scanning the spare area of each page detected and reproducing a state of the table as updated after the most recent saving to reconstruct the table.
US08745305B2 Method, apparatus and cable for enabling two types of HDMI communication
An electronic apparatus includes a first communication unit configured to perform I2C bidirectional communication with an external apparatus using two signal lines included in a transmission path as I2C communication lines, a second communication unit configured to perform bidirectional differential communication with the external apparatus using the two signal lines as high-speed data communication lines, a switching unit configured to select a first communication state in which the first communication unit is connected to the two signal lines or a second communication state in which the second communication unit is connected to the two signal lines, and a controller configured to control operation of the switching unit.
US08745299B2 Combination non-volatile memory and input-output card with direct memory access
A removable electronic circuit card having both a memory module with a non-volatile mass storage memory and a separate input-output module so that data transfers may be made through the input-output module directly to and from the mass storage memory in a direct memory access (DMA) type transfer when the card is inserted into the host system but without having to pass the data through the host system. Once the host gives a DMA command, the data transfer is accomplished independently of the host system, except for the host supplying power and possibly a clock signal and other like support, during such a data transfer directly with card. The data for the transfer can be communicated between the input-output module and the exterior device through either wireless or an electrical connection means.
US08745298B2 Interoperability enhancement that supports connectivity of applications on a medical device
A diabetes management system is provided that supports connectivity of applications residing on a medical device. The diabetes management system includes a medical device that performs a diabetes care function in relation to a patient and a diabetes care management device in data communication with the medical device. The diabetes care management device is comprised generally of a connection management module and at least one application separate from the connection management module. The connection management module is configured to receive an associate request from the medical device and operable to establish a data connection with the medical device in accordance with IEEE standard 11073, such that the applications interacts with the connection management module to communicate via the data connection with the medical device.
US08745291B2 Inter-processor communication apparatus and method
Inter-processor communication (IPC) apparatus and a method for providing communication between two processors having a shared memory, the IPC apparatus including an arbitrated bus coupling the processors to one another and to the memory, a buffer in the shared memory associated with each processor, and at least one pair of First In First Out hardware units (FIFOs) coupled to each processor, the FIFOs holding pointers to addresses in the buffer associated with that processor, wherein a first of the pair of FIFOs (an empty buffer FIFO) is configured to hold pointers to empty portions of the buffer while the second of the pair of FIFOs (a message FIFO) is configured to hold pointers to portions of the buffer having data therein.
US08745290B2 Multi-modem device
A multi-modem device is disclosed. The multi-modem device includes a housing. Included within the housing is a plurality of modems, wherein the modems send and receive data along a common data bus. The multi-modem device further includes an interface that provides a connection that enables the modems to communicate with a computer, wherein each of the modems is made available to the computer so that the modems may be selected either individually or in parallel to provide one or more communication links to the computer.
US08745287B2 Data transfer apparatus and image forming system
A data transfer apparatus includes a virtual channel unit configured to time share a serial bus for a first virtual channel and a second virtual channel and include a buffering control unit configured to receive data via the first virtual channel and the second virtual channel, first and second receive buffers being configured to store the data received via the first virtual channel and the second virtual channel, respectively; and a switching unit configured to control storing the data received via the first virtual channel in the second receive buffer when the buffering control unit receives the data from another data transfer apparatus which is configured to use only the first virtual channel and the capacity of the first receive buffer is smaller than that of the second receive buffer.
US08745276B2 Use of free pages in handling of page faults
A method for data transfer includes receiving in an input/output (I/O) operation data to be written to a specified virtual address in a host memory. Upon receiving the data, it is detected that a first page that contains the specified virtual address is swapped out of the host memory. Responsively to detecting that the first page is swapped out, the received data are written to a second, free page in the host memory, and the specified virtual address is remapped to the free page.
US08745268B2 In-line security device
Aspects of the invention provide apparatuses, systems, and computer readable media for providing security to an end device (209) by a security device (205). The security device is typically installed in front of the end device. The combination of the end device and the security device appear as a single secure end device from the network having a network address of the original end device. The security device may include a first communications port (405) that receives a message designated for an end device, a second communications port (407) that connects directly to the end device, and a processor (401) that is connected to the first and second communications ports. The processor is configured to determine whether to pass the message to the end device based on at least one security consideration and to provide at least one service that is not originally supported on the end device.
US08745266B2 Transparent layer 2 redirection of request to single sign in service based on applying policy to content of request
The present solution is directed to providing, transparently and seamlessly to any client or server, layer 2 redirection of client requests to any services of a device deployed in parallel to an intermediary device An intermediary device deployed between the client and the server may intercept a client request and check if the request is to be processed by a service provided by one of the devices deployed in parallel with the intermediary device. The service may be any type and form of service or feature for processing, checking or modifying the request, including a firewall, a cache server, a encryption/decryption engine, a security device, an authentication device, an authorization device or any other type and form of service or device described herein. The intermediary device may select the machine to process the request and use layer 2 redirection to the machine. The intermediary device may change a Media Access Control (MAC) address of a destination of the request to a MAC address of the selected machine. Once the selected machine processes the request, the intermediary device may receive from this machine a response to processing the request. The intermediary device may then continue processing the request of the client responsive to the response from the machine or in response to identifying that the response to the request is from that particular selected machine. The forwarding to and processing by the parallel deployed machine may be performed seamlessly and transparently to the server and/or client.
US08745265B2 Interconnection fabric connection
Link used variables are defined for links related to an interconnection fabric. The links used variables are representative of whether or not a link is used for handling flows between a plurality of hosts and devices. Constraints for links, and hop counts or port counts are also defined. An objective function is used by an integer programming solver to determine connections as a function of the definitions.
US08745258B2 Method, apparatus and system for presenting content on a viewing device
A method of viewing a highlight package on a client device, comprising at the client device: receiving a video stream comprising a plurality of frames, receiving field of view information from a server, the field of view information identifying, for a frame in the received video stream, positional information defining a segment of the frame, and displaying the defined segment to a user.
US08745254B2 Communicating arbitrary data in a concurrent computing environment
A communication protocol is provided for processes to send and receive arbitrary data in a concurrent computing environment. The communication protocol enables a process to send or receive arbitrary data without a user or programmer specifying the attributes of the arbitrary data. The communication protocol automatically determines the attributes of the arbitrary data, for example, the type and/or size of the data and sends information on the attributes of the data to a process to which the data is to be sent. Based on the information on the attributes of the data, the receiving process can allocate appropriate memory space for the data to be received.
US08745247B1 Wireless portable activity-monitoring device syncing
A notification signal, intended to be received by a wireless communication device, is repetitively broadcast by a portable activity-monitoring device that generates user-activity data corresponding to activity of an individual bearing the portable activity-monitoring device. The notification signal conveys information that identifies the portable activity-monitoring device and indicates whether or not the portable activity-monitoring device seeks establishment of a wireless communication link to enable transmission of the user-activity data to the wireless communication device.
US08745246B2 Method and device for selecting an SVC operation point, and method and device for providing information of SVC operation points
A method for selecting an SVC operation point is provided, which includes: receiving an SDP message, where the SDP message includes a unique ID of each operation point and characteristic parameters of at least one operation point of multiple operation points, where the unique ID includes a layer-ID; selecting an operation point from the multiple operation points; and sending a session setup request that includes the unique ID of the selected operation point. A server device and a client device are also provided. Through the method and the device, each operation point may be uniquely identified, and the mapping relationship between each operation point and characteristic parameters is clarified.
US08745236B2 Virtual computing services deployment network
A virtual computing services deployment network provides a consistent user experience from a variety of locations via a connection fabric for accessing a virtual desktop. The connection fabric identifies a user profile defining the virtualized desktop resources required for a particular user. The connection fabric includes distributed data and processing in nodes distributed throughout a public access network accessible from a user access device. Each of the fabric nodes is operable to provide an identifier (such as an IP address) of a computing resource adapted to provide the user specific desktop. A user access device accesses a local fabric node in the connection fabric, and the fabric node determines a computing resource matching a user profile of expected computing resources. The fabric node associates the user access device with the computing resource and sends the user access device an identifier for directly accessing the computing resource. The determined computing resource may be determined by a centralized virtual computing approach, thus providing appropriate scaling without significantly impacting the existing fabric.
US08745232B2 System and method to dynamically allocate electronic mailboxes
Systems and methods for balancing electronic mailboxes among databases communicatively coupled to an information handling system are disclosed. A method may include comparing an actual utilization values for a first database to a threshold utilization value for the first database and, depending upon the results, identifying the first database as over-utilized. The method may also include comparing an actual utilization values for a second database to a threshold utilization value for the second database and, depending upon the results, identifying the second database as under-utilized. The method may further include comparing a threshold usage value of a first electronic mailbox stored in the first database to an upper threshold usage value for the first electronic mailbox and, depending upon the results, identifying the first electronic mailbox as heavily-utilized. The method may also include moving the heavily-utilized electronic mailbox to the second database.
US08745229B2 Communication system, communication apparatus, and display method for the same
The device configuration of a communication system capable of wireless data communication between a plurality of terminal apparatuses is confirmed, together with the operating condition of each of the terminal apparatuses and the channel condition of wireless data communication. Whether a service that can be provided as a communication system is executable is identifiably displayed on a display based on the confirmation results.
US08745228B2 Matching device capabilities and content characteristics
A computer-implemented method includes determining if one or more electronic device capabilities represented in one of a group of device profiles is associated with one or more content characteristics represented in one of a group of resource profiles. The method also includes assigning the device profile to the resource profile if the electronic device capabilities are associated with the content characteristics. Furthermore, the method includes, upon receipt of content defined by the resource profile, initiating delivery of the content to at least one electronic device associated with the one device profile based upon the assignment.
US08745226B2 Customization of content and advertisements in publications
A method includes receiving personalized content from a plurality of content sources. The personalized content is based on user input. The method further includes receiving a personalized advertisement based on user input, and creating a customized publication including the personalized content and the personalized advertisement.
US08745225B2 Method and apparatus for detecting tethering in a communications network
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and apparatus for detecting a tethering function being performed by an endpoint device in a communications network are disclosed. For example, the method analyzes a data packet directed towards the endpoint device, detects a signature based upon analyzing the data packet, and identifies the endpoint device as performing the tethering function based upon detecting the signature.
US08745224B2 Method and apparatus for dynamic provisioning of an access control policy in a controller hub
A method and apparatus for dynamic provisioning of an access control policy in an input/output (I/O) controller hub are described. In one embodiment, the method includes the establishment of a control channel during evaluation stages of a network access request. In one embodiment, the control channel enables resource enumeration of a hardware platform while disabling data read/write processing of the hardware platform. Once resource enumeration is completed, conditional control settings for each enumerated platform resource are sent to a network policy decision point. Once transmitted, if the conditional control settings identify the hardware platform as having a non-compliant configuration, conditional control settings for at least one enumerated resource of the hardware platform are modified according to a received access control policy to provide compliance of the hardware platform configuration to enable network access. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08745223B2 System and method of distributed license management
A distributed license management system and method for managing software licenses are provided. The disturbed license management system comprises a repository for storing workstation information, a message interceptor for intercepting a message call coming from a workstation to a server, a workstation identification module for determining if a workstation identifier associated with the message call is defined in the repository, and a device verification module for allowing access to the server if a device identifier of a workstation is associated with the workstation identifier. The method comprises the steps of storing workstation information, intercepting a message call coming from a workstation to a server, determining if a workstation identifier associated with the message call is defined in stored workstation information, and allowing access to the server if a device identifier of the workstation is associated with the workstation identifier.
US08745206B1 Content monitoring and control technology
Content monitoring and control technology, in which content download activity, content playing activity, and/or remote control activity of a media system is monitored. Data descriptive of use of the media system is tracked based on the monitoring of the content download activity, the content playing activity, and/or the remote control activity. One or more operations are performed based on the tracked data descriptive of use of the media system.
US08745202B2 Tracking remote browser crashes via cookies
The methods track abnormal events on mobile client devices, such as web application crashes, and use that information to associate the abnormal events with device characteristics. A first method executes on mobile client devices. When a web application starts, the method looks for a crash indicator cookie in persistent memory. If the cookie does not exist, the method creates and stores it. If the cookie already exists, the method collects information about the client device, such as device type, browser type, and operating system, and sends the information to a web server. The web application deletes the cookie when the application terminates normally. A second method executes on a web server. This method receives information from client devices relating to abnormal events for web applications. The information includes device characteristics of each client device. This method stores the information and associates a pattern of abnormal events with device characteristics.
US08745201B2 Methods and apparatus for processing discovery signals and/or controlling alert generation
Methods and apparatus for processing discovery signals and/or generating alerts based on received discovery signals are described. In at least some embodiments, alert signal generation is performed on a selective basis in response to received discovery signals. In at least some embodiments a user is given at least some control over alert generation with the user being able to indicate types of signals which should not trigger generation of an alert, the minimum permitted frequency of particular alerts or types of alerts and/or time or location constraints which are considered when a device determines whether or not to generate an alert in response to a received discovery signal. While user control of discovery signal processing and alert generation are provided, automatic control or adjustment of discovery signal processing and alert generation may also be implemented or the automatic control may be implemented as an alternative to the user control.
US08745200B2 Testing operation of processors setup to operate in different modes
Testing operation of processors setup to operate in different modes. In an embodiment, each tester system includes a processor setup to operate in a corresponding mode. A user sends a test request to a scheduler system indicating the mode of the processor sought to be tested, and the scheduler system forwards the test request to one of the tester systems with a processor setup to test the requested configuration. The scheduler system may maintain configuration information indicating which processors are setup to test which modes of interest, and also status information indicating which tester systems are presently available for testing. The configuration information and status information is used in determining a specific suitable tester system to which a test request is to be forwarded.
US08745198B2 Method for discovery and troubleshooting of network application usage and performance issues
During monitoring of IP network traffic, network application monitoring metrics are extracted, aggregated into logical group types and subsequently analyzed by identifying group sets of the logical group types, correlating anomalous conditions across the logically grouped and aggregated metrics, and isolating the anomalous conditions to one or more related members of the logical group types. The metrics may include usage metrics, network performance metrics and application performance metrics.
US08745196B2 Enabling co-existence of hosts or virtual machines with identical addresses
A method for enabling co-existence of multiple machines with identical addresses within a single data center network. The method includes assigning a unique pseudo identifier to each machine in the network that can be used for routing a packet to a destination machine, replacing a sender media access control address on an address resolution protocol request with a pseudo identifier of the sender at an edge network switch, retrieving a private network identifier from a mapping table based on the sender pseudo identifier and returning a pseudo identifier for the destination address based on the private network identifier, and replacing the pseudo identifier of the destination address with an actual identifier at a destination edge network switch for routing the packet to the destination machine.
