| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08899693B2 |
Material guide assembly
A guide assembly for a longwall shearer. The shearer includes an arm having an arm end and a cutting drum rotatably coupled to the arm end. The cutting drum rotates about a drum axis and engages a mine wall, and the cutting drum has a rear extent arranged in a plane substantially perpendicular to the drum axis. The guide assembly includes a guide member coupled to the arm and operable to guide material won from the mine wall. The guide member has a guide surface extending in a direction non-parallel to the plane and non-parallel to the drum axis. The guide member guides material along the guide surface away from the cutting drum. |
| US08899687B2 |
Puzzle seating
A seating assembly with a base, a seat and a back which have interlocking features, and a strap latch removeably securing the back to the base with a portion of the seat sandwiched therebetween. The strap latch comprises a strap affixed to one component, with a latch attached to its free end, and a catch member affixed to another component. The seat may also be configured to appear horizontal but to have a rearward incline when occupied, by affixing the seat webbing to a fixed forward member and a floating rear member, and attaching the floating member to a fixed rear member via straps, wherein the straps and the seat webbing have sufficient elasticity to allow the floating member to be depressed when a downward force is applied to the seat. |
| US08899685B2 |
Vehicle seat headrest assembly having vertical and longitudinal adjustment
A vehicle seat headrest assembly (20) includes a headrest (21) having a rear headrest portion (28) with a housing (29) mounted on vertical posts (26) for vertical movement and also includes a front headrest portion (30) having a housing (31) movable longitudinally in forward and rearward directions by a support linkage (46) under the control of a rack and pinion mechanism (62). A first helical spring locking clamp (44) permits upward adjusting movement of the headrest but normally prevents downward movement, and a second helical spring locking clamp (72) permits forward movement of the front headrest portion housing (29) while normally preventing rearward movement. An actuator (36) releases the first and second helical spring locking clamps (44 and 72) to permit downward movement of the headrest (21) and rearward adjustment of the front headrest portion (30) housing (31). |
| US08899683B2 |
Seat adjustment device, and vehicle seat device with the seat adjustment device
A seat adjustment device adjusts the pivoting angle formed by a first seat member and a second seat member. A hinge shaft connects at a first connection point, the first seat member, and the second seat member. An arm section and a connection mechanism are connected at a second connection point. The positions of the axes of the first connection point, the second connection point, and a pivoting section are set in such a manner that, when a load is applied to the front end of either the first seat member or the second seat member, the distance from the second connection point to the axis of the pivoting section is less than the distance from the first connection point to the second connection point with respect to the direction perpendicular to the line of action of a load applied to the second connection point. |
| US08899682B2 |
Item of furniture
There is disclosed a chair (10) for positioning an individual with respect to a reference location (5), such as a table. The chair (10) comprises a base portion (12) configured to be located on a support surface (6). A seat portion (16) is mounted to the base portion (12) and is configured to receive the individual thereon. A first mechanism (21) is configured to provide rotational movement of said seat portion (16) with respect to said base portion (12). A second mechanism (25) is configured to provide sliding lateral movement of the seat portion (16) with respect to said base portion (12). The first mechanism (21) and the second mechanism (25) are activated independently to facilitate movement of the individual from a first position that is located remote from the reference location (5) to a second position that is located adjacent said reference location (5) without the need for movement of the base portion (12) with respect to the support surface. |
| US08899681B2 |
Seat guiding apparatus for chair
A seat guiding apparatus for a chair includes a base, an elastic assembly mounted in the front end of the base and having a torsion spring and a moveable plate abutted against the torsion spring, and a seat assembly provided with a seat and a bracket connected with the seat. The bracket of the seat assembly has a front end connected with the moveable plate and a rear end movably mounted in curved guiding grooves of the base, such that the seat assembly is moveable along the curved guiding grooves relative to the base. As a result, when sitting on the seat, a sitter' back can be guided by the movement of the seat assembly to lean against a backrest of the chair for support. |
| US08899680B2 |
Mechanism for a chair
The invention relates to a mechanism (2) designed for a chair, in particular for a rotatable office chair having a gas spring (12) vertically arranged in the underframe (1), the gas spring having a telescopically extendible piston rod so that the height of the seat (9) can be adjusted. The tilting adjustment of the seat (9) between the rest position (S0) and the relaxation position (Smax) occurs in synchronization with the adjustment of the backrest (96) between a rest position (R0) and a relaxation position (Rmax) inclined backward. The mechanism (2) has a shell (30), through which a stationary first rotational axis (D1) extends and on which a seat carrier (80) capable of being inclined is mounted. A front-side connection means (33) is arranged between the seat carrier (80) and the shell (30), the front-side connection means being connected to the shell (30) in an articulated manner in a second rotational axis (D2) and being connected to the seat carrier (80) in an articulated manner in a third rotational axis (D3). A rear-side connection means (60) is provided, which is connected in an articulated manner in the first rotational axis (D1) and in a fourth rotational axis (D4), which extends through the seat carrier (80). A spring system (46) acting between the shell (30) and the seat carrier (80) is provided. The mechanism (2) has a force adjuster (39), which can be actuated from the outside and which is designed to change the preloading of the spring system (46) by means of a transmission arrangement (390,51,52,53). The transmission arrangement (390,51,52,53) comprises movable means (52,53) having inclined surfaces provided thereon, wherein a rear-side bearing (462,464,465) of the spring system (46) is supported on said inclined surfaces. |
| US08899671B2 |
Vehicle headliner attachment system
A vehicle headliner attachment system includes a moonroof assembly having a peripheral structure surrounding at least one glass panel. A headliner has an upper surface surrounding an opening that aligns with at least one glass panel. A select one of a plurality of carriers and a pair of longitudinal rails protrudes down from laterally opposing sides of the peripheral structure. The other of the plurality of carriers and the pair of longitudinal rails coupled with the upper surface of the headliner proximate the opening. The plurality of connectors each have a connector slidably engaged with a select one of the pair of longitudinal rails and a resilient element biasing carrier away from the select one of the pair of longitudinal rails. |
| US08899667B2 |
Structure of vehicle body rear part
A vehicle rear body part includes a rear side member provided on both sides of a rear floor and a lower part of a back door opening section higher than the rear side member. The rear floor is divided into a main rear floor panel and left and right side rear floor panels with the rear side member placed therebetween. In the rear side member, rear side member upper panels are configured to close an opening in an upper part and joined to flanges on both the left and right sides. Upright sections are provided at rear ends of the rear side member upper panels. The upright sections are joined to a lower part of the opening section. The upper panels, the rear side member, and the floor panels and are joined in three layers in the flanges of the upper panels. |
| US08899666B1 |
Vehicle body having reinforcement structure
A vehicle body having a reinforcement structure includes a side outer panel on an outer side of the vehicle body, a side inner panel on an inner side of the vehicle body at a predetermined distance from the side outer panel, a door hinge box attached to an upper portion of an inner side of the side inner panel, a door lower hinge reinforcement plate attached to a lower portion of the inner side of the side inner panel, vertically at a predetermined distance from the door hinge box, a bulk head attached to an upper end of the door lower reinforcement plate, with one end attached to an inner side of the side outer panel and the other end attached to an outer side of the side inner panel, and a reinforcement bracket disposed in an up-down direction to connect the door hinge box and the bulk head. |
| US08899665B2 |
Strength member for an automobile body, front side member, and side structure for an automobile body
A side structure for an automobile body has an A-pillar having a first portion which has a closed cross section and which is connected to a side sill and extends upwards, and a second portion which has a closed cross section and which is continuous with the first portion and extends along a slope therefrom, and a roof rail side member which has a closed cross section and which is continuous with the A-pillar and is connected to a B-pillar. The side reinforcing member having a closed cross section and a shape which is bent three-dimensionally and which is constituted by a single member in the axial direction and has undergone high frequency quenching is disposed so a to extend at least inside the second portion and inside the roof rail side member to be positioned to the rear of the connection with the B-pillar. |
| US08899662B2 |
Vehicle-body front structure
A rear apron panel is provided between a suspension tower and a dash panel. A vertical branch brace is provided to extend upwardly from a front side frame along an inner face of a suspension tower to form a closed cross section with a rear portion of the suspension tower. A deformation restraint member interconnects the apron frame and the vertical branch brace. Accordingly, there is provided a vehicle-body front structure which can restrain the apron frame from deforming outwardly in the vehicle width direction in the vehicle frontal collision to prevent the dash panel from moving back into the vehicle compartment too much. |
| US08899661B2 |
Deck panel for cargo carrying vehicle
The combination of a cargo carrying vehicle and a deck panel. The cargo carrying vehicle has a storage space and a plurality of parallel elongate load beams in the space. A lower surface of the deck panel engages each of the first and second elongate load beams. The body has a plurality of discrete components depending from the lower surface that are abuttable to the load beams to thereby limit shifting of the deck panel. The upper surface has at least a first opening and the lower surface has at least a first complementary projection. A second deck panel, the same as the first deck panel, can be stacked on the first deck panel so that a corresponding at least first projection on the second deck panel extends into the at least first opening to maintain the first and second deck panels in a predetermined stacked relationship. |
| US08899660B1 |
Aerodynamic skirts for land vehicles
The invention provides an aerodynamic system and a method for controlling airflow over a land vehicle by self-adaptive aerodynamic means alternatively to essentially impenetrable obstructions. The system comprises at least one aerodynamic skirt disposed under the vehicle body. Each aerodynamic skirt is an assembly of airflow-controlling elements forming a surface of the skirt. The elements obstruct only a part of the surface area and create openings over the remaining part of the area. The airflow-controlling elements are configured to reduce the vehicle air drag and mitigate detrimental impacts of side winds on the vehicle by generating optimum air streams over the openings and away from the openings, creating backward air streams under the body and generating aerodynamic vortex shields. |
| US08899658B1 |
Liftgate hinge reinforcement
A reinforcement assembly for a liftgate system includes vertical and horizontal portions. The horizontal portion includes a protuberant portion that includes a top wall configured to be affixed to an outer panel of the liftgate system, and to form a space with an inner panel of the liftgate system. The vertical portion is configured to be affixed to a vertical portion of an inner panel. |
| US08899657B2 |
Folding top for a convertible
A simplified folding-top linkage is distinguished in that the two roof-frame links are articulated directly on the two roof-frame portions, in that one of the roof-frame links has an extension, which is angled in relation to said roof-frame link and extends beyond a point of articulation located on the second roof-frame portion, and in that the drive link is articulated on the extension and the coupling link. |
| US08899656B1 |
Independent and anonymous night time glare reduction system
This invention uses fixed number of randomly generated pulses to turn on/off headlamp(s) and viewing screen simultaneously in each base time interval. The percentage of total “on” time during each base interval, the duty cycle, is low. This method dims the oncoming headlights by at least a half without dimming any objects illuminated by own vehicle's headlights. The system is independent and anonymous, meaning in order to make the system work, there is no need for other vehicles to install anything nor will drivers of other vehicles notice anything different in the vehicle with such system installed. |
| US08899648B2 |
Robot hand
An aspect of the invention provides a robot hand that performs an action for gripping an object between plural finger sections provided to be capable of changing a distance between the finger sections. Between the plural finger sections, a palm section movable along a direction in which a base side of the plural finger sections and a distal end side of the plural finger sections are connected is provided. |
| US08899643B2 |
Pet waste collection device
Apparatus are provided for collecting pet waste. In embodiments a grapple coupled to a housing is selectively operable between a closed position in which the grapple and housing substantially enclose a body compartment and an open position in which the grapple and housing define a mouth in communication with the body compartment. A handle is coupled to the housing, and a grapple control on the handle is configured to selectively operate the grapple between the open and closed positions. The grapple control may comprise a grip lever. A bag roll may be supported inside the body compartment by an axle mount. Bags may be unspooled from the bag roll and, without being torn from the bag roll, placed over a portion of the housing and the grapple to provide a sanitary barrier between the apparatus and pet waste. |
| US08899639B2 |
Door clamp
Apparatuses and methods for securing a door. The apparatuses including a door clamp having a stop, a base attached to the stop, a jamb bracket attached to the stop, and a fastener coupled to the jamb bracket. |
| US08899633B2 |
Lock device
The present disclosure relates to a lock device, such as for safety functions, which includes a displaceable lock bolt, which can cooperate with a receiver in order to provide a locked position and unlocked position. The lock bolt includes a guide portion in a second lock bolt portion which, in response to a guiding device applying a force to the lock bolt, guides the lock bolt from the unlocked position to the locked position. The guiding device, in the locked position, is prevented from displacing the lock bolt to the unlocked position. The lock bolt is arranged to be displaced from the locked position to the unlocked position through influence of an external force applied to a first lock bolt portion. |
| US08899628B2 |
Coupling for a plug-in connection
A coupling component is provided for a plug-in connection for media-carrying lines, and includes a flow channel that has an inner cross-section that is enlarged in steps in order to allow the formation of a reflux zone when carrying the media, and a vent opening. The step-like enlargement is asymmetrically formed over the circumference of the inner cross-section so as to achieve an improved separation capacity. |
| US08899618B2 |
Gas bag arrangements for a steering wheel of a motor vehicle
A gasbag arrangement for a steering wheel of a motor vehicle is provided. The gasbag arrangement includes a gasbag which can be inflated for protecting a vehicle occupant. The gasbag, when inflated and mounted in the vehicle, includes an indentation in a portion that points towards the vehicle floor in the straight-ahead position of the steering wheel for reducing the expansion of a gasbag in the direction of a body region extending below the thorax region of the vehicle occupant such that a load on that body region during an impact of the vehicle occupant on the gasbag is minimized. According to another aspect a gasbag arrangement includes a gasbag which, when inflated and mounted in the vehicle, includes a side facing towards the vehicle floor and extending essentially parallel to a plane spanned by the longitudinal vehicle direction and the transverse vehicle direction. |
| US08899617B2 |
Curtain airbag device and occupant protecting device
A curtain airbag device comprising: a main deploying portion that, at a time when at least one of a small overlap impact or an oblique impact arises, receives a supply of gas and expands, and is deployed in a shape of a curtain along a side window glass; an outer side deploying portion that is formed integrally with a front end side, in a vehicle front-rear direction, of the main deploying portion, and that receives a supply of gas from the main deploying portion and is expanded and deployed; and an inner side deploying portion that is formed integrally with the front end side, in the vehicle front-rear direction, of the main deploying portion, and that receives a supply of gas from the main deploying portion and expands, and is deployed overlappingly at a vehicle width direction inner side with respect to the outer side deploying portion. |
| US08899611B2 |
Boot retaining unit with damping
A boot retaining unit of a ski binding or snowboard binding, including at least one boot retaining element, a restoring spring for the boot retaining element, and a damping device for absorbing short, hard impacts, wherein the at least one boot retaining element and the damping device are connected via a translation mechanism, and the translation mechanism translates a deflection of the at least one boot retaining element into a larger deflection of the damping device. |
| US08899608B2 |
Interchangeable trailer hitch assembly
An interchangeable hitch assembly including a hitch member supported on a hitch post, the hitch member including plural hitches each in a separate radial position, where the hitch member is rotable to place one of the hitches in a selected position for attachment, a locking assembly adapted to hold the one of the hitches in said selected position. |
| US08899604B2 |
Wheeled scooter
A scooter includes a main body having a triangular shape including three lower pivotable wheels. Three handles are defined interior to the main body, one along each of the sides. The body includes a domed shape and a textured surface. A central opening is provided in the main body to allow for stacking of the scooters for storage. During stacking, the scooters are alternated relative to one another so that the points and the sides are offset, resulting in compact and secure storage. |
| US08899603B2 |
Closed loop pressure control for dual air spring configuration
An active air suspension system includes an air spring assembly that has a piston airbag and a primary airbag mounted around the piston airbag to provide a variable force and rate dual air spring configuration. The air suspension system is configured to accurately control pressure within the piston airbags in a closed-loop manner. Continuous control of the piston pressure provides an accurate increase or decrease of spring rate or force depending on the controller inputs. |
| US08899600B2 |
Device for controlling the angle of tilt of a frame mounted on a tiltable wheel set
The present invention relates to a device mounted on a wheel set that comprises: a rocker beam 14 connected firstly to a tiltable frame 10 by means of a shock absorber 17 and secondly to two oscillating arms 7, 8 via two connecting rods 13, 15; and blocking means 27 having a first anchor point on said rocker beam 14. Furthermore, the device comprises decoupling means constituted by a horizontal lever 21 and a vertical lever 22 that are connected together by a connection point 24 about which they are capable of pivoting, the free ends of said levers being connected respectively to said frame and to said rocker beam, the second anchor point of said blocking means 27 being on said decoupling means.The invention also provides a vehicle, in particular a quadricycle, provided with the device. |
| US08899599B2 |
Clamping mechanism for a two wheel panel dolly
This patent is for a clamping mechanism for a two wheel panel dolly which is operated by turning a handle attached to the wheel axle. A threaded section of the axle is engaged with a threaded base clamp so that axle rotation drives the clamp along the axle to firmly grip a panel between the driven clamp and a the face of second clamp. Clamps are configured with different spacing between faces on opposite sides of the axle so that a wide range of panel widths can be accommodated with a relatively short clamping travel distance. |
| US08899598B2 |
Compressed air supply installation and pneumatic system
A compressed air supply installation for operating a pneumatic installation, especially an air suspension installation of a vehicle, includes an air supply unit and an air compression unit for supplying a compressed air supply unit with compressed air, a pneumatic connection, especially a bleeding line, comprising a bleeding valve and a bleeding port for bleeding air, and a pneumatic connection, especially a compressed air supply line having an air drier and a compressed air port for supplying the pneumatic installation with compressed air The air drier has a drier container through which compressed air can flow and which contains a desiccant. The drier container has a wall forming a desiccant-free recess, and at least part of the bleeding valve system is arranged in the recess. |
| US08899595B2 |
Gasket mounted between power modules for separating coolant passage
Disclosed herein is a gasket mounted between power modules for separating a coolant passage, the gasket is inserted between an upper power module formed with a cooling passage on a lower surface thereof and a lower power module formed with a cooling passage on an upper surface to seal coupling surfaces of the upper power module and the lower power module, wherein a circumference of an upper surface of the gasket is closely attached on the lower surface of the upper power module, a circumference of a lower surface of the gasket is closely attached on the upper surface of the lower power module, and the cooling passage of the upper power module and the cooling passage of the lower power module are separated up and down by the gasket. |
| US08899586B2 |
Roulette modification system and wagering methods
Systems, methods and apparatus which provides for modified roulette games, and various wagering options, in which one or more roulette balls are propelled onto a spinning roulette wheel, among other things, including a roulette wheel overlay apparatus and system and associated table layouts. |
| US08899585B2 |
Lottery game apparatus
A lottery game apparatus includes a distribution section (discharge section) that discharges a ball that has been discharged in response to an operation input performed using an operation section, a plurality of open areas that receive the ball that has fallen from the distribution section, a plurality of lottery sections that implement a lottery using the ball, a moving path that guides the ball that has fallen into a first open area to a first lottery section, a moving path that guides the ball that has fallen into a second open area to a second lottery section, and a moving path that guides the ball that has fallen into a third open area to a third lottery section. The distribution section changes the discharge position or the discharge direction of the ball. |
| US08899584B2 |
Sheet reversing device
A sheet reversing device including a first conveyance unit, second conveyance unit, third conveyance unit, and sheet pressing member. The first conveyance unit includes a first holder, and a support surface that supports the sheet, and conveys the sheet with an edge held by the first holder, and its entire surface supported by the support surface. The second conveyance unit includes second holders, which convey the sheet. The third conveyance unit is supported to be swingable between a reception position at which the third conveyance unit receives the sheet, and a transfer position at which the third conveyance unit transfers the sheet to the second conveyance unit. The third conveyance unit includes a third holder, and conveys the sheet held by the third holder. The sheet pressing member presses the sheet, transferred from the third conveyance unit to the first conveyance unit, against the first conveyance unit support surface. |
| US08899583B2 |
Tracking in belt on belt architecture through self-alignment
Provided herein is a document processing system with improved paper path alignment and superior media hold-down capability, which minimizes undesirable electrostatic fields in the print zone. The document processing system includes a first belt module including a first roller and a second roller with a tack belt in surrounding engagement with the first roller and the second roller. The processing system further includes a second belt module, which includes a third roller and a fourth roller with a media transport belt in surrounding engagement with the third roller and the fourth roller. A mounting support for the first belt module is also included herein, the mounting support is designed to allow the first module to self-align relative to the second transport. |
| US08899577B2 |
Medium feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus
A medium feeding apparatus includes an apparatus main body, and a medium cassette removably inserted into the apparatus main body. The medium cassette is configured to store a medium. The medium cassette includes a medium positioning unit for determining a position of the medium, and a locking unit that locks a movement of the medium positioning unit when the medium cassette is inserted into the apparatus main body and before the medium cassette reaches a predetermined position in the apparatus main body. |
| US08899568B2 |
Sheet processing apparatus and image forming system
A sheet processing apparatus includes a stacking channel to stack multiple sheets into a sheet bundle, and a binding device to bind together the sheet bundle, the binding device including multiple clamping portions to clamp the sheet bundle to create multiple clamping marks on the sheet bundle. When the binding device binds a corner area of the sheet bundle, a longitudinal direction of each of the multiple clamping marks forms an angle within a range from 30 degrees to 60 degrees with a side of the corner area of the sheet bundle. |
| US08899565B2 |
Sputtering device with gas injection assembly
A sputtering device includes a chamber; and a substrate transferring unit for loading a substrate into, or unloading the substrate from the chamber, the substrate transferring unit including a gas injection assembly forming a gas cushion between the substrate and an upper surface of the substrate transferring unit. |
| US08899564B2 |
Colored ceramic vacuum chuck and manufacturing method thereof
In the present invention, a ceramic vacuum chuck 2 having an upper surface for adsorbing a substrate is formed from a colored ceramic sintered body comprising 55-75% by weight alumina (Al2O3), at least 3% by weight Si in terms of oxide (SiO2), at least 0.4% by weight Ca in terms of oxide (CaO), at least 0.4% by weight Mg in terms of oxide (MgO), coloring agent, and 1% or less of impurities. A plurality of pins 4 for supporting the substrate, and a rim 6 are formed on the upper surface by shot blasting using abrasive grains, and the whole of the upper surface is shot peened using spherical particles. |
| US08899559B2 |
Pneumatic operated fore/aft vibration isolator locking device
A pneumatic fore-aft vibration isolator lock system (and method) is provided. The innovation provides a locking action through the use of pneumatically-actuated spring pressure to lock or unlock the isolation system. In one aspect, to unlock, air pressure is applied and the spring pressure is overridden by the air pressure. By overriding the spring pressure, plates are moved thereby unlocking the isolator. The system can allow for one touch, fingertip locking and unlocking of the fore/aft isolation system. |
| US08899556B2 |
Systems and methods for generation of hydrogen peroxide vapor
A system according to one embodiment includes a moisture trap for drying air; at least one of a first container and a second container; and a mechanism for at least one of: bubbling dried air from the moisture trap through a hydrogen peroxide solution in the first container for producing a hydrogen peroxide vapor, and passing dried air from the moisture trap into a headspace above a hydrogen peroxide solution in the second container for producing a hydrogen peroxide vapor. A method according one embodiment includes at least one of bubbling dried air through a hydrogen peroxide solution in a container for producing a first hydrogen peroxide vapor, and passing dried air from the moisture trap into a headspace above the hydrogen peroxide solution in a container for producing a second hydrogen peroxide vapor. Additional systems and methods are also presented. |
| US08899552B2 |
Systems and methods of installing skid plates to vehicles
An apparatus to support a skid plate during installation to an underside of a vehicle, the apparatus including a lower frame, a lifting apparatus mounted to the lower frame, and an upper frame mounted to the lifting apparatus such that the lifting apparatus selectively raises or lowers the upper frame relative to the lower frame to adjust the height of the skid plate relative to an installation surface of the vehicle. The upper frame can rotate about a longitudinal axis of the lifting apparatus and can pivot about an axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis to orient the skid plate relative to the installation surface. |
| US08899549B2 |
Drain valve base
A drain valve base includes an upper connection seat and a lower connection seat which are integrally formed. The upper connection seat is connected with the lower connection seat by connection arms which are provided at intervals, and hollow portions are provided between every two connection arms. A through drain outlet is formed in the center portion of the lower connection seat, and an annular surface is formed on the top of the lower connection seat. A water-seal convex ring is formed on a side part of the annular surface which is adjacent to the inwall of the drain outlet. A water-seal surface is formed on the top of the water-seal convex ring, and blocking devices which can stop water flow are provided on the inner side and the outer side of the water-seal convex ring. |
| US08899547B2 |
Molds and method of using the same for optical lenses
The present invention encompasses, in part, a method and apparatus for lens casting in which two molds, preferably formed of plastic, are interconnected or joined together via a ring to form a mold cavity having substantially the same dimensions of the lens to be formed therein. The invention is further directed to compositions and methods used in lens casting. In a first implementation the invention includes a mold having a ring having an interior periphery; a front mold formed of a plastic and having a lens-forming surface, an edge circumscribing the lens-forming surface that is sized to be complementarily received within a portion of the interior periphery of the ring, and a base having dimensions greater than the interior periphery; and a rear mold formed of a plastic and having a lens-forming surface. |
| US08899545B2 |
Apparatus for affixing an object to a rail
An apparatus for affixing an object to a rail includes, but is not limited to at least one base body, at least one locking body and at least one operating element. The locking body is held so as to be movable relative to the base body and is connected to the operating element by way of at least one bearing. The operating element is arranged so as to be rotatable in the base body, includes, but is not limited to a cam that acts on the base body, and when rotated moves the locking body towards the base body. In this way apparatus is created which makes possible the manual affixing and undoing, without the need for tools, of an object on and from a rail, for example, if needed, in order to reposition displaceable monuments in a cabin of an aircraft. |
| US08899543B2 |
Support structure
A support structure includes a base, a pair of stands, a top hinge, and a pair of holding arms. The stands are rotatably connected to one end of the base to support the base. The top hinge is rotatably connected to the other end of the base opposite to the stands. The rotation plane of the top hinge is perpendicular to the rotation plane of the stands. The holding arms are rotatably connected to the top hinge for holding an object at any desired angle. |
| US08899542B2 |
Seat track system
A seat track system for use in a vehicle seat assembly having a seat base frame. The seat track system includes a lower track assembly having a first lower track and a second lower track and an upper track assembly having a first upper track slidably disposed within the first lower track and a second upper track slidably disposed within the second lower track. The first upper track has a portion extending upwards that forms a first side member of the seat base frame and the second upper track has a portion extending upwards that forms a second side member of the seat base frame. The first upper track and the first side member are formed integrally to form a one-piece unitary member and the second upper track and the second side member are formed integrally to form a one-piece unitary member. |
| US08899541B2 |
Adjustable fastener
An adjustable fastener includes a base having a first surface and an opposing second surface. At least two flanges extend outwardly from the second surface. The flanges are spaced-apart along a longitudinal axis of the base. At least one tab is movably attached to the base. The tab is positioned between the two flanges and includes at least one rib extending outwardly therefrom. A carriage is movably attachable to the base. The carriage is directly attachable to at least a portion of an object. The carriage includes at least one elongated extension having a plurality of complementary spaced-apart ribs for engaging the rib of the tab of the base to locate and retain the elongated extension on the base. |
| US08899537B2 |
Supporting device for electronic device
A supporting device for an electronic device includes a supporting base, a guiding element, an adjusting element, and a latching assembly. The supporting base includes a sleeve portion. The adjusting element includes a first body and an adjusting portion. The adjusting portion is mounted on the sleeve portion. The adjusting portion defines a plurality of adjusting holes. The guiding element defines two latching grooves and is sleeved on the adjusting portion. The latching assembly includes a button, an adjusting rod, and a biasing element. The button is inserted into the coupling portion. The adjusting rod includes a fixing portion and a latching portion. The fixing portion is fixed with the button. The latching portion is latched with the adjusting holes. The biasing element resists the button and the sleeve portion. The button is capable of driving the adjusting rod to move. |
| US08899536B2 |
Joint and foldable structures employing the same
A folding joint mechanism for stackably collapsing elongated structural sections includes a plurality of substantially identical brackets pivotably interconnected and rotatable between an extended and a stowed configuration. In the extended configuration, the brackets abut each other against stop protrusions on the top outside surface of each bracket forming foldable extensions that are able to support significant weight by distributing the top. side force. In the stowed configuration, the brackets are compacted to a substantially stacked disposition whereby the brackets are aligned and directly adjacent to one another. The joint and bracket assemblies may be employed in elongated sections of various structures in which compactability may be advantageous for shipping, storage, and user transportation. |
| US08899535B2 |
Mount for a calibration standard
A mounting apparatus for repeatable positioning of an item may include a first mount, a second mount, and a third mount. The first mount may be configured to receive a first member coupled to the item wherein the first mount may constrain the first member against movement along three mutually-orthogonal directions. The second mount may be configured to receive a second member coupled to the item and constrain the second member against movement along two of the directions. The third mount may be configured to receive a third member coupled to the item and constrain the third member against movement along one of the directions. The first, second, and third member may be at least partially-spherical and may be engaged to the respective first, second, and third mount. |
| US08899531B2 |
Clamping device for electrical cables
A clamping device includes a first clamping member, a second clamping member, and a connecting arrangement providing on the first clamping member and the second clamping member. The connecting arrangement is configured to exert a clamping force between the first clamping member and the second clamping member, in such a manner that when the electrical cable slightly deforms due to thermal expansion and contraction, the first clamping member and the second clamping member are arranged to move with respect to each other so as to allow a slight relative movement between the first clamping member and the second clamping member for preventing unwanted damage to the electrical cable. |
| US08899521B2 |
Aircraft floor of optimized compactness and housing utility members
An aircraft floor portion includes crossmembers. Each crossmember comprises a top partial crossmember and a bottom crossmember, with at least one gap being left between the top partial crossmember and the bottom partial crossmember of each crossmember. |
| US08899519B2 |
Method and system for insulating frame member
The disclosure provides in one embodiment a method of insulating a structural frame member of a transport vehicle. The method comprises providing at least one flexible insulation member. The method further comprises providing at least two self-retaining foam insulation members. The method further comprises wrapping the flexible insulation member over a first end of a structural frame member of a transport vehicle and over at least portions of two sides of the structural frame member. The method further comprises positioning one self-retaining foam insulation member on each side of the wrapped structural frame member and in compression fit between each side of the wrapped structural frame member and adjacent structural frame members, such that the self-retaining foam insulation members impart one or more compression forces on the flexible insulation member to secure the flexible insulation member in place without use of any fastener device. |
| US08899516B2 |
Coaxial contra-rotating motors for differential landing gear steering
A landing gear for an aircraft has a pair of spaced wheels, and a drive and steering arrangement operable to drive each of the wheels in either rotational direction. The drive and steering arrangement includes two permanent magnet rotors, with each of the permanent magnet rotors connected to rotate with one of the wheels. A single stator is positioned to drive both of the rotors. The drive and steering arrangement is mounted between the pair of wheels. |
| US08899515B2 |
Folding configuration for air vehicle
An air vehicle, as well as a method for folding an air vehicle for storage, may include a fuselage and a wing connected to the fuselage. The wing may include two ends positioned opposite from each other, and the wing may be substantially perpendicular to the fuselage. At least one of the ends may define a space therebetween the fuselage and the wing. The space may be sized to receive a potion of the wing when the wing is wrapped around the fuselage. |
| US08899514B2 |
System and method for varying airship aerostatic buoyancy
An airship is disclosed. The airship may include a plurality of frame members defining a support structure for a hull of the airship. The airship may further include a plurality of bladders disposed within the hull, and retaining a volume of a lighter-than-air gas. The airship may also include a plurality of valves operatively coupled to at least one of the bladders. The airship may additionally include a computer configured to operate the valves to vary aerostatic buoyancy of the airship to achieve a desired lift force. |
| US08899510B2 |
Reel dispenser
A reel dispenser includes a housing, a coupling associated with a reel and a mounting for removably mounting the coupling to the housing so that the coupling is movable between a mounted and a dismounted condition. The coupling includes a key. The mounting includes a lock arrangement which is movable between a locked condition and a free condition. The reel dispenser is arranged so that when the coupling is moved from the dismounted condition to the mounted condition, the key moves the lock arrangement to the free condition, permitting rotation of the coupling relative to the housing. |
| US08899508B2 |
Dispenser for roll of absorbent paper tissue or nonwoven material
A dispenser for web of absorbent paper, tissue or nonwoven material is provided. The dispenser has a housing with a holder arrangement for receiving the roll, the holder arrangement providing a roll rotational axis about which the roll is arranged to rotate when dispensing the web. The dispenser has a drive roller extending in a direction substantially parallel to the roll rotational axis. The dispenser has an engaging roller extending substantially parallel to the drive roller. The drive roller and the engaging roller are arranged so as to define a dispensing passage therebetween for the web. The roll of web is arranged to be biased against the drive roller. The drive roller is arranged such that a dispensing end of the web is adapted to be led from the roll over the drive roller through the dispensing passage and to frictionally engage with the drive roller and the engaging roller. |
| US08899504B2 |
Externally-operated adjustment mechanism for a food processing device
A food processor includes a base and a bowl with a removable lid. Food items are advanced into the bowl through a feed tube formed in the lid where they are cut by a cutting assembly driven by a motor. The cutting assembly is adjustable to vary the thickness of the cut food items. The food processor includes an adjustment assembly that is operable to adjust the cutting thickness of the cutting assembly while the cutting assembly is driven by the motor. |
| US08899503B2 |
Scissor type hammer mill
A scissor type hammer mill, mainly includes an inlet (1), hammers (2), a rotor (3), a screen (9) and a screen carriage (13) thereof, an outlet (7), a hammermill body (8), and a motor (6), and further includes a stationary hammer frame (4) and stationary hammer blades (5) provided on the stationary hammer frame (4). The stationary hammer frame is fixed on the hammermill body, and the stationary hammer blades are fixed on the stationary hammer frame, the stationary hammer blades are mounted in parallel to a rotation plane of the hammers with a distance therebetween. When the material enters into the cavity of the hammer mill, the material form a rotating material ring after being hit by the hammers, and the material is milled once again after the material ring hits the stationary hammer blade. Meanwhile, the stationary hammer blades lower the rotation speed of the material ring and change the moving direction of the material, and a component force for the movement of material towards a normal direction of the screen apertures is increased, which facilitates improving the milling efficiency, and improve the uniformity of the material to be milled. |
| US08899495B2 |
Mist generating system
A mist generating system includes an input pipeline, an iced water tank, a heat exchanger, a nebulizing pump, an output pipeline, a pressure regulating set and a pressure releasing set communicating with each other via a plurality of pipes. The iced water tank is connected between the input pipeline and the nebulizing pump. The iced water tank is connected to the heat exchanger. One end of the output pipeline is connected to the nebulizing pump. Another end of the output pipeline is connected to the pressure regulating set. The pressure regulating set is connected to the iced water tank. One end of the pressure releasing set connected between the nebulizing pump and the output pipeline. Another end of the pressure releasing set connected to the iced water tank. When the mist generating system is turned on, a volume of water is ejected toward the outside in a mist form. |
| US08899489B2 |
Resonant circuit structure and RF tag having same
A RF tag includes a resonant circuit structure and a RF device. The resonant circuit structure includes a first conducting layer; a second conducting layer spaced apart from the first conducting layer; and two conducting base portions respectively connecting two ends of the first conducting layers and two ends of the second conducting layers. A slit is formed on the first conducting layer and the RF device is electrically coupled to the first conducting layer and disposed over the slit. |
| US08899488B2 |
RFID tag system
An RFID tag system includes a housing that includes an enclosed sidewall and forms a recess with a housing base surface, where the housing is configured and arranged to be mounted to a mounting surface. An RFID tag is located within the housing, and the RFID tag comprises an integrated circuit, an antenna and a metal backplane, where the housing base surface separates the antenna and the metal backplane. A metal surface is secured to a top surface of the sidewall to cover the recess, where the metal surface and a transmission path from the integrated circuit to the antenna are electromagnetically coupled and tuned to operate across a wide band frequency range. The metal surface may include a name plate of a data plate for a gas turbine engine, or a component thereof. |
| US08899478B2 |
System and method for medical data transfer
A system for transferring medical data includes a computer network upon which an electronic medical record of a patient is stored. A mobile computer presents a bar code on a graphical display. A medical device is communicatively connected to a bar code scanner and receives patient information and mobile computer information from the bar code scanner. The medical device further performs a medical test to generate test result data. The test result data is transmitted to the mobile computer based upon the received mobile computer information. A method of medical data transfer includes receiving a medical data transfer request. A bar code is scanned to input the patient information and mobile computer information into the medical device. A medical test is performed with the medical device to produce test result data that is transmitted to the mobile computer based upon the mobile computer information. |
| US08899473B2 |
Container having an integral divider
A sustainable container includes panels attached to one another to form sidewalls surrounding a central space, and flaps extending from the sidewalls to form a bottom. A divider panel attached to at least one of the panels has upper and lower portions separated by an opening. The container is assembleable from a knockdown state, in which the upper and lower portions of the divider panel are disposed substantially in a single plane of the divider panel, to an assembled state, in which the upper and lower portions of the divider panel are folded in opposite respective directions out of the plane. The upper portion of the divider panel separates first and second cells of the container, and the lower portion of the divider panel separates second and third cells of the container, when the container is in the assembled state. |
| US08899472B2 |
Method for sealing vacuum glass and vacuum glass product
A method for sealing vacuum glass and a vacuum glass product processed by said method are provided. The method specifically is: preparing metallized layers (6) consolidated with glass plates on the surface to be sealed at the edge of the glass plates by the known sintering process; enabling hermetically sealing the edges of the two glass plates (1, 2) by welding and connecting metal sealing sheet (7) between the metallized layers (6) of the tow glass plates to be hermetically sealed. A brand new technology for manufacturing vacuum glass is provided by sintering metallized layers on the surface of the glass plates, and hermetically sealing the edges of the glass plates by use of the metallized layers and metal sealing sheet. This method not only has the advantage of firm connection at the sealing part, high air-tightness, good thermal impact resistance, but also ensures safe use of the vacuum glass by the use of the metal sealing sheet which can well adapt to the temperature deformation of the inner and outer glass plates of the vacuum glass produced by the difference in temperature. |
| US08899468B2 |
Friction stir welding tool
Disclosed is a friction stir welding tool (10) equipped with a probe (13) and a holder (16). At the tip of the probe (13) there is a pin part (11) and at the base there are probe-side protrusions (24) and probe-side recesses (25). At the tip of the holder (16) there are holder-side recesses (27) which mate with the probe-side protrusions (24), and holder-side protrusions (28) which mate with the probe-side recesses (25). External force applied to the probe (13) is transmitted from the probe-side protrusions (24) to the holder-side recesses (27) and from the probe-side recesses (25) to the holder-side protrusions (28). |
| US08899463B2 |
Surgical staple cartridges supporting non-linearly arranged staples and surgical stapling instruments with common staple-forming pockets
A surgical staple cartridge and surgical stapling instruments. In various embodiments, the surgical staple cartridge comprises a cartridge body fabricated from compressible material that supports at least one line of unformed staples therein. The staples may be oriented in linear and/or non-linear arrangements in staple lines. Various forms of staples may be used including staples that have base support members molded or otherwise attached to the base portions of the staples. The surgical stapling instrument has an anvil that is responsive to closing motions to selectively bring the anvil into forming contact with the non-moving staples in the compressible staple cartridge body. The anvil may have a common staple pocket that serves to form all of the staples in a single line of staples. |
| US08899460B2 |
Magazine assembly for nailer
A cordless nailer is provided having a magazine assembly with improved features. A pusher assembly is provided having a simplified and efficient construction. A pusher retention feature is provided that prevents the driver blade from impacting a nail pusher. A nail retention feature is provided to allow easy loading and unloading of nails into the nailer. Finally, a method of assembling the magazine assembly is provided. |
| US08899459B2 |
Breaking apparatus and breaking method for substrate made of brittle material
In a breaking operation, a substrate is moved so that a blade can be situated in line with a scribe line, and the blade is lowered to break the substrate. After the breaking, the blade is raised. Then, the substrate is moved along its surface while taking an image of the substrate by using a camera after the breaking. Moreover, the blade is lowered to break the substrate. After the breaking, the blade is raised. Then, the substrate is moved along its surface while performing image processing concurrently. After the movement of the substrate, the position of the substrate is corrected so that the following scribe line to be cut for breaking can be situated immediately below the blade. In this way, the time required for breaking the substrate formed with a multiplicity of scribe lines into pieces can be shortened. |
| US08899457B1 |
Detachable electronic device holder
A smart phone holder assembly comprising a holster and a protective phone case. The holster includes two latch assemblies adapted to releasably engage with respective engagement members on the protective phone case thereby securely attaching and easily releasing the protective phone case from the holster. It is possible for the user to quickly, easily and securely engage and disengage the phone in its protective cover from the holster. |
| US08899453B2 |
Dispensing device for dispensing a liquid product
A dispensing device for dispensing a liquid product from a container containing said product comprises a first chamber and a second chamber. An inlet passage comprising at least one inlet opening establishes a fluid connection between the first chamber and an interior part of a container having the dispensing device mounted thereon. An outlet passage adapted to deliver liquid product being dispensed by way of the dispensing device is fluidly connected to the second chamber. An intermediate wall divides an interior part of the dispensing device into the first chamber and the second chamber. The intermediate wall defines an edge, and the intermediate wall is arranged in such a manner that an intermediate passage between the first chamber and the second chamber is defined at said edge. The intermediate wall is provided with a recess formed in a surface facing the second chamber, said recess extending along at least a part of said surface in such a manner that an end part of the recess is arranged at the edge of the intermediate wall. |
| US08899449B2 |
Nozzle tip with slit valve for fluid dispenser
An outlet valve assembly for fluid dispenser of a type having a pump which has a pump inlet coupled to a fluid reservoir and a pump outlet includes a pump tip having a first end adapted to be coupled to the pump outlet and a second end defining a conduit extending in a flow direction therebetween. A first annular protrusion extends radially inwardly within the conduit and a resiliently deformable valve member is received within the conduit. The valve member includes a valve head portion having one or more slits defining an orifice and a peripheral valve portion bounding the valve head portion, which is retained on the first annular protrusion. A vent-resisting member is received within the conduit and includes a perforated baffle adjacent to the upstream side of the valve head portion and an axially-extending sidewall which has a distal edge engaging the peripheral valve portion. |
| US08899447B2 |
Device for storing, selecting, and metering base colors for painting, particularly automobile painting
A device (10) includes multiple containers storing different respective tints, a horizontal axis carousel carrying the containers disposed in a circumferential configuration, a support (18) for a collector receptacle (16), the carousel indexed to a delivery position where the expulsion orifice of a selected container is placed in register with the collector receptacle, with metering means controlling the expulsion of a predetermined quantity of tint into the collector receptacle, the carousel driven in permanent rotation to produce a gravity field that turns relative to the contents of the containers and that is suitable for preventing particles present in suspension in the tints from settling, the carousel has multiple cells (14) each defining a closed inside volume suitable for housing in airtight manner a flexible deformable pouch (22) containing one of the base tints, with means for pressurizing the inside volume of the cell prior to expelling the base tint. |
| US08899444B2 |
Aseptic tubing connection for a container
An assembly for aseptic connecting of a beverage ingredient container to a beverage dispensing apparatus, having a collapsible sheath of pliable material connecting the container to the dispenser at a distance away from the container. The sheath passes through a conduit of the apparatus to provide an aseptic passageway for fluid from the container to the beverage apparatus. A protective cover houses the collapsible sheath when in a collapsed configuration, and the sheath is brought to a second configuration of an extended length to provide an inner passageway of the fluid to a distal end of the sheath positioned a distance away from the container. |
| US08899440B2 |
Mug and ambidextrous lid assembly
A beverage lid comprising a lid body having an aperture for dispensing a beverage. The beverage lid has a top portion having an aperture for dispensing a beverage mounted to the lid body, a slideable arm having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the slideable arm mounted between the lid body and the top portion, a rotatable plate having at least one aperture for dispensing a beverage mounted between the body and the top portion, and a rotatable plate actuating mechanism communicating the slideable arm with the rotatable plate. |
| US08899435B1 |
Cup assembly
A large cup and small cup are provided which are attachable together. With an upright attachment the large cup nests within a reservoir of the small cup. With an inverted attachment, the small cup has a base which can friction fit against a lower end of the large cup. The small cup includes structures such as a skirt and shelf which can exhibit a friction fit with a foot on the lower end of the large cup to facilitate the inverted attachment of the small cup to the large cup. A recess in the base of the small cup exhibits a friction fit with the foot to facilitate upright attachment when the large cup is nested into the small cup. In an alternative embodiment a fastener is provided including posts and slots in the small cup and large cup to couple the cups together when nested together. |
| US08899431B1 |
Extendable electrical box
An extendable electrical box comprises an electrical box having two open ends to an internal box space having a first depth. The electrical box comprises a mounting structure attached to at least one wall of the electrical box. The mounting structure is configured to mount the electrical box to a vertical wall structure such that the open end faces substantially parallel to the vertical wall structure. At least two extendable first rings each continuously surround one of the two open ends of the electrical box. The at least two extendable first rings are each slidably coupled with the electrical box via the sliding mechanical cooperation of one or more guides with one or more tracks, such that sliding either of the at least two extendable first rings in relation to the open ends of the electrical box expands the electrical box from the first depth to a larger second depth. |
| US08899426B2 |
Half rack
A half rack includes a main section having a primary platform area, a secondary platform area, a side support edge, and a cutout portion. The half rack further includes a removable section adapted to be removably secured to the main section, wherein a frame of the main section includes a rear crossbar, and an elongated stiffener is provided across a portion of the primary platform area and a portion of the secondary platform area and coupled to the rear crossbar to provide strength to the main section. The main section of the half rack can include flattened areas on first and second side edges of the main section. |
| US08899424B2 |
Cable management assembly, system and method
A cable management assembly, and method related thereto, including a panel having an interface portion. The interface portion having a plurality of discrete openings, including first and second shaped apertures. The assembly further including cable management devices having securing structure including a flexible tab and a locating element. The securing structure being configured to mount the cable management devices at selected vertical and horizontal locations on the panel. The cable management assembly being configured to mount between two adjacent telecommunication racks or to an end of a telecommunication rack. |
| US08899423B2 |
Fines scalping chute for variable slope vibrating screens
A compact mobile variable angle vibrating screen with fines diverting systems configured to accommodate variable angles and still deliver material, via a plurality of partially nested fines chutes, to a fixed location despite angular adjustment of the vibrating screen. The system comprises a diverting pan attached to the underside and at a top end of a bottom screen and centrally positioned, such that fines material which quickly passes through the several decks encounters the diverting pan instead of falling directly onto a discharge conveyor. |
| US08899420B2 |
Cassette and apparatus for packing disposable objects into an elongated tube of flexible material
A cassette (3) for dispensing bags from an elongated tubing (32) comprising an annular receptacle (38) accommodating a length of tubing (32) in an accumulated condition. An annular opening at an upper end of the annular receptacle (38) is for dispensing the tubing (32). The annular receptacle (38) defines a central opening (34) through which a knotted end (40) of the tubing (32) passes to form a bag supported by the annular receptacle (38) with disposable objects passing through the circular central opening (34) to be received in the bag, and a clearance (41) only at a bottom of the central opening (34). |
| US08899415B2 |
Electronic device case having variable angle stand
An electronic device holder includes a front panel, a back panel, and a spine connecting the front panel and the back panel. A strap includes a first end coupled to an exterior surface of the front panel. The strap extends from the first end across the spine and through a friction buckle coupled to the back panel. The strap may be pulled through the friction buckle such that a distance between the first end of the strap and the friction buckle is variable. The friction buckle can hold the strap at any location along the strap such that any distance between the first end of the strap and the friction buckle may be maintained. |
| US08899412B2 |
Multicomponent cartridge for single use
A multicomponent cartridge designed for single use includes a first storage chamber for a first component and a second storage chamber for a second component. The first storage chamber being separate from the second storage chamber. The first storage chamber is arranged coaxially around the second storage chamber and forms a ring space, with a first piston being movably received in the first storage chamber and a second piston being movably received in the second storage chamber. The first and second pistons are movable by means of a plunger to dispense the two components simultaneously. The plunger is held in a housing element (and a guide element is provided to guide the first piston in the first storage chamber and to guide the second piston in the second storage chamber, with the housing element including an engagement element which can be brought into engagement with the guide element. |
| US08899411B2 |
Holder for credit cards
A holder for cards, including a housing which tightly fits around a stack of at least three cards and has at least one card opening to locate and remove cards, while opposite the card opening in the housing there is a card remove feature through which the cards through the card opening can be slid out the housing, characterized in that at the inner side of the housing near the card opening at least one side a friction element is provided which exerts a friction force to the bearing side of each individual card which is at least partly contained in the housing, with the result that the card has such a stable position relative to the housing, that the card can not slide due to gravity, but indeed due to a with the finger tips exerted force. |
| US08899408B2 |
Temperature actuated tensioning mechanism
Aspects of the present invention generally provide tensioner for varying tension applied to a continuous drive member based on temperature changes. In one embodiment, a temperature compensating chain tensioner is provided. The temperature compensating chain tensioner includes a fixed support member, a first idler sprocket coupled to the fixed support member, a support arm having a proximal end pivotably coupled to the fixed support member, a second idler sprocket coupled to a distal end of the support arm, and a spring form coupled intermediate of the fixed support member and the support arm, wherein the spring form has a spring constant that increases with increasing temperature, which causes the distal end of the support arm to move relative to the fixed support member. |
| US08899407B2 |
System and method for orienting bundles
The present disclosure relates to a bundle orienting device in-line with a conveyor configured for transporting bundles in a conveying direction. The bundle orienting device can include a plurality of selectively actuatable orientation elements that, collectively, laterally and/or angularly displace a bundle as it travels in the conveying direction through the bundle orienting device. In addition, the present disclosure relates to a method for rotating bundles traveling in a conveying direction along a conveyor system. The method includes conveying a bundle along a conveyor to pass through a bundle orienting device, thus described. |
| US08899405B2 |
Assembly work conveyor device
An assembly work conveyor device has a work dolly and a movement driver. The work dolly includes a moving dolly including a plurality of moving portions movable on a movement surface and being movable along an elliptical movement path, and a work board mounted on the moving dolly in a state of extending further to an inner peripheral side of the elliptical movement path than the plurality of moving portions. The movement driver moves the work dolly along the elliptical movement path. An auxiliary support surface is provided on the inner peripheral side of the elliptical movement path along at least a portion thereof. An auxiliary support is provided in the work dolly, the auxiliary support being brought into contact with the auxiliary support surface further on the inner peripheral side of the elliptical movement path than the plurality of moving portions and supporting a gravity of the work board. |
| US08899402B2 |
Positioning jig and method of adjusting position
A positioning jig has a circular part with a diameter that is identical with a diameter of a semiconductor wafer and knock-pins for connecting a periphery of base plate around an opening in a base plate of a conveying tool for a semiconductor wafer. These knock-pins are respectively provided in four blades protruded from predetermined positions of the circular portion at least three directions. When adjusting the projection positions of supporting plates, the knock-pins are fitted into the opening of the base plate of the conveying tool for the semiconductor wafer. The supporting plates moves so that the knock-pins come into contact with an outer edge of the circular part of the prepared positioning jig. The adjusted supporting plates are then fixed on the base plate. The semiconductor wafer is mounted on the adjusted and fixed supporting plates so that the semiconductor wafer is positioned. |
| US08899400B2 |
Check deposit apparatus
The check deposit apparatus of the present invention comprises an insertion part that is used to insert a check from outside for deposit, a feed part furnished with a feed roller that feeds the placed check along a feed path, an alignment part furnished with an alignment roller that feeds the check fed from the feed part to one side of the feed path and also aligns it, a check reading part that reads information of the check that has been aligned by the alignment part, first and second sensor groups that judge whether the check inserted into the insertion part has a specification that enables it to be fed and processed toward the alignment part normally, a third sensor group that judges whether the check aligned in the alignment part has a specification that enables it to be read and processed normally in the check reading part, and a control part that judges whether to deposit or return the check in question based on the information sensed by the first and second group or third sensor group. According to the invention, a check that has been erroneously placed or does not meet specifications may be readily returned to the user. |
| US08899393B2 |
Active vibration isolation system
An active damping system for use in connection with a vibration isolation system includes an intermediate mass between a base and an isolated payload. The intermediate mass is supported by at least one support element which also supports at least substantially all of the static forces of the isolated payload. An actuator dampens and isolates dynamic forces acting on the intermediate mass from the isolated payload. The active damping system also includes a payload support element and a passive damping element, both of which are coupled at one end to the payload platform and at an opposite end to the intermediate mass. A sensor is affixed to the intermediate mass to generate a feedback signal to a processor coupled to the actuator. |
| US08899392B2 |
Damper for decreasing a pipe vibration
A damper for decreasing a piping vibration capable of enhancing the efficiency in decreasing the piping vibration and adjusting the weight of a weight portion according to the type of the compressor and the shape of the pipe applied to the compressor by separating a fixed portion from a weight portion such that the fixed portion makes a direct contact with a pipe and the weight portion has an interval from the pipe without making a direct contact with the pipe, in which the damper installed on the pipe to decrease the vibration includes a fixation part provided with a coupling hole formed therein to be coupled to the pipe, and coupled and fixed to the pipe such that the coupling hole makes contact with an outer circumferential surface of the pipe, and a weight part connected to the fixation part. |
| US08899391B2 |
Shock absorber
A flow of hydraulic oil induced by sliding movement of a piston in a cylinder is controlled by a pilot-type main valve and a pilot valve, which is a pressure control valve, to generate a damping force. The pilot valve is adjusted in its valve-opening pressure with the thrust of a solenoid and adjusts the pressure in a back pressure chamber to control the valve-opening pressure of the main valve. A baffle plate is provided in a reservoir to isolate the surface of hydraulic oil in the reservoir from an inlet port through which the hydraulic oil flows into the reservoir from a damping force generating mechanism, thereby suppressing the occurrence of aeration and cavitation. The baffle plate is secured by inserting a connecting port through a positioning opening and holding a separator tube with a pair of arm portions. |
| US08899390B2 |
Freewheeling rotary damping mechanism
A damping mechanism that includes a housing with an inner circumferential surface defined by an assembly outer race, an axle shaft that is rotatable with respect to the housing, and a transmission assembly operatively associated with the axle shaft and disposed within the housing. The transmission assembly includes an assembly intermediate race. A fluid space that includes fluid therein is defined between the assembly intermediate race and the inner circumferential surface of the assembly outer race. A vane is disposed between the assembly intermediate race and the inner circumferential surface of the assembly outer race. The vane includes a restriction space defined therein. When the axle shaft rotates in the first direction, the transmission assembly transmits rotation from the axle shaft to the vane, and when the axle shaft rotates in the second direction, the transmission assembly transmits less rotation to the first vane than when the axle shaft rotates in the first direction. |
| US08899389B2 |
Thermally-conductive vibration isolators and spacecraft isolation systems employing the same
Embodiments of a thermally-conductive vibration isolator are provided, as are embodiments of a spacecraft isolation employing a plurality of thermally-conductive vibration isolators. In one embodiment, the thermally-conductive vibration isolator includes a first end portion, a second end portion substantially opposite the first end portion, and first and second load transfer paths from the first end portion to the second end portion. The first and second load transfer paths comprise a main spring and a damper in parallel with the main spring, respectively. An elongated thermal conduit, which has a thermal conductivity exceeding that of first load transfer path and the second load transfer path, extends from the first end portion to the second end portion. |
| US08899384B2 |
Electronic brake assembly for a bicycle
An electronic brake device for use with a wheel of a bicycle provides, among other features, wireless, remote disengagement of a wheel brake. A brake coupled to a housing is movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The housing includes a receiver configured to receive a command signal, and a processor operative to identify the received command signal. If the command signal is identified as a first command signal, the processor outputs a first control signal. An electric motor is operatively coupled to the brake to selectively move the brake from the engaged position in which the wheel of the bicycle is being braked to the disengaged position in which the wheel of the bicycle is free of any brake contact in response to the first control signal. Measured movement of the brakes between fully braked or fully disengaged positions are possible in the disclosed arrangement. |
| US08899381B2 |
Electric transaxle
An electric transaxle according to the invention comprises a transaxle casing, an electric motor, an axle, a gear mechanism, first and second fluid sumps, and first and second fluid introduction passages. The transaxle casing defines a gear chamber therein. The electric motor includes a motor casing attached to the transaxle casing. The axle is supported by the transaxle casing. The gear mechanism transmits power from the electric motor to the axle. Fluid of the first fluid sump raised by driving the gear mechanism is supplied to the second fluid sump. The first fluid introduction passage introduces the fluid raised from the first fluid sump to the second fluid sump when the axle is rotated in a forward traveling direction. The second fluid introduction passage introduces the fluid raised from the first fluid sump to the second fluid sump when the axle is rotated in a backward traveling direction. |
| US08899380B2 |
System for restraining a worker at a utility platform of an aerial device
A restraint system for restraining a worker to a platform of an aerial device comprises a restraint liner and a platform strap. The restraint liner includes four sidewalls, a floor, a lip, an interior anchor, and an exterior anchor. The floor may be coupled to one end of the four sidewalls, while the lip may be coupled to the opposing end of the four sidewalls and may extend therefrom. The interior anchor may be positioned on an interior surface of a first sidewall and operable to couple to a liner strap coupled to a worker. The exterior anchor may be positioned on an exterior surface of the first sidewall. The platform strap may be coupled to the exterior anchor and operable to couple to the platform. |
| US08899374B2 |
Speaker unit and speaker unit mounting structure
A speaker unit mounting structure includes a provisionally fastening mechanism for fastening a speaker unit to a ceiling with a cabinet section of the speaker unit inserted in a mounting hole of the ceiling. The provisionally fastening mechanism includes a provisionally fastening tab formed of resilient metal, fixed to the outer peripheral side surface of the cabinet section and having a stepped engaging section engageable with the inner peripheral edge portion of the mounting hole. Engagement of the engaging section with the inner peripheral edge portion of the mounting hole can be canceled by a human operator pressing, from the face side of the ceiling, an operating section of the tab, exposed to a gap between the front side and a flange portion of the speaker unit, to thereby resiliently deform the operating section. |
| US08899373B2 |
Power steering system, in particular for a motor vehicle
In a power steering system, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a servo-motor, which drives an axially displaceable component by way of a steering nut that is mounted rotatably, but axially non-displaceably in a gear housing, the steering nut is mounted in the gear housing in a radial bearing comprising an inner ring and an outer ring. A heat-insulating intermediate element is disposed between the outer ring of the radial bearing and the gear housing, or a cover of the gear housing, and/or between the inner ring of the radial bearing and the steering nut for the purpose of thermal decoupling. |
| US08899372B1 |
Air spring linearizing suspension
A suspension system for a motor vehicle including a frame assembly; a differential supported on the frame assembly; a wheel hub connected to each of two half shaft assemblies engaging the differential and being pivotally connected to the frame assembly; and at least one air spring operatively positioned between the frame assembly and each of the wheel hubs. The air springs are connected to a rotating linkage which maintains a substantially linear axis of compression for the air springs. |
| US08899370B1 |
Casing for housing occupant protection device control unit
A casing for housing an occupant protection device control unit is mounted to a vehicle body. The casing is composed of a metallic base mounted on the vehicle body with its plate surfaces facing upward and downward, respectively, and a main body that is put on and mounted on the base. The base has a lock portion that is deformable according to a deformation of the vehicle body caused by a collision load from a vehicle front. The lock portion, when deformed, causes a front portion of the base to be locked with at least a part of a front wall of the main body. |
| US08899367B2 |
Saddle-ride type vehicle
A saddle-ride type vehicle can include a pair of left and right seat rails, a fuel tank attached to the seat rails, a rear fender arranged below the fuel tank, and a canister arranged above the rear fender and adsorbing fuel gas which evaporates in the fuel tank. The canister is arranged under a rear portion of the fuel tank, at least partially superposed on the fuel tank as viewed from a plan view of the vehicle, and arranged in a vehicle forward direction with respect to a cross member which interconnects rear portions of the pair of left and right seat rails. |
| US08899361B2 |
Upper slewing body and hybrid construction machine including same
To ensure that an electric power cable and a signal cable are laid easily over short distances while suppressing an effect of electromagnetic wave noise on the signal cable, an electric power cable is laid along a route that passes through only a right outside space in a lower position than an upper end of a right vertical plate, while a signal cable is laid along a bypass route that extends from a generator motor in a lower position than the upper end of the right vertical plate, passes through a rear portion cable insertion hole into an intermediate space between the right vertical plate and a left vertical plate, and returns to the right outside space from the intermediate space through a front portion cable insertion hole. |
| US08899360B2 |
Cable arrangement structure for vehicle
A cable arrangement structure for a vehicle according to the present invention, the vehicle including a cabin section and a driving unit disposing section where a motor is arranged, comprises a cable which is arranged to extend from said cabin section to said driving unit disposing section to transmit power between the motor and a battery. The vehicle comprises a frame member which extends in a vehicle width direction and a vehicle constituting component which includes, in the driving unit disposing section, an extending portion arranged to face the frame member and extending in the vehicle width direction, and a protruding portion protruding from the extending portion toward the frame member. The cable extends in a back-and-forth direction of the vehicle and includes a first curved portion and a second curved portion with an inflection point therebetween. The cable includes an intermediate portion between the first curved portion and the second curved portion. The intermediate portion includes the inflection point and passes between the frame member and the extending portion beside the protruding portion. |
| US08899357B2 |
Multilevel force balanced downhole drilling tools and methods
Various downhole drilling tools designed and manufactured at least in part on evaluating respective forces acting on respective groups and sets of cutting elements during simulated engagement with the downhole end of a wellbore and drilling from a first downhole formation into a second downhole formation. Simulating forces acting on each cutting element as the cutting element contacts a downhole formation may be used to force balance downhole drilling tools during transition drilling or non-uniform downhole drilling conditions. Multilevel force balanced downhole drilling tools may be designed using five respective simulations, cutter group level, neighbor cutter group level, cutter set level, group of N (N=3 or N=4) consecutive cutters level and all cutters level. Various cutter layout procedures and algorithms may also be used to design multilevel force balanced downhole drilling tools which may drill faster with higher lateral stability, especially during downhole transiting drilling conditions. |
| US08899354B1 |
Drill bit with a flow interrupter
A drill bit is disclosed, comprising: a drill bit head having a cutting face with one or more fixed cutting elements; a flow passage extending through the drill bit head to the cutting face; a flow interrupter within the drill bit head and positioned to interrupt flow of fluid through the flow passage; and a power section connected to drive the flow interrupter and cause, in operation, variable flow of fluid through the flow passage. A method of drilling is also disclosed comprising: flowing fluid through a flow passage extending through a drill bit head to a cutting face of the drill bit head, the cutting face having one or more fixed cutting elements; and driving a flow interrupter within the drill bit head with a power section to interrupt the flow of fluid through the flow passage and cause variable flow of fluid through the flow passage. |
| US08899353B2 |
Post hole digger with integrated safety features
Embodiments provide safety features for a post hole digger, such as for attachment to a tractor or other utility device. The post hole digger has a boom and a yoke for pivotally connecting to the tractor or similar device, a driveline for transmitting rotational energy, and an auger for forming holes in a ground or floor surface. Rotating features of the post hole digger are isolated by various guard members, thereby enhancing the safety of the device. |
| US08899351B2 |
Apparatus and method for adjusting power units of downhole motors
A downhole drilling motor for well drilling operations includes a tubular housing and a stator disposed in the tubular housing. The stator defines an internal cavity passing therethrough, wherein the stator includes one or more lobes defining at least a portion of the cavity. A rotor is operatively positioned in the internal cavity to cooperate with the one or more lobes of the stator. At least a portion of the stator or of the rotor comprises a memory material adapted to expand or contract when heat is applied by a localized heating module to the memory material. A fluid escape gap between the rotor and stator is adjusted by applying heat to the rotor and/or stator. At least one controller is adapted to receive input data and provide output signals increasing and/or decreasing electrical current applied to the at least one localized heating module. |
| US08899350B2 |
Method and apparatus for detection of drill bit wear
A method for determining wear of a drill bit is disclosed. The method includes drilling a first hole in a worksite based on a hole pattern having a plurality of planned holes and determining an energy required to drill the first hole. The method also includes drilling a second hole in the worksite and determining an energy required to drill the second hole. The method further includes determining a wear of the drill bit using the determined energy required to drill the first hole and the determined energy required to drill the second hole. |
| US08899347B2 |
System and method of using a saver sub in a drilling system
A technique facilitates the drilling of a wellbore by enhancing the ability to relay data. The system comprises a saver sub designed to connect a top drive unit with a wired drill pipe without requiring modification of the top drive unit. The saver sub comprises an electronics package, a battery, and an antenna coupled to a saver sub mandrel. |
| US08899344B2 |
Garden tool
A garden tool includes multiple of the following features: fishtail weeder/nail remover, trowel, nail remover, machete, saw, serrated blade, small-toothed saw, ergonomic handle, safety stop and attachment means for an elongated handle or cane. A rake attachment may also be attached to the elongated handle. The all-in-one tool: (i) saves space and money; (ii) is lightweight; (iii) minimizes the number of necessary tools; and (iv) is adjustable to accommodate user limitations (i.e., disabilities). |
| US08899340B2 |
Producing gaseous hydrocarbons from hydrate capped reservoirs
A method for recovering gas from a subterranean formation having a hydrate deposit located therein and a gas reservoir located under the hydrate deposit that includes injecting a hydrate-forming fluid into an upper region of the gas reservoir neighboring the hydrate deposit; and producing gaseous hydrocarbons from a lower region of the gas reservoir is disclosed. |
| US08899336B2 |
Anchor for use with expandable tubular
A method of lining a wellbore includes deploying a BHA into the wellbore using a conveyance. The BHA includes setting tool, an anchor, and an expandable tubular. The method further includes pressurizing a bore of the setting tool, thereby releasing the anchor from the setting tool. The method further includes pulling the conveyance, thereby: extending the anchor into engagement with a casing of the wellbore, pulling an expander of the setting tool through the expandable tubular, and expanding the tubular into engagement with an open and/or cased portion of the wellbore and retracting the anchor. |
| US08899333B2 |
Submarine device
The invention discloses a subsea device comprising a can, a string of risers, a blowout preventer and a string of tie-back pipes. The blowout preventer is installed on the can. The top of risers is connected to a rig and its bottom is mounted on the blowout preventer. The upper of tie-back pipes is fixed to the can. The lower of tie-back pipes is mounted to a wellhead in the seabed by a subsea wellhead apparatus and connected to the casings for collecting oil/gas stored in formations by the subsea wellhead apparatus. A passage communicating the blowout preventer with tie-back pipe is jointed on the can. A pipeline, transporting oil/gas, mud and cuttings in drilling process, is divided into two sections, both tie-back pipes and casings, by the wellhead apparatus settled on seabed, thereby ensuring security of the rig in the drilling process and stronger operability of entire production system. |
| US08899332B2 |
Method for building and forming a plug in a horizontal wellbore
A method for building a plug in a horizontal wellbore using a fluid pill containing a suspended well treatment agent. The well treatment agent contains an ultra lightweight (ULW) deformable core and a viscosifying polymer and crosslinking agent coated onto the core. The fluid pill is pumped into the wellbore at the end of a fracturing treatment. The fluid pill is displaced by a displacement fluid and the fluid pill transforms to a thickened gel. The thickened gel is formed by the in-situ reaction of the viscosifying polymer and crosslinking which become disassociated from the ULW deformable core. The gelled fluid containing the ULW deformable core assists in the bridging of the ULW deformable core and forming the bridge plug. |
| US08899330B2 |
Devices and methods for severing a tube-wire
A shear pig assembly and method of use for severing a linear conductor within a surrounding tubular. A shear pig assembly includes a main body and a nose that radially surround the linear conductor within the tubular. The main body and nose are axially moveable with respect to each other to cause a shear plug to move radially within a shearing chamber, thereby severing the linear conductor. |
| US08899329B2 |
Pumice-containing remedial compositions and methods of use
Methods and compositions are provided that utilize pumice and various additives. An embodiment provides a method of remedial cementing in a subterranean formation comprising: providing a lightweight settable composition comprising pumice, a calcium activator, and water, wherein the lightweight settable composition has a density of less than about 13.5 pounds per gallon and is free of Portland cement; and using the lightweight settable composition in a remedial cementing method to seal one or more voids in a well bore. Also provided are pumice-containing remedial compositions and systems for remedial cementing. |
| US08899327B2 |
Method for recovering hydrocarbons using cold heavy oil production with sand (CHOPS) and downhole steam generation
A method for recovering oil from a reservoir comprises performing a first CHOPS process in one or more first wells, performing a second CHOPS process in one or more second wells that are laterally offset from the first wells, and injecting gas and/or steam into the one or more second wells after the CHOPS processes are at least partially completed. A plurality of channels that extend from the one or more first and second wells may be created as a result of the CHOPS processes. The gas and/or steam may be injected into the channels of the one or more second wells via a downhole steam generator that is located in the one or more second wells. The gas and/or steam may form a gas and/or steam front that drives reservoir products into the channels of the one or more first wells. The reservoir products may be recovered to the surface through the one or more first wells. |
| US08899320B2 |
Well perforating with determination of well characteristics
A formation testing method can include interconnecting multiple pressure sensors and multiple perforating guns in a perforating string, the pressure sensors being longitudinally spaced apart along the perforating string, firing the perforating guns and the pressure sensors measuring pressure variations in a wellbore after firing the perforating guns. Another formation testing method can include interconnecting multiple pressure sensors and multiple perforating guns in a perforating string, firing the perforating guns, thereby perforating a wellbore at multiple formation intervals, each of the pressure sensors being positioned proximate a corresponding one of the formation intervals, and each pressure sensor measuring pressure variations in the wellbore proximate the corresponding interval after firing the perforating guns. |
| US08899318B1 |
Applying an aggregate to expandable tubular