US08745195B1 Network failure detection
A number of requests for an alternative network location are identified, where the requests for the alternative network location are generated after failure of one or more previous requests to reach a first, previous network location as a result of a network brownout. It is determined if the number of requests for the alternative network location exceed a threshold value for a period of time, and if so, an alarm is generated.
US08745186B2 Network streaming of a video media from a media server to a media client
Adjusting utilization of network bandwidth in a network comprising a media server and a media client is provided. The media client is connected to a display screen, and a video media is streamed from the media server to the media client. A distance between the display screen and a viewer is measured, and an indication of the distance is sent to the media server. A frame rate of the streaming video media is then adjusted in accordance with the indication, and the streaming video media with the adjusted frame rate is received by the media client.
US08745184B1 Wireless communication provisioning using state transition rules
A method for wireless communication provisioning is disclosed. A first wireless communication provisioning state associated with one or more identifiers is defined. A second wireless communication provisioning state associated with one or more identifiers is defined. A state transition rule is defined, wherein the state transition rule defines a transition between the first wireless communication provisioning state and the second wireless communication provisioning state, wherein the first wireless communication provisioning state and the second wireless communication provisioning state are based on the lifecycle of the service of a wireless communication device associated with the first and second wireless communication provisioning states.
US08745181B2 Generic SNMP information collection
The present invention provides a technique to define objects and object instances in a dynamically modifiable table within the confines of a management information base definition. With the invention, new objects and object instances may be added to the table without changing the management information base definition at a managed device or network management system. The managed device can change the table, yet allow the network management system to access the table using an associated object identifier. The network management system can systematically step through the various objects or object instances, which may correspond to rows and columns of the table, to detect additions or modifications to the table. The various objects and object instances in the table may be individually accessed, once identified, using a unique object identifier.
US08745180B2 Method for dynamically adjusting network parameters of a mobile terminal browser and mobile terminal
The disclosure discloses a method for adjusting a mobile terminal browser, which comprises setting an upper threshold value and a lower threshold value of a downloading speed for a mobile terminal browser. The method further comprises: calculating a current average downloading speed of the mobile terminal browser; comparing the current average downloading speed with the upper threshold value and the lower threshold value of the downloading speed; resetting network parameters of the mobile terminal browser when the current average downloading speed is less than the lower threshold value of the downloading speed or greater than the upper threshold value of the downloading speed. The disclosure also discloses a mobile terminal. The disclosure optimizes the network parameters of the mobile terminal browser according to the current network environment, and simultaneously increases downloading efficiency and stability of the mobile terminal browser, thereby avoiding the process of manually setting the relative network parameters of the browser by a mobile terminal user according to different network environments, so that the browser is more humanized and user experience is greatly improved.
US08745178B2 Selection of an appropriate online content source based on program information
Methods and arrangements for selecting a content source from a plurality of potential content sources based on program information are described. A network resource maintains a mapping between itself and a static URL to be accessed by an application when updating content used in the application. The network resource can receive, over an electronic network, a configuration request providing the static URL and program information that at least identifies the application and version of the application. Based on the received information that is specific to the identified application version and from which content specific for that application version can be obtained, the network resource determines a second URL and provides the second URL to the application in response to the request.
US08745174B2 Thin client for mapping system
A method of operating a thin client in a mapping system includes receiving, by the thin client, a map adapter from a map server; loading the map adapter in the thin client, wherein the loaded map adapter comprises a map engine; receiving, by the thin client, map data from the map server; and displaying, by the thin client, the map data in the map engine in the map adapter.
US08745172B1 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.
US08745170B2 Dynamic file streaming
Dynamic file streaming divides a read/write operation into an initial number of requests of an initial size. Each of the initial number of requests is transmitted to a remote data processing system and a read/write performance value and a user interactivity value is determined based on the transmitting. A local data processing system increases the initial number of requests or the initial size by a first factor if the read/write performance value is less than a threshold. The local data processing decreases the initial number of requests or the initial size by a second factor if the user interactivity is less than a second threshold.
US08745165B2 System and method for managing distribution of rich media content
There is provided a system for managing distribution of rich media content. The system comprises a communications server accessible by a mobile device; a local services network interactively connected to the communications server; a rich media control application resident on the communications server, the rich media control application configured to manage rich media distribution for a user of the mobile device in response to receipt of a valid rich media access code from the mobile device, by requesting a rich media content corresponding to the rich media access code from the local services network; receiving the rich media content from the local services network; and sending a notification message to the mobile device for enabling the user of the mobile device to access the rich media content.
US08745164B2 Method and system to detect a cached web page
A method and system to determine whether a web page has been cached is provided. An example system comprises a cookie generator, a cookie distributor, and a cookie evaluator. The cookie distributor may be configured to provide the code to a client system, in response to a request for web content from the client system. A value of the code to be updated at the client system in response to the client system initiating a request for the web content. The cookie evaluator may be configured to compare a value of the code to the default value. The cached status detector may be configured to use a result of the comparing to determine a cached status of the web content, the cached status to indicate whether the web content has been cached by the client system.
US08745157B2 Order feed message stream integrity
Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media are provided for improving order feed message stream integrity. Certain embodiments provide a method including sending, by a computing device, a first data message; sending a first stop message; clearing a message stream state; and sending a second data message. The first data message includes data related to an order for a tradeable object, a first sequence number with a value of a predefined initial sequence number, and a first phase number. The second data message includes data related to an order, a second sequence number with a value of the predefined initial sequence number, and a second phase number, wherein the second phase number is different than the first phase number. The message stream state is associated with the order.
US08745148B1 Methods and systems for web and call processing
Communication systems and methods are described. In an illustrative embodiment, embeddable code is provided to a user to embed on a user web page. A communication request is received from a visitor via a user interface displayed on the user web page, the user interface including an address field configured to receive from the visitor an address associated with the visitor, and a text entry field configured to receive a text message from the visitor, wherein the user interface is generated at least in part by the code. If the visitor enters a phone address into the address field, a determination is made as to whether the phone address is valid at least partly in response to a first action by the visitor. If the visitor enters text into the text entry field, the text is transmitted to the user at least partly in response to a second action by the visitor.
US08745143B2 Delaying inbound and outbound email messages
A computer implemented system and method to enable protection of email users from unsolicited bulk email using a message delivery delay based on characteristics detected in selected messages. Messages are evaluated for characteristics resembling unsolicited bulk email. A determination is made whether a message passing through the email system exhibits such characteristics and whether to delay the message. Suspect messages may be delayed for a period of time, the delay period being dependent on the characteristics giving rise to a determination to delay. Following the period, additional information received during the delay period characterizing the message is used to determine whether to dispose or deliver the message. Messages evaluated can be inbound to the email system, outbound to other email systems, or moving within the email system.
US08745141B2 Calendar event, notification and alert bar embedded within mail
A compact functionally rich timeline bar is embedded within an e-mail application window so that time-related information, such as calendar events, can be viewed and managed from within the e-mail window. The timeline bar consumes a small area of the e-mail window while presenting an optimal amount of information without interfering with the primary tasks regarding the e-mail application. The timeline bar displays as much of a string of calendar events as will fit in the timeline bar, and presents mechanisms with which a user can scroll forward and backward through the string of calendar events and can jump to particular dates within the string of events. Various presentations and operations are provided when a user hovers over corresponding features of the timeline bar, and various “drag-and-drop” operations are provided to initiate calendar event scheduling when a user drags-and-drops entities from other applications onto a feature of the timeline bar.
US08745140B2 System and method of handling messages for forwarding
A message received, over a first message handling service, on a mobile wireless communication device may be forwarded using a second message handling service. When a user wishes to forward a received message object associated with a first message handling service, the user may be provided, by a new verb object, with the option to forward the received message object as a new message object associated with a second message handling service. In the event that the user exercises the option, the new verb object selects a previously existing verb object for generating the new message object. The new verb object then passes the received message object to the previously existing verb object.
US08745134B1 Cross social network data aggregation
Disclosed in one example is a system for providing social networking data including a data store configured to store a user profile associated with a first user and may include a user identification, a first and second social networking user identifier for a first and second social networking service, a first and second connection between a second and third user on the first and second social networking services respectively. The system includes a response module to respond to a request for information from a social networking application with at least a portion of the profile associated with the first user if it is present in the data store. If the profile is not present in the data store, the response module may create a new profile associated with the first user and add it to the data store. The system also includes a synchronization module that may periodically request updated information from the first or second social networking services for the first user and to use the updated information to update the profile associated with the first user.
US08745132B2 System and method for audio and video portable publishing system
A system that allows consumers to manage content and create audio/video presentations in a small portable media device, and to share media files with other users of small portable media devices, without requiring access to a computer.
US08745129B2 Client with standby server connection function and method thereof
A process giving a client the capability of fixing the time within which it may attempt to connect itself to a standby server and a method thereof are provided. The client records the length of time preceding every successful-connection to at least one standby server within a predetermined period, determines an average connection setup time relating to the at least one standby server calculated from all the recorded connection setup times, detects in real time whether the client is successfully connected to a master server, and switches the connection attempts of the client away to each standby server in turn, according to the average connection setup time applying to each standby server respectively, once the client has lost its connection with the master server.
US08745128B2 Optimized content distribution based on metrics derived from the end user
Some embodiments provide systems and methods for determining a server of a distributed hosting system to optimally distribute content to an end user. The method includes identifying an IP address of the end user. Based on the IP address, a set of servers send packets to the end user to derive performance metrics. The performance metrics are used to determine a server from the set of servers that optimally distributes content to the end user. The method modifies a configuration for resolving end user requests such that the optimal server is identified to the end user when the end user requests content from the hosting system. Some embodiments determine the optimal server by providing downloadable content that is embedded with a monitoring tool. The monitoring tool causes the end user to derive performance metrics for the hosting system when downloading a particular object from a set of servers.
US08745122B2 System and method for providing an adjunct device in a content delivery network
A cache server receives content and an instruction indicating an event associated with the content that causes a processor to invoke a call out to an adjunct device. The instruction further indicates an operation that the adjunct device is to perform. The cache server detects the event associated with the content, halts a flow of the content in response to detecting the event associated with the content, passes via the call out the content to the adjunct device to perform the operation, receives from the adjunct device a response and resulting data from the operation, and performs an additional operation on the resulting data based on the response from the adjunct device.
US08745117B2 Arithmetic logic unit for use within a flight control system
An arithmetic logic unit (ALU) for use within a flight control system is provided. The ALU comprises a first register configured to receive a first operand, a second register configured to receive a second operand, and an adder coupled to the first register and the second register. The adder is configured to generate a sum of the first operand and the second operand and to generate intermediate sums that are used to determine a product of the first operand and the second operand.
US08745112B2 Electronic calculator, calculation result displaying method, and recording medium storing program for displaying calculation result
A mathematical formula input unit inputs a mathematical formula according to a user manipulation. A calculation unit calculates a calculation result of the mathematical formula. A display unit displays the mathematical formula and the calculation result. A position specifying unit specifics a position in a display area on the display unit according to a user manipulation. A right slide ENG display control unit performs ENG normal conversion to the calculation result and updates display contents thereof when a position of the calculation result is specified by the position specifying unit and a slide manipulation is performed toward the right. A left slide ENG display control unit performs ENG inverse conversion to the calculation result and updates display contents thereof when a position of the calculation result is specified by the position specifying unit and a slide manipulation is performed toward the left.
US08745110B2 Method for counting vectors in regular point networks
The disclosure relates to a method for estimating the number of leader vectors with norm lp equal to rδp,d, of dimension d, having co-ordinates which are lower than, or equal to k. The method is characterized in that r p delta, d is determined by the sum of the results of a function T(Xi) for i varying between 1 and d, the function T(Xi) providing, for at least some of the leader vectors, the result of the division of the co-ordinate Xi raised to the power p by a delta precision factor, the result of the division being rounded to the nearest whole number. The method does not comprise a step of determining leader vectors.
US08745109B2 Approximate order statistics of real numbers in generic data
A method, system, and processor-readable storage medium are directed towards calculating approximate order statistics on a collection of real numbers. In one embodiment, the collection of real numbers is processed to create a digest comprising hierarchy of buckets. Each bucket is assigned a real number N having P digits of precision and ordinality O. The hierarchy is defined by grouping buckets into levels, where each level contains all buckets of a given ordinality. Each individual bucket in the hierarchy defines a range of numbers—all numbers that, after being truncated to that bucket's P digits of precision, are equal to that bucket's N. Each bucket additionally maintains a count of how many numbers have fallen within that bucket's range. Approximate order statistics may then be calculated by traversing the hierarchy and performing an operation on some or all of the ranges and counts associated with each bucket.
US08745105B2 Systems and methods for performing data replication
Preparing source data to be replicated in a continuous data replication environment. Certain systems and methods populate a file name database with entries having a unique file identifier descriptor (FID), short name and a FID of the parent directory of each directory or file on a source storage device. Such information is advantageously gathered during scanning of a live file system without requiring a snapshot of the source storage device. The database can be further used to generate absolute file names associated with data operations to be replayed on a destination storage device. Based on the obtained FIDs, certain embodiments can further combine write operations to be replayed on the destination storage device and/or avoid replicating temporary files to the destination system.
US08745101B2 Terminal and method for identifying contents
A terminal, server and method for identifying contents are discussed. According to an embodiment, the present invention provides a method for controlling content in a content identifying system, including receiving content related information regarding a content from a terminal; generating function information for calculating a content ID based on the content related information; transmitting the function information to the terminal; receiving a content ID generated based on the function information from the terminal; comparing the received content ID with stored content ID information; and performing at least one operation based on the comparison result.
US08745099B2 Dimension limits in information mining and analysis
Provided are methods, systems, and computer readable media for user interaction with database methods and systems. In an aspect, a user interface can be generated to permit dynamic display generation to view data. The system can comprise a visualization component to dynamically generate one or more visual representations of the data to present in the state space.
US08745098B1 Method and system for providing storage checkpointing to a group of independent computer applications
A method and system for storage checkpointing of an independent computer application. The independent computer application is launched by a coordinator; and the coordinator installs at least one of an exec interceptor and a fork interceptor. The coordinator also installs at least one file operations interceptor for all file operations and registers the independent computer application with the coordinator. The independent computer application is run and the at least one file operations interceptor is called upon encountering a file operation. The file operations interceptor logs a file event in a file operations database and passes the operation to at least one of a file system, an operating system, at least one or more device drivers, and a storage disk via a storage interface. The file operations interceptor also verifies that the file operation has been issued.
US08745091B2 Electronic document classification
An electronic document classification system disclosed herein classifies electronic documents. The classification of the documents may involve analyzing the document and the information attached to the document to generate a set of classification data and comparing the classification data with one or more classification rules to generate a set of classifying data. The system attaches the set of classifying data to the electronic document and displays the electronic document based on the set of classifying data. The classification data may also be used to prioritize the electronic documents and to assign a retention period to the electronic documents. The system is further adapted to receive user feedback regarding the classification of the electronic document and to update the classification rules.
US08745087B2 System and method for defining and manipulating roles and the relationship of roles to other system entities
The capability to design and implement roles in a role-based system is disclosed. The system and data architecture enable organizations to model and assign relationships between Roles and other entities in a computing environment. The complex interrelation of Groups and Roles is established in an environment where: users need not be a member of a Group to use the capabilities of a Role; Role ownership is distinct from Role usage; and Roles themselves have attributes. A collection of methods enable creation, configuration, maintenance, ownership and usage of roles and for implementing relationships between the Role and other system entities, attributes and permissions.
US08745083B1 System and method for matching candidates with personnel needs
A system and method for matching candidates with personnel needs is provided. The system accepts both candidate attributes and personnel need attributes. At least one algorithm is utilized to match candidates with personnel needs. Feedback is solicited from both candidates and personnel searchers at various stages throughout a matching process. Based on this feedback, the system may modify at least one algorithm, and/or, in a system that utilizes a plurality of algorithms, modify at least one weight given to the results of at least one of the algorithms. The candidate attributes and personnel need attributes are also modified based on the feedback. Revised candidate lists and/or personnel need lists are provided based on the revised algorithms.
US08745079B2 Reducing lag time when searching a repository using a keyword search
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for searching a repository of information such as a database using a keyword search and/or an attribute search in near real time. According to one embodiment, a method of searching a repository of information can comprise receiving a set of search criteria for performing the search and selectively performing one or more of an attribute search and a keyword search of the information in the repository based on the received search criteria.
US08745077B2 Searching and matching of data
Described herein is a technology for facilitating searching and matching of data. In some implementations, an input data string, including one or more ideographic elements, is received and converted to a Latin-based input data string. One or more input keys may be generated based on the Latin-based input data string. A reference database may be searched for one or more candidate records indexed by at least one of the one or more input keys. If the one or more candidate records are found, a match score is determined for the one or more candidate records.
US08745073B2 Nationwide send process
Methods, systems, apparatuses and/or computer program products are directed to a nationwide send process of outgoing returns. A plurality of outgoing return files are collected. The plurality of outgoing return files are organized by endpoint destination and distributed on a predetermined schedule to the endpoint destinations.
US08745067B2 Presenting comments from various sources
A system may include one or more databases to store comments relating to documents, the comments originating from first and second sources, where the comments from the first source include comments received from users via commenting functionality associated with browsers installed on client devices, and the comments from the second source include comments received from users independent of the commenting functionality associated with the browsers installed on the client devices. The system may also include one or more server devices to receive a request for comments relating to a particular document, search at least one of the one or more databases to identify comments relating to the particular document, and provide the identified comments for presentation in connection with the particular document.
US08745063B2 Hashing with hardware-based reorder using duplicate values
A hash table controller may include a hash calculator configured to receive a key and to determine, based thereon, a first entry in a first bank of a hash table for a value associated with the key and determine a second entry in a second bank of the hash table for the value. The hash table controller also may include a table operations manager configured to determine that the first entry and the second entry are empty, and to store the value and a duplicate of the value at both the first entry and the second entry, respectively.
US08745059B1 Clustering queries for image search
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to functions used for retrieving image results based on search queries. More specifically, image search queries can be pre-grouped or classified based on visual and semantic similarity. For example, a pairwise image similarity value for a pair of queries can be computed based on one or more of the sum of all of the overlapping the image results, the sum of the image distances between all of the pairs of images in the image results, and the rank of each of the images in the image results. The pairwise image similarity values can then be used to generate image query clusters. Each image query clusters can include a set of queries with high pairwise image similarity values. In some examples, a distance function can be determined for each image query cluster. This data can be used to provide image results.
US08745055B2 Clustering system and method
In order to clustering documents, document vectors are formed for each of a plurality of documents of a corpus and plurality of reference vectors is generated. The document vectors are then compared to the reference vectors to generate similarity values for each of the document vectors. The document vectors are then sorted based on the similarity values for the document vectors to form a sorted list. Clusters are then formed based on the similarity between adjacent document vectors in the sorted list.
US08745052B2 System and method for adding context to the creation and revision of artifacts
A system includes a process-related-data handling component operative to handle process-related data corresponding to an operation associated with an artifact, such as the creation or revision of the artifact. An application component is operatively coupled to the process-related-data handling module and is operative to interact with the artifact. A storage element is also operatively coupled to the process-related-data handling module and is operative to store the process-related data. The process-related data may be displayed, created, or otherwise manipulated through a data management tool, which may include, a calendar interface, a task interface, and/or a media capture module. A method is also directed towards establishing process-related context concerning at least one artifact.
US08745046B2 Method and system for selecting content items to be presented to a viewer
Systems and methods are provided for determining eligible content items. In one example, the determination is based, at least in part, on information about at least one previously presented content item.
US08745039B2 Method and system for user guided search navigation
A system, method and computer program product for presenting Uniform Resource Locator (URL) search results in response to a user query. The method includes receiving inputs from a plurality of users, each input from a respective user representing a path traversal of web pages identified by that user as having a relevance as determined by that user from a list of search result URLs generated by a search engine in response to a query. The system generates, from the received user inputs, a traversal result comprising a super directed graph, or a sub-directed graph constructed from the super directed graph, of web page nodes representing the URLs interconnected by edges, the super directed graph configured to include those URLs based on a popularity measure of the pages traversed; and the traversal result is displayed to include the URLs for user selection, in response to a subsequent user query.
US08745032B1 Rejecting a request in a database system
A filter receives a request to perform an operation in a database system, and the filter receives a resource estimate relating to the request from an optimizer. The filter determines whether the resource estimate exceeds an available resource of the database system, and if so, the filter rejects the request prior to execution of the request.
US08745030B2 Fast searching of directories
A method for indexing a database of one or more objects having one or more attributes, includes determining which of said one or more attributes should receive concatenation, concatenating those of said one or more attributes that have been determined to receive concatenation, and indexing said database with those of said one or more attributes that have been concatenated.
US08745022B2 Full text search based on interwoven string tokens
A method and system for full text search (FTS) using a navigation system is disclosed. The FTS system generates interwoven data tokens for documents that are stored in a database. An interwoven data token is combination of two or more data tokens and is formed by interweaving characters of one data token with characters of another data token. The FTS system may generate and store interwoven data tokens in a full text search index for each document stored in a database. The FTS system may receive two or more search terms inputted by a user and generate one or more interwoven data tokens based on the inputted search terms. The FTS system may then use the generated interwoven data token to query the full text search index.
US08745020B2 Analysis and reporting of collected search activity data over multiple search engines
A tracking system passively tracks and records searches conducted by actual search engine users. The recorded data for each search event preferably includes the search query submitted, the search engine used, the search result item (e.g., web page) selected, the position (e.g., page number) of this item, and the user's IP address. The collected data is aggregated and analyzed to generate data regarding the search queries used to locate and access particular destinations (e.g., web pages and sites). This data may be used for various purposes, such as (1) to generate reports showing, e.g., how users reach a particular destination from different search engines and geographic locations, (2) to select content to display on a destination page, such that the content is relevant to search queries commonly used to locate that page, and (3) to update the database of one search engine to reflect searches conducted on other search engines.
US08745019B2 Robust discovery of entity synonyms using query logs
A similarity analysis framework is described herein which leverages two or more similarity analysis functions to generate synonyms for an entity reference string re. The functions are selected such that the synonyms that are generated by the framework satisfy a core set of synonym-related properties. The functions operate by leveraging query log data. One similarity analysis function takes into consideration the strength of similarity between a particular candidate string se and an entity reference string re even in the presence of sparse query log data, while another function takes into account the classes of se and re. The framework also provides indexing mechanisms that expedite its computations. The framework also provides a reduction module for converting long entity reference strings into shorter strings, where each shorter string (if found) contains a subset of the terms in its longer counterpart.
US08745017B2 Transaction-aware caching for access control metadata
Techniques are provided for performing transaction-aware caching of metadata in an electronic file system. A mechanism is described for providing transaction-aware caching that uses a cache hierarchy, where the cache hierarchy includes uncommitted caches associated with sessions in an application and a committed cache that is shared among the sessions in that application. Techniques are described for caching document metadata, access control metadata and folder path metadata. Also described is a technique for using negative cache entries to avoid unnecessary communications with a server when applications repeatedly request non-existent data.
US08745015B2 System and method for remote updates
Software on a server accesses a batch file including a plurality of events generated by a remote game client application executing an instance of the computer-implemented game. The software accesses a game state data object associated with the instance of the computer-implemented game. The game state data object includes one or more game state parameters formatted as a serialized unstructured string of text data. The software parses the game state data object to identify the one or more game state parameters. The software processes the plurality of events in the batch file against game logic to update one or more of the game state parameters in the game state data object. The game logic incorporates information extracted from a social graph. And the software stores the game state data object in a memory cache.
US08745013B2 Computer interface system
An improved computer system may include a controller including a computer processor. The system may also include a selector apparatus in communication with the controller to choose a table having a higher collision quality index than other tables under consideration by the selector apparatus. The system may further include an exchanger apparatus to configure a standby table that replaces the table chosen by the selector apparatus. The system may additionally include a switch that changes a hash function based upon the exchanger apparatus′ replacement of the chosen table to enable the controller to reduce insertion times and/or collisions when interfacing with new components introduced to the controller.
US08745007B2 Method of handling large volumes of synchrophasor measurments for real time event replay
A method is provided for handling synchrophasor measurements relating to an electrical power system. The method includes: (a) acquiring a plurality of synchrophasor measurements containing data representing at least one power system event; (b) inserting and storing the event related synchrophasor measurements in a database as a partitioned binary large object (BLOB); (c) reading and transferring the synchrophasor measurements related to a user selected current or historical event from the database to a client computer partition by partition; and (d) processing the event data at the client computer on a partition-by-partition basis such that the client computer will be able to start a replay of the event replay as soon as processing of the first partition of the event BLOB data is completed.
US08745006B2 Computing system and backup method using the same
This invention provides a computing system in which multiple remote copy destination sites exist and, even if a failure occurs in a copy source volume in a remote copy source site, it becomes possible in at least one remote copy destination site to establish backup in which data must be determined at a certain point in time. The computing system of this invention is characterized by, before the in-storage copy function performing in storage copy in the remote copy source site, setting the pair status of the remote copy destination volume in at least one storage system in multiple remote copy destination storage systems and the remote copy source volume to the mode for terminating remote copy and, after the in-storage copy is completed, changing the above-mentioned pair status to the mode for starting remote copy.
US08745005B1 Checkpoint recovery using a B-tree intent log with syncpoints
A networked data storage system includes a primary volume and a pointer-based virtual secondary volume. The secondary volume has B-tree checkpoints of the state of a primary filesystem of the primary volume. Intermediate syncpoints are declared between checkpoint checkpoints. The syncpoints are logical locations on the secondary volume where the B-tree is known to be in a consistent state. The frequency of syncpoints may be set by an administrator in units of blocks, i.e., a syncpoint to be taken every n blocks. Before performing a B-tree split, entire images of the leaves and parent node involved in the split are written to an intent log in a relatively fast transaction that may comprise a single I/O operation to contiguous memory. Movement of data between leaf nodes and changes to the parent nodes as a result of the split operation proceed asynchronously. In the event of a reboot before the split operation is complete, the intent log is used to complete the split transaction from the most recent syncpoint. When a new syncpoint is declared, the intent log and dirty leaves are flushed.
US08745001B1 Automated remediation of corrupted and tempered files
A method, apparatus and computer-readable storage medium for ascertaining a set of preliminary characteristics of a first data structure and, responsive to determining that the set of preliminary characteristics matches a set of characteristics of a reference data structure, determining that a secondary characteristic of the first data structure indicates a replacement of the first data structure with the reference data structure is disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention further include replacing the first data structure with the reference data structure, in response to determining that the secondary characteristic of the first data structure indicates the replacement of the first data structure.
US08744999B2 Identifier compression for file synchronization via soap over HTTP
As changes are made to a document, each change may be assigned an extended identifier comprising a globally unique identifier (GUID) component and an integer component. Upon determining that the same GUID component is used in identifiers for multiple changes, the GUID component may be mapped to a range of indices. Each index of the range of indices may then be used to represent the same GUID component in each extended identifier.
US08744996B2 Presentation of information elements in an analyst network
In an analyst network, at least representative data of information elements (i.e., discrete quantities of content suitable for analysis by one or more analysts), acquired by a routing controller, is provided to a workstation. Based on the representative data, displayed results are provided including information indicative of processing performed by at least a portion of a plurality of analysts using the analyst network. Indicia of treatment indicative of treatment statuses of individual information elements are preferably provided in the displayed data. Various occurrences may give rise to updated treatment statuses that cause the displayed data to be updated as well. In this manner, the present invention enables individual analysts to prioritize processing of information elements based on processing performed throughout the entire analyst network.
US08744990B2 Rule based, proactive web browsing
Method and apparatus for rule-based, proactive web browsing are provided. A set of rules is determined and stored in computer data storage, where each rule in the set of rules is a proactive browsing rule that indicates a web page. The occurrence of an event represented by event information is detected. In response to detecting the occurrence of the event, the set of rules is evaluated based on the event information to determine whether any rules are satisfied. While a web browser is in use, a determination is made that a particular rule is satisfied. In response to determining that the particular rule is satisfied, the web browser is automatically redirected to directly access a particular web page that is indicated in the particular rule.
US08744989B1 Ranking and vote scheduling using statistical confidence intervals
Method, computer-readable media, and systems for ranking content submissions and scheduling content submissions for additional voting in a distributed online community are disclosed. A statistical confidence interval is calculated for the approval ratio of each content submission based on one or more scaling formulae. A popularity ranking of the content submissions is generated based on the lower bounds of the confidence intervals calculated for the content submissions. Top-ranked content submissions in the popularity ranking are presented to users as the most popular content submissions. A voting priority ranking of the content submissions is generated based on the upper bounds of the confidence intervals calculated for the content submissions. Top-ranked content submissions in the voting priority ranking are selected as featured content submissions for additional voting. The selection of the top-ranked content submissions for additional voting is randomized based on a selected probability distribution.
US08744985B2 Monitoring state of health information for components
In one advantageous embodiment, a method is provided for managing data. Information about the plurality of components is identified using data to form a plurality of instances for a plurality of nodes in response to receiving data for a plurality of components. Each node in the plurality of nodes corresponds to a component in the plurality of components. A number of variables having a range of values are formed to form a data structure. Each value in the range of values indicates a point in time at which a change to the information for a node occurs between a first instance and a second instance in the plurality of instances. More than one change between two consecutive instances is absent. The data structure is used to identify probability information about the plurality of components associated with the plurality of nodes.