Herein disclosed is a method of applying at least one aggregate to a tubular, comprising attaching the at least one aggregate to a flexible sheet; wrapping the flexible sheet around the tubular with the at least one aggregate between the sheet and tubular. Herein also disclosed is an assembly comprising a tubular, at least one aggregate, and a flexible sheet wrapped around the tubular with the at least one aggregate between the tubular and the sheet. In an embodiment, the at least one aggregate is adhered to the sheet by a first adhesive and the at least one aggregate is adhered to the tubular by a second adhesive, wherein the second adhesive has a higher adhering strength than the first adhesive. In an embodiment, the flexible sheet is removed and the at least one aggregate remains attached to the tubular. The use of such an assembly is discussed. |
| US08899312B2 |
Plate heat exchanger
A plate heat exchanger comprises a plurality of heat exchanger plates provided beside each other to form a plate package with first plate interspaces for a first medium and second plate interspaces for a second medium. The first and second plate interspaces are provided in an alternating order in the plate package. A number of portholes extend through the plate package and form first inlet and outlet channels arranged to convey the first medium into and out from the first plate interspaces. An insert element is provided in one of the portholes for the first medium. The insert element comprises an annular body, an annular flange, projecting from the annular body and provided between two of the heat exchanger plates in the plate package. |
| US08899306B2 |
Flaskless molding equipment for molding a mold
A flaskless molding equipment for molding a mold that provides support for quickly restoring the stopped equipment to a normal operation. The control circuit monitors the movements of the movable members, the cylinders, and the mechanisms for driving a cylinder, and if the period of the operation of each step of the flaskless molding equipment for molding a mold from the start of the operation to the point where the operation of the flaskless molding equipment for molding a mold reaches the predetermined position exceeds the predetermined period that is set to be abnormal, then the control circuit provides support for restoring the stopped equipment to a normal operation, following the instructions displayed on the screen and following the operator's input by means of an input switch. |
| US08899300B2 |
Adjustable roller shade
A roller shade assembly comprises a tubular roller having a generally cylindrical internal cavity, an generally tubular extension telescopically mounted within the internal cavity of the tubular roller, and an outer tube mounted over the extension. The extension includes an outer wall and a plurality of winged splines located around the outer circumference of the outer wall which extend along at least a portion of the length of the extension tube. |
| US08899296B2 |
Apparatus for servicing vehicle wheels
Apparatus including a wheel balancing device and a tire changing device, comprising a spindle shaft for rotatably supporting a vehicle wheel or rim, unbalance measuring means operatively connected to the spindle shaft and having a spatial unbalance measuring area in which unbalance forces of the wheel or rim are detected, tire changer tools for assembling a tire onto a rim, spindle supporting means supporting the spindle shaft in a force acting range in which forces are created between the tire changer tools and the tire during the assembling or disassembling of the tire, tool supporting means supporting the tire changer tools within the force acting range which is arranged outside of the spatial unbalance measuring area, and drive means driving the spindle shaft with a rotational speed and torque adapted for assembling and disassembling the tire or for measuring unbalance forces of the wheel or rim. |
| US08899292B2 |
Fully supported expandable deck
An expandable deck comprises a plurality of elongated deck carriers mounted upon an expansion mechanism in a generally parallel and cylindrical formation. A fixed rod is mounted upon a first one of the deck carriers. A pivot rod is mounted upon an adjacent second deck carrier. A pivot segment defines a rotation aperture and a guide slot. The rotation aperture is rotatably mounted upon the pivot rod and the guide slot slidingly receives the fixed rod. |
| US08899290B2 |
Method for producing an analytical consumable
A method for producing an analytical consumable is proposed. The analytical consumable comprises at least one carrier and at least one analytical aid connected to the carrier. At least one optically sensitive material is applied to the carrier, said material being designed to carry out at least one optically detectable alteration in the event of action of an electromagnetic radiation. In at least one coding step, at least one function information item about the analytical consumable is introduced into the optically sensitive material by means of electromagnetic radiation. The function information item is designed to enable at least one analytical instrument to use the analytical consumable correctly. |
| US08899282B2 |
Device for filling a tank by gravity or under pressure
The present invention relates to a filler device (1) for filling a tank equally well by gravity or under pressure, the device being provided with a gravity filler spout (10) comprising a hollow tube (11). Furthermore, the device includes a pressure filler spout (20) inserted in the gravity filler spout (10) and reversibly fastened thereto. |
| US08899281B2 |
Drinking vessel fillable from the bottom and apparatus for dispensing a beverage therein
The present invention relates to a drinking vessel (1), comprising a base (2) and at least one wall (3), wherein the base and the wall together define a chamber (4) for receiving a beverage. The drinking vessel further comprises a sealable aperture (5) provided adjacent the base for filling the chamber with a beverage. In a preferred embodiment, the aperture is provided in the base of the vessel. In one embodiment, a non-return valve is disposed in said aperture. The valve allows a beverage to be dispensed into the vessel through the aperture but prevents the beverage from escaping from the vessel through the aperture. The invention also relates to a method and apparatus for dispensing a beverage. |
| US08899278B2 |
Pressure cycle management in compressed gas dispensing systems
A method for dispensing compressed gas from two or more compressed gas storage volumes to receiving vessel such as vehicle fuel tanks. Control instructions are provided to cycle the compressed gas storage volumes through pressure cycles in a rolling rotating cascading manner such that each of the compressed gas storage volumes cycle from an upper pressure limit to a lower pressure limit. |
| US08899276B2 |
Joining loop structure of industrial multilayer fabric
A multilayer fabric is joined by engaging joining loops formed at both ends of a disjoined industrial multilayer fabric having wefts and warps in layers. The joining loops are formed by folding back some or all the end portions of warps. The both ends of the fabric are joined by engaging the loops to form a common hole and inserting a core wire into the common hole. At least one upper side weft remains while a lower side weft below the remaining upper side weft is removed at the both ends of the fabric. The common hole and the core wire inserted therein are located below the remaining upper side weft. The folded portions of the warps are interwoven with wefts of a normal portion of the fabric. |
| US08899274B1 |
Fiberglass flanged pipe and method of making same
An elongated pipe, having first and second ends, with each of the first and second ends thereof having an outwardly tapered portion. A tapered split collet embraces the outwardly tapered portion at the first end of the pipe and a tapered split collet embraces the outwardly tapered portion at the second end of the pipe. A pipe flange with a tapered central opening embraces the tapered split collet at the first end of the pipe. A pipe flange with a tapered central opening embraces the tapered split collet at the second end of the pipe. An adhesive material secures the pipe flanges and collets to the outwardly tapered portions at the first and second ends of the pipe. |
| US08899270B2 |
Piston accumulator
A piston accumulator, having a pressure vessel; a cylinder, which is situated within the pressure vessel; an interspace formed between the pressure vessel and the cylinder; and a separating piston, which is provided movably in the cylinder; in which a hydraulic fluid acts upon on a first side of a separating piston, and a gas acts upon a second side of the separating piston; and in which the gas is in fluidic connection to the interspace and the hydraulic fluid is in fluidic connection to a connection on the cylinder. |
| US08899269B2 |
Manifold
The invention regards a manifold for fluids, comprising a housing (10) with a center axis (11) and a number of fluid apertures (12,13) through the walls forming the housing (10) and a fluid diverter system (20), comprising a fluid diverter element (25) mounted in the system (20) selectively rotating around an axis, comprising an axial outlet (27) and an inlet (26) which may be positioned in connection with one fluid aperture (12,13) in the housing. The fluid diverter system (20) is axially insert able into the housing (10) and further comprises a ring element (21), with an outer configuration complementary to an inner configuration of the housing (10), which ring element (21) is positioned around the fluid diverter element (25) and connected to the fluid diverter element (25), and which ring element (21) comprises fluid apertures (22A,B) corresponding to the fluid apertures (12,13) in the housing. |
| US08899267B2 |
Connector assembly
A sterile connector assembly for mounting on a fluid system includes a first connector and a second connector. The first connector includes a stem defining a fluid passage therethrough, a first housing surrounding the stem and defining a first aperture, and a first valve disposed over the first aperture. The second connector includes a second housing configured to matingly engage the first housing. The second housing defines a second aperture and defines a seal structure. The seal structure is configured to engage the stem. The second connector also includes a second valve disposed over the second aperture. The second valve is configured to engage the first valve when the first housing engages the second housing. |
| US08899266B2 |
Fluid displacement reservoir
A transmission is provided including a sump at least partially defining a sump volume and operable to contain a fluid. The transmission further includes a hydraulic pump. An inlet tube is disposed at least partially within the fluid and is operable to communicate the fluid from the sump volume to the hydraulic pump. A fluid displacement reservoir defining a reservoir volume and disposed at least partially within the sump volume is also provided. The fluid displacement reservoir is operable to selectively displace or impede the movement of at least a portion of the fluid when the fluid within the transmission is subject to acceleration, such that the amount of the fluid required within the sump volume to maintain the inlet tube disposed within the fluid is reduced. The fluid displacement reservoir is also operable to selectively contain or receive at least a portion of the fluid. |
| US08899265B2 |
Plastic fuel tank with increased deformation stability
A plastic fuel tank and a process for manufacturing a fuel tank, the fuel tank including an upper wall, a lower wall, and at least one kiss point formed by welding together a multiplicity of contact points of the upper and lower walls and an accessory. Both the upper and lower walls show a concave recess in the kiss point area so that the weld of the kiss point is located in between planes defined by the upper and lower walls respectively; a bottom of the upper concave recess extends substantially beyond the weld of the kiss point, while a bottom of the lower concave recess does not; the accessory is at least partially located under the extension of the bottom of the upper concave recess. |
| US08899263B2 |
Return line connector
The invention relates to a fuel injection system having a return line connector, having a return inlet and at least two return outlets. To improve the service life of the fuel injection system, a check valve device, which prevents the passage of a fluid from the return outlets to the return inlet is integrated with the return line connector. A return line connector is provided for each fuel injector in the fuel injection system. |
| US08899262B2 |
Tamper-resistant valve and connection arrangement
A gas cylinder valve 2 is able to be opened by application of a pilot gas pressure. In certain embodiments the gas cylinder valve 2 is usable with a yoke 8 for engaging with a valve assembly of a gas cylinder 1, the yoke comprising a pilot gas passage 28 able to connect a pilot gas chamber 37 in the cylinder valve assembly to a source of pressurized pilot gas and the cylinder gas port of the gas cylinder valve to an external cylinder gas passage. The valve and yoke enable the tamper-resistance of a gas cylinder to be improved. |
| US08899257B2 |
Disc assembly for a valve and method of making the same
A shutoff valve, e.g., an engine shutoff valve, is provided which includes a valve body having a fluid, e.g., air, passage and a disc assembly. The disc assembly is pivotable within the fluid passage from an open position to provide for free flow of fluid through the passage, to a closed position to provide a substantially closed off the fluid passage. The disc assembly includes a front disc, a rear disc, and a seal, e.g., a spring energized PTFE seal, disposed between the front disc and the rear disc. The front disc is permanently secured, e.g., welded, soldered or brazed, to the rear disc such that the seal is captured between the front disc and the rear disc. |
| US08899252B2 |
Tent
A tent is provided. The tent includes a tarp having a plurality of walls and a platform oriented substantially perpendicularly to at least one of the walls. At least a portion of the platform is coupled to the tarp. |
| US08899247B2 |
Ultrasonic cleaning apparatus
The invention provides an ultrasonic cleaning apparatus in which unevenness of sound pressure among a plurality of oscillating elements is solved by emitting uniform ultrasonic waves, the rate of removal of fine particles is improved, and the uneven cleaning is avoided. The ultrasonic cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning bath that stores an object to be cleaned and cleaning solvent; a plurality of oscillating elements attached to the cleaning bath; a plurality of oscillators connected respectively to the plurality of oscillating elements for exciting the plurality of oscillating elements; and a controller connected to the plurality of oscillators for controlling the plurality of oscillators to output signals having the same phase or substantially the same phase to the plurality of oscillating elements. |
| US08899244B2 |
Non-slip hair accessories including dual-purpose labels for displaying indicia and/or for providing non-slip features
Exemplary embodiments are disclosed of labels for hair accessories. The label may be used for displaying indicia (e.g., a company name, brand, logo, etc.). The label also provides a non-slip feature to help better hold the hair accessory in place. By way of example, the label may be applied along an inner surface of the hair accessory or pinch clip. |
| US08899242B2 |
Eyes make-up application machine
An eye make-up application machine is provided, which includes a cosmetics provider in an eyeshade. The control device can control the cosmetics provider to move to a make-up application utility into position in order to spray or apply cosmetic materials to a contour corresponding to a human eye. Thus, the invention can provide an automatic make-up application utility for variously and accurately carrying out a makeup-application on eyes selected or emulated by one or more users. An eye contour image in the invention can be provided by an internal or external storage device or image recognition device. A plurality of makeup-application profiles can be provided by an internal or external storage device or be edited by the user as an option. |
| US08899241B2 |
Instrument for applying a product to superficial epidermal derivatives and its method of manufacture
An instrument (1) for applying a product to superficial epidermal derivatives comprising an elongated core (4) and at least one nucleus (5) supporting an applicator (6) of the product. The core (4), which is twisted, passes through the nucleus (5), and the core (4) and nucleus (5) are connected to prevent the nucleus (5) from pivoting freely on the core (4). |
| US08899240B2 |
Electric substitute cigarette
An electronic substitute cigarette includes a cigarette rod(10) and a simulated cigarette mouthpiece(20). Said cigarette rod(10) includes a power source and an electronic circuit. Said simulated cigarette mouthpiece(20) includes a simulated filter(25), a liquid storage chamber(28) and an atomizer(22). The atomizer(22) is connected with the power output terminal of the cigarette rod(10). A columnar alloy sponge is mounted within the atomizer(22). The simulated filter(25) includes a main body(252) and a through hole(254). The liquid chamber(28) mounted into one end of the through hole(254) includes a container(281) having at least one protrusions(284) and a sealing membrane(30). While the simulated filter(25) with the liquid chamber(28) is engaged with the atomizer(22), the sealing membrane(30) is broken by the columnar alloy sponge, the liquid in the container (281) leaks out and gets into the columnar alloy sponge and then is atomized by the atomizer(22), then gases or smoke flows into space between the protrusions(284) and the simulated filter(25) and gets into the mouth of the user. |
| US08899239B2 |
Electronic cigarette
An electronic cigarette comprises nicotine without harmful tar. The cigarette includes a shell, a cell, nicotine solution, control circuit, and an electro-thermal vaporization nozzle installed in the air suction end of the shell. The advantages of the present invention are smoking without tar, reducing the risk of cancer, the user still gets a smoking experience, the cigarette is not lit, and there is no fire danger. |
| US08899238B2 |
Tobacco-containing smoking article
A smoking article may include a cigarette incorporated within an electrically powered aerosol generating device that acts as a holder for that cigarette. The smoking article possesses at least one form of tobacco. The smoking article also possesses a mouth-end piece that is used by the smoker to inhale components of tobacco that are generated by the action of heat upon components of the cigarette. A representative smoking article possesses an outer housing incorporating a source of electrical power (e.g., a battery), a sensing mechanism for powering the device at least during periods of draw, and a heating device (e.g., at least one electrical resistance heating element) for forming a thermally generated aerosol that incorporates components of tobacco. During use, the cigarette is positioned within the device, and after use, the used cigarette is removed from the device and replaced with another cigarette. |
| US08899226B2 |
Apparatus for drawing a cryogenic liquid from a container
An apparatus or system is provided for withdrawing a cryogenic liquid from a container. The liquid may be drawn from the container independent of the orientation of the container. The apparatus includes a conduit having a flexible metallic hose portion and a metallic head. The flexible hose portion has a first end in fluid communication with an outlet portal of the container and a second end to which the head is attached. |
| US08899225B2 |
Percutaneous dilational device having balloon retention mechanism
A device for dilating an opening through the tracheal wall of a patient includes a loading dilator. A balloon catheter is received in the lumen of the dilator such that the balloon extends distal to the loading dilator distal end. The balloon is configured to radially dilate a portion of the tracheal wall upon inflation. The balloon includes retention structure along its outer surface such that upon inflation, the retention structure inhibits dislodgement of the balloon when the balloon is positioned across the tracheal wall. The retention structure may comprise a pair of spaced elements radially projecting from the outer surface of the balloon, and spaced along the outer surface such that each of the elements is disposed at an opposite side of the tracheal wall when the balloon is positioned along the tracheal wall opening. |
| US08899219B2 |
Projectile launcher structured in shotgun configuration
A projectile launching device or launcher includes a receiver, a forestock, a trigger mechanism, and a trigger extension cable. The receiver, in one example, includes a valve, a striker, and a bolt, and is able to launch a projectile such as a paintball via pressurized gas. The loading tube is situated on the top of a barrel coupled to the receiver. The trigger guard, in one embodiment, includes a cable channel facilitating a flexible passage for the trigger extension cable. The trigger extension cable passes through the cable channel and provides a flexible linkage between the trigger and a latch wherein the latch is used to release the sear to trigger a launch. |
| US08899209B2 |
System and method for compensating cetane
Methods and systems for adjusting a plurality of fuel injections supplied to a cylinder during a cycle of the cylinder are described. In one example, fuel amounts are moved between fuel injections in response to combustion phase. Engine feedgas hydrocarbons and/or carbonaceous particulate matter may be reduced when cetane of combusted fuel changes. |
| US08899203B2 |
Engine position identification
A method for starting an internal combustion engine, the method comprising identifying cylinder stroke during the engine start responsive to a fuel rail pressure. |
| US08899200B2 |
Valve spring retainer for an internal combustion engine and a method of manufacturing the same
Oxide film formed on a spring-retaining flange by heat treatment gets unlikely to peel off, thereby improving wear resistance of a contact surface of the spring-retaining flange with a valve spring. The oxide film 15 of the part of the spring-retaining flange 3 with the valve spring 7 is at least partially removed to make thickness of the oxide film to 0.00 to 0.02 μm. |
| US08899197B2 |
Valve-timing control apparatus for internal combustion engine
A valve-timing control apparatus includes a drive rotator configured to receive a rotation from a crankshaft; a driven rotator fixed to a cam shaft; and an electric motor. The electric motor includes a stator fixed to the driven rotator, a rotor that rotates relative to the stator, a coil provided to at least one of the stator and the rotor, and a motor output shaft fixed to the rotor. The valve-timing control apparatus further includes a speed-reduction mechanism; a slip ring provided to one of the drive rotator and a fixed member, and configured to feed power to the coil; a power-feeding brush provided to another of the drive rotator and the fixed member, and abutting on the slip ring; a detection-target section provided to one of the fixed member and the motor output shaft, and located on an inner circumferential side beyond a contact portion between the slip ring and the power-feeding brush; and a detecting section provided to another of the fixed member and the motor output shaft, and configured to detect a rotational position of the motor output shaft by detecting a position of the detection-target section. |
| US08899187B2 |
Articulating chew toy having a noise mechanism
An animal chew toy is provided comprising a hollow intermediate member located between first and second opposing end members connected to the intermediate member. The first end member may be connected to the intermediate member by a first rotatable joint formed between the first end member and the intermediate member, and the second end member may be connected to the intermediate member by a second rotatable joint formed between the second end member and the intermediate member. A sound generating mechanism may be contained within the intermediate member, and at least one of the first and second end members may be operable with the intermediate member to form the sound generating mechanism. |
| US08899185B2 |
Positioning device
The present invention relates to a positioning device (10) that encourages animals to stand in a desired position to enable efficient and effective treatment of a part of their body. The positioning device (10) of the invention may optionally comprise one or more spraying nozzles (56) adapted for spraying the teats of the animal with a treatment chemical either pre- or post-milking. |
| US08899184B2 |
Primate restraint device
A primate restraint device capable of restricting the movement of a monkey and, particularly, capable of facilitating transnasal intragastric administration or oral administration. A primate restraint device comprising: a containing body having both side surfaces, a top surface, and a bottom surface; a door provided to the rear surface side of the containing body and capable of opening and closing the rear surface side of the containing body by sliding up and down; and a partition wall which is formed so as to close the inside of the containing body from the front surface side and to be movable forward and backward within the containing body and which is configured to be able to be affixed at a desired position within the containing body. Both side surfaces are each formed by combining vertical bar members and horizontal bar members into a grid pattern, and at least some of the horizontal bar members of the side surface are curved downward to form chin support sections on which the chin of the contained primate is supported. |
| US08899181B2 |
Water dispenser apparatus
This patent application relates to water dispensing apparatus. One example includes a container receiving portion configured to receive a water container. This example also includes a water presentation portion configured to receive water from the container receiving portion for consumption by an animal. |
| US08899180B2 |
Tray for presenting food to a pet
A tray for presenting food to a pet or animal. The tray includes a top side, an underside and a peripheral side extending between the top side and the underside. The topside is moreover partly formed as a number of up-turned grooves and interconnected grooves. When a pet is retrieving food from the tray, the animal will not only he self-engaged and fed during retrieval of the food, but the tray will also ensure that the natural needs of the animal are meet with respect to the use of brain, olfactory sense and feeding. The animal will hereby be more relaxed and behave in a balanced manner. |
| US08899179B1 |
Cord gripping bird feeder lid for easy operation
A bird feeder with a movable lid includes a knob which is grippable by the user of the bird feeder to slide the lid along a suspending cable. The knob includes a U-shaped spring with gripping surfaces that grip the cable. This U-shaped spring is firmly trapped between the knob and the upper surfaces of the lid. This assembly permits easy sliding of the lid against the frictional engagement provided by spring bias so that the lid is held down against the filler opening of the feed reservoir that, but can be slid along the cable against the frictional bias of the spring for easy filling. |
| US08899171B2 |
Gas enclosure assembly and system
The present teachings relate to various embodiments of an hermetically-sealed gas enclosure assembly and system that can be readily transportable and assemblable and provide for maintaining a minimum inert gas volume and maximal access to various devices and apparatuses enclosed therein. Various embodiments of an hermetically-sealed gas enclosure assembly and system of the present teachings can have a gas enclosure assembly constructed in a fashion that minimizes the internal volume of a gas enclosure assembly, and at the same time optimizes the working space to accommodate a variety of footprints of various OLED printing systems. Various embodiments of a gas enclosure assembly so constructed additionally provide ready access to the interior of a gas enclosure assembly from the exterior during processing and readily access to the interior for maintenance, while minimizing downtime. |
| US08899169B1 |
Vessel platform with integrated seating
A platform for a vessel that includes integrated and stowable seating. The platform comprises a platform surface, at least one seating recess, and at least one seat back panel. The seating recess is disposed below the platform surface. The seat back panel has an inner surface and an opposing outer surface and is pivotably attached to the seating recess to provide a plurality of operative positions, including an open seating position and a closed position. In the closed position, the outer surface of the seat back panel is substantially flush with respect to the platform surface, providing a continuous and unobstructed boarding/swimming platform. The open seating position provides an aftward seating configuration. Both the seating recess and seat back panel can removably receive cushions for added comfort and support of the user. The configuration maximizes usable platform space when the seat back panels are closed. |
| US08899168B1 |
Motor box with integrated steps and platform
The present invention provides a motor box for a sea-faring vessel, comprising a skirt, a lid, and a lid cushion. The lid is pivotably attached to the skirt and the lid cushion is pivotably attached to the lid. Accordingly, the lid opens to provide access to the inboard motor of which the motor box encases. The lid cushion pivots to reveal the top surface of the lid, which may be textured. The forward side of the skirt and the lid include a step which allows a user to step onto and over the motor box for easier ingress/egress. An aft step may be disposed adjacent to the aft of the motor box at the transom to provide additional footing when stepping off of or onto the motor box. |
| US08899167B2 |
Linear cutting assembly, linear cutting system, and net penetrating method
The problem of penetrating through nets and other objects is solved by cutting the object using a linear cutting assembly having a linear cutter arm that moves in an arc and pivots about an attachment point. The object is cut by a severing action caused by a moveable blade of the linear cutting arm moving back and forth across a stationary blade of the linear cutter arm. An underwater vehicle modified to incorporate an embodiment of the linear cutting assembly can cut a sufficiently large opening in the object to allow the vehicle to pass through. |
| US08899160B2 |
Roll compensation system for rail vehicles
A rocking compensation system for rail vehicles includes actuators which are arranged within primary helical compression springs of bogies for a targeted height adjustment of a bogie frame of the bogie. |
| US08899159B2 |
Spring assembly for level control in a vehicle
Disclosed is a spring assembly for level controlled support of a wagon body on a running gear of a vehicle, in particular of a railway vehicle, including a spring device and an actuator device, wherein the spring device takes up a first installation space, the actuator device takes up a second installation space, the spring device and the actuator device are connected to each other in a direction of action in a kinematically serial arrangement, and the actuator device is designed for at least partially compensating for a change in length of the spring device in the direction of action by a displacement at an actuator component in the direction of action, and wherein the first installation space and the second installation space overlap each other in the direction of action in an overlapping region. Also disclosed is a vehicle having such a spring assembly. |
| US08899158B2 |
Consist having self-powered tender car
The disclosure is directed to a tender car for a consist. The tender car may have a frame, a truck configured to support the frame, and a wheel rotatably connected to the truck. The tender car may also have a motor operatively connected to the wheel and configured to generate electric power when the wheel is rotated. The tender car may further have a tank mounted to the frame and configured to hold a liquefied gaseous fuel, and a fuel pump mounted to the frame and configured to pump the liquefied gaseous fuel from the tank. The fuel pump may be driven by electric power generated by the motor. |
| US08899156B1 |
Stun grenade with time delay
A stun grenade is provided with a housing; al receptacle including a bottom hole and a hollow externally threaded member; an air canister in the receptacle; an internally threaded cap including a top opening and a top bifurcation including two opposite through holes in an intermediate portion, and two opposite first pivot holes in a rear portion; a striker unit including a striker and a spring loaded hinge pivotably fastened between the first pivot holes; a needle inserted through the hollow externally threaded member to have one end engaged with the air canister and an other end projecting out of the top opening; a lever having a front end pivotably secured to a front end of the bifurcation and including two opposite second pivot holes at an intermediate portion; and a safety pin inserted through the second pivot holes and the through holes to anchor the needle below. |
| US08899152B2 |
Flexographic printing using flexographic roll configurations
In a flexographic printing system, the both the process parameters and equipment setup and configuration may play a role in producing the desired printed pattern. One component of the equipment setup is the printer roller assembly which may comprise a roller and a flexoplate as well as tape. The properties of the flexoplate and the tape as well as the relative dimensions of each in the assembly may affect the geometry and quality of the transferred pattern, as well as the ability of the system to produce a pattern on a repeatable, consistent basis. |
| US08899148B2 |
Method for printing a material onto a substrate
The invention provides a method for printing a material onto a substrate with a relief printing form made from a photosensitive element. The method includes forming an in-situ mask having a line screen resolution equal to or greater than 250 lines per inch on the photosensitive element, exposing the element to actinic radiation through the in-situ mask in an environment having an inert gas and a concentration of oxygen between 190,000 and 100 ppm, and treating the exposed element to form a relief structure having a plurality of raised surfaces with a line screen resolution equal to or greater than 250 lines per inch. Printing is accomplished by applying an imaging material to the plurality of raised surfaces and contacting to transfer the imaging material to the substrate. The method is suitable for printing high resolution graphic images, as well as for forming a uniform layer of imaging material on the substrate. |
| US08899146B2 |
Apparatus for cooking a food item by reflecting and trapping thermal energy and simultaneous accellerated bun cooking
An apparatus for cooking ground beef hamburgers by reflecting and trapping thermal energy and simultaneous accelerated bun cooking. The apparatus comprised of a plate that is hinged to the sidewall of the griddle for the simultaneous cooking of both sides of ground beef and buns on both sides. Once meat is placed in a first cooking area, the plates on the hinge are rotated down and come to rest on the meat, applying slight pressure to the meat. Plates are attached to the side wall and to the rear wall. Modified plates are used to facilitate the rotation of a large wire frame that contains a metal chain mail fabric into a second cooking area. When buns are placed in the second cooking area, the chain mail frame is brought down onto the outer sides of the buns, putting weight on the buns and accelerating their cooking time. |
| US08899141B2 |
Rate control mechanism
Certain embodiments disclose rate reducer systems and methods to reduce the cyclic rate of self-powered firearms. The reduction in cyclic rate is achieved by mechanically delaying the firing step in the cycle of functioning. This delay is achieved by temporarily latching an inertia weight at the rear of the recoil stroke while the recoiling parts return to battery (i.e. a firing position). When the recoiling parts go into battery, the inertia weight is released and urged forward. At the forward end of its travel, the inertia weight actuates the firing mechanism. |
| US08899137B1 |
Remote jettison disconnect system for a mine roller
A remote jettison system is provided to disconnect a mine roller from a tactical vehicle. The system enables personnel conducting mine roller operations to disengage the vehicle from the mine roller without leaving the vehicle. The remote jettison system has two assemblies: A mine roller assembly and a tactical vehicle assembly. The mine roller assembly, which is connected to the mine roller, can be remotely disconnected from the tactical vehicle assembly, which is mounted on the vehicle. The system utilizes one mechanized latch to release the mine roller assembly from the tactical vehicle assembly, allowing the force of gravity to cause them to separate. |
| US08899136B2 |
Punching device
A punching device includes a base, a linkage assembly, a carrying assembly, a punch and a pressure arm. The linkage assembly includes a pair of linkage members, a rotating member, a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod and a third connecting rod. The rotating member is rotatably mounted on the supporting member, the pair of linkage members is movably mounted on the rotating member, the first, the second and the third connecting rods connects in turn. The carrying assembly is rotatably connected to the third connecting rod and movably supported by the loading member. The punch is mounted on an end of the rotating member. The pressure arm is rotatably connected to the supporting member and the pair of linkage members to drives the carrying assembly to position a workpiece and the punch to punch the workpiece. |
| US08899130B2 |
Vehicle pedal system
A pedal system or assembly can be provided to allow a driver of an vehicle to operate the vehicle. The pedal assembly can include a portion that will disengage or move to allow at least a foot engaging portion of the pedal system to discontinue movement towards the driver and allow movement of the pedal towards an engine compartment and away from a passenger compartment in the vehicle. The pedal of the pedal assembly, however, can remain engaged to the components that allow for operation of vehicle systems. |
| US08899126B2 |
Robot with calibration position
A robot according to the present disclosure includes a support structure and at least three main arms mounted to be movable relative to the support structure, wherein the outer ends facing away from the support structure are movable to different spatial positions relative to the support structure and relative to each other. The robot further comprises connecting elements having the same lengths by means of which the outer end of each main arm can be connected at a defined distance from the outer end of the two adjacent main arms. The present disclosure also provides a method of calibrating a robot. |
| US08899123B2 |
Gear transmission device with resilient connection between driving gear and driving shaft
An exemplary gear transmission device includes a driving assembly including a driving shaft, a shaft coupling, a circular driving gear, a resilient mechanism and a driven gear engaging with the driving gear. The shaft coupling is fixed to the driving shaft and rotatable in unison with rotation of the driving shaft. The circular driving gear substantially surrounds and is operatively coupled to the shaft coupling and rotatable under urging of the shaft coupling. The resilient mechanism is held between the driving gear and the shaft coupling and is elastically deformable in circumferential directions of the shaft coupling. When the driving gear moves axially and collides with the driven gear without meshing with the driven gear, the driving gear rotates slightly relative to the shaft coupling thereby elastically deforming the resilient mechanism and the driving gear reaches a position where it can mesh with the driven gear. |
| US08899122B2 |
Transmission system
A transmission system has a clutch module which has a single input and two outputs, where clutch devices are located between the outputs and the input. The transmission system further includes a transmission module which has two inputs and a single output, the transmission module comprising at least two sub-transmissions where at least a single speed transforming gear or a single transmission clutch is located between an input and an output of each sub-transmission. The two outputs of the clutch module are connected here to both inputs of the transmission module. |
| US08899119B2 |
Device for pressing on a rack
A device for pressing a rack onto a pinion engaged with the rack, in particular for a steering system of a motor vehicle, comprising a pressure piece, which can be loaded in the direction of the rack and is displaceably guided in a housing, and comprising an adjusting device for compensating play that occurs in the steering system. In known devices, the play of the pressure piece must be set by way of an adjusting screw. This proves to be very complicated and problematic. An adjusting screw is therefore provided, wherein a spring washer is disposed between the adjusting screw and the adjusting device, and the adjusting device has a shoulder and the adjusting screw has a recess, or the adjusting device has the recess and the adjusting screw has the shoulder. |
| US08899118B1 |
Multi-channel aspirating and dispensing instrument
A pipette receiver and its variations are discussed for use in a multi-channel pipetting device typically used for medical, biological or biochemical research and development. There is a plurality of individual positive air displacement channels that are fitted to individual disposable pipette tips intended to pipette into associated “plates”. These “plates” may be Micro-titer plates, wells or vials each typically containing 96 wells in an 8×12 array usually spaced 9 mm apart. Other common plates contain 384 wells 4.5 mm apart in the same footprint of the 96, or a 1536 well plate fitting the same footprint. |
| US08899117B2 |
Food machine, in particular machine for processing and producing sausage, and method of operating the same
A food machine, in particular a machine for processing and producing sausage, with a step, and a corresponding method, wherein the food machine includes a safety device for detecting whether a person is standing on the step when the step is in a projecting step-on position. |
| US08899116B2 |
Replaceable ultrasonic transducer for an ultrasonic flow measuring device
An ultrasonic transducer for an ultrasonic flow measuring device, comprising a first housing part and a second housing part. The second housing part is axially guided in the first housing part and is so biased relative to the first housing part that, in a first state of the ultrasonic transducer, a first axial stop of the second housing part rests on a first axial stop of the first housing part, wherein, by applying, counter to the bias, a predetermined force on a second axial stop of the second housing part, the second housing part is axially shiftable, so that, in a second state of the ultrasonic transducer, the first axial stop of the second housing part is moved out of the first state. |
| US08899104B2 |
Tire and method of selectively altering or controlling properties or characteristics thereof under varying conditions
One exemplary embodiment includes a method comprising providing a tire having a component constructed and arranged to cause at least one portion of the tire to have a first stiffness or resistance to force exerted thereon under a first condition and a second stiffness or resistance to force exerted thereon under a second condition and selectively causing the first or second condition to occur. |
| US08899103B2 |
Thermal air flow meter
A thermal air flow meter comprises: a bridge circuit unit that incorporates a bridge circuit including a heating resistor and supplies a current to the heating resistor so that the temperature of the resistor is always set higher by a predetermined temperature than the temperature of intake air detected by an intake-air temperature detection resistor, and outputs an output signal Vm based on the current value supplied to the heating resistor, in accordance with a flow rate of the intake air; a differential amplifier unit that amplifies a voltage dependent on difference in temperature between an upstream heating resistor and downstream heating resistor; and a subtraction processor that subtracts from the output signal Vm a constant times an output voltage Vd1 from the differential amplifier unit, and outputs a correction output signal Vout. |
| US08899099B2 |
Method and device for determining leakage
In order to determine leakage on a device, which contains gas that can be condensed, an adsorbent is used through which ambient gas of the object is conducted. The adsorbed gas is desorbed by means of actuating an excitation device and fed to a gas sensor containing a mass spectrometer. In this way, minute amounts of leaking gas can be determined by means of accumulation. The method is in particular suited for use in the serial production of refrigeration machines. |
| US08899098B2 |
Semiconductor gas sensor and method for measuring a residual gas proportion with a semiconductor gas sensor
A semiconductor gas sensor is provided that has a gas-sensitive gate electrode separated by a gap from a channel region and is embodied as a suspended gate field effect transistor or the gate electrode is arranged as a first plate of a capacitor with gap and a second plate of the capacitor is connected to a gate of the field effect transistor embodied as capacitively controlled and the gate electrode has a conductive carrier layer with a bearing adhesion promoter layer and a gas-sensitive layer bearing on the adhesion promoter layer, wherein the gate electrode as a gas-sensitive layer has a platinum/gold alloy with a gold proportion in a range of 1% to 20% and a polymer layer with a thickness of less than 100 nm is embodied on the surface of the platinum/gold alloy and the gap is filled with an oxygen-free gas mixture. |
| US08899097B2 |
Airborne impurities detection
Systems and methods for detection of airborne impurities in confined spaces are disclosed. In one embodiment, a detection system to detect impurities in a confined chamber comprises an emitter to emit radiation, at least one channel positioned proximate the emitter to receive radiation from the emitter at a first end of the channel, and a receiver positioned proximate a second end of the channel to receive radiation from the emitter, and generate a first signal in response to the radiation received from the emitter. Other embodiments may be described. |