US08744984B2 Information terminal and control method that stores image time series data related to sales of commodities along with sales totals
According to one embodiment, an information terminal includes a storing unit configured to store image pickup data picked up in time series by an image pickup apparatus that picks up images of a sales floor and sales data obtained by recording sales of a commodity displayed in the sales floor and date and time of registration of the sales; a list display unit configured to list-display videos of a predetermined sales floor in time series at every predetermined time interval on the basis of the image pickup data; a totalizing unit configured to totalize, at the every time interval, list-displayed sales of the commodity of the sales floor on the basis of the sales data; and a sales display unit configured to display the totalized sales of the commodity at the every time interval.
US08744982B2 Gene-specific prediction
A gene-specific prediction tool for classifying and interpreting gene tests is described. The prediction tool includes a classifier trained and tested using databases of gene variants and their known phenotypes. The classifier uses differences between features of amino acids in obtaining attributes used to perform classification and generate predictions, including for benign and pathologic outcomes, for uncertain gene variants.
US08744980B2 Systems and methods for analysis of network equipment command line interface (CLI) and runtime management of user interface (UI) generation for same
Systems and methods are disclosed that may be implemented for network management system (NMS) configuration management support for network devices using a learning and natural language processing application to capture the usage and behavior of the Command Line Interface (CLI) of a network device with the aid of a CLI knowledge model, which in one example may be ontology-based.
US08744979B2 Electronic communications triage using recipient's historical behavioral and feedback
Triaging electronic communications in a computing system environment can mitigate issues related to large volumes of incoming electronic communications. This can include an analysis of user-specific electronic communication data and associated behaviors to predict which communications a user is likely to deem important or unimportant. Client-side application features are exposed based on the evaluation of communication importance to enable the user to process arbitrarily large volumes of incoming communications.
US08744975B2 Interactive media content display system
A system and method is provided including a central application server with a data storage unit including a plurality of client containers corresponding to a plurality of clients. Each client container stores client media content provided by a respective client. The client media content includes at least one of audio files, video files, and audio/video files. A plurality of computing devices is connected to the central application server. Each computing device receives client media content from at least one client container of the plurality of client containers. Each client container of the plurality of client containers is updated independently with client media content from each respective client.
US08744971B2 Dynamic redemption codes
Information regarding a redemption code may include at least one parameter associated with certain redeemable content. Requests may be received from a user. The request may concern access to redeemable content associated with a redemption code. The applicability of parameters is determined as is the redeemable content associated with the identified parameter. The user may then be granted access to the identified redeemable content. The determination of applicable parameters may include identifying an associated modification and applying the modification to the redemption code in order to identify the redeemable content.
US08744970B2 Information communication system, user management apparatus thereof, information providing apparatus thereof and user terminal apparatus thereof
In an information communication system, user personal information is batch-managed in a user management center apparatus. The center apparatus issues temporary information, which includes temporary user information and temporary authentication information, in response to a log-in request from a user terminal apparatus that designates a net-shop apparatus, and sends the information to the user terminal apparatus and the designated net-shop apparatus. Thereby, if the user terminal apparatus sends an authentication request to the net-shop apparatus on the basis of the information, the net-shop apparatus can authenticate the user terminal apparatus on the basis of the information from the user management center apparatus. At this time, the user personal information does not go to the net-shop apparatus, and there is no need for the net-shop apparatus to manage the user personal information.
US08744968B1 Providing automated initial and final payment for an activity based on determining the location of an activity participant's mobile communication device
Systems, methods and computer programs provide for automated initial and final payment for an activity based on determining the location of an activity participant's mobile communication device. The described embodiments provide for the activity participant to automatically pay for the activity based on their presence at the activity location and agreement to participate. As such, the need to check-in and/or pay for the activity at a conventional payment counter is eliminated. Further, the invention provides for an automatic final payment to be made at the conclusion of the activity as opposed to having to pre-pay for the activity prior to conducting the activity. By remitting final payment at the completion of the activity, activity pricing can be accurately determined based on the amount and/or time of the activity in which the activity participant participated.
US08744967B2 Method for authenticating financial transaction requests using a website or web portal
A method for authenticating a financial transaction request includes receiving first information where the first information includes first party identifying information, and a unique pseudorandom number of a pseudorandom sequence included with a check from a plurality of checks. A status of activating the plurality of checks is determined using a portion of the first information, a stored activation code, and stored information first party identifying information. The stored first party identifying information is stored with the pseudorandom sequence. The first party is authenticated with the received and stored first party identifying information. The unique pseudorandom number is authenticated with the received first party identifying information, a portion of the stored first party identifying information and the stored sequence. The first information is authenticated if the first party and the unique pseudorandom number included with the first information are authenticated and if the plurality of checks have been activated.
US08744965B2 Fund sharing method and apparatus
A system, method, and computer-readable storage medium configured to enable the pooling and sharing of funds to cover shared expenses. An electronic basket is created. The electronic basket includes a virtual prepaid payment card with a unique identifier and associated with a user. The user is prompted for potential contributors to the electronic basket. A network interface electronically contacts the potential contributors, and the electronic basket is stored in a user-card database.
US08744963B1 Method for transferring an amount to be paid
A method for transferring an amount to be paid is provided. The method includes searching for available wireless devices and selecting a payee via input provided through one of the available wireless devices. The method includes selecting a payment option for transferring a payment amount to the payee and entering the payment amount. The method includes authorizing payment instructions to the payee and receiving confirmation that the payment amount was received by the payee.
US08744960B2 Methods and systems for business-to-business electronic payment processing
Embodiments presented herein address the shortcomings and problems discussed above by providing systems and methods for a central system that conducts business-to-business (B2B) payments. In embodiments, a B2B gateway receives payment instructions from one or more buyers. The payment instructions may be received over one of several different systems, for example, a credit card association system or an electronic invoice presentment and payment (EIPP) system. The B2B gateway organizes the payment instructions according to the supplier being paid and the payment system that will be used for the payment. The payment systems may include, but are not limited to, credit card platforms, ACH payments, mailed checks, etc. The suppliers can receive two or more payments from two or more buyers through the B2B gateway.
US08744954B2 System and method for modifying trading strategies based on message usage
A system and method are provided for implementing an electronic exchange-based transaction message policy. One example method includes defining a message usage threshold to be used in relation to a client entity that utilizes one or more trading strategies and sends transaction messages to an electronic exchange. The method further includes dynamically monitoring the message usage at the client entity and comparing it to the defined message usage threshold. If the message usage exceeds the threshold limit, the method includes adjusting one or more trading strategies at the client entity in attempt to not violating the exchange-based transaction message policy.
US08744952B2 Method and apparatus for improved electronic trading
A method and apparatus for outputting data that represents the change in value of an options premium that would have resulted if the options traded in a direct linear volume relationship with its underlying security is provided. Input values utilized include a delta value, a gamma value, a value-weighted average price of an underlying stock, a reference price of the underlying stock, and an original order premium value.
US08744950B2 Method and interface for consolidating price levels on a trading screen
A trading screen may display price and quantity information for price levels in a static axis of prices. The static axis of prices may be divided into two or more different regions. The price and quantity information for one or more of the regions may be consolidated from price and quantity information from plurality of un-consolidated price levels.
US08744948B1 Mobile data import for a financial return
A method for obtaining financial data for use in a financial return of a tax paying entity, including: obtaining credentials of the tax paying entity; determining, by a computer processor, that the financial data is available for download from a data provider; sending a first text message to a mobile device of the tax paying entity indicating that the financial data is available for download; receiving, from the mobile device, a second text message requesting to import the financial data into the financial return; sending, to the data provider, a request to download the financial data, where the request includes the credentials; downloading, after sending the request, the financial data into a data repository; and sending, after downloading the financial data, the financial data to a tax preparation application, where the financial data is imported by the tax preparation application into the financial return.
US08744946B2 Systems and methods for credit worthiness scoring and loan facilitation
The present invention relates to methods, systems and computer readable media for generating a financial score. In an embodiment, the method for generating a financial score comprises collecting and aggregating sets of data, estimating income paths based on the collected data, determining risk associated with the income path and generating a financial score. Exemplary systems and computer readable media include program code for executing a method for generating a financial score and processing financial instruments on a network.
US08744942B1 Method, system and computer program product for managing funds in custodial deposit accounts
A method, system and computer program product for managing aggregate funds held in a custodial deposit accounts by a custodial agent on behalf of a plurality of individuals. According to the present invention, the custodial deposit accounts comprises an omnibus transaction account (“Omnibus TA”) and a Omnibus money market deposit account (“Omnibus MMDA”). A corresponding individual transaction account (“Individual TA”) and individual money market deposit account (“Individual MMDA”) are kept on the books and records of the custodial agent for each individual, representing the amount of the individual's funds deposited in the Omnibus TA and Omnibus MMDA, respectively. According to the present invention, limitations on transfers from the Omnibus MMDA to the Omnibus TA and limitations on transfers from the corresponding Individual MMDAs to the Individual TAs are managed by daily allocation of the funds in the Individual TAs and Individual MMDAs.
US08744941B2 Methods and systems for providing a decision making platform
A method for enriching the data associated with financial transaction card transactions using a computer system is described. The method includes receiving financial transaction data from a plurality of input channels, each input channel associated with a financial transaction data format, converting the received financial transaction data into a common data format, enriching the converted financial transaction data by scoring the converted financial transaction data across a plurality of scoring engines, converting the plurality of scores relating to the financial transaction data from the scoring engines into output data, and transmitting the output data using an output manager, the output manager operable to provide the data into a format appropriate for each intended recipient.
US08744938B1 Secure single-use transaction numbers
Methods for producing and applications for single-use transaction numbers. The transaction numbers are single-use in that the numbers are only valid for a single transaction. The transaction numbers can be generated just prior to being used, minimizing the amount of time during which they can be lost or stolen. The transaction numbers can be generated using encryption technology such as dynamic password technology. The encryption technology makes it very difficult if not impossible to predict what the next transaction number generated will be. The transaction numbers are unique to the user and can be validated or authenticated by an issuing institution that maintains an ability to generate the same transaction numbers issued to the user.
US08744932B2 Custodial inventory process optimization
Herein described is a computer based system, a computer-readable storage media, and a method for optimizing the amount of currency transferred to a custodial inventory vault of a depository institution. The currency comprises ten and twenty dollar bills. For example, the method comprises determining a first amount of ten and twenty dollar bills, subtracting a second amount corresponding to a minimum vault holding requirement from the first amount to yield a third amount. The third amount is transferred along with a predetermined fourth amount to the custodial inventory vault of the depository institution. The predetermined fourth amount may be chosen to minimize or obviate an occurrence of an ending cash balance of ten and twenty dollar bills being less than the second amount. The third and fourth amounts of ten and twenty dollars bills are held in the custodial inventory vault and provide a monetary benefit for the depository institution.
US08744928B2 Apparatus and method for providing a marketing service
Apparatus and method for providing a marketing service are described. In one embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium includes: (1) a preferences module that is configured to collect a set of preferences of a user; (2) a monitoring module that is configured to monitor a web site based on the set of preferences so as to identify relevant content; and (3) a notification module that is configured to generate a message alerting the user of the relevant content.
US08744925B2 Automobile transaction facilitation based on customer selection of a specific automobile
A system, methods, and apparatus for performing automobile transactions are disclosed. In an example embodiment, automobile market data representative of current automobile market characteristics is stored. The automobile market data may include pricing, inventory, and consumer interest information received from dealers, manufacturers, and consumers. A consumer may provide a request for a response regarding a specific automobile using an image of a vehicle identification number or a graphical user interface. Automobile market data may be provided to a dealer based on the request. Bids to sell the specific automobile may be requested from dealers based on the request. Dealer bids may be provided to the consumer with prices and a delivery options. The consumer may select a bid which specifies a pickup location at a first dealer.
US08744922B2 Generating multiple buy and sell transactions
A method and system for generating multiple buy/sell transactions during or prior to a completion of a buy/sell transaction of an item. The system comprises a server, a database and client devices. Each client device is associated with a unique user and connected to a communications network. The server connected to the communications network comprises a communications module and a transactions module. The communications module receives offers to buy the item from client devices associated with other purchasers before a first purchaser completes a buy/sell transaction of the item and receives an acceptance of one of the offers to buy from the first purchaser. The transaction module processes the offer accepted by the first purchaser during or prior to a completion of the buy/sell transaction of the item by the first purchaser, thereby facilitating multiple buy/sell transactions of the same item.
US08744915B2 System, program product, and method for debit card and checking account autodraw
A consumer is prequalified for a line of credit attached to a checking account by a lending institution computer responsive to consumer underwriting data. The lending institution computer makes available draws to the line of credit line in an authorization stream for a proposed payment from the checking account. When the line of credit is accessed, the checking account is credited with an additional value equal to one or more preselected loan increments so that the account then has a new amount totaling a previous amount plus the amount of value of the one or more preselected loan increments and so that the new amount exceeds or equals the value of a proposed payment. Next, a new value for the line of credit balance available is determined, accounting for value credited to the checking account and a preselected loan advance fee for each loan increment credited to the account.
US08744910B2 Parcel advertising system and method
A method and system provides a targeted advertisement on a package to be delivered to a recipient. The advertisement is specifically directed towards the recipient of the package. Advertisement information is received from an advertiser that includes one or more advertisements that the advertiser desires to be placed. The advertisement information is associated with advertisement selection criteria. A request for a package to be delivered to the recipient is received. The package has one or more package characteristics, and the recipient has one or more recipient characteristics including at least one location characteristic. The advertisement selection criteria associated with an advertisement are analyzed in conjunction with the package characteristics and recipient characteristics associated with the package and its recipient. An advertisement for the package is either selected or created in response to the analyzing of the advertisement selection criteria, package characteristics, and recipient characteristics. The advertisement is then placed on the package for delivery.
US08744907B2 Method and system for generating certificates having unique ID data
A method and system for the electronic distribution of product redemption coupons to remote personal computers located at users' homes are disclosed. A centrally located repository, such as an online service provider or web site on the Internet, stores packages of coupon data for downloading on demand to the user's computer. A coupon generated by the system and method of the present invention comprises an encoded area that consists essentially of a unique Coupon Id. The unique Coupon Id is also recorded in a database comprising a plurality of data tables. At least one of the data tables associates each Coupon Id with one or more of a Promotion Id and a Consumer Id. Preferably, the Print Id is also associated in a data table with a Session Id and information regarding the date/time of printing. The Ids other than the Coupon Id may not be printed on the coupon.
US08744906B2 Systems and methods for targeted advertisement delivery
In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to receive a request for a profile to customize information for presentation to a user identified in the request and, responsive to the request identifying the user, provide the profile that is generated based on transaction data of the user. The profile summarizes the transaction data of the user using a plurality of values representing aggregated spending in various areas. The information includes an advertisement selected, prioritized, adjusted, or generated based on the profile. The advertisement includes at least an offer, such as a discount, incentive, reward, coupon, gift, cash back, benefit, product, or service.