| US08899096B2 |
High-throughput modular hydrogen storage engineering properties analyzer
A cover, sample tray and base may form a hydrogen storage engineering properties analyzer. In at least one embodiment, the sample tray includes a plurality of cooling fins, each of which includes a sample well therein. A variety of hydrogen storage materials may be loaded into and unloaded from each sample well by way of a respective sample well opening. The combined cover and sample tray define at least one plenum which may be in fluid communication between a source of pressurized hydrogen gas and each sample well. The cooling fins may be received by a cooling chamber defined within the base and configured to receive a through-flow of heat-exchange fluid. Certain embodiments may include one or more pressure transducers in fluid communication between the plenum and hydrogen source, and thermal transducers connected to portions of the cooling fins. |
| US08899092B2 |
Bending apparatuses for bending a sheet-like material
A bending apparatus for corrugating a sheet-like material can comprise a support member, a feed mechanism, a bending member, a hold-down member, and a driving mechanism. The support member can comprise a support surface with corrugations. The feed mechanism can be configured to feed the support member in increments of one pitch of the support member corrugations. The bending member can be configured to reciprocate between a retracted position and an actuated position mating with a corrugation on the support surface so material laying on the support surface is bent along the support member corrugation. The hold-down member can be configured to be reciprocated between a retracted position and an actuated position holding the material against the support surface. The drive mechanism can be configured to sequentially reciprocate the bending member and the hold-down member so the hold-down member presses down the material and the bending member bends the material. |
| US08899082B2 |
Closing device
The invention relates to a closing device which comprises a stationary part (2) and a pant (3) which is displacably mounted thereon. Tumblers (Z1-Z5) are arranged by means of a key (19) in order to release the displaceable part (3). Said tumblers (Z1-Z5) are maintained in a locking position by means of the locking element (14, 27, 33). The locking element (14, 27, 33) can be adjusted by means of a drive (13, 23, 30) in order to release the tumblers (Z1-Z5), which can be controlled via an electronic control device (16). |
| US08899081B2 |
Electromechanical lock
An electromechanical lock, and its operation method are disclosed. The method includes: generating electric power from mechanical power by an electric generator; reading data from an external source with the electric power; matching the data against a predetermined criterion with the electric power; powering the electric generator by the electric power; and setting the lock mechanically from a locked state to a mechanically openable state by the electric generator, provided that the data matches the predetermined criterion. |
| US08899071B2 |
Container with cover and closure member
A soft sided insulated container assembly includes a first portion having an insulated, soft sided external wall structure, and an internal, substantially rigid molded plastic receptacle mounted therein. It has a cover structure that includes a reinforcement member for engaging a land region of the molded receptacle, thereby tending to yield an interface tending to have a sealing relationship. Both the receptacle and the engaging seal member of the lid may be outwardly splayed. The container may also include a thermal storage element, and the container may have an accommodation for receiving the thermal storage element. |
| US08899069B2 |
Food preserving method and its device
A food preserving method includes the step of housing a conductive food tray in a cooling box, placing food on the food tray and cooling and preserving the food with an AC voltage and a DC voltage being simultaneously applied to the food tray. After a DC-AC simultaneous application period during which the AC voltage and the DC voltage are simultaneously applied, the food is cooled with only one of the DC voltage and the AC voltage being applied to the food tray. A food preserving device including a cooling box, a conductive food tray housed in the cooling box, an AC power supply used for applying an AC voltage to the food tray and a DC power supply used for applying a DC voltage to the food tray is characterizing in that the AC voltage and the DC voltage are simultaneously applied to the food tray. |
| US08899066B2 |
System for environmental protection of a heat exchanger
In a one embodiment, a system includes an air conditioning unit having an enclosure, a heat exchanger disposed in the enclosure, and a plurality of louvers coupled to the enclosure. The plurality of louvers is configured to move between an open position and a closed position, and the closed position is configured to protect the heat exchanger from an environment external to the enclosure. |
| US08899065B2 |
Refrigerator with ice maker controlled by installation of ice storage bin
A refrigerator includes a main body that includes a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber, a door that selectively shields the refrigerating chamber, and an ice making unit that produces ice. An ice storage unit is provided at the door and stores ice produced in the ice making unit. The ice storage unit includes a housing, a storage basket that is removably coupled to the housing and that stores ice removed from the ice making unit to the ice storage unit, and a sensing apparatus that is provided at the housing and senses attachment or detachment of the storage basket. A controller controls transfer of ice produced by the ice making unit to the storage basket based on output from the sensing apparatus that indicates attachment or detachment of the storage basket. |
| US08899064B2 |
Refrigerator
An ice bank for a refrigerator, comprises: an ice bank body having an ice-crushing unit and a discharging passage; and a mode conversion apparatus disposed in the ice bank body for guiding ice cubes to the ice-crushing unit, or guiding the ice cubes to the discharging passage for discharge in a non-crushed state, wherein the mode conversion apparatus comprises: a guide member rotatably disposed in the ice bank body for guiding ice cubes to the ice-crushing unit, or to the discharging passage for discharge in a non-crushed state; an elastic member for elastically supporting the guide member; and a driving unit for generating a driving force so as to rotate the guide member. Accordingly, ice cubes can be dispensed in a non-crushed state or in a crushed state, and limitations in installation places of the ice bank can be reduced. |
| US08899063B2 |
Machine for products such as ice creams, granita or frozen beverages
A machine for producing products such as ice cream, frozen beverages or granita. An example of the machine comprises a tank with a tap for dispensing a product. A cylinder with a substantially horizontal axis projects from a rear wall inside the tank. The cylinder forms the evaporator of a refrigerating circuit. A mixer element around the cylinder rotates coaxially with the cylinder axis. A motor unit is connected to the mixer element via a drive shaft passing along the axis of the cylinder. The drive shaft connects to the mixer element at one end of the cylinder opposite the rear wall. The motor unit comprises a final reduction stage in alignment with the cylinder axis, a motor arranged at an angle with respect to the cylinder axis and substantially parallel to the rear wall, and an angular drive between the final reduction stage and the motor. |
| US08899060B2 |
Methods and apparatus for cooling electronics
Methods and apparatus are provided for choosing an energy-efficient coolant temperature for electronics by considering the temperature dependence of the electronics' power dissipation. This dependence is explicitly considered in selecting the coolant temperature T0 that is sent to the equipment. To minimize power consumption PTotal for the entire system, where PTotal=P0+PCool is the sum of the electronic equipment's power consumption P0 plus the cooling equipment's power consumption PCool, PTotal is obtained experimentally, by measuring P0 and PCool, as a function of three parameters: coolant temperature T0; weather-related temperature T3 that affects the performance of free-cooling equipment; and computational state C of the electronic equipment, which affects the temperature dependence of its power consumption. This experiment provides, for each possible combination of T3 and C, the value T0* of T0 that minimizes PTotal. During operation, for any combination of T3 and C that occurs, the corresponding optimal coolant temperature T0* is selected, and the cooling equipment is commanded to produce it. |
| US08899052B2 |
Thermoelectric-enhanced, refrigeration cooling of an electronic component
Apparatus and method are provided for facilitating cooling of an electronic component of varying heat load. The apparatus includes a refrigerant evaporator coupled in thermal communication with the electronic component, a refrigerant loop coupled in fluid communication with the refrigerant evaporator for facilitating flow of refrigerant through the evaporator, and a thermoelectric array disposed in thermal communication with the evaporator. The thermoelectric array includes one or more thermoelectric elements, and is powered by a voltage and by a current of switchable polarity, which are controlled to maintain heat load on refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant evaporator within a steady state range, notwithstanding varying of the heat load applied to the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant by the at least one electronic component. |
| US08899050B2 |
Compressor for a gas turbine
An axial compressor providing a thermal adjustment of a housing of a compressor of a stationary gas turbine to the rotor is provided. A partial flow is decoupled from the compressor air flow for cooling gas turbine components. The contact of the partial flow decoupled from the compressor with the interior side of the housing is substantially limited, or even avoided, by a separating element in a collection chamber annularly encompassing the flow path in order to prevent the premature thermal heating of the gas turbine or of the housing during cold starting. |
| US08899049B2 |
System and method for controlling combustor operating conditions based on flame detection
A system is disclosed that includes a combustor having an end cover and at least one fuel nozzle assembly extending from an inner face of the end cover. A cartridge may extend through the end cover and into the fuel nozzle assembly. The cartridge may define an opening for receiving light emitted from within the combustor. Additionally, a fiber optic cable may be disposed within the cartridge and may be configured to capture at least a portion of the light received through the opening. |
| US08899045B2 |
Method of continuously conditioning gas, preferably natural gas
Before being fed into a pipe, particularly a network of pipes for the supply of consumers, gas, preferably natural gas, is continuously conditioned. The pressurized gas is removed from a reservoir, expanded, and heated to a predefined temperature before or after the expansion thereof in that a branched-off partial flow of the fed-out natural gas is mixed with oxygen and the resulting burnable gas is catalytically burned. The fed-out gas is heated with the thermal energy that is produced. For this purpose, a partial exhaust gas flow is branched off from a hot exhaust gas flow released during the catalytic combustion and conducted into a first container together with the cold burnable gas. The burnable gas is mixed with the supplied exhaust gas flow in the first container and is heated, and the mixture composed of the exhaust gas and burnable gas preheated in this way is conducted away from the first container into a second container, where it is subjected to the catalytic combustion, the heat of which is used to heat the fed-out gas to be conditioned to the respectively desired temperature. |
| US08899043B2 |
Ocean thermal energy conversion plant
An offshore power generation structure comprising a submerged portion having a first deck portion comprising an integral multi-stage evaporator system, a second deck portion comprising an integral multi-stage condensing system, a third deck portion housing power generation equipment, cold water pipe; and a cold water pipe connection. The heat exchangers in the evaporator and condenser systems include a multi-stage cascading heat exchange system. Warm water conduits in the first deck portion and cold water conduits in the second deck portion are integral to the structure of the submerged portion of the offshore platform. |
| US08899041B2 |
Fresh gas supply device for an internal combustion engine
A fresh gas supply device for an internal combustion engine having an exhaust gas turbocharger includes a charge air inlet for letting in compressed charge air from the exhaust gas turbocharger; an outlet connected to the charge air inlet, wherein the connection is closable via at least one backflow flap pivotable about a rotational flap axis; a compressed air inlet for letting compressed air into the outlet; an adjusting unit for adjusting the at least one backflow flap; at least one additional turbocharging unit having an air turbine and a compressor coupled thereto. The air turbine is disposed upstream of the compressed air inlet in the flow direction of the compressed air and compressed air can flow through the air turbine. The compressor is designed to take in and compress additional charge air from the charge air inlet and deliver compressed additional charge air to the outlet. |
| US08899036B2 |
Advanced high energy wave power module
A wave power module and each of a plurality of the power modules convert energy from high energy waves and swells into usable power on an industrial scale. These modules are connected by piping to the consumer of the mechanical energy in the form of the high pressurized working fluid. A submerged immovable platform and a submerged movable platform connected to a float by outer and inner power flexible links with variable free lengths and compressible chambers installed between the immovable and movable platforms. The variable buoyancy force of the float is converted into driving force, which acts through the movable platform on the compressible chambers to discharge a flow of the high pressurized working fluid to the consumer. The stroke of the movable platform and compressible chambers is less than the height of waves or swells. |
| US08899035B2 |
Hydraulic control apparatus for work machine
A hydraulic pump driven by an engine, a hydraulic actuator, and a negative control circuit are provided on an open center hydraulic circuit, for guiding the hydraulic pressure in the center bypass to the hydraulic pump, as a negative control pressure. A negative control pressure control device controls the negative control pressure to an arbitrary value is also provided. The pump characteristic of the hydraulic pump is set such that the discharge flow rate is minimized when the negative control pressure in the negative control circuit is equal to or greater than a first predetermined pressure. Furthermore, an idling detection device that detects whether the hydraulic actuator is in a non-operated state or not is provided. The negative control pressure is forcefully controlled to the first predetermined pressure or higher when the non-operating state is detected. |
| US08899033B2 |
Brake booster leak detection system
A control system for evaluating a brake booster system includes an engine evaluation module that detects an engine off condition. A pressure evaluation module, during the engine off condition, monitors hydraulic brake line pressure, detects a change in brake booster pressure, and determines a brake booster vacuum decay rate based on the change in brake booster pressure. A fault reporting module detects a brake booster system fault based on the brake line pressure and the brake booster vacuum decay rate. |
| US08899031B2 |
Cold start valve
Parasitic hydraulic loading on an engine is significantly reduced during cold starts by using an unloader valve to divert the flow of hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic pump to a hydraulic actuator, i.e., load source, recirculating the hydraulic fluid between the hydraulic pump and the unloader valve. |
| US08899030B2 |
Method of using a pump position sensor for an EBS pump check
A method of performing a pump check for a brake system comprises determining a first position of a pump with a pump position sensor upon ignition of a vehicle. A pump motor is powered based upon a preselected operating condition. A second position of the pump is determined with the pump position sensor. The first position of the pump and the second position of the pump are compared. The pump motor is confirmed as operational when the second position of the pump is different from the first position of the pump. |
| US08899013B2 |
Thrust reverser having locking/unlocking cascade vanes
A thrust reverser for the nacelle of a turboreactor includes at least one fixed front frame that can be mounted downstream of a fan casing of the turboreactor and directly or indirectly supports at least one flow deviation vanes, in which at least part of the flow deviation vanes can be detached from the front frame and moved in translation independently therefrom when a maintenance operation is being carried out on the reverser. |
| US08899012B1 |
Methods and systems for flux distribution within a heat exchanger
A method to enhance efficiency of a propellant heat exchanger is described. The method includes spacing a plurality of propellant tubes of the propellant heat exchanger within defined flux bins, the flux bins defined as a function of total beam energy to be received by the propellant tubes, the propellant tube spacing resulting in each defined flux bin operable to receive a substantially equal amount of beam energy, and configuring each flux bin such that any beam energy that impinges the flux bin is directed to the propellant tube therein. |
| US08899011B2 |
Method and device for generating electricity and gypsum from waste gases containing hydrogen sulfide
Methods of one or more embodiments include delivering hydrogen sulphide-containing exhaust gases to a current generation device where the gases are burnt, preferably with air being supplied. The energy released during combustion is employed at least partially for current generation. One or more embodiments also include an apparatus for current generation in which supplied hydrogen sulphide-containing exhaust gases are burnt, preferably with air being supplied. |
| US08899010B2 |
Pulse detonation combustor
A pulse detonation combustor including a plurality of nozzles engaged with one another via mating surfaces to support a gas discharge annulus in a circumferential direction. The pulse detonation combustor also including multiple pulse detonation tubes extending for the nozzles and a plurality of thermal expansion control joints coupled to the plurality of pulse detonation tubes. Each of the plurality of thermal expansion control joints is configured to facilitate independent thermal growth of each of the plurality of pulse detonation tubes. The thermal expansion control joints may be configured as a bellows expansion joint or a sliding expansion joint. |
| US08899007B2 |
Open multi-strand cord
A steel cord (10) adapted for the reinforcement of rubber products, comprises a core strand (12) and six peripheral strands (14) concentrically surrounding the core strand (12). Each of the core and peripheral strands (12, 14) comprises a center of two or more center filaments (16) and two layers of filaments surrounding the center. The core strand (12) has a diameter D1 which is greater than the diameter D2 of the peripheral strands (14). All the filaments (18, 20) of each layer have substantially the same diameter and a radially outer layer has a twist angle which is greater than a twist angle of a radially inner layer of the same strand. Each of the strands (12, 14) in the cord is composed of no more than twenty-six filaments (16, 18, 20) being twisted together. |
| US08899006B2 |
Walk behind garden tool chassis
A walk behind garden tool chassis including a first chassis part and a second chassis part. The first chassis part is arranged to receive an engine of the garden tool, and to receive a first wheel assembly of the garden tool. The second chassis part is arranged to receive a handle assembly of the garden tool, and to receive a second wheel assembly of the garden tool. The first and second chassis parts are interconnected by vibration dampers. |
| US08899001B2 |
Process and machine for outer packaging of articles
With a random incoming axial stream of pallets of articles, there is a stack of blanks, an axial stream synchronized with pallets is formed, all of the pallets are transferred from the axial stream synchronized with pallets to constitute an axial stream that is synchronized with lots, lots are separated by empty spaces having length of one or more article lengths, whereby the spacing is thus variable and adapted to lot length, blanks are unstacked upon demand based on the pallets to constitute a synchronized stream of blanks corresponding to the stream synchronized with lots. Blanks are separated by empty spaces with length of one or more article lengths, starting from the stream synchronized with lots and the stream synchronized with blanks; each lot of articles is made to work with each blank before the blank is folded around the lot of articles and made into a single unit. |
| US08898999B1 |
Restraint system for elevated surface tiles
A support structure for elevating a building surface above a fixed surface including a plurality of support pedestals disposed in spaced-apart relation on the fixed surface, a plurality of stabilizing braces interconnecting adjacent of the plurality of support pedestals, and a plurality of restraint members. The restraint members include a mounting portion securable to one of the plurality of stabilizing braces and a restraint portion operatively attached to the mounting portion and securable to an outer edge segment of one or more of the surface tiles. |
| US08898994B1 |
Method for sealing wood subfloors
A method of applying a flooring system on a wood subfloor, including providing a sealer for direct application to the wood subfloor; applying the sealer to the wood subfloor; and allowing the sealer to dry and cure, forming a sealed and stable wood subfloor. |
| US08898993B2 |
Bracket for use in building construction
A bracket for a building that includes a first building member, a masonry veneer disposed exteriorly of the first building member, and a second building member disposed exteriorly of the masonry veneer. The bracket includes a bracket body having a first portion for being coupled to the first building member and a second outwardly extending portion having a length sufficient to extend to at least about an exterior surface of the masonry veneer. A connector member extends through the bracket member, and at least partially through each of the first and second building members. A connector support extends through the bracket body and includes a sleeve having a passageway for receiving and supporting the connector member, wherein the bracket body and connector support are configured to distribute a load borne by the connector member on the masonry veneer over an area of the bracket body greater than the area of the connector. |
| US08898992B2 |
Building structures and construction methods
A system including a column (12), a first connecting element (30) extending from the column (12), a beam (14), and a second connecting element (70). The beam includes a base wall (42) at least partially defining a cavity (40) and a cutout (48) in the base wall (42) that is configured to receive the column (12) and that is configured with respect to the first connecting element (30). The second connecting element (70) is disposed in the cavity (40), and the first and second connecting elements (30, 70) are configured to connect the beam (14) to the column (12). |
| US08898987B1 |
Roofing shingles with reduced usage of conventional shingle material and having top lap extension
A roofing shingle has a shingle body with a butt edge, a headlap portion, a head edge, and first and second side edges. An exposure zone has a width that extends from the butt edge toward the headlap portion and is configured to be exposed to the environment when the shingle is installed on a roof. A water impermeable sheet is attached to the shingle body. The sheet has a width with upper and lower edges. The width extends from between about the butt and head edges to beyond the head edge of the shingle body. The width of the shingle body is such that a first distance between the head edge of the shingle body and the upper edge of the water impermeable sheet is equal to or greater than the width of the exposure zone. The sheet is formed from a different material than the shingle body. |
| US08898984B2 |
Façade insulation
Façade insulation with at least one support rail which is arranged on an outer wall of a building, and with a multiplicity of heat insulation panels which are supported by the support rail. The support rail is spaced from the outer wall by at least two spacers. To transfer the weight of the heat insulation panel to the outer wall, at least two tension brackets are provided which can each be fixed with a first end to the support rail and with a second end to the outer wall. A mounting kit holds heat insulation panels on an outer wall of a building. The mounting kit includes at least one support rail, at least two spacers, at least two tension brackets and at least one wall fixing element. |
| US08898981B2 |
Exterior finish system
Disclosed is an exterior finish system for building structures that includes a water pervious adhesive for securing an insulation layer to a water resistive barrier applied to a building wall substrate. Also disclosed is a building structure such as a building column or wall that includes the finish system and a method of using the finish system to assemble a building structure such as a column or wall. |
| US08898977B2 |
Wedge-lock quoin corner assembly
This prefabricated locking quoin block is used to construct the surface of buildings. The surface of the block has decorative portions resembling brick, stone, wood, or other construction materials. Preferably the surface of each block has both a raised and a recessed decorative portion, so as to form, when assembled, a quoin corner assembly resembling sawn or quarried stone blocks. Installers can attach the assemblies to conventional building structures and install cladding materials such as vinyl siding without needing to alter the blocks other than to adjust the base block for height. The block includes wedge locks to securely connect adjacent blocks matingly to each other. Installers thereby are able to assemble a secure stack of quoin corner blocks and attach it to a building with few additional steps, saving time, labor, and cost in construction. |
| US08898975B2 |
Dry-hang wall panel using a thin stone slab
A dry-hang wall panel includes a thin stone slab having a thickness of about 3-10 mm. A reinforcing sheet has an area corresponding to the thin stone slab and is fixed to a rear side of the thin stone slab. A rear frame made of a rigid material is fixed to a peripheral edge of the reinforcing sheet. The rear frame has a hollow area in a central portion thereof. Hooks can be mounted to the rear frame for mounting the dry-hang wall panel to a wall face. The dry-hang wall panel allows easy construction and provides a leveling effect while providing a sense of quality. |
| US08898974B1 |
Electrical panel structures
Electrical panel structures for a modular building system, such as a modular data center. The electrical panel structures provide a standardized structure for attachment of high voltage power, low voltage power, and/or data lines between rooms or components of the modular building system. The panel structures can include multiple conduits that extend between rooms or other components of a modular building structure. The panel structures can include, for example, conduits having couplers for the attachment of high voltage cables and/or pass-throughs for the passage of low voltage lines and/or data lines. |
| US08898966B2 |
Blast and impact resistant window pane systems
Window pane systems which offer improved protection against blast and impact hazards, including contact blast caused by a bomb or a shell, with or without hollow charge and bullets. A window pane system of the present invention includes multiple glass layers, to absorb the ballistic impact of the explosion; a thick polymer such as polycarbonate, to absorb the kinetic energy of the blast including contact blast; and multiple elastic thin layers of polymer such as polycarbonate, to absorb the blast impact such as the shock wave and shrapnel. Optionally, the last layer is extended such that the last layer is covering up to the full width of the window pane system, preferably in all four sides of the window pane system. |
| US08898964B1 |
Lift anchor assembly for precast portland cement concrete shapes
A lift anchor assembly is characterized by a lift anchor defining a longitudinal axis, a bilaterally symmetrical lift plate, an opening through the lift plate bisected by the longitudinal axis, a bilaterally symmetrical embedment portion spaced away from and coupled with the lift plate, and a pair of elongate legs, each coupled with the embedment portion and with the lift plate parallel to the longitudinal axis. A recess insert is characterized by a pair of pivotably coupled concave insert shells defining a chamber and a longitudinal plane of symmetry. An elongate rod-like shear bar is characterized by a U-shaped bend. The recess insert is engageable with the lift anchor by coupling the insert shells on either side of the lift anchor through the opening. The shear bar is engageable with the lift anchor and recess insert by positioning the U-shaped bend over the lift plate and the opening. |
| US08898961B1 |
Metal seam mount
Snow guards and mounts for attaching to seams of metal roofs have tops, spaced sides and inward and downward extending holes for elliptical tipped set screws. Square recesses opposite inner extremities of the holes form square bends in the seams. One screw and recess deform two layers below a rolled seam. Another screw and recess deform five layers in the rolled seam. Bottom lobes near one support provide a lowered hole and a lowered opposite recess. Snow blades extend upward and outward from the top and sides and downward to near a level of the bottoms of the sides. |
| US08898959B2 |
Surface coverings having a plurality of overlapping elements and methods for forming same
A surface covering includes a frame, an element structure comprising an elongated member and a plurality of elements, and wherein spaced-apart portions of the elongated member being attachable to spaced-apart portions of the frame so that some of the elements are disposed in an overlapping relationship. |
| US08898958B2 |
Sealing system for a frameless door of a vehicle
A sealing system for a vehicle includes a first and second seal. The first seal is attached to a first edge of a first flange of the vehicle. The first seal presents a first outer contact surface that extends in generally parallel relationship to the first edge. The second seal is attached to a second edge of a second flange of the vehicle. The second seal presents a second outer contact surface that extends in generally parallel relationship to the second edge. The first outer contact surface and the second outer contact surface are in sealing contact relationship with the movable pane of glass when the movable pane of glass is in a closed position. The first outer contact surface and the second outer contact surface are not in sealing contact relationship with the movable pane of glass when the movable pane of glass is in an open position. |
| US08898956B2 |
Sliding door device for vehicle with pressure sensing unit and sealing unit
A sliding door device for a vehicle includes a sliding door installed to be slidingly moved, a door weather strip attached to the sliding door, a pressure switch for sensing internal pressure of the door weather strip, a pneumatic line for connecting the door weather strip and the pressure switch to communicate with each other, an electronic control unit (ECU) for receiving a sensing signal of the pressure switch to control opening and closing of the sliding door, and an opening and closing valve for having the pneumatic line communicate with the atmospheric pressure or blocking the pneumatic line from the atmospheric pressure. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent an object or an occupant from being jammed in a process of closing the sliding door. |
| US08898949B1 |
Firearm tactical rail mounting bracket
A mounting bracket for attachment to a firearm's tactical rail, the mounting bracket including a “C” member having a web and lateral and oppositely lateral hooks, the web further having a seam dividing the “C” member into lateral and oppositely lateral halves; extending and retracting slide bars and slide channel combinations connected to the “C” member's halves for movements of the halves between first and second positions, the halves in their first positions displacing from each other for rail receipts and releases, and the halves, upon opposite movements, capturing the rail between the “C” member's lateral and oppositely lateral hooks; and latching pawls connected to the “C” member's lateral and oppositely lateral halves for, upon movements of the halves to the second positions, alternatively resisting and permitting movements of the halves to their first positions. |
| US08898944B2 |
Convertable hang tag and method for use thereof
I provide a hang tag, preferably used for a saleable item such as clothing, that is convertible into a storage container. The storage container can then be used to store the purchased item. In a method of use, a user can remove the hang tag from a recently purchased saleable item of clothing, and, through a series of folds and interlocking of panels, create the storage containers in which the user could place the item. |
| US08898943B2 |
Image display device
An attachable display device that promotes brand awareness is provided. The device includes a display part having a display area to display an image and a securing portion and a mounting part having an upper portion disposed and secured inside the display part and a lower portion having at least one hole defined therein. The mounting part wraps around an object such that the securing portion engages the at least one hole to secure the display device to the object. |
| US08898942B2 |
Configurable large-depth panel display
A configurable large-depth panel display uses a number of frame members and a number of corner brackets coupled to one another to create an flexible and easily customized display device. The frame members relatively uniform, having a substantially constant cross-sectional configuration which is easily coupled to the frame members. The corner brackets can be configured in a number of different ways to produce a display product with a desired configuration. More specifically, the corner brackets can be configured to attach to frame members in a manner which produce an overall framework having multiple shapes and orientations, depending upon the desired design of the overall display. Various panels, brackets and supports can be easily attached to the frame members using integral portions of the constant cross-sectional configuration. Further, more complex displays can be easily created by simply attaching different framework components to one another thus creating a single structure with multiple panel members. |
| US08898941B2 |
Packaged toilet lid appliques
Packaged decorative thin-film appliqués for the exterior surface of toilet seat lids have a backer panel with a back side and an opposing release side, the release side having a release layer opposite the back side, the decorative thin-film appliqué having an application side facing and in contact with the release layer of the backer card, and a decorative side opposite the application side, the decorative side bearing printed images or indicia, and an appliqué frame substantially surround the decorative thin-film plastic appliqué and in contact with the release layer of the backer panel, the appliqué frame bearing printed images or indicia different from the decorative thin-film appliqué, and a separation between the decorative thin-film appliqué and the appliqué frame at which the decorative thin-film appliqué is separable from the backer panel with the appliqué frame remaining on the backer panel. |
| US08898939B2 |
Gift card holder
A combination gift card holder and message delivery package facilitates the identification of a gift card contained within the package while presenting the recipient with an accompanying message prior to fully revealing the gift card. The package includes first, second and third panels. The first and second panels and the second and third panels are connected with one another along a common edge and are pivotable with respect to each other. The panels have cutouts therein. The gift card is positioned in the package between the second and third panels thereby exposing a portion of a front surface of the gift card through the cutout in the third panel and exposing a portion of a rear surface of the gift card through the cutout in the second panel, thereby partially concealing the gift card while exposing an identification marking thereon. |
| US08898938B2 |
Article having a multidirectional display
The present invention relates to articles having die cut portions that form a window or a frame-like structure. Set into the window or frame-like structure is an object, affixed or mounted in transparent material, such that the object is visible from both the front and the rear of the article. |
| US08898936B1 |
Footwear fastening aid
A shoe having a sole and an upper extending from the sole. The upper having an eyelet which carries a strap. The strap extends between a first end and a second end. The second end is attached to the upper and the first end includes a catch. The catch is adapted for manipulation with a dressing stick, such that the dressing stick enables a user to fasten the shoe with the aid of the catch. |
| US08898935B2 |
Article of footwear with interlocking cleat member and raised base
A cleat member for an article of footwear is configured to associate with a raised base on a sole of the article of footwear. The raised base includes an angled face with a plurality of protruding portions extending outwards from the angled face. An underside of the cleat member is provided with an indentation that corresponds to the angled face of the raised base. A plurality of recessed portions are disposed along the indentation on the underside of the cleat member and are configured to associate with the plurality of protruding portions on the angled face of the raised base. The plurality of recessed portions and the plurality of protruding portions have coincident shapes so that the protruding portions fit with the recessed portions. With this configuration, the cleat member and sole are configured with an interlocking arrangement that resists loosening when the article of footwear is used on a ground surface. |
| US08898933B2 |
Toe cap and toe cap embedded shoe
A structure of a toe cap and a shoe having the toe cap embedded which does not disturb foot movement such as walking while protecting a toe against lateral collision with an object such as a wheel of a dolly includes a cup-shaped shell body which is formed by connecting a front end wall, bilateral side walls and an upper face wall with a gentle curved face, and an extension side wall disposed at least to one side wall as rearwardly extending a rear end edge of the side wall. The shoe having the toe cap embedded can sufficiently protect the toe even when an impact is applied from the outer side (i.e., the little toe) direction of the toe of which protection is not sufficient with a normal toe cap embedded shoe. |
| US08898926B2 |
Substrate dryer using supercritical fluid, apparatus including the same, and method for treating substrate
The present invention is directed to a substrate dryer, a substrate treating apparatus including the substrate dryer, and a substrate treating method. The substrate dryer includes a chamber, a process chamber constituting one part of the chamber and provided for supplying supercritical fluid to a substrate to dry the substrate, and a high-pressure chamber constituting the other part of the chamber and provided for boosting the process chamber above a critical pressure. According to the present invention, the substrate drying chamber is boosted fast by the high-pressure chamber to change to a supercritical state and thus a substrate dry treatment is performed using supercritical fluid. |
| US08898925B2 |
Scent eliminating locker
A scent eliminating locker that has a housing that includes a plurality of motors disposed in an interior of the housing for circulating, moving and heating air within the interior. Additionally, in the interior of the housing there are a plurality of carbon filters that eliminates odor from tangible objects placed in the interior of the housing. |
| US08898924B2 |
Test device for testing depth of chamfer
A test device includes a base rested on an object, an inserting member slidably mounted to the base and contacts a slanted surface of a chamfer of the object, and a test member slidably rested on the base. The base includes a positioning bar abutting a bottom end of the chamfer. A first cutout and a second cutout communicating with the first cutout and positioned in front of the first cutout are defined in a bottom surface of the testing member. A depth of the second cutout equals the tolerance of a standard depth of the chamfer. If a top surface of the inserting member can be received in the second cutout, the depth of the chamfer is qualified. If the top surface of the inserting member cannot be received in the second cutout, the depth of the chamfer is unqualified. |
| US08898922B2 |
Tape measure with finger drag brake
A tape measure has a finger recess in a housing, with at least a portion of the underside of a tape blade exposed in the finger recess. Pressing a finger against the underside of the tape allows the user to create a drag brake that acts against the retraction spring to slow and/or stop the retraction of the tape blade. The finger recess is located upstream (i.e. closer to the coiled portion of the retracted tape blade) than the point at which the tape measure's lock engages the tape blade. This arrangement results in a compact yet versatile overall tape measure with good tactile feedback during finger-braking. |
| US08898921B1 |
Multi-functional measuring tape
A multi-functional tape measure is provided with a top-mounted viewing window which reads a bottom surface of a coiled measuring tape for providing interior distance measurements using measuring indicia disposed on the bottom surface of the tape. The bottomside measuring indicia has an applied correction factor to compensate for the size of the housing and provide the dimension needed. The tape measure is also provided with a level for indication of a surface that is level and plumb. Further, the tape measure is provided with a fold-out locking T-square mechanism. |
| US08898916B2 |
Window frame deflection measurement device and method of use
A portable device for measuring a deflection of a surface, comprising an elongate frame having a first end and a second end and a first datum surface, a first removable reference support adjacent the first end, a second removable reference support adjacent the second end, a deflection gauge attached to the elongate frame between the first removable reference support and the second removable reference support, and wherein the deflection gauge engages and measures a deflection of the surface relative to the first removable reference support and the second removable reference support. |
| US08898906B2 |
Method for producing a body part of a vehicle and body part of a vehicle
A method is provided for producing a body part of a vehicle. The method includes, but is not limited to providing a first profile part with at least one first welding flange and with a first opening as well as a second profile part with at least one third welding flange. The welding flange is at least partially arranged on the third welding flange subject to the formation of an at least partially closed form of the body part. The first welding flange and the third welding flange are arranged within the at least partially closed form. A first laser beam is guided through the first opening onto the first welding flange subject to the formation of at least one first laser weld seam between the first welding flange and the third welding flange. |
| US08898903B2 |
Form rolling method for involute gear
A form rolling method for an involute gear, which includes a work piece including a cylindrical outer peripheral surface having a predetermined radius, and a round die with an involute tooth profile including an addendum pitch corresponding to a pitch defined by dividing a length of an outer circumference of the work piece by number of teeth of the involute gear. The round die is pressed to the work piece while rotating when form rolling the involuete gear. |
| US08898901B2 |
Method for manufacturing a blade spar for a wind turbine
A method for manufacturing a blade spar for a wind turbine blade includes positioning a first spar segment having a first adhering portion; positioning a second spar segment having a second adhering portion at the first spar segment such that the first adhering portion and the second adhering portion are at least partially overlapping, wherein an adhesive is at least partially provided between the overlapping adhering portions; providing at least one fiber layer impregnated with an uncured resin on the outer surfaces of the first and second spar segments at least in the joint region of the first and second spar segments; and simultaneously curing the adhesive and the resin, thereby fixating the first and the second spar segments to each other. |
| US08898898B2 |
Method and device for producing a piston fro an internal combustion engine and piston for internal combustion engine