US08744902B2 Revenue management system and associated method for updating and limiting future sales of spaces of a travel-related service
A revenue management system comprising a first revenue management route which includes a forecast module and an optimization module and which calculates expected revenue for sales of inventor items based on historical data; a second revenue management route which is selected if the confidence in the forecasting in the first route is below a predetermined value.
US08744899B2 Systems and methods for migrating customers to alternative financial products
Systems and methods for migrating customers to alternative financial products are provided. A set of customers of a financial institution may be identified by a financial system that includes one or more computers. Each of the customers may be eligible for a migration from a first financial product to a second financial product. A pre-migration test may be conducted for a subset of the set of customers to determine an attrition risk associated with the migration of the set of customers to the second financial product. Based upon a determination that the attrition risk is acceptable, the migration of the set of customers from the first financial product to the second financial product may be directed.
US08744898B1 Systems and methods for user churn reporting based on engagement metrics
Methods and systems for user churn reporting based on engagement metrics are disclosed. In some embodiments, methods and systems may provide mechanisms for reporting the number of users or customers that are disengaged from a service or product. These embodiments may be employed, for instance, in cases where there is no “analytic footprint” marking discontinuation of service—e.g., where there is no explicit “subscription cancellation request,” “subscription expiration,” “opt-out,” or the like in connection with a user's disengagement. Other embodiments are applicable to subscription-based models, for example, where users have not “unsubscribed” from the service but should nonetheless no longer be considered engaged. As such, systems and methods disclosed herein may enable assessment and improvement of marketing campaign and retention efforts based on their effectiveness in reducing the number of churned users, re-engagement of users that have abandoned a particular product or service, etc.
US08744896B2 Extracting dimensions of quality from online user-generated content
The quality of a product may be an important driver of consumer satisfaction, competition, and long-term brand success. Identifying the right dimensions of product quality may be central to devising segmentation and positioning strategies, rankings brands, creating advertising content, improving current products, or designing new products. User-generated content, such as product reviews, may identify quality. Data in product reviews is analyzed across fifteen firms in five markets over four years to extract the dimensions of experienced quality using Latent Dirichlet Allocation. The face, external, and predictive validity of these dimensions is explored. Results suggest that a few dimensions may be enough to capture experienced quality, have good correspondence to other metrics of quality, and serve as reasonably good predictors of earnings and stock market returns. Dynamic analysis may enable tracking the importance of dimensions and of competitive brand positions on those dimensions over time.
US08744894B2 Method and system for assessing, managing, and monitoring information technology risk
A method for information technology (IT) and information asset risk assessment of a business relationship between a client and a third party. The method includes establishing a database. The database includes a plurality of IT information risk factors. The database is configured to receive IT risk information. The IT risk information is associated with the plurality of IT information risk factors. The plurality of IT information risk factors includes a subset of relationship risk factors. The subset of relationship risk factors are utilized for evaluating the business relationship risk between the client and the third party. The method also includes receiving IT risk information corresponding to the subset of relationship risk factors. The method continues with generating a relationship risk score. The relationship risk score is determined in response to evaluating the subset of relationship risk factors using the IT risk information corresponding to the subset of relationship risk factors.
US08744892B2 Automated generation of access control policies in cross-organizational workflow
A method and system to control an interaction of a plurality of participants in a workflow process. The method classifies the plurality of activities as (1) first activity of the workflow process, (2) first activity of a participant in an on-going workflow process, and (3) interaction activity. A set of access control policies is generated for each type of activity. The policies include workflow initialization policy, participation policy and interaction policies. The policies determine if a requesting participant is permitted to interact with a responding participant. In addition, the system includes a policy enforcement point for receiving a request from a requesting participant, wherein the request is for activating an activity of a responding participant. The policy enforcement point forwards the request to a policy decision point where the request is evaluated based on the set of access control policies.
US08744891B1 Systems and methods for dynamic business decision making
A system comprises one or more modules to access a business rule, deconstruct the business rule into a condition and an associated action, determine a set of questions relevant to the condition, place the set of questions into a question queue, order the question queue, and present the question queue to a user. A system comprises one or more modules to determine a subject of the request received from a user, use the subject to obtain a set of relevant questions, examiner each question and determine whether an answer to a current question is available in a storage area, and present the current question when the answer is not available. A system comprises one or more modules to access a decision tree, determine a current node, determine an estimated number of nodes between the current node and a leaf node, and present a representation using the estimated number of nodes.
US08744886B1 Systems and methods for recording defects
Disclosed are various systems, methods, and other embodiments for processing and recording defects. In one embodiment, an application is executed in a server that processes and records defects detected by a user at a receiving station client. Based on a retrieved vendor profile, the application selects an inspection sequence for a user to execute. The inspection sequence is selected based on a history of defects specified in the vendor profile. The application also determines whether supervision is needed based on the performance of the user.
US08744883B2 System and method for labeling a content item based on a posterior probability distribution
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for the classification or scoring of content items. The method according to one embodiment comprises providing at least one labeled content item as input to an initial classification model, a given labeled item having at least one feature, a given feature being associated with a weight, computing a posterior probability of the initial classification model for the given labeled content item and generating an updated classification model using the initial classification model and the weight associated with the given feature in the given labeled content item. The updated classification model is applied to an unlabeled content item to determine a score for the unlabeled content item.
US08744880B2 System and method to provide for and communicate about safer and better returning asset-liability investment programs
A data processing system compiles information about account holders, holdings, and other investment-related information. A hypothetical portfolio is generated to provide for a specified payout stream over a defined period of time, statistically evaluated, and compared by means of scaling to determine the best fit scale of the portfolio to the defined criteria. The composition of this scaled portfolio in comparison with the composition of the available assets defines a series of trades. The composition of the level of payout that can be expected to be supported by the new composition of available assets defines a series of insurance trades. Insurance providers can impose limitations and requirements on the assets managed by limiting or stipulating certain settings that a given account can be allowed to have.
US08744879B2 System and method for insurance product development
Described are systems and methods for insurance product development. A method may include generating a product specification for an insurance product, compiling the product specification into a product model, inputting test data into the product model to generate output data, and comparing the output data to at least one predetermined benchmark. The product specification may include computer code.
US08744877B2 Methods and systems for providing GMWB hedging and GMDB reinsurance
In one aspect, the invention comprises computer processors operable to identify a block of idealized policies, computer processors operable to calculate risk related to the block of idealized policies based on specified actuarial assumptions; and computer processors operable to provide a customized option designed to pay guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefits on the block of idealized policies; wherein the block of idealized policies is designed to replicate a current policy mix of an insurance company. In another aspect, the invention comprises computer processors operable to identify a block of idealized policies, computer processors operable to calculate risk related to the block of idealized policies based on specified actuarial assumptions; and computer processors operable to provide a reinsurance contract designed to pay guaranteed minimum death benefits on the block of idealized policies; wherein the block of idealized policies is designed to replicate a current policy mix of an insurance company.
US08744869B2 Interactive team portal system
A team communication platform that combines messaging, video, testing, reporting, work flow diagramming, presentations, and performance analysis into a portal system that is made mobile through the use of synchronization services.
US08744867B2 Method for selecting a clinical treatment plan tailored to patient defined health goals
The invention discloses a method by which the health care professional or patient may draw upon historical medical data concerning patients similarly situated in medical condition, to assist him/her in deciding on a clinical intervention procedure to select. This method is specifically tailored to the patient, as data is provided and evaluated from only similarly situated patients, and provides an expectation of potential outcome of the patient should one or the other of the options be selected. The invention further provides a database that may be used in order to provide this comparison based evaluation method. A computer based software system is further disclosed that implements the method. The invention more speiocifically provides a method by which a post-coronary event patient may make an informed decision of which post-coronary revascularization procedure to undergo in the future management of his disease. This method employs the patient's health status date (symptoms, function and quality of life), and provides projections of the patient's expected survival, risk, and 1-year health status outcome from the selection of revascularization procedure, such as Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) or Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI).
US08744865B2 Apparatus and method for transportation and upselling of product
A system and method for using product profiling to maximize load capacity of a vehicle. The method comprises defining product profiles and retrieving product information associated with the product profiles. The method further includes performing cubing operations for products associated with the product information. The system includes components to perform the method steps.
US08744860B2 Apparatus and method for providing messages in a social network
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server including a controller to receive audio signals and content identification information from a media processor, generate text representing a voice message based on the audio signals, determine an identity of media content based on the content identification information, generate an enhanced message having text and additional content where the additional content is obtained by the controller based on the identity of the media content, and transmit the enhanced message to the media processor for presentation on the display device, where the enhanced message is accessible by one or more communication devices that are associated with a social network and remote from the media processor. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08744859B2 Operation method of interactive refrigerator system
An operation method of an interactive refrigerator system, includes displaying information about stored items corresponding to a speech input by a user, generating and outputting a response message for the information about the stored items, checking whether or not storage periods of the stored items are expired; and outputting expiration information about storage periods of the stored items or expected expiration information about storage periods of the stored items.
US08744857B2 Wireless server based text to speech email
An email system for mobile devices, such as cellular phones and PDAs, is disclosed which allows email messages to be played back on the mobile device as voice messages on demand by way of a media player, thus eliminating the need for a unified messaging system. Email messages are received by the mobile device in a known manner. In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, the email messages are identified by the mobile device as they are received. After the message is identified, the mobile device sends the email message in text format to a server for conversion to speech or voice format. After the message is converted to speech format, the server sends the messages back to the user's mobile device and notifies the user of the email message and then plays the message back to the user through a media player upon demand.
US08744856B1 Computer implemented system and method and computer program product for evaluating pronunciation of phonemes in a language
A computer implemented method, system and computer program product for evaluating pronunciation. Known phonemes are stored in a computer memory. A spoken utterance corresponding to a target utterance, comprised of a sequence of target phonemes, is received and stored in a computer memory. The spoken utterance is segmented into a sequence of spoken phonemes, each corresponding to a target phoneme. For each spoken phoneme, a relative posterior probability is calculated that the spoken phoneme is the corresponding target phoneme. If the calculated probability is greater than a first threshold, an indication that the target phoneme was pronounced correctly is output; if less than a first threshold, an indication that the target phoneme was pronounced incorrectly is output. If the probability is less than a first threshold and greater than a second threshold, an indication that pronunciation of the target phoneme was acceptable is output.
US08744849B2 Microphone-array-based speech recognition system and method
A microphone-array-based speech recognition system combines a noise cancelling technique for cancelling noise of input speech signals from an array of microphones, according to at least an inputted threshold. The system receives noise-cancelled speech signals outputted by a noise masking module through at least a speech model and at least a filler model, then computes a confidence measure score with the at least a speech model and the at least a filler model for each threshold and each noise-cancelled speech signal, and adjusts the threshold to continue the noise cancelling for achieving a maximum confidence measure score, thereby outputting a speech recognition result related to the maximum confidence measure score.
US08744848B2 Methods and systems for training dictation-based speech-to-text systems using recorded samples
A method and apparatus useful to train speech recognition engines is provided. Many of today's speech recognition engines require training to particular individuals to accurately convert speech to text. The training requires the use of significant resources for certain applications. To alleviate the resources, a trainer is provided with the text transcription and the audio file. The trainer updates the text based on the audio file. The changes are provided to the speech recognition to train the recognition engine and update the user profile. In certain aspects, the training is reversible as it is possible to over train the system such that the trained system is actually less proficient.
US08744846B2 Procedure for processing noisy speech signals, and apparatus and computer program therefor
Provided are a noise state determination method and an apparatus and a computer readable recording medium therefor. A noisy speech signal processing method according to the present invention includes calculating a transformed spectrum by transforming an input noisy speech signal to a frequency domain; calculating a smoothed magnitude spectrum by reducing magnitude differences of the transformed spectrum between neighboring frames; calculating a search spectrum which represents an estimated noise component of the smoothed magnitude spectrum; and calculating an identification ratio which represents a ratio of a noise component included in the input noisy speech signal, by using the smoothed magnitude spectrum and the search spectrum. Since a small amount of calculation is required and a large-capacity memory is not required, the present invention may be easily implemented as hardware or software. Also, since an adaptive operation is performed with respect to each frequency sub-band, the accuracy of determining a noise state may be improved.
US08744841B2 Adaptive time and/or frequency-based encoding mode determination apparatus and method of determining encoding mode of the apparatus
An adaptive time/frequency-based encoding mode determination apparatus including a time domain feature extraction unit to generate a time domain feature by analysis of a time domain signal of an input audio signal, a frequency domain feature extraction unit to generate a frequency domain feature corresponding to each frequency band generated by division of a frequency domain corresponding to a frame of the input audio signal into a plurality of frequency domains, by analysis of a frequency domain signal of the input audio signal, and a mode determination unit to determine any one of a time-based encoding mode and a frequency-based encoding mode, with respect to the each frequency band, by use of the time domain feature and the frequency domain feature.
US08744835B2 Content conversion method and apparatus
A method and apparatus for analyzing documents and thereby determining the association between words in a language. The method includes providing a collection of documents, selecting a first word or word string, and a second word or word string occurring in the documents. The method further involves associating first word or word strings and second word or word strings with common word or word strings based on frequency of occurrence of the common word or word strings within the ranges.
US08744834B2 Optimizing parameters for machine translation
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for language translation are disclosed. In one implementation, a method is provided. The method includes accessing a hypothesis space, where the hypothesis space represents a plurality of candidate translations; performing decoding on the hypothesis space to obtain a translation hypothesis that minimizes an expected error in classification calculated relative to an evidence space; and providing the obtained translation hypothesis for use by a user as a suggested translation in a target translation.
US08744833B2 Method and apparatus for creating a language model and kana-kanji conversion
Method for creating a language model capable of preventing deterioration of quality caused by the conventional back-off to unigram. Parts-of-speech with the same display and reading are obtained from a storage device (206). A cluster (204) is created by combining the obtained parts-of-speech. The created cluster (204) is stored in the storage device (206). In addition, when an instruction (214) for dividing the cluster is inputted, the cluster stored in the storage device (206) is divided (210) in accordance with to the inputted instruction (212). Two of the clusters stored in the storage device are combined (218), and a probability of occurrence of the combined clusters in the text corpus is calculated (222). The combined cluster is associated with the bigram indicating the calculated probability and stored into the storage device.
US08744831B2 Simulation apparatus, simulation method and recording medium for recording simulation program
According to one embodiment, a simulation apparatus includes a hardware model execution unit that executes a hardware model, a software model execution unit that executes a software model, a simulation time management unit that sets a first simulation time indicating a total elapsed time of a simulation time of the hardware model, ahead by the simulation time of which the HW model notified, and sets the second simulation time indicating a total elapsed time of a simulation time of the software model, ahead by the simulation time of which the SW model notified, and a scheduler that compares the first simulation time with the second simulation time, causes the SW model or the HW model to be executed based on the comparison result, and causes only the hardware model to be executed instead of execution of an idle loop when the SW model awaits an interrupt from the HW model.
US08744829B1 Computer aided design environment with electrical and electronic features
In one embodiment, a Computer Aided Design (CAD) environment is configured to maintain a model of a system. The CAD environment includes a plurality of predefined transducers, and a graphical user interface configured to permit a user to select one or more of the predefined transducers and connect the selected transducers to portions of the model. The CAD environment further includes a simulation engine to run a simulation of the model. A graphical programming environment is configured to execute a graphical program embodied in a block diagram. The graphical program receives one or more simulated transducer signals from the CAD environment and generates and sends one or more control signals to the CAD environment, to control the simulation.
US08744823B2 Computer aided design method for creating a surface in a complex system
A method for creating, from a first axisymmetrical surface, a second surface belonging to a sub-system of a complex system, in which the second surface observes at least one constraint, is disclosed. The method includes: modeling the first axisymmetrical surface, while observing the constraints with at least one parameter, the modeling step including a sub-step for discretizing the first axisymmetrical surface in several points, the parameter being a coordinate of one of these points in a reference system associated with at least one portion of this sub-system, and a sub-step for reconstructing the first axisymmetrical surface from the at least one point and from the at least one constraint; modifying the at least one parameter in the reference system for modeling the second surface; and recording the second surface in a memory of the computer.
US08744822B2 Pavement condition analysis from modeling impact of traffic characteristics, weather data and road conditions on segments of a transportation network infrastructure
A pavement condition analysis system and method models a state of a roadway by processing at least traffic and weather data to simulate the impact of traffic and weather conditions on a particular section of a transportation infrastructure. Traffic data is ingested from a plurality of different external sources to incorporate various approaches estimating traffic characteristics such as speed, flow, and incidents, into a road condition model to analyze traffic conditions on the roadway in order to improve road condition assessments and/or prediction. A road condition model applies these traffic characteristics, weather data, and other input data relevant to road conditions, accounting for heat and moisture exchanges between the road, the atmosphere, and pavement substrate(s) in a pavement's composition, as further influenced by traffic and road maintenance activities, to generate accurate and reliable simulations and predictions of pavement condition states for motorists, communication to vehicles, use by industry and public entities, and other end uses such as media distribution.
US08744817B2 Method for upscaling a reservoir model using deep reading measurements
A method of upscaling for reservoir simulation is disclosed, comprising: inverting a set of deep reading measurements constrained by upscaled multi-well data, and, in response to the inverting step, upscaling for reservoir simulation.
US08744816B1 Evaluation of database records
A system includes a database and one or more computer devices. The database is configured to store database records associated with a group of users. The one or more computer devices is/are configured to receive data from a user; store the data in a database record in the database, where the database record is associated with the user; automatically evaluate the data, in the database record, to generate a set of first recommendations, where each of the first recommendations relates to a recommended action to be taken by the user; select individuals based on the data in the database record; transmit the data, from the database record, to each of the individuals; receive a second recommendation from each of at least two of the individuals, where each of the second recommendations relates to another recommended action to be taken by the user; compile the second recommendations, from the at least two individuals, to generate a set of second recommendations, where the set of second recommendations is different from the set of first recommendations, and provide the set of first recommendations and the set of second recommendations to the user.
US08744815B2 Methods and systems for utilizing prediction models in healthcare
A method for providing decision support includes using a programmed computer to input a regression model specification, and to repeat the input a plurality of times to obtain and store a plurality of regression model specifications. The method further includes using the programmed computer to analyze selected regression model specifications to determine at least one of common variables and functions of common variables, to thereby determine a reduced-redundancy request for input of variables, when a plurality of the stored regression model specifications are selected for use.
US08744814B2 Arrangement and method for protecting a power supply circuit component
The invention relates to an arrangement for protecting a component in a power supply circuit. The arrangement comprises determination of an electric quantity constituting a load on the component, which electric quantity constituting a load on the component is determined repeatedly while the component is exposed to the load. The arrangement also comprises estimation of instantaneous load capacity of the component, which estimation of instantaneous load capacity is performed using a limitation criterion set for the load capacity of the component. This limitation criterion indicates the longest possible operating time of the component under a given loading condition. For the limitation criterion, a representation with respect to the electric quantity constituting a load on the component is provided, and a limitation criterion corresponding to the defined electric quantity constituting a load on the component is derived repeatedly from the said representation while the component is exposed to the load. The estimate of instantaneous load capacity of the component is thus determined on the basis of both the limitation criterion defined substantially at the estimation instant and the limitation criteria defined before this.
US08744813B2 Detection of anomalies in an aircraft engine
A method and system for detecting anomalies in an aeroengine. The method and system define a behavior model of a controller of the aeroengine using a time regression modeling the behavior of the controller as a function of a data set relating to the controller and including measurements of past behaviors and command and state measurements of the controller; continuously recalculate the behavior model for each new data set; and monitor statistical variation of the behavior model to detect a behavior anomaly of the controller representing an operating anomaly of the engine.
US08744808B2 Electroencephalogram (EEG) cluster electrodes
Embodiments described herein include a sensor electrode including a plurality of contacts positioned adjacent one another to form a pattern. Signal outputs are coupled to the plurality of contacts. A signal output is connected to each contact of the sensor electrode. One or more processors are coupled to the signal outputs. The processor separately processes each signal output of the plurality of signal outputs.
US08744807B2 Scalable and extensible framework for storing and analyzing sensor data
In a framework for acquiring and analyzing data from a network of sensors, plug-in software interfaces are used to provide scalability and flexibility. Data collection set-up data is exchanged through one or more first plug-in software interfaces with data collection devices, to configure the processor to collect measurement data from the data collection devices. Analysis set-up data is exchanged through one or more second plug-in software interfaces with one or more data analysis software packages, to configure the processor to provide a predefined subset of the measurement data to the data analysis software packages and to accept analysis results from the data analysis software packages. Measurement data and analysis results are subsequently exchanged through the plug-in interfaces.
US08744806B2 Scalable performance management system
A performance management system, having a peer-to-peer architecture, enables performance transparency in computer information systems, providing granular performance data and scalability. Peer appliances in a computer information system collect performance data. When a user requests a performance report, an originating peer appliance may determine which peer appliances contain the data required for the report and what data processing, if any, is required. The originating peer appliance may send requests indicating what data and what data manipulation processing is required. Each of the receiving peer appliances (including the originating peer appliance) may perform its own portion of the data processing. The originating peer appliance may receive resultant data from the peer appliances (including itself) and combine the resultant data into the requested report for the user. The performance management system distributes significant data processing across the peer appliances, avoids bottlenecks, and increases system scalability.
US08744802B2 Mobile terminal and step length-calculating method
A mobile terminal which makes it possible to automatically calculate a step length of a user with accuracy. A step count-acquiring section acquires a step count of the user of a mobile terminal. A position calculating section calculates a position of the mobile terminal. A center position-calculating section calculates a center position of a plurality of positions calculated by the position calculating section. A covered distance-calculating section calculates a distance covered by the mobile terminal based on a plurality of the center positions calculated by the center position-calculating section. A step length-calculating section calculates the step length based on the step count acquired by the step count-acquiring section and the covered distance calculated by the covered distance-calculating section.
US08744792B2 Measurement apparatus
A measurement apparatus is disclosed in which a barrier separates a chamber into a first region and a second region. The barrier is of a known thickness, and it comprises holes having a known radius. Gas flow means provide a flow of a carbon dioxide in the first region and a flow of a nitrogen in the second region. A gas detector measures the concentration of carbon dioxide in the second region and a processor calculates the theoretical diffusive flux from one region to another based on the known properties of the through-holes. The processor is arranged to calculate a calibration parameter in order to relate the measured parameter to the theoretical diffusive flux, based on the known properties of the through-holes.
US08744788B2 Micro-meter for electrical energy consumption
This invention is an encapsulated Micro-Meter-Manager for Electrical Energy Consumption (1), including: A current ring transformer +Voltage pickup on each wire by spikes which traverse the insulation of the wire as far as its metallic core or by screwed terminals +Miniaturized power supply source +Microprocessor/s +Button cell +Digital memory +Clock +Power Line Communication PLC Modem, which injects the data into the actual wire via the same spikes for the pickup of voltage or terminals +Solid state relay (SSR) for individually managing the actual load: From a ceiling light to a water heater or any industrial machine. Its aim is to provide own intelligence on the loads and to avoid undesired consumptions: controlling the stand-by, carrying out predictive maintenance according to its rated consumptions and managing any possible overloads, under a certain pre-established and reprogrammable logic. With this, an increase in the comfort and the safety of the entire installation is also achieved.
US08744785B2 Determination of a reception time of an ultrasonic signal by means of pulse shape detection
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic flow sensor equipped with at least one ultrasonic transducer (A, B) for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals (A0, B0) and one receiver unit (4) that is connected to the ultrasonic transducer (A, B) and detects a zero crossing (N) of the ultrasonic signal (A0, B0) as a reception time after the ultrasonic signal (A0, B0) has exceeded a predetermined threshold (SW). The measurement precision of the sensor can be significantly improved if the receiver unit (4) determines the time of a value characteristic of the ultrasonic signal (A0, B0) and determines the relative time shift (deltat) of the characteristic value (Ampmax, Ts) in relation to the zero crossing (N0, N1) that is detected as the reception time (t0).
US08744783B2 System and method for measuring power generated during legged locomotion
A system and method is provided for calculating power generated by a body during legged locomotion. The system includes at least one accelerometer to measure acceleration of the body during legged locomotion, at least one force sensor to measure a plurality of propulsive force impulses created by the body during legged locomotion, and a processor configured to calculate the power generated by the body during legged locomotion using output signals from both the at least one accelerometer and the at least one force sensor.
US08744778B2 Methods for characterizing agonists and partial agonists of target molecules
In one aspect, the present invention provides methods of determining whether an agent is more like a partial agonist of a target molecule than a full agonist of the same target molecule. In another aspect, the present invention provides methods to select a candidate compound that may reduce blood plasma glucose concentration in a mammal. Populations of genes are provided that are useful in the practice of the present invention.
US08744776B2 Method for determining analyte concentration based on complex index functions
A biosensor system determines analyte concentration from an output signal generated from a light-identifiable species or a redox reaction of the analyte. The biosensor system adjusts a correlation for determining analyte concentrations from output signals or determined analyte concentrations with one or more complex index function extracted from the output signals or from other sources. The complex index functions determine at least one slope deviation value, ΔS, or normalized slope deviation from one or more error parameters. The slope-adjusted correlation between analyte concentrations and output signals may be used to determine analyte concentrations having improved accuracy and/or precision from output signals including components attributable to bias.
US08744774B2 Cleanup production during sampling
Cleanup monitoring and prediction in real time targeting estimation of pumpout volume versus final contamination, including detecting breakthrough of formation fluid to a sampling tool and detecting transition of cleanup regime from a predominantly circumferential cleanup regime to a predominantly vertical cleanup regime. Similar workflow can be employed for estimating contamination at the end of cleanup production for a given pumpout volume.
US08744768B2 Method of planning, trajectory computation, predictions and guidance for compliance with an aircraft flypast time constraint
A method and device establishes trajectory planning, predictions and guidance so as to obtain the satisfaction of a time constraint (RTA). This objective is achieved by undertaking a computation of a trajectory up to the point where the flypast time constraint applies, on the basis of a profile of altitude and speeds, and then by computing the profile of speeds and altitudes making it possible, throughout the computed trajectory, to comply with the RTA. The method is also a method for readapting the trajectory and the vertical profile when during a mission, the data outside the aeroplane have caused the time predictions to drift and the constraint is no longer complied with under the initial speeds and trajectory assumptions.
US08744762B2 Automatic origin determination for faster route request initiation and resulting system response time
When a user enters, initializes, or otherwise starts using a navigation function, such as a navigation function on a mobile phone or a stand-alone device, a current location is automatically estimated, prior to or in the absence of a GPS fix, for use as an origin in route determination. The estimation of current location is performed using a database of GPS fixes that are mapped to cell tower identifiers. For example, the database can include one or more fixes associated with each cell tower that the mobile device has used. Thus, when navigation on the device is begun, one or more cell towers to which the device can communicate are identified. If any has a GPS fix in the database, then a location derived from such GPS fix(es) can be used as an origin for navigation functions. Such navigation functions can include estimating a time of arrival at a destination, producing a route to the destination, and checking for traffic updates.
US08744761B2 Method and system for providing travel time information
Location technologies are combined with other information systems to provide augmented information for individuals such as a traveler in an automobile.
US08744757B2 Real-time map data updating system and method
In a system and method for updating a real-time map, operating environment information of a terminal device, which is basic information for update condition determination, is collected, an update condition of a terminal device, which includes one or more of a state of travel, a travel speed, and a network state, is checked by comparing the collected operating environment information with preset criteria, and map data, which is stored in the terminal device, in a combination of one or more of level, tile, and layer units corresponding to the checked update condition, is partially updated.
US08744752B2 Apparatus and method for detecting locations of vehicle and obstacle
Disclosed herein is an apparatus for detecting locations of a vehicle and an obstacle. The apparatus for detecting locations of a vehicle and an obstacle includes at least one distance measurement unit and a data processing unit. The distance measurement unit measures distance data relevant to a vehicle and an obstacle within a measurement area. The data processing unit maps the distance data on a grid layer, detects the location of the vehicle based on the result of the mapping, detects the location of the obstacle based on the detected location of the vehicle, and modifies the detected location of the vehicle using the distance data.
US08744743B2 Front structure and rear structure of vehicle
Provided is a front structure of a vehicle wherein damage on auxiliary equipment by a millimeter-wave radar is limited at the time of collision, and cooling efficiency for auxiliary equipment using traveling wind is not reduced. A front structure of a vehicle comprises a front right side radar for detecting an obstacle on the front right side of a vehicle by transmitting/receiving a radio wave, a front left side radar for detecting an obstacle on the front left side of a vehicle by transmitting/receiving a radio wave, a bumper reinforcement, right and left crush boxes, and a condenser cooled by traveling wind, wherein the front right side radar is disposed on the outboard side of the right end of the condenser, and the front left side radar is disposed on the outboard side of the left end of the condenser.
US08744742B2 Running control device, and running control method
A lateral object that exists on a side of the vehicle is detected. When an estimated later-arriving lateral position reaches a predetermined threshold value under the condition in which the lateral object is detected, a lane change of the vehicle in a direction to a side of the lateral object is suppressed. When detecting that the vehicle moves laterally in a direction opposite to a side of a side vehicle, an avoidance flag is set to Fa=1. Subsequently, when the vehicle starts a lateral movement in a direction to the side of the side vehicle, a return flag is set to Fr=1. When the return flag is set to Fr=1 in this way, a suppression flag is set to F=0 until a setting time elapses, then the suppression of the lateral movement is forbidden.