The invention relates to a method for producing a piston for an internal combustion engine, wherein a section which in the finished piston has a cooling duct (14) and a piston ring groove is recessed at first, the later cooling duct is then covered, and finally material for accommodating the piston ring is applied, and which is characterized in that the later cooling duct is covered by a wire material which is provided in a length, greater than necessary for one single piston. A device for producing a piston for an internal combustion engine with an at first recessed section that in the finished piston has a cooling duct (14) and a piston ring groove, has a device for attaching a cover on the cooling duct and a device for providing wire material having a length greater than necessary for one single piston. A piston for an internal combustion engine has a cooling duct (14) and a reinforcement material for accommodating a piston ring as well as a cover material between the cooling duct (14) and the reinforcement material, wherein the cover material is made of wire material continuously unwinding from a roll. |
| US08898894B2 |
Capacitor-circuit board interface for welding system components
A welding system component includes a circuit board for the welding system component. An interface has a main riser portion with a fastener passageway formed therethrough. The interface has an extension portion with a terminal passageway formed therethrough. The extension portion is electrically connected to the circuit board with a terminal disposed in the terminal passageway. The extension portion is spaced away from a surface of the circuit board. A capacitor is electrically connected to the main riser portion with a fastener disposed in the fastener passageway. |
| US08898892B2 |
Method of making circuit board module
A circuit board module includes a circuit board and a heat-dissipating device. The circuit board includes a ceramic substrate, and a circuit pattern formed on a surface of the ceramic substrate. The circuit board is sinter-bonded to a main body of the heat-dissipating device. A method of making the circuit board module is also disclosed. |
| US08898890B2 |
Apparatus for manufacturing a multichannel electrode array for cranial nerve stimulation
According to the present invention, an apparatus for manufacturing a multichannel electrode array for cranial nerve stimulation comprises: an electrode support supporting a plurality of electric wires, and having a plurality of platinum rings inserted therein; a frame member including a base, a pair of vertical frames, and a horizontal frame to fix the electrode support; a rotating member into the center of which the electrode support is inserted, and which rotates such that electric wires are twisted, pair by pair, at the electrode support so as to form a grid, when bobbins that are wound with the electric wires slide; an elevating plate rotatably and slidably supporting the rotating member; and a pair of left-side and right-side control units and which rotate the rotating member such that the rotating member slides along a length equal to that the grid. |
| US08898889B2 |
Chuck assembly for plasma processing
Systems and methods are presented for a peripheral RF feed and symmetric RF return for symmetric RF delivery. According to one embodiment, a chuck assembly for plasma processing is provided. The chuck assembly includes an electrostatic chuck having a substrate support surface on a first side, a facility plate coupled to the electrostatic chuck on a second side that is opposite the substrate support surface, a peripheral RF feed configured to deliver RF power, the peripheral RF feed having a first portion contacting a periphery of the facility plate and an RF strap coupling the peripheral RF feed to an RF source. |
| US08898888B2 |
System for manufacturing electrosurgical seal plates
A system for the manufacture of an end effector assembly which is configured for use with an electrosurgical instrument configured for performing an electrosurgical procedure is provided. The system includes a photolithography module that is configured to etch one or more pockets on a seal surface of the seal plate. A vacuum module is configured to raise, transfer and lower a spacer from a location remote from the pocket(s) on the seal plate to the pocket on the seal plate(s). An adhesive dispensing module is configured to dispense an adhesive into the pocket on the seal plate. An optical module is configured to monitor a volume of the adhesive dispensed within the pocket and monitor placement of the spacer within the pocket. |
| US08898885B2 |
Method for manufacture of multi-layer-multi-turn structure for high efficiency wireless communication
A structure for wireless communication having a plurality of conductor layers, an insulator layer separating each of the conductor layers, and at least one connector connecting two of the conductor layers wherein an electrical resistance is reduced when an electrical signal is induced in the resonator at a predetermined frequency. |
| US08898884B2 |
Optimised manufacturing process for a vaned monobloc disc by abrasive water jet
A manufacturing process of a monobloc vaned disc including a cutout by abrasive water jet of a block of material in general form of a disc, carried out so as to remove material from the block at a level of inter-vane spaces to reveal vane preforms extending radially from a hub, the cutout by abrasive water jet including, for making each inter-vane space: a first triple-axis cutout of a piece passing through the thickness of the block, used such that the cutout piece escapes from the block automatically by gravity; followed by at least one enhancement cutout. |
| US08898883B2 |
Singulation for an apparatus for feeding a connecting element
An apparatus and method are provided for feeding a connecting element into a processing position of a joining apparatus. The apparatus includes a singulation slide for separating and feeding a connecting element. The singulation slide has a through-hole running in an axial direction for accommodating the connecting element, and the through-hole is partially defined by two leg segments. The singulation slide includes a base segment and the transition from the base segment to each of the leg segments is designed so that the leg segments are flexible in a radial direction. |
| US08898881B2 |
Robotic safety stop for automated storage library
A connector has first and second ends. The first end is configured to contact a door of the automated storage library when the door is in at least a first position. A safety stop is connected to the second end of the connector and adapted to move from a down position to an up position. The safety stop is in the down position when the door is in the first position. The connector is adapted to travel in a lateral direction corresponding to a similar movement of the door as the door is opened between the first position and a second position, causing the safety stop to move from the down position to an up position to prevent travel of the robotic accessor beyond the safety stop. |
| US08898880B2 |
Self-piercing riveting
A method for forming a joint using a self-piercing rivet includes the steps of: positioning the sheet material over a die and providing a rivet having a substantially cylindrical shank and a head, the shank having a central blind bore and an annular piercing end spaced from said head. The ratio of the difference between the outside and inside diameters of the shank in the region around the bore to the outside diameter of the shank is in the range 0.47 to 0.52. The method also includes positioning a rivet over the sheet material at a position opposite the die and using a punch to set the rivet and force it into the sheet material such that it pierces the upper surface thereof and such that the shank deforms outwardly to interlock with the material but without penetration to the die side of the material. |
| US08898873B2 |
Acrylic urn vault
The sealing acrylic urn vault of the invention includes a generally square sheet of ⅝″ cast acrylic serving as the base and a generally square top portion which will have four adjacent side walls bonded to its edges and protruding downward. Each opposing side wall will be bonded length-wise to each adjoining side, creating a seamless cast acrylic box, open at the bottom, that lowers onto the acrylic base. Attached to the base are four 0.625″ tall ⅝″ thick acrylic guide rails, bonded equidistant from the outside base edge on all four sides of the base. This “railing system” is the fastening guide for the acrylic top portion which lowers onto the base with the inside of the four side walls bonded with the outside edges of the four guide rails. |
| US08898870B2 |
Dual locking buckle assembly
A buckle assembly has a base portion with a strap retaining bar and an inner opening disposed between the side walls, and a locking portion having a strap retaining bar and a protrusion extending outwardly from each of the side walls. The length of the locking portion is greater than the length of the opening, and the width of the opening is wider than the width of the locking portion. The side walls of the base portion each have a slot arranged to accommodate the protrusions on the locking portion when the locking portion is placed on the base portion. The locking portion is connected to the base portion by sliding the locking portion through the opening from the bottom side to the top side of the base portion, aligning the locking portion to extend parallel to the base portion, and snapping the protrusions into the slots. |
| US08898864B1 |
Integrated rockably released leverage snap fastening system
An integrated rockably released leverage snap fastening system may be removably fastened to the male snap to hold at least one item such as a tarpaulin in place to a boat or the like. To facilitate unfastening, male snap and rockable lever snap assembly cooperatively combine to create a class 1 lever system which may permit a user to rockably release the snap while reducing risk of damage to the tarpaulin. Various embodiments are discussed. |
| US08898861B2 |
Hinge cap
A product and a method employing a block having a downwardly angled front surface suitable for covering the top surface of a continuous geared door hinge after the door is installed in a frame. The block has one or more recessed counter bored holes in the front surface to accommodate security screws without compromising the angle of the front surface. |
| US08898855B2 |
Cleaning appliance
A cleaning appliance includes a substantially spherical surface engaging rolling assembly having a fluid inlet for receiving a fluid flow and a system for drawing the fluid flow through the inlet, and a plurality of support members for supporting the rolling assembly as it is maneuvered over a surface. The center of gravity of the cleaning appliance is located within the rolling assembly. |
| US08898853B1 |
Vacuum cleaning system and method of use
A vacuum cleaning system which has particular application to the oil-field industry. The system includes a vacuum unit for suctioning material from a surface to recycle, reclaim or cleanup said material. The system also includes a collection and discharge unit operable to automatically discharge, into an open atmosphere, an amount of the suctioned material collected while suctioning continues by the vacuum unit. The automatic discharging cycle of the collection and discharge unit allows drilling fluid to be rapidly vacuumed up and discharged to minimize settlement of debris in the collected material. |
| US08898851B2 |
Doctor blade holder
A doctor blade holder system is disclosed that includes a doctor blade holder that includes a doctor blade receiving region for receiving a doctor blade, and an actuation system for causing the doctor blade receiving region to be selectively moved toward or away from a roll surface by rotating the doctor blade holder about a first axis, wherein the doctor blade holder system is generally circular shaped in cross-sectional area and wherein the first axis is generally centrally locate with the generally circular cross-sectional area. |
| US08898848B1 |
Skin cleansing finger sleeve and associated use thereof
A disposable skin cleansing finger sleeve cleans and maintains a clean face, removes facial make up, and applies medicine to the face in the treatment of skin conditions. The skin cleansing finger sleeve includes an elongated body formed from water impermeable material wherein the body has an open proximal end and a closed distal end capable of being removably positioned about a user finger. A viscous skin cleansing agent may be pre-applied (impregnate, coated, soaked, etc.) or applied after-the-fact (applied by the user) to the body for treating the user skin. Advantageously, the finger sleeve is capable of cleaning a user face by applying the skin cleansing agent to the user face and removing facial makeup therefrom. |
| US08898839B2 |
Evacuation sled
An evacuation sled for non-ambulatory patients preferably including a sheet having a plurality of handholds disposed about the left and right side edges of the sheet, each handhold comprising an opening with a reinforcement above the opening. A plurality of patient retention straps are coupled to the sheet and are configured to secure a patient in the sheet when the sheet is curved upward about the patient. A pull strap is coupled through a head of the sheet and is configured to permit a person to drag the patient strapped to the sheet. Preferably, a foot strap is affixed to the head pull strap and coupled to the foot of the sheet. The foot strap is configured to cause, when tension is applied to the head pull strap, at least one portion of the plastic sheet foot to raise upward and at least partially enclose the feet of the patient. |
| US08898836B1 |
Self leveling caddy
A caddy for use with hospital staff or patients provides a rigid housing having a carriage with at least one vertically and, preferably, at least one horizontally accessible compartments. The housing provides a semi-circular opening above the carriage to act as a handle while also, for many embodiments, a back to which a pivot connects to a connector which connects to a hospital bed rail to maintain the caddy in a pre-determined relationship while the rail is angled relative to a horizontal surface. |
| US08898835B2 |
Fitted blanket with opening and closing mechanism
A fitted blanket fits over a mattress and secures underneath to prevent the blanket from moving off the user while sleeping in bed. The blanket can include an elastic material on at least the underside corner edges thereof. Children and adults alike can stay warm at night as their blankets cannot fall away or off of them while sleeping. The fitted blanket may further include an opening and closing mechanism to allow for easy entry and exit, rather than having to untuck the blanket, as is the case with conventional blankets. The opening and closing mechanism may also provide an easy way to make the bed. The fitted nature of the blanket prevents blanket slippage or movement. The blanket may further include a cut-out region for pillow placement. The blanket can also include glow-in-the-dark elements or illuminated elements to light up the blanket at night. |
| US08898834B1 |
Stabilizing and hybrid bedding sheets for a bed dressing and a set thereof
A bed dressing and set includes several articles of bed linens or bed clothing. A top sheet includes a plurality of apertures configured to accept at least one fastener along ends of a bottom sheet. The bottom sheet includes straps which extend from a substantially central portion along foot and head ends to engage with multiple sidewall points to secure the bottom sheet in place on top of a mattress. Together, the bottom sheet and top sheet substantially eliminate the possibility of bed clothing moving out of a stable position when the bed is in use, creating an adjustable personal fit for the bed occupant to improve sleep quality and comfort. |
| US08898833B2 |
Infant and preemie swaddling wraps with neck padding
An infant garment including a body for covering an infant and neck padding located within the body and extending from the base of the skull of an infant positioned on the body to the top of the shoulder blades of the infant positioned on the body, and from shoulder-to-shoulder of the infant positioned on the body, wherein the neck padding includes a greater degree of padding than the body. |
| US08898832B2 |
Collapsible, folding mattress support
A foldable mattress support has an adjustable inner frame with a ratchet support for raising the head of a mattress. Legs are incorporated into the side and end bars of the mattress support. Upper and lower bars of the support are pivotally attached to the vertical plate of a hinge. Bolts oriented along axes of rotation pass through the bars and through the vertical plate. A first upper bar pivots about a first axis; a second upper bar pivots about a second axis; a first lower bar pivots about a third axis; and a second lower bar pivots about a fourth axis. Each of the axes is orthogonal to the vertical plate, and the third axis is spaced farther apart from the fourth axis than the first axis is spaced apart from the second axis. The distal ends of the upper and lower bars are pivotally attached to end bars. |
| US08898830B2 |
Patient support and transport system of a multimodality medical suite
A patient support and transport system for a multi-modality medical suite includes a track system with one track in one room aligned with another track in another room. A support carriage coupled to the track system and configured to move between the two rooms. A duplex socket interface module attached to the support carriage and flexible raceway including a first conduit management system coupled to the support carriage and configured to automatically couple with and decouple with the duplex socket interface module. A second conduit management system is coupled to electrical and data ports and include a conduit interface module configured to automatically couple with and decouple with the duplex socket interface module. The patient support and transport system also includes a vertical support member coupled to the support carriage and a support assembly coupled to the vertical support member configured to selectively articulate a patient bed. |
| US08898821B2 |
Flame resistant fabric with anisotropic properties
Flame resistant fabrics are formed by warp and fill yarns having different fiber contents. The fabrics are constructed, for example, by selection of a suitable weaving pattern, such that the body side of the fabric and the face side of the fabric have different properties. The fabrics described herein can be printable and dyeable on both sides of the fabric and are suitable for use in military and industrial garments. Methods of forming flame resistant fabrics, and methods for forming garments from the fabrics, are also described. |
| US08898820B2 |
Layered apparel with attachable and detachable elements
An article apparel has a surface with a first part of a fastening system, and an attachment element has an outer area with a second part of the fastening system. The first part of the fastening system is joinable to the second part of the fastening system to attach the attachment element to the apparel. The first part of the fastening system is also separable from the second part of the fastening system to separate the attachment element from the apparel. The attachment element may be formed from a polymer foam material, may include a fluid-filled chamber, or may incorporate an electronic device, for example. In some configurations, the attachment element is secured to an exterior of the apparel. In other configurations, the attachment element is secured between two layers of the apparel. |
| US08898818B1 |
Helmet having blunt force trauma protection
A helmet having blunt force trauma protection includes a prior art helmet and a replaceable impact layer. The replaceable impact layer preferably includes at least one air bubble layer, a removable attachment system and an outer layer of sheet material. The at least one air bubble layer includes a plurality of air bubbles created between two plastic sheets. Each bubble will burst upon a pre-determined impact. The plurality of bubbles preferably have a hexagon shape, but other shapes may also be used, such as round or square. The removable attachment system is preferably hook and loop fasteners, but other suitable removable attachment systems may also be used. At least one first pad of hook and loop fasteners is attached to an exterior surface of a prior art helmet and at least one second pad of hook and loop fasteners is attached to a bottom surface of the replaceable impact layer. |
| US08898815B1 |
Glove system with scrubber
A glove system that prohibits an aqueous solution used with a glove from running down an elevated arm onto a body of a user features a tubular glove hand component that is flexible. The system features a scrubber component located on a hand component palmar surface with a plurality of linear scrubber component reliefs located at each movable joint area of the hand component palmar surface. The system features a tubular glove arm component designed to cover a wrist and a forearm of the user. The system features a rigid glove cuff having a cylindrical cuff wall and an outer cuff wall. An intersection of a cylindrical cuff wall second end and an outer cuff wall second end features a direction reversing transition designed to offset an outer cuff wall inside surface from a cylindrical cuff wall outside surface an offset distance. |
| US08898813B2 |
Easy access individual needs one piece garment
A one-piece garments employing a drop seat panel configured or modified to permit the wearer to have restroom breaks or attend to other individual needs without being required to partially or fully remove the garment is disclosed. The garment has creates a horizontal separation at the back waistband that goes from side seam to side seam; vertical separation of the front of the garment from the back of the garment beginning at the waistband and running down both side seams to the desired length. The garment includes a closures to close the vertical separation of the garment from the waistband down each side seam the length of the opening; and closures to attach the back bottom part of the one piece garment to the top back part of the one piece garment in the region where the separation of the garment runs horizontally between the side seams. |
| US08904561B2 |
Mechanical detection of Raman resonance
An atomic force microscope based apparatus and method for detecting Raman effect on a sample of interest utilizes first and second electromagnetic sources to emit first electromagnetic radiation of frequency Vi and second electromagnetic radiation of frequency V2 onto a probe tip, which is coupled to a structure that can oscillate the probe tip. The frequency Vi and the frequency v2 are selected to induce Raman effect on a sample engaged by the probe tip that results in Raman force interactions between the probe tip and the sample. Oscillations of the probe tip due to the Raman force interactions are then measured. |
| US08904558B2 |
Detecting web browser based attacks using browser digest compute tests using digest code provided by a remote source
The detection of web browser-based attacks using browser tests launched from a remote source is described. In one example, a digest is computed based on the content of an HTTP response message. The message is modified and sent to a client device that also computes a digest. The digests are compared to determine whether content has been modified by malware on the HTTP client. The results of the test are analyzed and defensive measures are taken. |
| US08904552B2 |
System and method for protecting data information stored in storage
A system and method are provided for protecting data information stored in a storage medium. The system includes a memory unit which is divided into a plurality of storage regions in which data information is stored; a domain unit which includes a plurality of OS domains, which are access subjects, and loads the data information stored in the storage regions that are accessed by the OS domains; and a control unit which controls access of the domain unit to the memory unit. |
| US08904550B2 |
Selection of sandbox for initiating application
Methods and devices selecting a sandbox for initiating an application are described. In one aspect a method includes: providing within a hybrid record access application, a selectable option to access an attachment associated with a record, the record being associated with one of a plurality of sandboxes, the hybrid record access application configured to access records associated with the plurality of sandboxes, the plurality of sandboxes configured to prevent data from moving between different sandboxes; and initiating within the sandbox associated with the record, an application to access the attachment when selection of the selectable option is received. |
| US08904543B2 |
Discovery of application vulnerabilities involving multiple execution flows
Methods and systems for security analysis of an application are disclosed. One system includes a flow-insensitive analyzer, a control flow assessment module and a flow-sensitive analyzer. The flow-insensitive analyzer is configured to conduct a flow-insensitive analysis on the application to obtain a set of potential vulnerabilities in the application. In addition, the control flow assessment module is configured to determine, for each of the potential vulnerabilities, a relevant set of control flows that include the respective vulnerability. Further, the flow-sensitive analyzer is configured to perform, by a hardware processor, for each relevant set of control flows, a flow-sensitive analysis of at least one of the control flows in the corresponding relevant set to assess the validity of the respective vulnerability. |
| US08904542B2 |
System, method and computer readable medium for evaluating potential attacks of worms
A method for evaluating potential attacks of worms, the method includes: associating, in response to information representative of a network and of worm entities, between worm entities and potential worm sources to provide associated worm sources; determining potential worm attacks that start from the associated worm sources; and evaluating at least one potential worm attack security metric associated with the potential worm attacks. |
| US08904534B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting scans in real-time
A method and apparatus for detecting scans are described. In one example, a plurality of flows is allocated into a plurality of bins associated with different source internet protocol (SIP) addresses. A set of bin characteristics for at least one bin of the plurality of bins is generated if the at least one bin reaches a predefined flow capacity. Afterwards, the set of bin characteristics is compared to a scan characteristics list to determine if a potential scan exists. |
| US08904532B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for detecting botnet
A method, an apparatus, and a system for detecting Botnet are disclosed. The method for detecting Botnet includes: obtaining an address information about a control host in a Bot sample by using an auto breakout environment; sending a query request message to a traffic analysis device to obtain an address information of a Bot host connected with the control host, in which the query request message carries the address information about the control host; and receiving a query response message returned by the traffic analysis device, in which the query response message carries the address information of the Bot host connected with the control host. The method for detecting Botnet can obtain the Botnet information in real time and construct a topology of the Botnet. |
| US08904531B1 |
Detecting advanced persistent threats
Techniques are provided for detecting the source of an APT-based leaked document by iteratively or recursively evaluating a set of network security logs (e.g., SIEM logs and FPC logs) for events consistent with APT behavior according to a set of heuristics to generate a reduced set of security events for consideration by the CIRT. A method of detecting an APT attack on an enterprise system is provided. The method includes (a) receiving, in a computerized device, an indication that a document has been leaked outside the enterprise system, (b) evaluating a log of security events of the enterprise system using a set of heuristics to produce a reduced set of events potentially relevant to the APT attack, and (c) outputting the reduced set of events over a user interface for consideration by a security analysis team. A system and computer program product for performing this method are also provided. |
| US08904530B2 |
System and method for detecting remotely controlled E-mail spam hosts
A system for detecting a remotely controlled e-mail spam host. The system includes an E-mail spammer detection unit and a host traffic profiling unit. The E-mail spammer detection unit identifies E-mail Spammers based on SMTP traffic characteristics. The host profiling unit extracts traffic components from the plurality of Internet traffic associated with an E-mail Spammer; interprets the extracted traffic components and determines whether the E-mail Spammer is a compromised host. The system may also include a botnet controller detection unit that analyzes traffic associated with compromised E-mail Spammers and identifies the botnet Controller remotely controlling the compromised E-mail Spammer. |
| US08904528B2 |
Method and apparatus for translation of business messages
A system and method are provided for translation of business messages between trading partners. A routing slip is determined based upon information related to the sender and information related to the recipient of the business message. The business message is processed using business data rationalization in accordance with the routing slip, wherein business data rationalization includes parsing an arbitrary syntax of the business message and applying semantically meaningful names to individual data elements or sets of elements of the business message identified by the arbitrary syntax. |
| US08904524B1 |
Detection of fast flux networks
Improved techniques of identifying a malicious communication involve a lightweight evaluator obtaining a domain name directly from a network transmission. The lightweight evaluator performs a query of the domain name on a database of known network transactions. Results of the query include IP addresses to which the domain name has resolved in prior transactions and Time To Live (TTL) values for each of those IP addresses. To such results of the query, the lightweight evaluator applies a set of heuristics which are arranged to determine whether the domain name could plausibly be a FFDN. Based on the result of the application of the heuristics to the domain name, the lightweight evaluator sends to a backend evaluator the domain name and a command to confirm whether the domain name is a FFDN. |
| US08904521B2 |
Client-side prevention of cross-site request forgeries
Cross-site request forgeries (“XSRF”) can be prevented using a client-side plugin on a client computer. The client computer accesses a content provided by a third party host via a network and generates a request to a web application as directed by the content. The client-side plugin determines whether the request is associated with suspicious activities based on the content, a source of the request and a list of approved hosts associated with the target host. In response to a determination that the request is associated with suspicious activities, the plugin removes authentication credentials from the request and sends the request to the web application. |
| US08904512B1 |
Distributed multi-processing security gateway
A system and method for a distributed multi-processing security gateway establishes a host side session, selects a proxy network address for a server, uses the proxy network address to establish a server side session, receives a data packet, assigns a central processing unit core from a plurality of central processing unit cores in a multi-core processor of the security gateway to process the data packet, processes the data packet according to security policies, and sends the processed data packet. The proxy network address is selected such that a same central processing unit core is assigned to process data packets from the server side session and the host side session. By assigning central processing unit cores in this manner, higher capable security gateways are provided. |
| US08904508B2 |
System and method for real time secure image based key generation using partial polygons assembled into a master composite image
A method including: receiving, at a first device, a challenge provided from a second device, wherein the challenge includes an encoding algorithm and a request for credentials from the first device; and outputting, from the first device to the second device, a response to the challenge, wherein the response includes at least one image, the at least one image including an article of evidence arranged according to the encoding algorithm. |
| US08904506B1 |
Dynamic account throttling
A user account may be throttled to restrict access once aberrant behavior is detected. Upon receiving a request to access the user account, a determination of whether the user account is in a throttled state may be made. In some aspects, when the user account is not in a throttled state, user account access may be determined based at least in part on an access credential. Further, in some aspects, when the user account is in a throttled state, user account access may be determined based at least in part on an access credential and other client information associated with the user account. |
| US08904505B2 |
Method for establishing a protected setup and wireless registration requesting device implementing the same
A method and apparatus for automatically establishing a wired protected setup between an enrollee requesting registration and a registrar granting registration are provided. The method includes: determining whether a power line communication (PLC) between the enrollee and the registrar is possible; and if it is determined that the PLC with the registrar is possible, receiving a personal identification number (PIN) from the registrar through the power line and transmitting an acknowledgement (ACK) message to the registrar through the power line as a response to the received PIN. |
| US08904503B2 |
Systems and methods for providing access to data accounts within user profiles via cloud-based storage services
A computer-implemented method for providing access to data accounts within user profiles via cloud-based storage services may include (1) identifying a user profile associated with a user of a cloud-based storage service, (2) identifying a plurality of data accounts within the user profile associated with the user of the cloud-based storage service, (3) detecting a request from a client-based application associated with the user of the cloud-based storage service to access at least a portion of data stored in a data account within the user profile, (4) locating a unique account name that identifies the data account in the request, and then (5) satisfying the request from the client-based application associated with the user to access the portion of data stored in the data account via the cloud-based storage service. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US08904502B1 |
Systems and methods for rating organizations using user defined password gates
A system and method for implementing password gates for entities and/or content is disclosed. A password gate may determine whether a select group of users are allowed to access a particular entity and/or content in order to rate and/or provide commentary with respect to that particular entity/content. The select group of users may be permitted access based on the ability to satisfy the password gate. A password gate may comprise a question that only a select group of users can correctly answer. Users may be able to create password gates and/or vote on existing password gates associated with entities and/or content. The highest rated password gate may be presented to a user attempting to gain access to a particular entity/content. |
| US08904501B2 |
Method and system for automated emergency access to medical records
This invention is a method and a system for accessing medical records of an injured party by an emergency responder through a secure website, utilizing a portable emergency access card provided with at least one item of information of the victim, while offering safeguards for the confidentiality of the victim's information and records. |
| US08904497B2 |
Providing an operational dashboard
Systems, methods, and devices for providing an operational dashboard are described herein. One method includes receiving operational data associated with a system, receiving credentials associated with a user of a user device including a number of display elements configurable by the user, and determining a particular portion of the operational data to provide to the user via the display elements of the user device based, at least in part, on the credentials. |
| US08904493B1 |
Image-based challenge-response testing
Various implementations for verifying that a user device is being operated by a person are described. In some implementations, a method includes receiving a challenge request. The method selects two or more first images from a first image category and one or more second images from one or more second image categories, which are distinct from the first image category. The method sends a challenge to the user device for presentation to the person. The challenge includes a challenge parameter and data describing the two or more first images and the one or more second images. The method receives a challenge response from the user device describing a user selection of at least one image from among the two or more first images and the one or more second images and determines a result of the challenge based on the challenge response and the challenge parameter. |
| US08904492B2 |
Method of controlling information processing system, computer-readable recording medium storing program for controlling apparatus
A method includes generating, by a relay apparatus, association information on the basis of access information such that a plurality of pieces of code included in a received application program are associated with information on permission for executing the plurality of pieces of code, and sending the received application program and the generated association information to a client apparatus configured to execute the received application program, receiving the received application program and the association information from the relay apparatus, and executing, by a client apparatus, a piece of code that is permitted to be executed and not executing a piece of code that is not permitted to be executed with reference to the association information when the client apparatus executes the plurality of pieces of code included in the received application program. |
| US08904488B2 |
Managing online shop using instant messaging system
An instant messaging system may be used to allow an auxiliary account to log in and manage an online shop of a primary account user. The primary account user creates an online shop in an online shop server, and associates itself with one or more auxiliary accounts in an instant messaging system. Upon authorization by primary account user to allow an auxiliary account to manage the online shop, the system records an authorization relation between the auxiliary account and the primary account. The authorization relation may be recorded in the instant messaging system. Based on the recorded authorization relation, the system allows a user of the authorized auxiliary account to manage the online shop system through the instant messaging system. An instant messaging server serving for this purpose is also disclosed. |
| US08904487B2 |
Preventing information theft
An embodiment generally relates to a method of preventing information theft. The method includes receiving access information including a password, comparing the access information to stored access information, and verifying a destination of the access information to determine if the destination is valid for the access information. The access information is transmitted based on the comparison to the stored access information and the verification of the destination. |
| US08904486B2 |
Method and system for autonomic security configuration
A method, system and computer program product for autonomic security configuration may include controlling a security configuration of at least one resource forming a solution based on a plurality of security requirements. The method may further include applying the plurality of security requirements across a plurality of resources independent of a resource type. |
| US08904480B2 |
Social authentication of users
User authentication is provided. A social network associated with a user of a client device is monitored to determine whether a set of designated users are currently logged in and authenticated to access a secure resource. A video connection is established between the user of the client device and the set of designated users that are currently logged in and authenticated to access the secure resource. In addition, an authentication request screen is sent showing captured video authentication data corresponding to the user of the client device to the set of designated users that are currently logged in and authenticated to access the secure resource. |
| US08904476B2 |
Retrospective policy safety net
These and other objectives are attained with a method and system for evaluating an access policy change. The method comprises the step of providing an access control mechanism having a first policy, and an audit log having entries of accesses made under that first policy. The method comprises the further steps of submitting a second policy to the access control mechanism, comparing the log entries to the second policy, and based on the results of the comparing step, taking one of a predetermined number of actions. |
| US08904466B2 |
Digital media distribution device
A digital media distribution device that includes an encoder, a decoder coupled to the encoder, and a transcoder coupled to the decoder. The encoder is configured to encode input data that is received by the digital media distribution device into a first data format. The decoder is configured to decode output data to be output by the digital media distribution device. The transcoder is configured to convert the encoded input data from the first data format into a second data format. The digital media distribution device is configured to be coupled to a computer network. |
| US08904463B2 |
Live video broadcasting on distributed networks
The techniques related to providing a live program over the Internet are described. According to one aspect of the techniques, a data stream representing a live program is preprocessed to produce a plurality of substreams, each of the substreams comprising decimated samples of the data stream. The number of substreams is relatively large so that the bandwidth requirement for delivering one of the substreams is relatively low. With a group of seeding boxes receiving the substreams, a group of boxes in services are designated to receive the substreams from the seeding boxes, each of these boxes including the seeding boxes is able to support multiple outbound streams (e.g., greater than 2) so that there are enough data suppliers to service the ordering boxes or colonize more boxes to become the data suppliers. As a result, a live program can be timely serviced by peer boxes, significantly reducing the computation and bandwidth burdens on a server(s). |
| US08904461B2 |
Broadcast signal receiving device and method for executing data broadcasting application of the same
A broadcast signal receiving device includes a profile management module that manages user profile information indicating whether to execute a data broadcasting application received via a channel, an application filtering module that filters data composing a data broadcasting application from data signals of broadcast signals, and an application management module that executes a data broadcasting application composed of the filtered data and according to the user profile information. |
| US08904460B2 |
Methods and apparatus for locating leakage of digital signals
A leak defined by coordinates is located in a network. A signal emitted from the leak is detected at first, second and third points having first, second and third sets of coordinates, respectively. Propagation delays t1, t2 and t3 of the signal are measured, which include the propagation delays between the leak and the first, second and third points, respectively. The time difference Δt12 between delays t1 and t2 and the time difference Δt23 between delays t2 and t3 are calculated. The approximate location of the leak is determined by solving for the coordinates of the leak in at least two hyperbolic equations, where the equations are defined by the time differences Δt12 and Δt23, and by the first, second and third sets of coordinates. |
| US08904459B2 |
Apparatus and method for managing media content for mobile devices
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to access a broadcast of media content in response to a request to record the media content from a mobile communication device, and adjust a format of the media content based at least in part on a user profile associated with the mobile communication device where the user profile comprises device format preferences. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08904457B2 |
Archiving a live media presentation
A computer-implemented method for archiving a live media presentation includes archiving the live media presentation as it is being streamed from a live server, wherein the archiving includes recording the live media presentation in fixed-length segments. A segment name is associated with each of the segments, wherein each of the segment names includes a time stamp. The fixed-length segments are stored on a video on-demand (VOD) server. A manifest is generated that describes at least a portion of the live media presentation and identifies a uniform resource locator (URL) to be used by a client device to access a first one of the segments, wherein the URL includes the segment name of the first segment. |
| US08904455B2 |
Personal video recorder functionality for placeshifting systems
PVR functionality is enabled on a media player of a placeshifting system, which allows a user to record media programs from locations that are physically remote from a source of the media programs. The media player may receive program schedule information and present the program schedule information to the user. Based on user input, the media player identifies a media program and associated schedule information. When the media program is scheduled to play, the placeshifting device directs a media recording device to receive the media program and to store the program. The placeshifting device may digitize, transcode, and/or transrate the media program, if necessary, and transmit the media program to the remote device for playback. |
| US08904454B2 |
Method and arrangement for storing and playing back TV programmes
The invention relates to a method and a PVR server for storing and playing back TV programs, in particular to an improved method for operating a network PVR and to an improved PVR server (102). The inventive method consists in determining the number of users storing in the personal archives thereof a determined TV program, which is stored in the memory (108) of the PVR server (102). When the user number is less than a predefined limit value, an erasing signal occurs to them and the program is cleared during a configurable period of time if no user selects said program as to be preserved. |
| US08904453B2 |
Systems and methods for seamlessly switching between media streams
Systems and methods for switching between encoded media streams are disclosed. A system may be configured to receive at least two media streams of differing qualities that are associated with an identical media asset. The system can seamlessly switch between a first media stream and a second media stream using an algorithm that can determine which frames of a second stream must be discarded to sync the second stream with the first media stream. The two media streams can then be cross faded to switch from the first media stream to the second media stream. |
| US08904452B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing dynamic pricing services for an interactive information distribution system
A method and apparatus for providing subscription-on-demand (SOD) services for a interactive information distribution system, where a consumer may subscribe to packages of on-demand programs for a single price and view the programs in the subscribed package at any time for no additional cost. The apparatus and method are embodied in a combination of software, which provides a so called navigator, and hardware, including a subscriber terminal that provides certain functionality for the navigator and service provider equipment that supports the functionality of the terminal. As such, graphical user interface functionality is distributed between the service provider equipment and subscriber equipment (subscriber terminal). Such distribution provides an enjoyable, real time interactive process for accessing SOD services that allows the subscriber to rapidly identify and access a subscription service. In addition, a non-subscriber of a particular service is quickly identified and provided the opportunity to, through the use of a graphical user interface, subscribe to the programming provided by the system. |
| US08904451B2 |
Systems for prioritizing video processing events based on availability of media file and agent to process the event type
This disclosure relates to methods and systems for queuing events. In one aspect, a method is disclosed that receives or creates an event and inserts the event into a queue. The method determines at least one property of the event and associates a priority with the event based on the property. The method then processes the event in accordance with its priority. |
| US08904449B2 |
Remote control unit for activating and deactivating means for payment and for displaying payment status
The invention relates to a remote control unit for intelligent digital audiovisual reproduction systems, comprising storage means, payment means, a sound control circuit, display means and a metal chassis wherein said remote control unit comprises a distant radio frequency transmitter that is associated with a radio frequency receiver connected to the sound control circuit of the audiovisual reproduction system. |
| US08904443B2 |
System and method for improving home network GUI response time and presentation
GUI presentation in a home network is improved by using a video encoding tailored for GUI, while using normal video encoding for video presentation. Also, GUI command response time is shortened by reserving, for transmission of commands originated by a user input device, a time slot in a contention free period (CFP) of a transmission cycle between a client device receiving the commands and a server executing them. |
| US08904437B2 |
Similar content search device and computer-readable storage medium
According to one embodiment, a phrase similarity is reduced when a common genre characteristic word is included in a program of interest interested by a user and a similar phrase program including the same phrase. A genre similarity is increased when a common genre characteristic word is included in the program of interest and a similar genre program including the same genre as the program of interest. The similar phrase program is presented based on the phrase similarity, and the similar genre program is presented based on the genre similarity. |
| US08904436B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing preferred broadcast information
A method and apparatus for providing preferred broadcast information are provided. A Social Networking Service (SNS) server is requested to search for pieces of information in an SNS that are related to at least one broadcast channel by providing at least one keyword that identifies the at least one broadcast channel to the SNS server. The pieces of information are extracted from the SNS server. Preferred broadcast information is extracted from the pieces of information. The preferred broadcast information is provided to a user of the apparatus. |
| US08904435B2 |
Electronic program guide for indicating availability of past programs
A system and method for providing an electronic program guide for television or radio programs includes presenting listing of present or future programs on-screen, presenting listings of past programs on-screen and indicating whether the past program is available again at a future time. Also, a system and method for handling information controllable from an electronic program guide for television or radio programs comprises receiving information in a user's system, storing the received information in the user's system, displaying access to the stored information by means of a user interface and enabling the user to select one of a plurality of management options for controlling the operation of the stored information through the user interface. |
| US08904434B2 |
Information display apparatus and information display method
According to one embodiment, an information display apparatus, comprising: a first display controller configured to display a broadcasting station information to identify a plurality of broadcasting stations on a screen; a acquiring module configured to acquire one or more short comments with respect to the broadcasting station information from a server connected through a network; and a second display controller configured to display the one or more short comments on the screen on each of the plurality of broadcasting stations. |
| US08904431B2 |
Current device location advertisement distribution
In embodiments of current device location advertisement distribution, a mobile network operator receives television content from a content service and can then communicate the television content to a client device via a wireless distribution point. A device location service determines that a current location of the client device is not within a geographic region associated with the client device, and updates the current location of the client device from location data that identifies the current location of the client device. The television content can then be updated for distribution to the client device along with advertisements that correspond to an advertising locale, which includes the current location of the client device. |
| US08904429B2 |
Electronic device and method for information about service provider
The method of providing information about service providers according to the present invention for achieving the technical goals includes setting regional information of the electronic device based on regional information received through a user interface unit or location information obtained by a location information module, transmitting the set regional information to a server, receiving information about a service provider related to the transmitted regional information from the server, and displaying the received information about the service provider. |
| US08904424B2 |
Object and resource security system
According to the invention, a method for securing a plaintext object within a content receiver is disclosed. In one step, a secure portion of a secure object and a plaintext remainder of the secure object are received. Which portion of the secure object is the secure portion is determined. The secure portion is decrypted to provide a plaintext portion. The plaintext object that comprises the plaintext portion and the plaintext remainder is formed. The plaintext object is stored including authentication and authorization. |
| US08904422B1 |
Subscription and channel management technology
Subscription and channel management technology, in which a system allows a user to subscribe to a subset of the available channels on a content delivery network and personalize at least one channel. The system identifies a user identity of the user and stores, in a user database, channel subscription information for the user identity based on the subset of channels to which the user subscribed and the user personalization. The system identifies a downloader device associated with the user identity and controls the downloader device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database. |
| US08904419B2 |
System and method for measuring television audience engagement
A system and method are disclosed that measures audience engagement with a program based on the time a user spends viewing the program. A program's ability to retain viewers is referred to as the “stickiness” of the program. The viewership for a program is determined by the system and then compared to viewership of various other programs in order to assess the audience retention for the analyzed program as compared to the retention of the other programs. The system calculates a “stickiness index” for the program, which is a numerical representation of the analyzed program's stickiness as compared to the average of the other programs. The system may generate a report including the analyzed data and calculated stickiness index for advertisers, agencies, media sellers, or other parties that are interested in assessing viewership of the analyzed program. |
| US08904418B1 |
Logging TV viewing activities using an infrared detector
A system for logging the TV viewing activities at a household includes a TV messaging device at the household and a remote TV viewership measurement server communicatively coupled to the messaging device. The TV messaging device receives an infrared signal including a TV operation code from a remote control device within the household. The infrared signal is directed to a particular TV to perform a predefined operation. The TV messaging device generates a TV operation message including the TV operation code and a household identifier associated with the household and transmits the TV operation message to the TV viewership measurement server. Upon receipt of the TV operation message, the TV viewership measurement server tries to identify one of multiple TV devices within the household as being the target of the TV operation code and updates TV viewership data associated with the household in accordance with the TV operation code. |
| US08904413B2 |
Magazine box
A magazine box is provided for removably storing a plurality of disc-storing magazines used in a disc apparatus for feeding a disc to each of a plurality of disc drives. The magazines each include a tray for storing the disc, a case for removably storing the tray, and a first locking mechanism for releasably locking the tray to the case. The magazine box further includes a second locking mechanism for releasably locking the case of each of the plurality of magazines to the magazine box, and the second locking mechanism maintains the locked state at least during the automatic tray-ejection from the case in the disc apparatus is conducted. |
| US08904409B2 |
Providing interface support for application workspace persistence
The method and system of the present invention include recording a first transition by an agent interface between a first session and a second session of a plurality of sessions in a communication utility. The first transition is recorded in a transition record. Responsive to receipt of a request to initiate a third session by the communication utility, a transition frequency is determined using the transition record. Whether to accept the request to initiate the third session is determined using the transition frequency, and the request to initiate the third session is accepted. |
| US08904404B2 |
Estimating migration costs for migrating logical partitions within a virtualized computing environment based on a migration cost history
Responsive to a hypervisor determining that insufficient local resources are available for reservation to meet a performance parameter for at least one resource specified in a reservation request for a particular logical partition managed by the hypervisor in a host system, the hypervisor identifies another logical partition managed by the hypervisor in the host system that is assigned at the least one resource meeting the performance parameter specified in the reservation request. The hypervisor estimates a first cost of migrating the particular logical partition and a second cost of migrating the another logical partition to at least one other host system communicatively connected in a peer-to-peer network based on at least one previously recorded cost stored by the host system of migrating a previous logical partition to the at least one other host system. |
| US08904398B2 |
Hierarchical task mapping
Mapping tasks to physical processors in parallel computing system may include partitioning tasks in the parallel computing system into groups of tasks, the tasks being grouped according to their communication characteristics (e.g., pattern and frequency); mapping, by a processor, the groups of tasks to groups of physical processors, respectively; and fine tuning, by the processor, the mapping within each of the groups. |
| US08904395B2 |
Scheduling events in a virtualized computing environment based on a cost of updating scheduling times or mapping resources to the event
Systems and methods for scheduling events in a virtualized computing environment are provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises scheduling one or more events in a first event queue implemented in a computing environment, in response to determining that number of events in the first event queue is greater than a first threshold value, wherein the first event queue comprises a first set of events received for purpose of scheduling, wherein said first set of events remain unscheduled; mapping the one or more events in the first event queue to one or more server resources in a virtualized computing environment; receiving a second set of events included in a second event queue, wherein one more events in the second set of event are defined as having a higher priority than one or more events in the first event queue that have or have not yet been scheduled. |
| US08904388B2 |
Scripting language executor service for applications
A method and system for executing scripts on virtual machines is provided. The system includes an executor service that accepts scripts, parameters, authentication information from another process that needs to invoke a script on a target virtual machine (or group of virtual machines). The executor service remains running even after a script has completed execution. The executor service accepts any number of scripts and places them in a command queue. Agents running on the target virtual machine(s) check-in with the executor service to receive scripts from the command queue. Also, the executor service may directly invoke a script using a persistent connection to a virtual machine management center. |
| US08904387B2 |
Storage manager for virtual machines with virtual storage
A storage manager connects containers of virtual machine (VM) images and virtual storage device data within hosts. The storage management provides a set of northbound application programming interfaces (APIs) that allow configuration of images associated with VM images and virtual storage devices provided to the operating systems and applications within virtual machine images. The northbound APIs, include methods for creating a virtual storage container that contains storage for the VM instance and also at least one virtual storage device to be provided to an operating system executed by the VM, a method for causing an attach of the virtual storage container to the host and a method for causing a deployment of the virtual storage device within the host. A set of southbound APIs are provided by the host, including at least a method that creates virtual storage devices and a method that attaches virtual storage devices to the host. |
| US08904382B2 |
Creating instances of cloud computing environments
Embodiments of the present invention provide a flexible approach to construct/create instances of cloud computing environments. Specifically, under embodiments of the present invention, an image of a virtual machine instance is created from the following components: image bits; content such as the liner notes, manual, metadata, etc.; end user information (so that the image can be customized for one or more specific end users); values provided to an installer; and cloud based values (e.g., IP address, hostname, etc.). By constructing the virtual machine using this approach, dynamic aspects of the image are managed external to the static binary representation of the image. This would include artifacts such as documentation, install scripts, binary files, etc. Additionally, user supplied data can be captured dynamically and copied to customize the image at the time of instance creation. Still yet, embodiments of the present invention provides system level configuration to construct the virtual machine. |
| US08904380B1 |
Software installation on a multi-chassis network device
A multi-chassis router allows an administrator to install software from a single user interface. The multi-chassis router automatically forwards the software to each chassis within the multi-chassis router when given a single command to install the software from an administrator. The multi-chassis router also automatically validates the software on each chassis. After reporting the results of the validations, the multi-chassis router may wait for the administrator to issue a commit command before committing each chassis within the multi-chassis router to the software. Alternatively, in response to a failed validation or for other reason, an administrator can issue a single ROLLBACK command. This allows each chassis within the multi-chassis router to have the same software during all stages of a software installation and ensures software on each chassis is compatible with software on every other chassis. |
| US08904377B2 |
Reconfiguration of computer system to allow application installation
A method and apparatus for installing an application on a computer are disclosed. Following receipt of a request to install an application, a software state, comprising the new application and several of the applications installed on the computer, is derived. Then, the method determines whether the software state can be implemented on the computer. If the software state cannot be implemented on the computer, then the method derives another software state. This is repeated until the derived software state can be implemented on the computer system, or until determining that no software state exists which can be implemented on the computer system. |
| US08904373B2 |
Method for persisting specific variables of a software application
Some embodiments of the invention provide a variable persister that allows an application running on a device to efficiently make a set of variables persistent across termination and relaunch of the application. According to some embodiments of the invention, an application executing on the device can utilize this archiving service by simply having its persisted variables declared in the application's code as variables that are to be persisted. Based on such declarations, the variable persisting service of the device stores the values of the set of persisted variables in a non-volatile storage archive (e.g., disk, flash storage, etc.) when the application terminates, and retrieves these values from the archive when the application restarts such that the values of the persisted variables are restored to a state before the application was last terminated. |
| US08904370B2 |
Optimization of meta-template instantiations
An illustrative embodiment provides a computer-implemented method for an alternate type system for optimizing the evaluation and use of meta-template instantiations. The computer-implemented method obtains a source code, instantiates an element of the source code to form an instantiated element and identifies a meta-template within the instantiated element to form an identified meta-template. The computer-implemented method creates an entry for the identified meta-template in a first data structure, wherein the entry comprises a set of mapped entries, creates an associated entry in a second data structure linked to the entry comprising the set of mapped entries, wherein the associated entry represents the set of mapped entries, and uses the associated entry of the second data structure in combination with the entry of the first data structure. |
| US08904368B2 |
Instantiating a composite application for different target platforms
A method, system, and computer program product for instantiating a composite application for different target platforms. In an exemplary manner, a template that describes a composite application having a plurality of application components is created. The template includes a composite application component assembly descriptor and a plurality of platform-specific handlers. The composite application component assembly descriptor lists each application component of the composite application. The platform-specific handlers handle the deployment of application components for the different target platforms. The composite application component assembly descriptor is evaluated to identify platform-specific implementations of the composite application components. The composite application is instantiated using one of the plurality of platform-specific handlers. The platform-specific handlers are included in the template for a platform-specific deployment for one of the plurality of target platforms. |
| US08904364B2 |
Execution in workflow BPM engine
An apparatus and a method for executing a workflow in a business process management (BPM) engine is described. A business process management (BPM) process definition is generated based on a business process at a BPM generator of a BPM system. The BPM process definition is translated into a Java source code at a translator engine of the BPM system. The Java source code is compiled into a Java byte code at a compiler engine of the BPM engine. The processing device of the BPM system is configured to execute the Java byte code. |
| US08904362B2 |
Method and apparatus for display of windowing application programs on a terminal
An apparatus may include a network interface to facilitate communication with a second apparatus, and one or more machine-readable media with instructions executable by one or more processors to perform facilitating accessing a windows application resident on the second apparatus without executing locally the windows application resident on the second apparatus. An apparatus may facilitate providing windowing functionality to permit use of a windows application resident on the apparatus without requiring more than windowing information of the windows application to be provided. An apparatus may facilitate providing windowing information for display. An apparatus may facilitate provision of windowing information associated with a program executable on the apparatus configured to run a multi-user operating system, the program resident on the apparatus. One or more non-transitory machine-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US08904361B2 |
Non-intrusive method for logging of internal events within an application process, and system implementing this method
A method and computer system logs events occurring in an application in a single or multi-computer environment, functioning non-intrusively and transparently vis-á-vis this application. A first computer node receives a communication from a client; the first computer node executes a transactional application that provides services to the client. A process of the transactional application includes a call to a first function. In response to the call to the first function, a modified function is executed that calls both the first function and second recording function. The call to the recording function is detected at a secondary computer node, different from the first computer node. The recording function executes at the second node to store logged data at the second computer node, the logged data representing execution of the first process. |
| US08904359B2 |
On-demand monitoring of memory usage
A method, system, and computer usable program product for on-demand monitoring of memory usage are provided in the illustrative embodiments. An indication of a memory leak in an application is detected where the application is operating in a data processing system and using a memory associated with the data processing system. An instruction to begin monitoring a memory usage of the application is received responsive to the detection. Responsive to receiving the instruction to begin, the memory usage of the application is monitored. An instruction to dump a data related to the monitoring is received and the data is dumped. An instruction to end the monitoring is received and the monitoring is ended. The detecting, the beginning, the dumping, and the ending may occur while the application remains in operation and while the application uses the memory. The memory leak is confirmed using the data. |
| US08904354B2 |
Rule based syntax software test case generator
A system and computer implemented method includes receiving an input file containing a mark-up language based description of a syntax diagram having multiple elements and variations for multiple elements describing a set of test case queries, checking and validating the syntax diagram via a parser running on a processor, and generating and storing, on a computer readable medium, the set of test case queries by calculating permutations of the elements in the syntax diagram. |
| US08904348B2 |
Method and system for handling errors during script execution
The present disclosure is directed to a method and system for bulk-loading data into a data storage model. In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present disclosure a script having a plurality of statements is executed. Executing the script includes executing the plurality of statements in a predetermined order. One or more failed statements are identified. Each of the one or more failed statements are re-executed according to the predetermined order. |
| US08904347B2 |
Apparatus, method and system for building software by composition
A method and system are disclosed for building complex real-time software that scales well to a large number of processors or CPU cores. The software design and implementation method are based on a combination of object composition (hierarchical assembly) and desynchronizable inter-object interactions. |
| US08904340B2 |
Use of temporary optimized settings to reduce cycle time of automatically created spreadsheets
Aspects of the present invention provide a solution for reducing cycle time of automatically created spreadsheets. Specifically, an embodiment of the present invention provides a way to create a spreadsheet from data that is in a native format more quickly and/or efficiently. To do so, the invention accesses a control file using optimized settings to create the spreadsheet. Then, after creation of the spreadsheet, the invention uses a second control file having the final settings to modify the spreadsheet in preparation for output. The invention may use agents to perform all or a portion of these activities. |
| US08904337B2 |
Semiconductor device design method, system and computer-readable medium
A semiconductor device design system comprising at least one processor is configured to define a resistance-capacitance (RC) extraction tool for determining a distance between first and second through-semiconductor-vias extracted from a layout of a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate and the first and second through-semiconductor-vias in the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device design system comprising the at least one processor is also configured to extract parasitic parameters of a coupling in the semiconductor substrate based on the distance determined by the RC extraction tool and a model of the coupling included in a simulation tool. |
| US08904335B2 |
Evaluation of pin geometry accessibility in a layer of circuit
Evaluation of electrical accessibility within a layer of a circuit to pin geometries residing within a cell boundary of the circuit is provided. The evaluating includes, for instance, checking along substantially parallel pin geometry access paths of the layer to determine possible points at which a respective pin geometry of the pin geometries within the cell boundary may be accessed. The evaluating also includes identifying which points of the possible points are accessible access points by any route of the possible routes for electrically connecting to a respective pin geometry of the pin geometries from a first side or a second side of the cell boundary, wherein at least one point of the possible points is identified as not being an accessible access point based on the at least one point being inaccessible by the possible routes. |
| US08904333B2 |
Mixed signal IP core prototyping system
A system for prototyping an integrated circuit (IC) that has a mixed signal intellectual property (IP) core includes implementing the IP core using discrete programmable digital ICs and discrete analog ICs by partitioning the IP core into a digital IP portion and an analog IP portion. |
| US08904332B1 |
Display process
The present disclosure relates to a method for visualizing an electronic circuit design. The method may include receiving the electronic circuit design, wherein the electronic circuit design includes at least one timing constraint. The method may also include identifying the at least one timing constraint and displaying, at a graphical user interface associated with the one or more computing devices, the at least one timing constraint and a physical routing associated with the electronic circuit design. The method may further include receiving a user input associated with the electronic circuit design and dynamically updating a graphical representation of the at least one timing constraint, in response to the received user input. |
| US08904326B2 |
Semiconductor device design method, system and computer program product
In a semiconductor device design method performed by at least one processor, location data of at least one electrical component in a layout of a semiconductor device is extracted by the at least one processor. Voltage data associated with the at least one electrical component and based on a simulation of an operation of the semiconductor device is extracted by the at least one processor. Based on the extracted location data, the extracted voltage data is incorporated, by the at least one processor, in the layout to generate a modified layout of the semiconductor device. |
| US08904325B2 |
Verification test set and test bench map maintenance
Aspects of the invention provide for the maintenance of user modified portions of a map between a test bench and a test set generator during an iterative electronic design process. Various implementations of the invention provide for matching sections within a design for an electronic device with corresponding sections in a map between the elements in the design to elements in a graph representation of the design. The matched sections are then compared to determine if any discrepancies exists, such as, for example, if the design has been recently changed. If any discrepancies do exist, then it is determined whether the section of the map can be updated or must be replaced entirely to resolve the discrepancies. Various implementations of the invention provide that the process can be repeated during an iterative design flow such that as the design is modified during the iterative design flow, the map can be updated to reflect the changes. |
| US08904319B2 |
Method and apparatus for merging EDA coverage logs of coverage data
An electronic design automation technology merges coverage logs. The coverage logs are generated by verification of a hardware description language circuit design. The coverage logs are merged as the coverage logs are generated, without waiting for all pending coverage logs. Another electronic design automation technology also merges coverage logs. The merged coverage logs include a first coverage log of a first simulation of a hardware description language circuit design and a second coverage log of a second simulation of the hardware description language circuit design. The first simulation is based on a first hardware verification language coverage model of the hardware description language circuit design. The second simulation is based on a second hardware verification language coverage model of the hardware description language circuit design. The second hardware verification language coverage model is newer and different than the first hardware verification language coverage model. |
| US08904318B1 |
Method and apparatus for performing optimization using don't care states
A method for designing a system on a target device includes determining a realization set of a signal that includes one or more representations of the signal where at least one of the representation is influenced by a Don't Care Set (DCS) and all representations are equivalent. The realization set is propagated through the system with the signal. The realization set is used to perform a plurality of separate optimizations on the logic. |
| US08904317B2 |
Parameter setting circuit and method for integrated circuits
A parameter setting circuit and method for an integrated circuit apply a pulse current to a pin of the integrated circuit during a programming mode of the integrated circuit, and then extract the difference between the voltage on the pin and the DC component of the voltage on the pin to determine a setting signal for parameter setting to an internal circuit of the integrated circuit. By this way, an input pin, an output pin or an input/output pin of the integrated circuit may be used as the pin implementing the parameter setting function. |
| US08904313B2 |
Gestural control for quantitative inputs
A method for value specification in a responsive interface control, the method including: displaying an interface control in a user interface on a touch display device, wherein the interface control is an interactive interface element configured to set an interface value selected from an ordered continuum of values; detecting a shape of a touch gesture input on the interface control on the touch display device; and changing the interface value in response to detecting a change in the shape of the gesture input. |
| US08904312B2 |
Method and device for touchless signing and recognition
A touchless sensor device (110) for touchless signing and recognition is provided. The sensor device can include a recognition engine (114) for recognizing at least one finger sign (140), and a controller (120) for composing a text from the recognized at least one finger sign and providing predictive texting. A recognized pattern can be an alphanumeric character or a finger gesture. The controller can generate a trace (145) from the finger sign. The trace can include spatio-temporal information (153) that is characteristic to a touchless writing style. The controller can provide text messaging services, email composition services, biometric identification services, phone dialing, and navigation entry services through touchless finger signing. |
| US08904307B2 |
Parameter input receiving method
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for reducing a user's operation procedures in a pop-up menu and for effectively locating the user's desired processing. A computer (1) displays a pop-up menu based on a list of at least one processing item stored in advance at a position designated by data indicative of a display request in a display unit (14) in response to receipt of the data indicative of the display request of the pop-up menu through an input unit (13). While continuing the display of the pop-up menu in response to receipt of data through the input unit (13) indicative of one processing item selected from the list, the computer (1) displays a form for receiving a parameter input corresponding to the processing item, receives input data for the form through the input unit (13), and stores the data as parameters of the processing item. |
| US08904305B2 |
Automatically hiding controls
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for automatically hiding controls. In one aspect, a method includes displaying at least a portion of a content region of a user interface and at least a portion of a control region of the user interface, wherein the control region is peripheral to the content region; and determining that the portion of the control region of the user interface has been displayed for a predetermined period of time, then automatically removing the portion of the control region from display. |
| US08904303B2 |
Terminal and method for using the internet
A mobile communication terminal is provided. The mobile communication terminal includes a memory, a touch screen, and a controller. The touch screen is configured to display an Internet address input window, at least a portion of an Internet page corresponding to an Internet address in the Internet address input window, and a virtual key pad. The controller is configured to generate a duplicate window of the Internet address input window in response to a first touch input performed on the Internet address input window, move the duplicate window in response to a drag operation, store the Internet address in a memory in response to dropping the moved duplicate window on a key in the virtual key pad, and generate a short-cut by assigning the stored Internet address to the key. |
| US08904302B2 |
Identification of semantically relevant concepts in a graphical model
In an embodiment, a plurality of graphical elements of a graphical model may be displayed on a display device. An indication of a graphical operation involving a first graphical element of the plurality of graphical elements may be received. The graphical operation when performed may establish a relationship between the first graphical element and one or more other graphical elements of the plurality of graphical elements that are compatible with the graphical operation. Two or more graphical elements of the plurality of graphical elements that are compatible with the graphical operation and one or more characteristics associated with the first graphical element may be identified. A visual indication may be provided on the display device. The visual indication may indicate that the identified plurality of graphical elements is compatible with the graphical operation. |
| US08904300B2 |
Managing and displaying schedule
A system including a view creation unit for creating a view for displaying schedule data on at least one of a weekly basis, a monthly basis, and a yearly basis and a view for displaying schedule data on a daily basis; and a display control unit for displaying, on a display unit, a weekly, monthly, or yearly first view created by the view creation unit, displaying, in a position corresponding to a predetermined date in the displayed first view, a daily second view corresponding to the date, and displaying schedule data with respect to the second view in a manner that a display position and displayed time periods are associated with each other. |
| US08904294B2 |
Screen sharing
A method of transferring image data from a first terminal to a second terminal connected via a communication network, the method comprising: displaying on a screen of the first terminal a screen image generated by a processor executed application; a processor executing a communication client to: establish a communication event between the first and second terminals and display at the first terminal an interactive selection component; a user at the first terminal actuating the selection component to select at least one object displayed on the screen to be shared with the second terminal, wherein the communication client accesses data defining displayed object dimensions and adjusts the selection component based on those dimensions to cause the at least one object selected by the window selection component to be displayed on a screen of the second terminal by transferring image data over the communication network in the established communication event. |
| US08904290B2 |
Non-hierarchical multi-hash table model for menu data representation
A method for supporting versions of a menu includes identifying menu items for an application. The menu items are in a first menu and have state data used by functions to perform operations. The method includes generating indices from the menu items, generating a first table that includes the indices and the functions, and generating a second table that includes a portion of the indices. The indices in the first table correspond to the functions, the portion defines a subset of menu items for a second menu, and the portion of the indices corresponds to a portion of the state data. When an operation is to be performed, an index for the subset of menu items is used to determine state data corresponding to the index in the second table, and the index is used to determine a function corresponding to the index in the first table. |
| US08904287B2 |
Previews of dialogs in applications
Displaying a preview image is disclosed. An indication to display a preview image is received. The indication is based at least in part on an interaction with a menu item in an application and the menu item is associated with a dialog used to provide input to the application. In response to receiving the indication, a preview image of the dialog is obtained and the preview image is displayed with the menu item. |
| US08904283B2 |
Extendable meta-data support in final form presentation datastream print enterprises
Methods, systems, and apparatus for generating and associating meta-data with a final form presentation datastream document where the meta-data is structured in accordance with the datastream component architectures. Meta-data objects (“MDOs”) are architected as components of a presentation document and thus are well defined to allow applications to reliably access and process the meta-data contained therein. The MDOs may be associated with other components of the document and are architected to be extensible and flexible while still adhering to an architectural structure. The MDOs may be descriptive (no affect in document presentation) or operational (affects document presentation if processed). Standard types of MDOs may include XML standard information, JDF standard information, PWG standard information, and digital signature information. A variety of standard categories further define typical meta-data forms and applications thereof. |
| US08904281B2 |
Method and system for managing multi-user user-selectable elements
A method for associating a characterization attribute with a document in a computerized system is disclosed, the method comprising providing a primary insertion of a document associating at least one intrinsic characterization attribute with the document, and providing a secondary insertion of the document associating at least one extrinsic characterization attribute with the document. A method for changing the level of details of a document representation in accordance with a magnification of the document representation is also disclosed. A machine readable medium containing machine executable instructions providing a method for building a multi-user document vector is also disclosed, the method comprising a first plurality of documents associated with a first user, a second plurality of documents associated with a second user and a multi-user document vector comprising the first plurality of documents and the second plurality of documents. |
| US08904280B2 |
Recursive flows in variable-data printing document templates
A method, system and a computer program product for generating, rendering and printing documents 100,110,120 from a variable-data printing document template 130 which defines a document defining a layout of nested document portions 150 comprising content which is variable in response to input data 140. There is provided a way of expressing and treating nested flows, thus enabling the creation of complex document designs for Variable Data Publishing material used in Digital Publishing. |
| US08904274B2 |
In-situ mobile application suggestions and multi-application updates through context specific analytics
A system for implementing simultaneous functionality for a wireless communications device (WCD), including a processor for a first specially programmed computer in the WCD for: displaying, on a screen of a GUI for the WCD, a visual representation for a first application; receiving, via the GUI, input data for a plurality of fields for the first application; presenting respective sensory representations of a plurality of applications via the GUI while maintaining the visual representation on the screen; and receiving, via the GUI, respective inputs selecting the applications while maintaining the visual representation. The system includes a processor for a second specially programmed computer processor separate from the WCD for: identifying respective portions of the input data usable by the applications; simultaneously populating the first application and the applications with the input data and the respective portions of the input data, respectively; and implementing the first application and the applications. |