US08744741B2 Lidars
A Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) apparatus and method are disclosed having a rotatable light source enabled to emit a light ray, the light ray being emitted at a plurality of angular intervals; a reflection device, which can be parabolic in shape, and an analysis device for calculating a position at which one or more features are present based on the angle that the light ray was emitted and the time delay associated with the received reflected light, from a feature, wherein the analysis device takes into account the reflection of the light ray from the reflection device. In this manner, light rays may be reflected from heading in one direction to improve the resolution of the LIDAR in a second direction. Furthermore, where a parabolic reflector is used, positions of features can be calculated directly in a Cartesian coordinate system. Autonomous vehicles can use a LIDAR such as described herein to improve forward looking resolution in collision avoidance systems or terrain selection systems.
US08744737B2 Method of collision prediction between an air vehicle and an airborne object
A method of predicting collisions between a mission air vehicle and an airborne object of a plurality of airborne objects present in a flight scenario of the mission air vehicle is described. The mission air vehicle and the airborne object move along corresponding routes. The method acquires data representing the state of flight and flight parameters of the plurality of airborne objects and the mission air vehicle; assigns to each of said airborne objects a mode of calculating the collision prediction; determines a subset of airborne objects to be surveilled; calculates equivalent routes for the mission air vehicle and for each airborne object of the subset; synchronizes the equivalent route of the mission air vehicle with the equivalent route of each airborne object of the subset; and calculates, for each airborne object, a collision prediction based on the synchronized routes according to an assigned calculation mode.
US08744736B2 Method and apparatus for updating travel time estimation
A self-contained vehicular traffic travel time information system for a vehicle in an inter-vehicle ad-hoc network includes an on-board vehicular broadcasting unit for communicating with other vehicles within the inter-vehicle ad hoc network. A positioning device identifies the vehicle's position throughout a course of travel. An on-board vehicle processing unit stores road segments throughout the vehicle path of travel. The on-board vehicle processing unit determines a starting position and an ending position for each respective road segment. A length of time for traveling through each respective road segment is determined. A memory storage device stores the segmented road portions and the time of travel associated with each respective road segment. The on-board vehicular broadcasting unit disseminates the determined travel times of recently traveled road segments via a broadcast message to other vehicles within the inter-vehicle ad hoc network.
US08744734B2 Active traffic and demand management system
Systems and methods for providing incentives for the public to travel during time windows and routes that help alleviate traffic congestion. The systems described herein include at least two components: a computer server software system that includes various algorithms and database sub-systems; and a mobile device application. Generally, a user may enter an origin, destination, and preferred time of travel for an intended trip into the mobile device application, which transmits the information to a remote server. The server computes a route for the trip and provides the user with available incentives for traveling the route at one or more departure time windows. The user's mobile device transmits GPS data to the server, which allows the server to verify whether the user has traveled the route during the specified time window. If so, the server then provides the incentive to the user via the user's mobile device or through email.
US08744731B2 Electronic digital governor and method of assembly
An electronic digital governor assembly includes a case, a printed circuit board housed within said case, the printed circuit board having control circuitry configured for controlling at least one parameter of an energy production device, and a user interface including a digital display for displaying a value of the at least one parameter and at least one button for selectively adjusting the value.
US08744729B2 Apparatus and method for detecting abnormal air-fuel ratio variation among cylinders of multi-cylinder internal combustion engine
An apparatus for detecting abnormal air-fuel ratio variation among cylinders of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine includes: a catalyst element that oxidizes hydrogen contained in exhaust gas to remove the hydrogen; a first air-fuel ratio sensor that detects an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas that has not passed through the catalyst element; a second air-fuel ratio sensor that detects an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas that has passed through the catalyst element; and a unit that determines whether abnormal air-fuel ratio variation among the cylinders has occurred based on an amount by which a value detected by the second air-fuel ratio sensor is leaner than a value detected by the first air-fuel ratio sensor.
US08744728B2 Fuel sulfur content-based operation control of a diesel engine
Over a diesel engine's lifetime, engine efficiency may be reduced and some of this may be attributable to sulfur deposit accumulation in the engine. A method for controlling operation of a diesel engine operating on a fuel is provided. The method may include adjusting an injection of fuel to the engine in response to a sulfur content of the fuel.
US08744725B2 Pressure control in the common rail system of a combustion engine
The apparatus and method according to the invention comprise a controller (7) to form a control signal, which controller is arranged to receive pressure data on the CR system, and into which controller pressure reference data is set. In addition, the apparatus also comprises a module (9) to form an internal pressure reference value to replace the set pressure reference value when forming the control signal.
US08744722B2 Snowmobile having electronically controlled lubrication
A snowmobile having an electronic oil pump fluidly connected to an oil tank thereof is disclosed. The electronic oil pump is fluidly connected to an engine of the snowmobile for delivering lubricant to the engine. An electronic control unit is electrically connected to the electronic oil pump for controlling actuation of the electronic oil pump. A method of operating an electronic oil pump is also disclosed.
US08744720B1 Inter-vehicle middle point maintaining implementer
The vehicle comprising a rear vehicle speed dependent ideal distance maintaining implementer, a front vehicle speed dependent ideal distance maintaining implementer, an inter-vehicle middle point maintaining implementer, a front vehicle activity notifying implementer, and a past accident occurred spot auto speed decreasing implementer.
US08744718B2 Method and module for controlling a vehicle's speed
A method for controlling a vehicle's speed includes adopting a desired speed vset for the vehicle; determining by means of map data and location data a horizon for the intended itinerary which is made up of route segments with at least one characteristic for each segment; effecting the following during each of a number of simulation cycles (s) each comprising a number N of simulation steps conducted at a predetermined frequency f: making a first prediction of the vehicle's speed vpred—cc along the horizon with conventional cruise control when vset is presented as reference speed, which prediction depends on the characteristics of said segment; comparing the predicted vehicle speed vpred—cc with vmin and vmax, which demarcate a range within which the vehicle's speed is intended to be; making a second prediction of the vehicle's speed vpred—Tnew along the horizon when the vehicle's engine torque T is a value which depends on the result of said comparison in the latest preceding simulation cycle (s−1); determining at least one reference value for how the vehicle's speed is to be influenced on the basis of at least one of said comparisons in that simulation cycle (s) and the predicted vehicle speed vpred—Tnew; sending to a control system in the vehicle said at least one reference value with respect to which the vehicle is thereupon regulated. The invention comprises also a module for controlling a vehicle's speed.
US08744715B2 Skid detection apparatus for vehicle
In a skid detecting apparatus for a vehicle having an engine and a CVT changing an output of the engine in speed to drive front wheels and rear wheels, it is configured to detect rotational speeds of one of the front and rear wheels, sequentially calculate accelerations (wheel accelerations var1, var2) of the one of the wheels based on the detected rotational speeds, calculate a ratio (var1/var2) between two accelerations of the same wheel calculated at different time points among the sequentially-calculated accelerations (S10), compare the ratio between the two accelerations with a predetermined value (S16) and determine that the one of the wheels has skidded or some or all of the wheels including the one have skidded when the calculated ratio between the two accelerations exceeds the predetermined value (S18).
US08744709B2 Vehicle clutch control method
A vehicle has an engine having a crankshaft, a hydraulically controlled multi-plate clutch operatively connected to the crankshaft, and an output shaft operatively connected to the clutch. The clutch selectively transmits power from the crankshaft to the output shaft. A propulsion element is operatively connected to the output shaft. A hydraulic fluid supply system is fluidly connected to the clutch for supplying pressurized hydraulic fluid to the clutch. A controller is connected to the hydraulic fluid supply system. The controller receives a torque signal indicative of engine torque and controls the hydraulic fluid supply system based at least in part on the torque signal. A clutch control method and system are also disclosed.
US08744708B2 Control system for belt-type continuously variable transmission
Surplus pressure is obtained from a difference between a hydraulic pressure value detected by a hydraulic pressure sensor and a target supplied hydraulic pressure. A determination is made about whether or not a possible hydraulic pressure in a prescribed time will become lower than a minimum required hydraulic pressure based on a current surplus pressure and a changing rate of the surplus pressure. If the possible hydraulic pressure is lower than the minimum required hydraulic pressure, correction is conducted to increase supplied hydraulic pressure. Accordingly, control is conducted so that the regularly required surplus pressure can be reduced to a minimum required amount.
US08744706B2 Line pressure control device for automatic transmission
Mapped data of line pressure set to any of high pressure/low pressure regions on the basis of an engine load are stored in a storage section. A determining section 103 determines, on the basis of temperature of the hydraulic oil detected by an ATF temperature sensor 18, whether the mapped data the low pressure region is shifted in an enlarged direction. A state determining section 104 determines whether a throttle valve opening degree TH of the vehicle is totally closed or whether the line pressure is currently set to low line pressure. When the low pressure region is shifted in the enlarged direction and the throttle valve opening degree TH is totally closed or the line pressure is currently set to the low line pressure, a region changing section enlarges the low pressure region of the mapped data stored in the storage section.
US08744705B2 System and method for determining clutch gains in a transmission during a power downshift
A method of controlling an offgoing clutch in a transmission during a power downshift includes detecting the downshift, reducing a pressure command to the offgoing clutch, and introducing a calibrated error value to a pressure command for the offgoing clutch during the inertia phase. The method also includes synchronizing the speed of the offgoing and an oncoming clutch during the torque phase, determining the offgoing clutch pressure and torque after synchronizing clutch speeds, and then recording a clutch gain as a function of the offgoing clutch pressure and torque. The recorded clutch gains are used to control a subsequent power downshift of the transmission. A controller using proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control logic introduces the error as PID error in a pressure control signal, and controls slip across the offgoing clutch. A transmission is also disclosed having an offgoing clutch and controller configured to execute the above method.
US08744700B2 Reversing vehicle remote telematics detection
A device comprising a processor that detects an autonomously sensed change in a vehicle's operational state from an initial state characterized by a sensed vehicle speed equal to about 0; to an immediately succeeding vehicle state characterized by sensed vehicle speed being greater than about 0 and, verification from a reverse operating mode sensor that longitudinal vehicle speed is in a reverse direction; and presumptively signals the thusly detected change of vehicle operational state as an instance of reverse operation of the associated vehicle.
US08744697B2 Variator lockout valve system
A variator lockout valve system for a continuously variable transmission includes a pair of shift valves. Each shift valve has at least one port that is fluidly coupled to a variator of the continuously variable transmission. Electro-hydraulic actuators control the position of each of the shift valves. When the shift valves are in one position, pressure control valves supply fluid pressure to the variator. If one of the shift valves is in another position, one of the pressure control valves is blocked from supplying fluid pressure to the variator.
US08744691B2 Adaptive human-machine system and method
An adaptive, human-machine-interaction, system and method for executing system-actions at times in accordance with performance times of past user-actions to either accommodate user habits or to modify user behavior.
US08744688B2 Inverted pendulum type vehicle
An inverted pendulum type vehicle has a first travel operation unit and a second travel operation unit. A controller of the inverted pendulum type vehicle controls an actuator on the basis of a restricted desired value. The restricted desired value is obtained by restricting a basic desired value of the lateral travel velocity of the second travel operation unit by a limiting processor, the basic desired value being for bringing the actual turn angular velocity of the vehicle close to a desired value. The limit width of the limiting processor is variably set according to the actual travel velocity of the second travel operation unit.
US08744685B2 Lane departure control system
A lane departure control system is provided which steers a vehicle toward the center of a lane of a road at a first yaw rate by a controlled angle when the vehicle is determined to be about to deviate from the lane. Afterwards, when the vehicle is determined to be traveling toward a virtual line defined near a lane boundary, the system steers the vehicle by a correction angle so as to orient the vehicle parallel to the virtual line at a second yaw rate. The system changes the value of the first yaw rate at a first rate within the controlled angle and also changes the value of the second yaw rate at a second rate within the correction angle. An absolute value of the second rate is set smaller than that of the first rate, thereby minimizing an undesirable physical load on a driver of the vehicle.
US08744684B2 Parking assist system and method for varying parking area
Technology for a parking assist system and method for varying a parking area is provided. The parking assist system includes an occupant's build sensing unit configured to sense an occupant's build in a vehicle when parking the vehicle; a control unit configured to set a distance after parking the vehicle between the vehicle and a wall surface of a parking lot according to the occupant's build and to calculate a parking trace; and an automatic steering unit controlled by the control unit and configured to automatically control steering of the vehicle according to the calculated parking trace.
US08744680B2 Method for determining a movement of a vehicle body
A method for determining a vehicle body movement of a vehicle body of a vehicle (1) using a camera (3) arranged on the vehicle (1). Camera images of vehicle surroundings are thereby continuously recorded using the camera (3) and image position data of at least one static object (8) are determined by a processor in camera images recorded at different times. Using the time-based sequence of the determined image position data the vehicle body movement is determined by the processor. Further, a method for determining a spring compression movement of at least one wheel (7), mounted in a sprung fashion, of a vehicle (1) which comprises a camera (3) arranged on the vehicle (1).
US08744679B2 Tire pressure adjustment
A tire pressure adjustment method and system is provided. The method includes receiving from a plurality of sensors in a vehicle, tread depth data associated with tread depths at multiple points on a tire tread comprised by a tire on the vehicle. The tread depth data is analyzed. A tire pressure value for an internal portion of the tire is determined based on results of the analysis. The tire pressure value is associated with modifying a group of tread depths during operation of the vehicle. In response, a command signal is generated. The command signal is configured to command a tire pressure modification device to adjust a current tire pressure value of the internal portion of the tire to the determined tire pressure value. The command signal is transmitted to the tire pressure modification device resulting in the current tire pressure value being adjusted to determined tire pressure value.
US08744677B2 Regenerative control system for a vehicle
The present invention is intended to suppress a change in a braking force due to a change in the magnitude of friction of an internal combustion engine, in a regenerative control system for a vehicle in which kinetic energy of wheels is made to be converted (regenerated) to electrical energy, at the time of deceleration running of the vehicle with the internal combustion engine mounted thereon. In order to solve this subject, the present invention is constructed such that the change in friction of the internal combustion engine is offset by adjustment of a regenerative braking force by regulating an amount of excitation current supplied to an electric generator according to the magnitude of friction in the internal combustion engine, at the time of deceleration running of the vehicle.