| US08904273B2 |
System and method of format specification
A value formatting system for determining format specifications in reports is provided. The value formatting system comprises a format collection unit for collecting data value attributes and patterns for a data item in a report, and a format merging unit for merging the collected data value attributes and patterns into a format specification for the data item. |
| US08904266B2 |
Multi-standard viterbi processor
Various embodiments relate to a multi-standard Viterbi decoder. Based on programmable values for constraint length, generator polynomials, and code rate, the multi-standard Viterbi decoder may adhere to a specific convolutional code standard. At a given time, the multi-standard Viterbi decoder may receive a variety of convolutional codes through a channel and may process them using various forms of the trace back method. Various embodiments include a branch metric unit and path metric unit that include a variety of sub-units that may or may not be active based on the value of the programmable value. Various embodiments also enable the multi-standard Viterbi decoder to handle different forms of convolutional codes, such as tail-biting codes. In some embodiments, the multi-standard Viterbi decoder may also process at least two convolutional codes concurrently. |
| US08904262B2 |
Providing capacity optimized streaming data with forward error correction
In an example embodiment, there is described herein a methodology were the Forward Error Correction (FEC) data for a data stream is distributed into a plurality of FEC sub-streams. Subscribers to the data stream indicate which of the plurality of FEC sub-streams should be provided to them. The distribution of FEC sub-streams are limited to subscribed FEC sub-streams. FEC sub-streams with no subscribers are not forwarded beyond a distribution point such as an access point (AP). |
| US08904261B2 |
Data management in solid state storage devices
A mechanism is provided for controlling a solid state storage device in which the solid state storage comprises erasable blocks each comprising a plurality of data write locations. Input data is stored in successive groups of data write locations, each group comprising write locations in a set of erasable blocks in each of a plurality of logical subdivisions of the solid state storage. The input data is error correction encoded such that each group contains an error correction code for the input data in that group. Metadata, indicating the location of input data in the solid state storage, is maintained in memory. An indication of validity of data stored in each data write location is also maintained. Prior to erasing a block, valid input data is recovered from the each said group containing write locations in that block. The recovered data is then re-stored as new input data. |
| US08904258B2 |
Modulation-forward error correction (MFEC) codes and methods of constructing and utilizing the same
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to binary block transmission codes for high-speed network transmissions. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to bounded-disparity run-length-limited forward error correction codes and methods of constructing and utilizing same. In one embodiment, a method for generating binary block bounded-disparity run-length-limited forward error correction transmission codes comprises selecting an existing base code, deriving a sub-code from the existing base code, having properties indicated by disparity bound, run-length limit and minimum distance, ascertaining a plurality of codewords and control characters from within the sub-code, encoding Messages to be transmitted with at least one codeword from the plurality of codewords, transmitting codewords from a transmitter to a receiver, and decoding the codewords into Messages. |
| US08904250B2 |
Autorecovery after manufacturing/system integration
Testing methods in a pre-programmed memory device after it has been assembled into a final customer platform include issuing a self-test command to the memory device, the memory device reporting results of a self-test of pre-programmed data executed responsive to receiving the self-test command, and issuing a self-repair command responsive to the results indicating repair of the pre-programmed data is needed. |
| US08904246B2 |
Variable acknowledge rate to reduce bus contention in presence of communication errors
A variable write back indicator control is provided to control the amount of data to be re-transmitted when a packet error occurs. A hardware controller obtains an indication that an acknowledge rate or an amount of set write back indicators of a data frame is to be adjusted. The indication is based on an error rate of data transmission over a communication bus. Based on obtaining the indication that the amount of set write back indicators is to be adjusted, one or more write back indicators are adjusted. |
| US08904244B2 |
Heuristic approach for faster consistency check in a redundant storage system
A method for reducing an amount of time required for performing consistency checking in a redundant storage system includes steps of: providing an information repository associated with each of a primary drive and at least one redundant drive; storing, in the information repository, information relating to input/output failures on the primary drive and redundant drive; determining a likelihood that one or more regions of the primary drive and/or redundant drive contains inconsistent data as a function of the information stored in the information repository; and performing consistency checking on the one or more regions of the primary drive and the redundant drive determined to have at least a prescribed likelihood of containing inconsistent data to thereby reduce the amount of time required for performing consistency checking. |
| US08904242B2 |
Cloud service recovery time prediction system, method and program
A recovery schedule storing means (81) stores a recovery schedule for a failure of a cloud service with respect to each computing resource type or each application service. A resource usage profile storing means (82) stores a resource usage profile specifying an application service or a computing resource used when each user uses the cloud service. A recovery time predicting means (83) predicts a service recovery time with respect to each user based on the resource usage profile and the recovery schedule. A recovery time presenting means (84) presents the predicted service recovery time to the user. |
| US08904238B2 |
System and method for capturing logging information
A method, computer program product, and computer system for receiving, by a processor, an initiation indication that a test is initiating on a computing device. A logging process is activated to record to a log one or more log messages generated as a result of the test in response to receiving the initiation indication that the test is initiating. A completion indication is received that the test is complete. The logging process is deactivated to stop recording to the log in response to receiving the completion indication that the test is complete. The one or more log messages are associated with the test in response to receiving the completion indication that the test is complete. |
| US08904237B2 |
Framework for testing and evaluating mobile communication devices
A framework and associated systems and methods for testing mobile communication devices are disclosed. An exemplary method includes receiving user-action data from each of a plurality of user-action-capture devices. The user-action data received from the user-action-capture devices includes data that characterizes a plurality of user actions that were performed on the user-action-capture devices. The user-action data is consolidated into generic representations of the user actions to create a superset of generally-applicable-user-action data, and each generic representation of a user action in the superset represents two or more similar user actions. The generally-applicable-user-action data is then used to test mobile communication devices that are different than the user-action-capture devices. |
| US08904235B2 |
Online debug system and online debug method for information processing device
An online debug system for an information processing device is provided that enables easily connecting a debug device for online debugging to an information processing device while maintaining minimum required functions of the information processing device as a product. The online debug system has a debug device that transfers a directive from outside to thereby debug a navigation system. The navigation system includes a debug daemon that debugs the navigation system and a data expansion unit that reads a communication driver group stored in a USB memory via a connection terminal and validates it. A serial communication driver as the communication driver group validated in the navigation system enables the debug device communicate with the debug daemon. |
| US08904233B2 |
Electronic apparatus
A failure caused by a soft-error including MNU, of an electronic apparatus is prevented, while suppressing increase of a mounting area, power consumption, and processing time. The electronic apparatus stores data indicating the state of a flip-flop included in a sequential logic circuit within an arithmetic unit, each time when execution is performed on a check point provided for every predetermined number of instructions. When a symptom of a soft-error is detected, the apparatus sets the state of the flip-flop included in the sequential logic circuit within the arithmetic unit, based on the data stored after execution of the instruction at the immediately preceding check point, and restarts execution from the next instruction, being subsequent to the instruction associated with the immediately preceding check point. |
| US08904232B2 |
Preventing audit loss for asynchronous target
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to auditing operations. In aspects, operations may be audited synchronously and/or asynchronously to one or more audit targets. When auditing synchronously, audit records may be written synchronously to an audit target. When auditing asynchronously, a buffer may be used to store audit records until the audit records are flushed to an audit target. If an error occurs in auditing, a policy may be evaluated to determine how to respond. One exemplary response includes failing an operation that triggered a subsequent audit record. Furthermore, if a buffer was unable to be copied to an audit target, the contents of the buffer may be preserved and one or more retries may be attempted to copy the buffer to the audit target. |
| US08904228B2 |
Methods and systems for repairing memory
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may comprise identifying one or more portions of the memory having defects. The method may also include storing one or more addresses in the memory defect list, each of the one or more addresses associated with a portion of the one or more identified portions. The method may further include indicating to components of an information handling system that the one or more identified portions are unusable such that the other components are prevented from allocating and using the one or more identified portions. |
| US08904226B2 |
Migrating stored copies of a file to stored encoded data slices
A method begins by a processing module identifying a set of stored files that includes an original file and one or more back-up copies of the original file. The method continues with the processing module dispersed storage error encoding one of the set of stored files to produce a plurality of sets of encoded data slices. The method continues with the processing module facilitating storage of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices. The method continues with the processing module facilitating deletion of the set of stored files. |
| US08904224B2 |
Providing replication and fail-over as a network service in data centers
Techniques for providing session level replication and fail-over as a network service include generating a replication rule that replicates network traffic destined for a primary server from an originating server to a network controller and installing said rule in a switch component, identifying flows from the originating server to the primary server, replicating each incoming data packet intended for the primary server to the network controller for replication and forwarding to replica servers, determining said primary server to be in a failed state based on a number of retransmissions of a packet, to selecting one of the replica servers as a fail-over target, and performing a connection level fail-over by installing a redirection flow in the switch component that redirects all packets destined to the primary server to the network controller, which forwards the packets to the replica server and forwards each response from the replica server to said originating server. |
| US08904221B2 |
Arbitration circuitry for asynchronous memory accesses
A data processing system comprises a processor operating according to a first clock signal and a memory operating according to a second clock signal. The data processing system causes the processor to read data from the memory at least in part in response to a signal from first synchronizing circuitry and a signal from second synchronizing circuitry. The first synchronizing circuitry comprises a first storage element that samples a signal synchronized to the second clock signal in combination with a second storage element that samples an output of the first storage element. The first and second storage elements are triggered by inverse transitions in the first clock signal. The second synchronizing circuitry comprises third and fourth storage elements configured in a similar manner, except that they sample a signal synchronized to the first clock signal and are triggered by inverse transitions in the second clock signal. |
| US08904218B2 |
Portable device and method for providing voice recognition service
A portable device and a method for controlling the device are disclosed. The portable device includes sensors configured to sense user inputs; a sensor hub configured to activate a main processor and control the sensors including a touch sensor, the touch sensor sensing touch inputs while the portable device is in a standby mode; and the main processor configured to execute an application and control the portable device, wherein, when the portable device is in the standby mode, the touch sensor is in an active state and at least one of the sensors except the touch sensor is in an inactive state, and when the touch sensor detects a first touch input which corresponds to a pre-stored pattern, the sensor hub activates the main processor and switches the portable device from the standby mode to an active mode. |
| US08904217B2 |
System and method for managing power consumption in a computer device
A system and method is disclosed for managing power consumption in a computing device. A policy controller determines whether an aggregated power consumption of a plurality of external interface controllers in a computing device is greater than a policy power limit. On determining that the aggregated power consumption is greater than the policy power limit, the policy controller may set a first external interface controller at a negotiated power level, and set a second external interface controller at an adjusted power level, wherein the first external interface controller and the second external interface controller are set based on the policy power limit and the aggregated power consumption. |
| US08904215B2 |
Electronic device and power consumption measuring method thereof
An embodiment is directed to an electronic device, including a power management device, the power management device generating a plurality of powers according to power management information, and a processor, the processor including a plurality of power blocks supplied with the plurality of powers through a plurality of power lines, and including a power consumption measurement block that measures power consumption of respective power blocks of the plurality of power blocks. |
| US08904214B2 |
System and method for conserving power in a medical device
A system and method for conservation of battery power in a portable medical device is provided. In one example, a processor arrangement that includes a plurality of processors is implemented. At least one of these processors is configured to execute the critical functions of the medical device, while one or more other processors assume a reduced service level, thereby drawing significantly less power. According to this arrangement, the medical device conserves energy by drawing the additional electrical power needed to activate the additional processing power only when needed. |
| US08904213B2 |
Saving power by managing the state of inactive computing devices according to specific constraints
A system method and computer program product for managing readiness states of a plurality of computing devices. In response to a request, a computer system operates to either: provide one or more computing devices from an inactive pool to an active pool, or accept one or more active computing devices into the inactive pool. An Inactive Pool Manager proactively manages the inactive states of each computing device by: determining the desired number (and identities) of computing devices to be placed in each inactive state of readiness by solving a constraint optimization problem that describes a user-specified trade-off between expected readiness (estimated time to be able to activate computing devices when they are needed next) and conserving energy; generating a plan for changing the current set of inactive states to the desired set; and, executing the plan. Multiple alternative ways of quantifying the desired responsiveness to surges in demand are provided. |
| US08904212B2 |
Power management utilizing proximity or link status determination
Methods and apparatuses for power management are disclosed. In one example, proximity of link status of a wireless communication device is used to determine whether a power conservation mode is implemented. |
| US08904207B2 |
Communication method of a terminal and an access point for power saving
Provided is a communication technology of an access point and a terminal that may decrease power consumption by changing an operation state of the terminal from an awake state to a sleep state when a data stream to be transmitted to the terminal is absent or has completed in a transmission opportunity (TXOP) duration. |
| US08904203B2 |
Power supply assembly for a terminal having ethernet energy supply operating in plurality of operating modes under the control of logic unit with one DC/DC converter
A power supply assembly for a terminal having Ethernet energy supply, includes a split device with an Ethernet energy supply connection (A1) that connects to an Ethernet cable which is set up to supply energy and with an output to provide a first DC voltage (U1), a logic unit coupled to the split device, a DC/DC converter coupled to the logic unit and connected to the output of the split device in a switchable manner, and a voltage (U) that supplies the terminal being provided at an output of the DC/DC converter under control of the logic unit. |
| US08904198B1 |
Electrical device recharging kiosk assembly
A electrical device recharging kiosk assembly includes a housing that has a top wall, a bottom wall and a perimeter wall attached to and extending between the top and bottom walls. The housing has a plurality of storage spaces therein for holding an electronic device. Each of the storage spaces includes an opening extending through the perimeter wall, a compartment aligned with and accessible through the opening, a door for closing the opening to the compartment, and a lock to lock the door. A charging implement for recharging a battery of the electronic device is positioned within the compartment. A control is mounted on the housing and is electrically coupled to the lock of each of the storage spaces. The control unlocks a door of one of the storage spaces to allow access to a selected one of the storage spaces and to the charging implement positioned therein. |
| US08904184B2 |
Certification of authenticity of media signals
Media signals such as audio and/or video signals are certified as being authentic. A private key and a corresponding public key are provided. For a current media segment of the media signal, a signature is created using the private key to sign data based on media content of the current media segment combined with a signature from a media segment present at another point within the media signal where the signature from the media segment present at another point within the media signal is created by signing with the private key data based on media content of the media segment present at the other point within the media signal. The signature is included in metadata of the current media segment of the media signal and the public key is included in a second metadata of the media signal. |
| US08904183B2 |
Efficient technique to achieve non-repudiation and resilience to DoS attacks in wireless networks
A computationally efficient message verification strategy that achieves non-repudiation and resilience to computational denial of service attacks in conjunction with a broadcast authentication protocol that authenticates messages using a combination of a digital signature and a TESLA MAC. When messages are received at a receiver, the verification strategy separates the messages into messages with the same sender identification. The strategy then determines whether the TESLA MAC authenticator is valid for each message and discards those messages that do not have a valid TESLA MAC. The strategy collects the messages that have a valid TESLA MAC for each sender identification and performs a batch verification process on the group of messages to determine if the messages in the group have a valid digital signature. This strategy verifies each message in the group of messages if the batch verification process shows that the group of messages has a valid digital signature. |
| US08904181B1 |
System and method for secure three-party communications
A system and method for communicating information between a first party and a second party, comprising the steps of receiving, by an intermediary, an identifier of desired information and accounting information for a transaction involving the information from the first party, transmitting an identifier of the first party to the second party, and negotiating, by the intermediary, a comprehension function for obscuring at least a portion of the information communicated between the first party and the second party. The data transmission may be made secure with respect to the intermediary by providing an asymmetric key or direct key exchange for encryption of the communication between the first and second party. The data transmission may be made secure with respect to the second party by maintaining the information in encrypted format at the second party, with the decryption key held only by the intermediary, and transmitting a secure composite of the decryption key and a new encryption key to the second party for transcoding of the data record, and providing the new decryption key to the first party, so that the information transmitted to the first party can be comprehended by it. |
| US08904178B2 |
System and method for secure remote access
A method and apparatus for directing a client to establish a secure connection with a server across a public network. The server and the client exchange a Server Authentication Public Key, a Client Authentication Public Key, and a Remote Service Unique Identifier (RSUID) during a registration process. In one embodiment, the method includes the client transmitting to the server a client information package having the RSUID and a client challenge information package encrypted with the Server Authentication Public Key, the client receiving from the server a server information package having the RSUID and a server challenge information package and a portion of the received client challenge information encrypted with the Client Authentication Public Key, the client decrypting and verifying the server challenge information package with the Client Authentication Private Key, and, the client transmitting to the server an encrypted portion of the received client challenge information. |
| US08904177B2 |
Authentication for a multi-tier wireless home mesh network
A method for a multi-tier wireless home mesh network may include authentication of a node within a wireless home networking environment after discovering a wireless home mesh network. The authentication comprises (1) transmitting a first message, the first message including (i) an encrypted pass-phrase being a pass-phrase encrypted with a public key of the node of the wireless home mesh network, (ii) a checksum of the encrypted pass-phrase, (iii) a public key of the wireless node, and (iv) a checksum of the public key of the wireless node, and (2) receiving a second message, the second message including a code to indicate whether the wireless node has been successfully authenticated along with the challenge text verification process to ensure the message was not tampered or sent by another node. |
| US08904176B2 |
Protecting the information encoded in a bloom filter using encoded bits of data
Illustrated is a system and method that includes identifying data stored as an entry in a list. The system and method also includes truncating the entry to create a truncated entry. It further includes transforming the truncated entry into a hash, the hash used to set an index position value within a Bloom filter. The system and method also includes an interface module to transmit the Bloom filter. |
| US08904174B2 |
System, method and computer program product for product license management
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method and technique for product license management for a clustered environment having a plurality of nodes is disclosed. The method includes unlocking a product on a first node of the plurality of clustered nodes; responsive to unlocking the product on the first node, indicating an unlocked status of the product on a shared storage device accessible to the plurality of clustered nodes; and transmitting a self-unlock message from the first node to remaining nodes of the cluster to enable the remaining nodes of the cluster to self-unlock the product on the respective remaining nodes based on the status indication of the shared storage device. |
| US08904166B2 |
Secure client-side communication between multiple domains
Methods and systems for secure client-side communication between multiple domains is provided. Such methods and systems can provide for decreased communication latency particularly effective for dynamic multi-domain and/or multi-tenant environments while allowing for granular security or specific security of messages and operations with regard to users, user sessions, groups, organizations, permissions sets, applications, or any other logical delineation. Such methods and systems may involve a variety of security components, for example, at least one set of instructions including a plurality of defined instruction to be utilized by users of the set of instructions to communicate, and cryptographic construct data in order to verify the data integrity and the authenticity of messages sent and received using the secure client-side communication between multiple domains. |
| US08904163B2 |
Contextual history of computing objects
Various features for a computer operating system include mechanisms for operating where a single native application, in the form of a Web browser, exists for an operating system, and all other applications run as Web apps of the browser application. A computer-implemented object tracking method includes instantiating, a first time, an operating system object on a computing device; automatically identifying contextual meta data that defines a state of objects that are open on the computing device, other than the instantiated operating system object, when the operating system object is instantiated; and storing the identifying contextual meta data in correlation with the operating system object, wherein the contextual meta data identifies one or more objects that are active in the operating system when the operating system object is instantiated. |
| US08904158B2 |
Storage system with boot appliance for improving reliability/availability/serviceability in high density server environments
The present invention is directed to a boot appliance for a data storage system. The boot appliance is a self-contained, pre-configured device that serves as a boot device for multiple servers. The boot appliance contains multiple hard drives which are configured into one or more RAID volumes. Each volume is divided into multiple partitions, with each partition serving as the boot drive for any server connected to it. The boot appliance provides its own environmental controls and Ethernet connection which may be used for providing alerts regarding the health of the components of the boot appliance and/or data storage system to a monitoring system, such as a network management system. The boot appliance may provide a boot drive and operating system image to multiple servers at the same time. |
| US08904155B2 |
Representing loop branches in a branch history register with multiple bits
In response to a property of a conditional branch instruction associated with a loop, such as a property indicating that the branch is a loop-ending branch, a count of the number of iterations of the loop is maintained, and a multi-bit value indicative of the loop iteration count is stored in a Branch History Register (BHR). In one embodiment, the multi-bit value may comprise the actual loop count, in which case the number of bits is variable. In another embodiment, the number of bits is fixed (e.g., two) and loop iteration counts are mapped to one of a fixed number of multi-bit values (e.g., four) by comparison to thresholds. Separate iteration counts may be maintained for nested loops, and a multi-bit value stored in the BHR may indicate a loop iteration count of only an inner loop, only the outer loop, or both. |
| US08904153B2 |
Vector loads with multiple vector elements from a same cache line in a scattered load operation
Mechanisms for performing a scattered load operation are provided. With these mechanisms, an extended address is received in a cache memory of a processor. The extended address has a plurality of data element address portions that specify a plurality of data elements to be accessed using the single extended address. Each of the plurality of data element address portions is provided to corresponding data element selector logic units of the cache memory. Each data element selector logic unit in the cache memory selects a corresponding data element from a cache line buffer based on a corresponding data element address portion provided to the data element selector logic unit. Each data element selector logic unit outputs the corresponding data element for use by the processor. |
| US08904152B2 |
Efficient complex multiplication and fast fourier transform (FFT) implementation on the ManArray architecture
Efficient computation of complex multiplication results and very efficient fast Fourier transforms (FFTs) are provided. A parallel array VLIW digital signal processor is employed along with specialized complex multiplication instructions and communication operations between the processing elements which are overlapped with computation to provide very high performance operation. Successive iterations of a loop of tightly packed VLIWs are used allowing the complex multiplication pipeline hardware to be efficiently used. In addition, efficient techniques for supporting combined multiply accumulate operations are described. |
| US08904143B2 |
Obtaining additional data storage from another data storage system
A main data storage system has a main storage control and data storage, and a user interface, the main storage control in communication with a local storage control of a local data storage system with local data storage. In response to a request to increase data storage from the user interface, the main control determines whether the main data storage is out of space. If so, the main control sends a command to the local control to create data space in local data storage. The local control creates the data space and associates the data space with the main control; and, in response to the local control creating data space in the local data storage and notifying the main control, the main control updates its metadata with respect to the data space, creating the impression that all the data is stored in the main data storage. |
| US08904141B2 |
Merging a storage cluster into another storage cluster
A method for merging a source electronic memory storage cluster into a destination electronic memory storage cluster may include designating a source storage cluster having a first configuration; designating a destination storage cluster having a second configuration; receiving a configuration database including mapping information associated with the first configuration of the source storage cluster; merging the configuration database for the source storage cluster into the destination storage cluster; identifying a conflict between the source storage cluster configuration and the destination storage cluster configuration by comparing mapping information for the imported configuration database for the source storage cluster to mapping information for a configuration database associated with the second configuration of the destination storage cluster; resolving the identified conflict between the source storage cluster configuration and the destination storage cluster configuration; and merging the configuration database for the source storage cluster into the destination storage cluster after resolving the identified conflict. |
| US08904138B2 |
Global distributed memory reshape operations on range-partitioned arrays
Embodiments are directed to reshaping a partitioned data array. In an embodiment, a computer system identifies a block length parameter that describes the number of data blocks in the range-partitioned flattened representation of the array that appear consecutively in each locale. The computer system then identifies a stride parameter that describes the amount of separation between data blocks in the range-partitioned flattened representation of the array that appear consecutively in a plurality of locales. Based on the identified block length parameter and the stride parameter, the computer system determines which of the data blocks on the plurality of locales are to be sent to other locales to produce a local version of the reshaped array. The computer system then receives data blocks from the different locales in the distributed system and reconstructs the array based on the received blocks to create a local version of the reshaped array. |
| US08904136B2 |
Optimized shrinking of virtual disks
Various systems and methods shrinking a storage object. For example, one method can involve receiving a request to shrink the storage object. The storage object can comprise multiple storage locations. The method can also involve receiving a list that identifies a set of the storage locations. The list can be generated in response to the request to shrink the storage object. The method can also involve reading data from a set of storage locations in the storage object that are not identified in the received list and copying the read data from the first storage object to a second storage object. |
| US08904134B2 |
Method and system of communication between a transponder and a base station
A transponder having a transmitting and receiving device for receiving commands and transmitting data and command processor for executing commands, and a programming device for changing the memory contents, and a data memory which has a first memory area and a second memory area, whereby the first memory area has the first value or a second value, and when the first memory area has the first value, the content of both memory areas can be changed and, in the case of read access to the second memory area, the transmitting/receiving device transmits a predefined or no data stream instead of the memory content of the second memory area. |
| US08904133B1 |
Storage apparatus and storage apparatus migration method
A source remote copy configuration in a source storage system is migrated to a destination storage system as a destination remote copy configuration. The destination primary storage apparatus of the destination storage system defines a virtual volume mapped to the primary volume provided by the source primary storage apparatus which is a storage area of the virtual volume; takes over a first identifier of the primary volume to the virtual volume; transfers, when the virtual volume receives an access request, the access request to the source primary storage apparatus to write data in the primary volume; and takes over the first identifier from the virtual volume to another primary volume provided by the destination primary storage apparatus, after completion of copy of data from primary volume of the source primary storage apparatus into primary volume of the destination primary storage apparatus and secondary volume of the destination secondary storage apparatus. |
| US08904129B2 |
Method and apparatus for backup and restore in a dynamic chunk allocation storage system
Backup and restore operations are made possible in a storage system that has dynamic chunk allocation (DCA) capability. In a DCA storage system, a chunk of physical storage area is not allocated to a segment of a volume until a write command is received targeting the segment of the volume. During a restore operation of the volume in the DCA storage system, the wasting of storage capacity when a backup image of the volume is restored is mitigated by preventing allocation of physical storage areas to segments of restore data that are only void data. |
| US08904126B2 |
System and method for performing a plurality of prescribed data management functions in a manner that reduces redundant access operations to primary storage
Systems and methods are disclosed for performing a plurality of prescribed data management functions in a manner that reduces redundant access operations to primary storage, where the system includes a data management engine for performing data management functions, including at least a snapshot function and a back-up function. An electronic service level agreement (SLA) specifies a schedule for performing data management functions, where point-in-time images of data include a reference to a baseline image and difference data indicating changes at a later, specific point in time. The data management system also creates a point-in-time image of the primary storage data in response to a schedule requiring some data management functions to be performed concurrently, and communicates the difference information to secondary storage to update the back-up copy of the primary data, such that the primary storage is accessed only once for all updates to the secondary storage. |
| US08904120B1 |
Segmented fingerprint datastore and scaling a fingerprint datastore in de-duplication environments
A storage server is coupled to a storage device that stores data blocks, and generates a fingerprint for each data block stored on the storage device. The storage server creates a master datastore and a plurality of datastore segments. The master datastore comprises an entry for each data block that is written to the storage device and a datastore segment comprises an entry for a new data block or a modified data block that is subsequently written to the storage device. The storage server merges the entries in the datastore segments with the entries in the master datastore in memory to free duplicate data blocks in the storage device. The storage server overwrites the master datastore with the entries in the plurality of datastore segments and the entries in the master datastore to create an updated master datastore in response to detecting that the number of datastore segments meets a threshold. |
| US08904119B2 |
Method and structures for performing a migration of a logical volume with a serial attached SCSI expander
Methods and structure for migrating a logical volume with a Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) expander are provided. The expander comprises a plurality of physical links with associated transceivers (PHYs). The expander further comprises a control unit operable to select a logical volume, and to initiate migration of data from the selected logical volume to a backup logical volume. Further, the expander includes a Serial SCSI Protocol (SSP) target of the expander operable to intercept commands directed to the selected logical volume responsive to the control unit initiating the migration, and an SSP initiator of the expander that is operable to generate commands directed to the backup logical volume based on the intercepted commands, and to provide the intercepted commands to the selected logical volume. |
| US08904108B2 |
Methods and structure establishing nested Redundant Array of Independent Disks volumes with an expander
Methods and structure are provided for provisioning a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) volume via an expander that can be used to provision a RAID volume managed by an external RAID controller. The structure includes a Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) expander. The expander comprises physical links with transceivers (PHYs) that directly couple with storage devices, a protocol target and a control unit. The control unit provisions a first RAID volume with multiple storage devices that are directly coupled with the PHYs, and is further masks the storage devices from a SAS domain, by presenting the PHYs directly coupled with the multiple storage devices as a single PHY coupled with a single logical device. The control unit is also operable to provision a portion of a second RAID volume on the logical device in response to the expander receiving a command from a RAID controller. |
| US08904104B2 |
Hybrid storage system with mid-plane
The present invention relates to semiconductor storage systems (SSDs). Specifically, the present invention relates to a hybrid storage system with a mid-plane. In a typical embodiment, a mid-plane is provided. Coupled to one side of the mid-plane is a system control board and a communications module having a set (at least one) of ports. Coupled to a second side of the mid-plane is (among other components) a first RAID controller, which itself is coupled to a double data rate semiconductor storage device (DDR SSD) module having a set of DDR SSD units. Also coupled to the second side of the mid-plane is a second RAID controller, which itself is coupled to a hard disk drive (HDD) module having a set of HDD/Flash SDD units. |
| US08904102B2 |
Process identifier-based cache information transfer
Embodiments of the invention relate to process identifier (PID) based cache information transfer. An aspect of the invention includes sending, by a first core of a processor, a PID associated with a cache miss in a first local cache of the first core to a second cache of the processor. Another aspect of the invention includes determining that the PID associated with the cache miss is listed in a PID table of the second cache. Yet another aspect of the invention includes based on the PID being listed in the PID table of the second cache, determining a plurality of entries in a cache directory of the second cache that are associated with the PID. Yet another aspect of the invention includes pushing cache information associated with each of the determined plurality of entries in the cache directory from the second cache to the first local cache. |
| US08904101B2 |
Content-addressable memory lookup device supporting iterative lookup operations
In one embodiment, multiple content-addressable memory entries are associated with each other to effectively form a batch content-addressable memory entry that spans multiple physical entries of the content-addressable memory device. To match against this content-addressable memory entry, multiple lookup operations are required—i.e., one lookup operation for each combined physical entry. Further, one embodiment provides that a batch content-addressable memory entry can span one, two, three, or more physical content-addressable memory entries, and batch content-addressable memory entries of varying sizes could be programmed into a single content-addressable memory device. Thus, a lookup operation might take two lookup iterations on the physical entries of the content-addressable memory device, with a next lookup operation taking a different number of lookup iterations (e.g., one, three or more). |
| US08904096B2 |
Storage device and information processing system
A storage device able to make a redundant write operation of unselected data unnecessary and able to optimize an arrangement of pages to a state having a high efficiency for rewriting, wherein the storage device has a first memory unit, a second memory unit having a different access speed from the first memory, and a control circuit, wherein the control circuit has a function of timely moving the stored data in two ways between the first memory unit and the second memory unit having different access speeds in reading or rewriting. |
| US08904094B2 |
Memory system in which extended function can easily be set
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, a controller, an extended function section, and an extension register. The controller controls the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device. The extended function section is controlled by the controller. The extension register which is provided with a certain block length capable of defining an extended function of the extended function section. The controller processes a first command to write header data of a command to operate the extended function section to the extended function section through the extension register, and a second command to read header data of a response from the extended function section through the extension register. |
| US08904093B1 |
Managing lifetime of limited usage storage devices in a caching system
A cache server receives wear usage information associated with a storage device, and receives an object to be cached in the storage device. The cache server also determines whether to store the object in the storage device based on the wear usage information. The cache server provides the object to the storage device for storage when it is determined that the object is to be stored in the storage device, and prevents the object from being stored in the storage device when it is determined that the object is not to be stored in the storage device. |
| US08904090B2 |
Non-volatile memory device, devices having the same, and method of operating the same
A flash memory and a method of writing data to a flash memory during garbage collection of the flash memory is provided. First, a garbage collection process on a victim block of flash memory may be initiated. A garbage collection process may comprise a plurality of garbage collection operation. A program command and corresponding program data may be received. After a first garbage collection operation has finished and a portion of flash data from the victim block has been written to a free block, a portion of the program data may be written to that free block. If data remains in the victim block, a second garbage collection operation may be performed. |
| US08904088B2 |
Method of managing a solid state drive, associated systems and implementations
One embodiment of a method includes loading, by a memory controller, a boot image from a solid state drive to an operating memory of a computing system during an initialization operation of the computing system. The initialization operation initializes components of the computing system. |
| US08904084B2 |
Solid state drive device
The solid state drive device includes a memory device including a plurality of flash memories and a memory controller connected with a host and configured to control the memory device. The memory controller includes first and second cores, a host interface configured to interface with the host, and a flash memory controller configured to control the plurality of flash memories. The first core is configured to control transmission and reception of data to and from the host. The second core is configured to control transmission and reception of data to and from the memory device. |
| US08904083B2 |
Method and apparatus for storing data in solid state memory
A method and a storage device for storing data in a flash memory drive are disclosed. In order to increase data throughput, the drive includes a cache memory including a tag memory and a plurality of flash devices coupled via a plurality of channels to the cache memory. |
| US08904081B1 |
Composing a virtual disk using application delta disk images
According to a system and method for composing a virtual disk for a virtual desktop, the virtual desktop is booted from a virtual disk comprised of a base disk image and a user delta disk image that receives all disk writes to the virtual disk. Disk space is allocated on the virtual disk for a file associated with a selected application to be provided to a user of the virtual desktop. Then the virtual desktop is recomposed offline by linking the base disk image, an application delta disk image including the file associated with the selected application, and the user delta disk image. The recomposing includes modifying meta data of the application delta disk and the user delta disk so that the file associated with the selected application is mapped to the disk space previously allocated. |
| US08904080B2 |
Tape backup method
A secure data parser is provided that may be integrated into any suitable system for securely storing and communicating data. The secure data parser parses data and then splits the data into multiple portions that are stored or communicated distinctly. Encryption of the original data, the portions of data, or both may be employed for additional security. The secure data parser may be used to protect data in motion by splitting original data into portions of data, that may be communicated using multiple communications paths. |
| US08904078B2 |
High speed serial peripheral interface system
A serial peripheral interface (SPI) system including a bus adapter is disclosed. The bus adapter may include a data converter that may be adapted to receive respective first and second data from a first master output peripheral input (MOPI) line and a chip select line from a SPI master device. The data converter may also be adapted to interleave the first and second data, and the data converter may be adapted to transmit the interleaved first and second data synchronously with a second clock signal on a second MOPI line. The bus adapter may also include a clock rate adjuster adapted to generate the second clock signal to transmit to a SPI peripheral device. The second clock signal may be adapted to enable the SPI peripheral device to read the transmitted data. |
| US08904074B2 |
Method and apparatus for distributing configuration files in a distributed control system
The invention described herein provides a system and method for distributing and applying a configuration file from a master device (102) to a slave device (104) in a distributed control system (100). According to aspects of the invention, a configuration file is saved at a master device (102) and distributed to the slave device (104) via the data payload of a fieldbus protocol, such as the CANopen protocol. Aspects of the present invention may be used to further configure an I/O island or sub-network (108) that is attached to the slave device (104). Further aspects of the present invention may be used to repair or replace failed devices in a distributed control system (100). |
| US08904073B2 |
Coherence processing with error checking
An apparatus for processing and tracking the progress of coherency transactions in a computing system is disclosed. The apparatus may include a finite-element state machine, a processor, and a scoreboard circuit. The finite-element state machine may be configured to track the progress of a transaction as well as detect errors during the processing of the transaction. The processor may be configured to transmit coherence requests dependent upon the transaction. The scoreboard circuit may be configured to track the requests and associate responses. |
| US08904071B2 |
Semiconductor device, control method for the semiconductor device and information processing system including the same
The core chips each include a timing control circuit that outputs a timing signal synchronized with the outputting of parallel data to the interface chip. The interface chip includes a data input circuit that captures parallel data in synchronization with the timing signal. With this arrangement, the timing to output the parallel data and the timing to capture the parallel data are both synchronized with the timing signal generated in the core chips. Therefore, even if there is a difference in operation speed between each core chip and the interface chip, the parallel data can be accurately captured on the interface chip side. |
| US08904070B2 |
Systems and methods for digital MRA compensation
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for data processing. For example, a data processing system is discussed that includes: an analog to digital converter circuit, and a magneto-resistive adjustment circuit. The analog to digital converter circuit is operable to convert an input signal into corresponding digital samples. The magneto-resistive adjustment circuit is operable to reduce signal asymmetry in the digital samples due to sensing by a magneto-resistive head to yield a corrected output. |
| US08904069B2 |
Data processing apparatus and image processing apparatus
A data processing apparatus may include a buffer unit, a data write control unit, a data read control unit, and a buffer area determination unit. The data write control unit may write the input data to the storage area determined by the buffer area determination unit, and output a data write completion signal indicating that the writing of the data is completed when the writing of the input data is completed. The data read control unit may read the data from the storage area determined by the buffer area determination unit, and output a data read completion signal indicating that the reading of the data is completed when the output of the output data generated based on the read data is completed. |
| US08904066B2 |
Using a plurality of buffers to provide audio for synchronized playback to multiple audio devices having separate device clocks
According to one embodiment, a media system communicates with an aggregate device that includes multiple media output devices. When providing media data for presentation, the system adjusts for device clock drift by resampling the media data provided to a media output device based at least in part on a device clock rate difference between a device clock of one of the media output devices and a device clock of another of the media output devices. |
| US08904063B1 |
Ordered kernel queue for multipathing events
An improved technique for handling events in a multipathing driver employs an event queue and a queue manager that run in the kernel of a computing system. The queue manager receives events raised by the multipathing driver, as well as events raised by software constructs, such as application programs. Records of events are added to the event queue in the order the queue manager receives them. Event records may be consumed chronologically by external software. Preferably, the event queue is sufficiently large to store all events arising out of most predicted fault scenarios. Also, the queue manager is sophisticated and can perform certain diagnostic and analysis tasks without the aid of external software. |
| US08904059B2 |
Method for controlling a data transfer on a serial transmission data transfer bus
Method for controlling a data transfer on a serial transmission data transfer bus by means of a central processing unit and associated system. The method includes various steps, including determining an available bandwidth for a data bus, determining an available computing capacity percentage of the central processing unit, and determining a maximum data rate that a data transfer can be performed on the data bus based on the available bandwidth and the available computing capacity percentage. Furthermore, the method provides that the data transfer rate is controlled to not exceed the maximum data rate. |
| US08904058B2 |
Selecting direct memory access engines in an adaptor input/output (I/O) requests received at the adaptor
Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for selecting Direct Memory Access (DMA) engines in an adaptor for processing Input/Output requests received at the adaptor. A determination is made of an assignment of a plurality of processors to the DMA engines, wherein each processor is assigned to use one of the DMA engines. I/O request related work for a received I/O request directed to the storage is processed by determining the DMA engine assigned to the processor processing the I/O request related work and accessing the determined DMA engine to perform the I/O related work. |
| US08904057B2 |
System, method and storage medium for setting an interruption compensation period on the basis of a change amount of the input data
During a period from a time when an input coordinate is interrupted to a time when an interruption compensation period, which is set on the basis of a moving speed of the input coordinate, elapses, an example information processing apparatus determines that an operator continues an input operation, and performs coordinate complementation. Specifically, as the moving speed of the input coordinate increases, the interruption compensation period increases. Then, when the interruption compensation period elapses, the information processing apparatus determines that the operator has ended the input operation. |
| US08904056B2 |
Multi-host wireless input device
Embodiments of the invention are directed to input devices configured for use with computing devices. The present invention relates to methods and devices for establishing, maintaining and managing, wireless connections with between an input device and one or more host devices that the input device is paired with. The input device may include sensory feedback indicating the host device actively paired with the input device, and may enable switching between host devices. |
| US08904054B2 |
Method and apparatus for mode switching of interface ports
A computer-implemented method for mode switching of an interface port comprising detecting a device coupled to a port of a computer, selecting to disable a data pin of the port if it is determined that an output of the device has a data pin and powering the device using a power pin of the port. |
| US08904052B2 |
Combined input port
An input port for an electronic device for receiving different types of connectors, memory cards, or plugs. The input port includes an outer wall defining a receiving aperture, a substrate positioned within the receiving aperture. A first set of contacts is positioned on the substrate at a first depth into the receiving aperture and a second set of contacts is positioned on a first surface of the outer wall at a second depth into the receiving aperture. The first set of contacts is configured to communicate with a first connector and the second set of contacts is configured to communicate with a second connector. |
| US08904049B2 |
Battery pack monitoring system and method for assigning a binary ID to a microprocessor in the battery pack monitoring system
A battery pack monitoring system is provided. The system includes a master microprocessor and a first microprocessor. The master microprocessor outputs a first signal from an output port thereof to induce an input port of the first microprocessor to have a first low logic voltage. The master microprocessor sends a message having a first binary ID from the communication bus port thereof through a communication bus after outputting the first signal. The first microprocessor receives the first binary ID at the communication bus port thereof and stores the first binary ID in a non-volatile memory of the first microprocessor when the input port of the first microprocessor has the first low logic voltage. |
| US08904041B1 |
Link layer address resolution of overlapping network addresses
A system, apparatus, and method for link layer address resolution of overlapping network addresses is disclosed. In one aspect, the method performed on a first device includes receiving a first address resolution request from a second device, the first address resolution request having a sender network address and a target network address, wherein the target network address is an overlapping network address that is a gateway address of the second device and a network address of a third device, creating a first address resolution response having a sender link layer address associated with the first device, and sending the first address resolution response to the second device. |
| US08904038B2 |
Apparatus, method and system for improving application performance across a communications network by node replication
An apparatus, method and system to enable dynamic replication of Web servers across a wide area in response to access patterns by Web clients as well as in response to customer requests. The method for dynamically replicating one or more parent nodes on a network in response to a user request by a policy manager. The policy manager transmits the user request to an event module. The event module transmits the user request to a data consistency module, wherein the data consistency module maintains integrity of the data on the parent node. The event system communicates with a resource management module to ensure proper utilization of network resources, and transmits the routing request to a request routing module for appropriately balancing the network load. The request routing module is capable of providing optimal routing based on the network resources. |
| US08904037B2 |
Efficient data transfer within a virtual network
Improvements for the efficiency of data transfer within interconnected components of a virtual network, and in particular components of a single physical computing device are provided. The components exchange data as if they were communicating over an actual communications network using networking protocols. Data packets to be sent from one component to another are buffered by final destination address to improve efficiency of packet delivery. |
| US08904034B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing network congestion and core network entity
The disclosure discloses a method, an apparatus and a core network entity for processing network congestion, which enable: extracting adjacent data packets which have the same number as that of the preset interval value from an output port queue when the output port is detected to be in congestion state, and acquiring the source terminal address information of the adjacent data packets; searching for the source terminal transmitting the most data packets according to the source terminal address information; and transmitting a congestion information to the source terminal transmitting the most data packets. By extracting adjacent data packets which have the same number as that of the preset interval value from an output port queue when the output port is detected to be in congestion state, and acquiring the source terminal address information of the adjacent data packets; searching for the source terminal transmitting the most data packets according to the source terminal address information; and transmitting the congestion information to the source terminal, the disclosure makes the source terminal decrease the data transmission rate, so as to eliminate the network congestion. Therefore, the success rate of eliminating the network congestion is increased. |
| US08904030B2 |
Automatic multimedia upload for publishing data and multimedia content
Disclosed herein is a method and system for utilizing a digital data capture device in conjunction with a Bluetooth (BT) enabled mobile device for publishing data and multimedia content on one or more websites automatically or with minimal user intervention. A client application is provided on the BT enabled mobile device. In the absence of inbuilt BT capability, a BT communication device is provided on the digital data capture device. The BT communication device is paired with the BT enabled mobile device to establish a connection. The client application detects capture of data and multimedia content on the digital data capture device and initiates transfer of the captured data, multimedia content, and associated files. The digital data capture device transfers the captured data, multimedia content, and the associated files to the client application. The client application automatically publishes the transferred data and multimedia content on one or more websites. |
| US08904029B2 |
System and method for managing media content
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media distribution system having a controller to identify a plurality of media presentation devices of a user of the media distribution system, identify one or more distribution preferences supplied by the user for distributing media content to the plurality of media presentation devices, receive media content from one of a plurality of media sources of the user, determine a media content type from the received media content, and distribute the received media content to one or more of the plurality of media presentation devices according to the one or more distribution preferences and the media content type. The one or more distribution preferences comprise in part media content distribution arrangements assigned by the user between the plurality of media sources of the user and the plurality of media presentation devices of the user. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08904028B2 |
Scalable cluster router
Generally, this disclosure describes a scalable cluster router that includes a plurality of server-class computers interconnected together to form a router. Each server may be configured to independently schedule switching of packets to reduce the switch speed requirements on a per server basis. Each server may include a scheduler that independently load balances packet flows across servers of the cluster. Router capacity may be incrementally scaled by adding more servers, and router capacity may be increased by load balancing techniques within individual servers. |
| US08904022B1 |
Split streaming system and method
A split streaming system and method are provided in which a stream of data (that can be video, audio or textual data) is split and sent over a plurality of stream reflectors to a stream recipient. Each stream reflector performs time gradient replacement to manage the split streaming. |
| US08904021B2 |
Communication dongle physically coupled with a media device to automatically discover and launch an application on the media device and to enable switching of a primary output display from a first display of a mobile device to a second display of the media device through an operating system of the mobile device sharing a local area network with the communication dongle
A system, apparatus and method related to a communication dongle physically coupled with a media device to automatically discover and launch an application on the media device and to enable switching of a primary output display from a first display of a mobile device to a second display of the media device through an operating system of the mobile device sharing a local area network with the communication dongle is disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes a mobile device to access a multicast capability of an operating system responsive to a user interacting with an selector on a header bar of a browser application of the mobile device and/or an indicator on a menu bar of the operating system of the mobile device, a media device, and a communication dongle that communicatively couples the mobile device with the media device through a local area network that is commonly shared between the mobile device and/or the communication dongle. |
| US08904020B2 |
Method which permits a block-based file to be played out during transmission
A file (FI) is transmitted via a first channel (CH1). In addition, a second channel (CH2) is used to transmit play parameters (D1, D2, R1, R2) which comprise at least one set (Di, Ri) of information about a play rate (R1, R2) and a delay time (D1, D2) for the file (FI) which is to be transmitted by the first channel (CH1). On the basis of the play parameters (D1, D2, R1, R2), it is possible to determine a time for starting to process the file (FI) which is to be transmitted. |
| US08904016B2 |
Method and apparatus for selecting network services
An approach is provided for selecting a network server. An apparatus comprising at least one processor, and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause, at least in part, the apparatus to load from one or more network servers configuration information of one or more network servers used by a service provider network. The apparatus is also caused to select a network server in the service provider network based at least in part on at least one of network server latency and the network server load. The apparatus is further caused to set the network server as default network server used for at least one of current and future session on one or more user equipment. |
| US08904013B2 |
Social hotspot
In one embodiment, a method includes broadcasting, from a first mobile device, a message having an identity of the first mobile device and conditions for connecting to a network through the first mobile device and receiving, at the first mobile device, a request from one or more second mobile devices that includes second user identifiers corresponding to respective second users of the one or more second mobile devices. The second user identifiers correspond to respective user accounts of one or more second users in a social-networking system. The method also includes determining, at the first mobile device, whether the one or more second mobile devices are authorized to access the network through the first mobile device and, if the one or more second devices are authorized to access the network, then configuring the first mobile device to provide the second mobile device network access. |
| US08904011B2 |
Resolving information in a multitenant database environment
Disclosed herein are techniques for creating a representation of dependency relationships between computing resources within a computing environment. In some implementations, one or more sources for dependency analysis may be identified. Each source may be capable of being accessed to provide computing functionality via the computing environment. Each source may include one or more references to a respective one or more computing resources. Each computing resource may define a unit of the computing functionality available within the computing environment. A plurality of dependency relationships may be identified based on the one or more sources. A dependency relationship representation may be created based on the identified dependency relationships. |
| US08904008B2 |
Assignment of resources in virtual machine pools
Systems and methods are provided for assigning and associating resources in a cloud computing environment. Virtual machines in the cloud computing environment can be assigned or associated with pools corresponding to users as dedicated, standby, or preemptible machines. The various states provide users with the ability to reserve a desired level of resources while also allowing the operator of the cloud computing environment to increase resource utilization. |
| US08904007B2 |
Connection distribution within a connectional parallelism architecture
Example embodiments provide various techniques for distributing connections within a connectional parallelism architecture. In one embodiment, a method is provided where resource utilizations of connection groups are measured. Here, each connection group is assigned to one of multiple processors. A probability distribution is accessed that maps probabilities assigned to relative resource utilizations. A relative resource utilization of one of the connection groups is determined based on a resource utilization of the one connection group relative to other resource utilizations of other connection groups. A probability from the probability distribution is identified based on the determined relative resource utilization, and based on the identified probability, a connection is assigned to this connection group for execution by one of the processors assigned to this connection group. |
| US08904001B2 |
Service access
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for configuring end user equipment. A service broker may transmit access settings to an access node where the access settings are for a predetermined service provider. The access settings may be transmitted to end user equipment so that the predetermined service provider can access the end user equipment in order to configure the end user equipment to receive a service provided by the service provider. |
| US08903999B2 |
Method and system for calculating and charting website performance
A web performance index tool along with related systems and methods for calculating and charting website performance that provide a single metric snapshot indicating how an end user would perceive the performance of a website. The metric provides an objective way to evaluate website performance by using an algorithm that measures the speed, quantity, and quality of the web content. |
| US08903997B2 |
Network analysis
A method of analyzing a network is disclosed that may include a plurality of interconnected network components, and a network model with component configuration data for each of the network components and component interconnection data for each connection between network components. The method may also comprise selectively altering component configuration data for a first network component, or selectively altering component interconnection data for a first connection, thereby selectively altering a modeled state of the first network component or the first component connection within the network model, propagating the effect of such altering of a modeled state throughout the network model in dependence upon configuration data and interconnection data relating to the first network component and in dependence upon such data relating to other connected network components, monitoring the effect of said propagation on other network components within the network model. Also disclosed is a system for analyzing a network. |
| US08903995B1 |
Performance impact analysis of network change
A network server analyzes a change in the network, including performing a machine-learning analysis of an extrapolation space. The server accesses observed data from multiple counters that each record samples for a metric in the network. The server performs a CART (classification and regression tree) analysis of the observed data to select the counters whose metrics affect a target network performance, such as latency. The server estimates an extrapolation space based on the observed data for the selected counters. The server then performs a machine-learning analysis of the extrapolation space based on a kriging model of the selected counters. |
| US08903994B2 |
Read-throttled input/output scheduler
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, read throttled input/output scheduler applications and methods are provided. A read-throttling input/output scheduler takes write requests for data captured from a network, provides this data to a system that persists the captured data, and takes read requests from external user systems. The rate of read and write requests is determined by maintaining two sliding windows over previous write requests, with the second window being longer then the first. The read-throttling input/output scheduler is configured such that, when write requests activity exceeds a threshold as determined over the first window, the read-throttling input/output scheduler throttles the flow of read requests. A storage medium is provided onto which the read and write requests are forwarded. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. |
| US08903992B2 |
Trigger method of computational procedure for virtual machine migration and application program for the same
A method of triggering a computational procedure for virtual machine migration includes receiving by a cloud server, reply connection data from a client end host, and determining if the computational procedure for virtual machine migration is initiated according to the reply connection data. The virtual machine migration is performed upon completion of the computational procedure. A browser intercepts the reply connection data to reply to the cloud server when the client end host accesses a web page via the browser. The reply connection data from the client end host is used for determining whether the computational procedure is initiated or not so as to lower a cloud server computation load by reducing the computational procedures performed. |
| US08903991B1 |
Clustered computer system using ARP protocol to identify connectivity issues
A secondary computer tests local network connectivity in assuming responsibility from a primary computer for a network service. The secondary computer issues an address resolution protocol (ARP) command on a network interface and monitors for an expected ARP response. The ARP command is a broadcast command including a network address of a gateway between a local network segment and external network(s). If the expected response is received (which includes the gateway network address and data-link-layer address), correct connectivity is confirmed. Otherwise there is a potential problem with the connectivity. For example, a switch providing layer-2 message forwarding may be improperly configured so that the secondary computer is erroneously not connected to the same network segment as the gateway, making it impossible for the secondary computer to use the gateway for service communications. The secondary computer initiates a remedial action such as investigating and/or repairing the potential connectivity problem. |
| US08903988B2 |
One activity report for interception purposes
The present invention relates to methods and arrangements for optimizing monitoring capacity in a telecommunication system comprising at least one information element receiving unit. One activity report request along with identities of a target to be monitored are received at the element receiving unit. At least two information elements belonging to a first element group, related to the specified target by different identities and comprise duplicate information are also received at the target. The element receiving unit selects one of the received at least two elements. |
| US08903986B1 |
Real-time identification of URLs accessed by automated processes
Outbound network traffic originating from a client computer is monitored, and requests to access URLs in the outbound network traffic are detected. Detected requests to access URLs are compared to each of a plurality of rules, in order to determine whether specific ones of the detected requests were initiated automatically by a process or manually by a human user. Where a rule of the plurality applies to a detected request, a rating concerning the request is adjusted. The rating indicates a likelihood as to whether the request was initiated automatically or manually. Depending upon whether the rating concerning the request reaches a threshold, the request is categorized as being either automatically initiated by a process, or manually initiated by a human user. Only those requests categorized as being manually initiated by a human user are logged. |
| US08903985B2 |
Sharing status information across a plurality of communication networks
A method and system for sharing status information across a plurality of communication networks is presented. Such a method and system is adapted to collect and make available network session status information and to collect and make available network user status information. |
| US08903984B2 |
Flexible logging, such as for a web server
A flexible logging system is described herein that operates with a web server to provide activity logging in a way that is customizable to include a variety of data fields, can capture both client and server log information to a single location, and can provide data to an analysis engine directly to provide near real-time reporting. The system captures events within the web server as they occur and can provide reporting before the final response occurs. During request processing in the web server, server extension modules raise log events whenever an event occurs. The system matches the received data to a log definition and writes the data to any log that matches. Thus, the flexible logging system provides a rich, flexible, and fast platform for content providers and administrators to get a real-time view of the state of requests to their web servers. |
| US08903983B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for managing, modeling, predicting, allocating and utilizing resources and bottlenecks in a computer network
A method and apparatus for managing, modeling, predicting, allocating and utilizing resources and bottlenecks in a computer network managing, predicting and displaying of capacity, allocating and utilizing of resources, as well as actual and potential performance-degrading resource shortages in a computer network, is provided. Specifically, exemplary implementations of the present invention provide a method, system and apparatus for calculating, detecting, predicting, and presenting resource allocation, utilization, capacity bottlenecks and availability information, in a computer network, particularly in a virtualized computer environment. |
| US08903982B2 |
Computer system, management server and configuration information acquisition method
A computer system includes a management server which includes an acquisition unit for acquiring the configuration information and performance information of the storage apparatus and the host computer respectively at different timings, and a comparison unit for comparing, when a configuration change of the storage apparatus is commanded externally, a performance value of components in the storage apparatus subject to the configuration change and a performance value of components in a connection relationship with the components. The acquisition unit determines that an unknown component has been added in the storage apparatus when the difference in the performance values compared with the comparison unit exceeds a predetermined threshold, and reacquires configuration information from the storage apparatus. |
| US08903978B2 |
Method and apparatus for pairing a mobile device to an output device
Methods and systems for associating or pairing a mobile device with a local output device via a central or mobile connect server system are provided. Pairing is performed by initiating a pairing request from an output device that is passed to the mobile connect server for processing. The mobile connect server responds to the request with a pairing code that is displayed by the output device. A user of the mobile device then enters the displayed pairing code in the mobile device. The mobile device transmits the entered pairing code to the mobile connect server and, in response to a match, the mobile device is paired to the output device. Pairing can enable various functions, including an ability to apply stored user preference data to control programming or other information displayed by the output device in response to commands entered in the mobile device. |
| US08903972B2 |
Method and apparatus for sharing contents using information of group change in content oriented network environment
Provided are a method and apparatus for sharing content, using information regarding a group change in a content oriented network environment. In a case where a group to which a target user equipment belongs is changed from a first group to a second group, the target user equipment may transmit, to a first group member management device, the information regarding the group change. The first group member management device may update information about a group to which the target user equipment currently belongs, based on the information regarding the group change. In response to a receiving of a content request from a requesting user equipment, the first group member management device may transfer the content request to the target user equipment. |
| US08903971B2 |
Message architecture for an appliance communications network
A message architecture is provided for use in a communications network for an appliance having at least one component and further enabled to communicate information about the at least one component. The message architecture includes first and second identifiers where the first identifier identifies the form of the second identifier and the second identifier identifies at least one component in the appliance. |
| US08903969B2 |
Central service control
Central service control may be provided. First, a control message from one of a plurality of framework applications may be inserted into a database. In response to the inserted control message, a trigger may be actuated in the database. In response to the trigger, the control message may be transmitted from the database and received by a plurality of redundant services. Next, from each of the plurality of redundant services in response to the received control message, the control message may be transmitted to each of a plurality of servers. From each of the plurality of servers, acknowledgements of receipt of the transmitted control message transmitted from each of the plurality of redundant services may be received. In addition, from each of the plurality of servers, status and results of an action requested by the received control message may be received. |
| US08903962B2 |
Method and apparatus for loading a landing page
A Universal Serial Bus (USB) modem/Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) device is provided that when connected to a host device, presents itself as an Ethernet endpoint to the host device, without requiring additional software/drivers to be downloaded to the host device. Embedded in the USB modem/WWAN device are various modules that provide functionality allowing either automatic connection to the Internet or redirection to a local Web User Interface (UI) that a user may employ to configure the USB modem/WWAN device and/or manually connect to the Internet. Additionally, the USB modem/WWAN device employs predetermined rules to determine whether or not/how the redirection occurs, including in scenarios where wireless connectivity to the Internet is unavailable. |
| US08903961B2 |
Method and system for communication sessions
A method and computer program product includes calculating a score for one or more communication sessions on a communication device, associating the score with the one or more communication sessions, and measuring a performance metric on the communication device. The performance metric may be indicative of a load on the communication device, and may be caused, at least in part, by the one or more communication sessions. If the performance metric on the communication device falls outside an acceptable value, a number of participants in at least one of the one or more communication sessions may be reduced based on the score associated with the at least one of the one or more communication sessions. |
| US08903956B2 |
On-demand virtual storage capacity
A system, method, and computer program product for providing on-demand storage capacity on a remote storage server to a customer is provided. A virtual array site code is received. The remote storage server is virtually connected to a local storage server of the customer in response to receiving the virtual array site code. Subsequent to receiving an activation request from the customer, a command is executed on the remote storage server to provide the virtual array site code to the customer. A virtual array site object is created on the local storage server corresponding to an array site object on the remote storage server. |
| US08903955B2 |
Systems and methods for intelligent video delivery and cache management
Network operators are striving to find ways to provide stable video services amid a rapid increase in video data traffic. In order to provide stable video services with constrained network resources, network operators attempted to reduce video file sizes and to cache videos for future use. However, network operators failed to exploit user information and to leverage benefits of distributing these functionalities across the network. This disclosure provides systems and methods for efficiently delivering video and managing video caches by exploiting user information and by distributing video delivery functionalities across the network. |
| US08903953B2 |
Event media file discovery
A computer implemented method and computer program product provides for announcing file availability. A source device receives a uniform resource locator (URL). The source device reports the URL, the URL corresponding to an event and to a network addressable server. |
| US08903952B2 |
Video streaming using adaptive TCP window size
Methods and apparatuses for streaming a video stored on a server to a display device over a network are provided. The TCP receive window size is adjusted to achieve a more uniform transmission of video segments of the video over the network to reduce the bustiness of network traffic. |
| US08903951B2 |
Speculative database authentication
Speculative processing of authentication messages may include transmitting a first series of simultaneous messages to a database client, the first series of simultaneous messages including a handshake message and a first authentication acknowledgement message, receiving a second series of simultaneous messages from the database client, the second series of simultaneous messages including an authentication message and a database message, and transmitting a database acknowledgment message to the database client. In some implementations, the second series of simultaneous messages is received from the database client substantially without delay after the transmission of the first series of simultaneous messages. |
| US08903949B2 |
Systems and methods of specifying service level criteria
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture to generate file transfer monitoring criteria are disclosed. An example method obtains a file transfer log file from a first network entity and obtains from the transfer log file file transfer metadata that is associated with file transfer activity between the first network entity and a second network entity. The file transfer metadata is used to generate a file transfer monitoring criterion that is associated with selectively monitoring the file transfer activity between the first network entity and the second network entity. Service level criteria associated with the file transfer event is automatically updated based on the file transfer monitoring criterion. |
| US08903948B2 |
Data processing system, information terminal, data processing method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing data processing program
The amount of communication between a server 10 and an information terminal 30 is reduced. After asset data has been updated by a data updating unit 14, the server 10 transmits identification information and version information for the asset data to the information terminal 30. The information terminal 30 determines whether the received version information is stored in a browser cache 36. When the received version information is not stored in the browser cache 36, the information terminal 30 requests the server 10 to transmit the asset data associated with the version information. When the received version information is stored in the browser cache 36, the information terminal 30 does not request the server 10 to transmit the asset data associated with the version information. |
| US08903946B1 |
Reduction in redirect navigation latency via speculative preconnection
Methods, systems, and computer storage mediums for reducing navigation redirect latency by using speculative preconnection. A redirect speculation value is retrieved in response to a request for a source Uniform Resource Locator (URL), where the redirect speculation value is based on the source URL. The redirect speculation value includes the source URL, a target URL, and a probability factor. A preconnection to the target URL's hostname is then initiated based on the probability factor. Next, a response from the request to the source URL is received, where the response includes a redirect URL. Finally, the preconnection is used to process the redirect URL when the redirect URL is similar to the target URL. |