US08744660B2 Collection and delivery support system for saddle-ride type electric vehicles
A collection and delivery support system for a saddle-ride type electric vehicle includes a managing terminal that outputs information of registered collection/delivery destinations of cargos and information on battery charging locations arranged within a collection/delivery range of the vehicle, a server that calculates a collection/delivery route passing through respective collection and delivery destinations in order based on a possible traveling distance of the vehicle, and a mobile terminal provided with the vehicle. The server calculates the route such that it includes a battery charging location in the middle thereof, as well as estimated collection/delivery times based on the possible traveling distance information. The display displays information of the calculated route and the estimated collection/and delivery times.
US08744657B2 Hybrid drive system
A hybrid drive system including a rotating electric machine; an input member drive-coupled to an internal combustion engine and the rotating electric machine; an output member drive-coupled to a wheel; a speed change device with a plurality of switchable shift speeds changes the rotational speed of the input member and transmits the changed rotational speed to the output member; and a control device that controls the rotating electric machine. The control device corrects the output torque of the rotating electric machine so as to cancel out a torque fluctuation of the input member that accompanies an initial explosion of the internal combustion engine; and, when the initial explosion of the internal combustion engine occurs during a shift operation of the speed change device, modifies the torque correction amount in a direction that suppresses a change in the rotational speed of the input member that advances the shift operation.
US08744653B2 Control apparatus
A control apparatus for controlling a transmission apparatus that includes: an input member that is drivably connected to a rotating electrical machine being capable of generating regenerative torque based on an engine and a deceleration request of a vehicle; an output member that is drivably connected to wheels; and a speed change mechanism that has a plurality of friction engagement elements that are controlled to be engaged and released so as to switch a plurality of shift speeds, and that shifts a rotation speed of the input member at one of gear ratios set for the shift speeds and outputs the shifted speed to the output member.
US08744650B1 Aircraft control system
A method and apparatus comprising a bus system and a plurality of control units connected to the bus system. The plurality of control units are each configured to control a same number of hardware systems in a vehicle, store a number of parameters used to control the number of hardware systems, and synchronize the number of parameter stored using the bus system in response to a change in the number of parameters at a selected control unit in the plurality of control units.
US08744649B2 Providing a description of aircraft intent
The present disclosure provides a computer-implemented method of generating a description of aircraft intent expressed in a formal language that provides an unambiguous description of an aircraft's intended motion and configuration during a period of flight. A flight intent description is parsed to provide instances of flight intent that span a flight segment, the flight segments together spanning the period of flight. The parsed flight intent is converted into parametric aircraft intent by generating an associated flight segment description for each flight segment that comprises instances of flight intent to close all associated degrees of freedom of motion and of configuration of the aircraft. At least some flight segment descriptions contain a parameter range, and the method further comprises optimizing the parametric aircraft intent by determining an optimal value for the parameter of each parameter range.
US08744647B2 Method and device for controlling and monitoring the surrounding areas of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
A method and a remote control for controlling and monitoring surrounding areas of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) by an operator with a remote control comprising a flight display are provided. The method and remote control provide an advantageously effect for the purposes of controlling and monitoring the surroundings of a UAV by combining the image captured by a UAV camera with a transparently overlaid positional and navigation map providing a perception enabling the operator to have a complete overall view of the situation, utilizing a common screen section of a flight display and thereby not having to shift eye view. Viewing images and positional and navigation information should not interfere with each other.
US08744637B1 Methods and apparatus for detecting the clearance of fault in shunt reactor compensated transmission lines
The objective of this patent is to describe novel methods and device systems for detecting the fault-cleared state in a shunt compensated transmission line. The methods are applicable in all types of transmission line types and faults, in any type of reclosure mechanism, and can be implemented in existing devices such as relays and not need sophisticated equipment. One application of detecting the fault-cleared state is adaptive reclosure in which case, substantial improvement in transmission system reliability and benefits in protection can be achieved.
US08744628B2 Autonomous moving floor-treating robot and control method thereof for edge-following floor-treating
An autonomous moving floor-treating robot and a control method thereof for edge-following floor-treating are provided. The control method includes the following steps: the floor-treating robot collides with an obstacle and is deflected toward the direction away from the obstacle by a basic angle after the collision, measures an initial signal strength value by a side-looking sensor after the deflection, and then moves on and treats the floor; a real-time signal strength value is acquired by said side-looking sensor alter the robot runs for a predetermined time; the difference value between said two signal strength values is compared, and whether the difference value is in a predetermined range is judged, if yes, the robot keeps moving and treating the floor, if not, the robot is driven to be deflected by an adjusting angle and acquires the current real-time signal strength value; the difference value between said current and the last real-time signal strength values is compared, and whether the difference value is in a predetermined range is judged, if yes, the robot keeps moving and treating the floor, if not, the steps of deflection, comparing and so on are implemented. The present invention is unaffected by the media of the obstacle, and can effectively treat the edge region of the obstacle.
US08744625B2 Robot controlling device
In the control of a multi-joint robot main body, it is necessary to execute intricate track calculations and synchronous operations in parallel, even if the track calculations are intricate and times required for the calculations are indefinite. For this purpose, a robot controlling device of the present invention includes a shared memory, and first and second processing units connected to the shared memory. The first processing unit performs track calculation processing which includes calculating operation command data indicating a series of command values to be output to arm motors, based on a command to operate the multi-joint robot main body to a desired position posture, and storing the calculated operation command data in the shared memory. The second processing unit performs synchronous processing which includes acquiring the operation command data stored in the shared memory, and synchronously outputting the command values to the arm motors at predetermined time intervals.
US08744621B2 Medical cabinet access belt optimization system
A cabinet for securely storing items includes a drawer enclosure, a drawer, a cover, an electric actuator, and a switch. The drawer is slidable at least partially into and out of the enclosure, and includes a compartment. A cover which is configured as a metal belt is designed to selectively block access to the compartments of the drawer when the cover is in a first configuration, and to allow access to the compartment when the cover is in a second configuration. The electric actuator is designed to move the cover from the first configuration to the second configuration in one of two directions. The actuator selects the direction to reduce the time required to make such movement.
US08744617B2 Component pane handler configured to handle component panes of multiple sizes
A component pane handling apparatus configured to handle component panes of multiple different sizes is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least one component pane capture element that can be displaced between a number of different positions, each position corresponding to a particular component pane size. Therefore, the at least one component pane capture element can be positioned to different positions for allowing handling of component panes of corresponding sizes. The apparatus also includes a position alignment mechanism configured to control displacement of the at least one component pane capture element to the different positions. The apparatus can also include one displacement arm coupled to the component pane capture element. The displacement of the component pane capture element can be effectuated by a displacement of at least a portion of the displacement arm. A method for handling component panes of multiple sizes is also included in this disclosure.
US08744616B2 Storage tray populator and method for populating a storage tray with a plurality of biological sample containers
A storage tray populator configured to populate a storage rack with a plurality of biological sample containers is provided. The storage tray populator may include a randomizer configured to receive the biological sample containers and randomly distribute the biological sample containers. Further, a transport apparatus may transport the biological sample containers from the randomizer to the storage rack. Additionally, a controller may control at least the transport apparatus. Thereby storage trays may be populated, and access to a desired biological sample may be improved. Methods for populating storage racks with a plurality of biological sample containers are also provided.
US08744613B2 Sheet processing apparatus, method of controlling the same, and storage medium storing program
In a sheet processing apparatus which is able to control to stack a sheet on at least one of a plurality of stacking units which stack printed sheets, when a first sheet having a small size is stacked on a first stacking unit, and a second sheet having the small size is designated to be stacked on a second stacking unit different from the first stacking unit, it is determined whether a sheet is stacked on a stacking unit adjacent to the second stacking unit, and a third stacking unit, that is different from the second stacking unit and is adjacent to a stacking unit on which a sheet is stacked, is selected as a stacking unit for the second sheet if it is determined that no sheet is stacked on the stacking unit adjacent to the second stacking unit.
US08744611B2 Apparatus for controlling operational functions of a machine tool
An apparatus for controlling operational functions of a machine tool, comprising a device for switching on or off a main power supply and at least one device for determining a switch-off time of an operational function of the machine tool in dependence of a selectable criterion.
US08744609B2 System for maintaining unified access to SCADA and manufacturing execution system (MES) information
A system is disclosed that simplifies configuring an MES entity corresponding to a SCADA system object representing plant equipment. The system includes an equipment model builder (EMB) that receives a set of configured UCO information for a modeled piece of plant equipment in a SCADA system. The EMB extracts relevant MES information from the utilization capability object and invokes an application interface on an MES database to create a corresponding entity (e.g., a database element). Another aspect of the disclosed system and methods involves the enhancement of a SCADA system object, through a new MES facet, to support acquiring and reporting equipment status received via the SCADA system to a corresponding MES entity. A raw reason code configuration interface is provided by UCO configurator computer software executed on a computer. Each raw reason code is associated with a prioritized logical expression defining circumstances under which the reason code becomes true.
US08744608B2 Work management apparatus, picking carriage, work performance collection system, rework measurement system, workability management system, rework measurement measuring method, work performance collection method, workability management method and workability management program
Workability management system including operations of: storing resource identification information for identifying said resource and said work history information in association with each other in a storage medium; extracting said work history information corresponding to said resource identification information from said storage medium when a change occurs in said work history information, updating a change content and storing it into said storage medium; extracting said work history information corresponding to said resource identification information of said resource for judging workability of said resource from said storage medium, taking out total use information of said resource from said work history information, and creating a change with time of said total use information as said casual sequence information; and judging workability of said resource by said casual sequence information.
US08744607B2 Method and apparatus for self-learning and self-improving a semiconductor manufacturing tool
Performance of a manufacturing tool is optimized. Optimization relies on recipe drifting and generation of knowledge that capture relationships among product output metrics and input material measurement(s) and recipe parameters. Optimized recipe parameters are extracted from a basis of learned functions that predict output metrics for a current state of the manufacturing tool and measurements of input material(s). Drifting and learning are related and lead to dynamic optimization of tool performance, which enables optimized output from the manufacturing tool as the operation conditions of the tool changes. Features of recipe drifting and associated learning can be autonomously or externally configured through suitable user interfaces, which also can be drifted to optimize end-user interaction.
US08744605B2 Handheld device workout coach system
A handheld device workout coach system includes: at least a handheld device installed therein with a coaching program and having a near field communication (NFC) module and a ID recognition data; at least a fitness device having a master control unit, a near field communication (NFC) module corresponding in position and function to the master control unit, and a platform; and a server stored therein with workout prescriptions downloadable by the at least a handheld device and available to the coaching program. The master control unit has an equipment recognition data. The handheld device and the fitness device get connected by near field communication (NFC) technology as soon as the handheld device is positioned on the platform of the fitness device and recognize each other to thereby execute the coaching program instantly and automatically, such that a corresponding one of the workout prescriptions instructs a user to take exercise.
US08744603B2 Method for position feedback based control for overload protection
A method for executing mechanical overload protection to prevent commanding a control signal to a linear actuator that may mechanically overload the linear actuator when an overload condition of the linear actuator is detected, the linear actuator utilized for controlling a movable element associated with the linear actuator responsive to the control signal, includes monitoring an overload condition based on position change of the movable element associated with the linear actuator during an integration period and excess energy during the integration period, de-energizing the linear actuator when an overload condition has been detected, monitoring an overload retry counter based on the number of cycles the overload condition is detected, comparing the overload retry counter to an overload retry threshold, an reenergizing the linear actuator when the overload retry counter is less than the overload retry threshold and maintaining de-energizing of the linear actuator when the overload retry counter is at least the overload retry threshold.
US08744600B2 Medical device lead including a unifilar coil with improved torque transmission capacity and reduced MRI heating
A medical device lead includes an electrode, a helically coiled conductor electrically coupled to the electrode, and a polymer sheath formed over the helically coiled conductor. The helically coiled conductor includes a plurality of turns helically wound around a longitudinal axis of the conductor, and consists of one filar.
US08744596B2 Leads with X-ray fluorescent capsules for electrode identification and methods of manufacture and use
An implantable lead for an electrical stimulation system includes a lead body having a distal end, a proximal end, a longitudinal length, and a circumference; a plurality of electrodes disposed along the distal end of the lead body in an electrode array; a plurality of terminals disposed along the proximal end of the lead body; a plurality of conductors electrically coupling the plurality of electrodes to the plurality of terminals; and at least one capsule including an x-ray fluorescent material and disposed along the distal end of the lead body relative to the electrode array to indicate, when viewed fluoroscopically, an orientation of the electrode array. The plurality of electrodes includes a plurality of segmented electrodes. Each of the plurality of segmented electrodes extends partially around the circumference of the lead body.
US08744594B2 Electromedical device for the non-invasive reduction or removal of subcutaneous adipose tissue
An electromedical device for the non-invasive reduction or removal of subcutaneous adipose tissue, comprising an energy source which provides a high-frequency alternating current, comprising at least two individual emitters which are fed by the energy source and which are designed to emit high-frequency electromagnetic waves into subcutaneous adipose tissue, and comprising a directivity control which is coupled with the individual emitters and which controls the individual emitters in such a way that, by direction and field concentration of the high-frequency electromagnetic waves emitted by the individual emitters, a total electromagnetic field with a desired field geometry can be produced in the subcutaneous adipose tissue.
US08744593B2 Gel formed battery
An apparatus includes a cathode chamber configured to store a gel cathode and an anode chamber configured to store a gel anode. A cathode dispensing channel is in fluid communication with the cathode chamber and allows at least a portion of the gel cathode to be dispensed. An anode dispensing channel is in fluid communication with the anode chamber and allows at least a portion of the gel anode to be dispensed. A portion of the gel cathode and a portion of the gel anode come into contact upon being dispensed to form an active battery that can be used to generate an electrical current.
US08744590B2 Configuring an electrically stimulating device to stimulate using a subset of electrode contacts
A method of configuring a prosthesis having two or more electrode contacts, including configuring the prosthesis to provide stimulation to a first tissue site from a subset of electrode contacts based on data based on a comparison of first data to second data, wherein the first data is based on respective estimated voltages for the first site and one or more of additional respective sites to be applied by the subset of electrode contacts, the respective estimated voltages being based on empirical stimulation data for the first and additional sites, and the second data is based on respective target voltages for the first and additional sites, respectively.
US08744588B2 Method and system for connecting an impaired nervous system to a muscle or a group of muscles based on template matching and intelligent end points
A method and system for connecting an impaired nervous system of a patient to a destination target of a muscle, group of muscles, or robotic device. A command module implanted within the patient's body: (i) samples analog electrical neural signals generated by neurons or nerve fibers of the patient; (ii) processes the neural signals to generate spatial digital data in sample matrices; (iii) processes multiple consecutive sample matrices in real time using sliding window method to generate a time dependent window matrix; (iv) and matches the window matrix to source movement templates to generate high-level movement command(s) which is wirelessly transmitted to driver module(s) within the patient's body and attached to the destination target. The driver module matches the high-level movement commands to destination movement templates to generate a digital stimulus. The digital stimulus is translated into an electrical stimulus which is applied to the destination target.