最新美国发明专利
Document Document Title
US08915880B2 Funnel for a breast pump
The present invention relates to a funnel for a breast pump. Milk expressed from a user's nipple is known to pool at a user's breast. The funnel for a breast pump according to the present invention comprises a breast receiving portion (29) and a nipple receiving chamber (34) to receive a user's nipple. The nipple receiving chamber (34) is defined by an inner surface (36) of an outer wall (37), wherein the inner surface (36) of the outer wall (37) extends from the breast receiving portion (29), and a lower section (40) of the inner surface (36) diverges away from an opposing upper section (39) of the inner surface (36) and a user's nipple received in the nipple receiving chamber. The present invention also relates to a breast pump comprising a funnel.
US08915878B2 Ablation device with internally cooled electrodes
An electrosurgical end effector for ablating tissue is provided that comprises at least one electrically-conductive ablation member adapted to be connected to a source of RF energy, with the ablation member having a tissue engaging surface and defining an internal fluid passageway. Preferably, the end effector includes two electrically conductive ablation members that are electrically isolated from one another and have their fluid passageways in fluid communication. Alternatively, the end effector may comprise four electrically conductive ablation members arranged as two pairs of ablation members, all of the ablation members having internal fluid passageways that are electrically isolated from each other, with the fluid passageways of each of the four ablation members being in fluid communication with each other.
US08915876B2 Method for removing blood from an extracorporeal blood circuit as well as apparatuses
The present invention relates to a method for removing blood from an extracorporeal blood circuit and/or a functional device, each connectable or connected with a blood treatment apparatus for the purpose of blood treatment of a patient. The blood treatment apparatus of the method comprises or is connected with at least one extracorporeal blood circuit with a line having interior portions, the extracorporeal blood circuit comprising at least one arterial line section and at least one venous line section, wherein a first section of the arterial line section is configured to be connected with a second section of the venous line section, and further comprises at least one blood pump for conveying blood within the line interior portions. The method includes the step of operating the blood pump in a second conveying direction which is opposite to a first customary conveying direction. It further relates to corresponding apparatuses.
US08915872B2 Medical slings
A medical sling made from material that is suitably shaped for use in a medical application has sides, portions of which are smoothed to prevent abrasion of surrounding tissue.
US08915870B2 Method and system for treating stretch marks
Methods and systems for treating stretch marks through deep tissue tightening with ultrasound are provided. An exemplary method and system comprise a therapeutic ultrasound system configured for providing ultrasound treatment to a shallow tissue region, such as a region comprising an epidermis, a dermis and a deep dermis. In accordance with various exemplary embodiments, a therapeutic ultrasound system can be configured to achieve depth from 0 mm to 1 cm with a conformal selective deposition of ultrasound energy without damaging an intervening tissue in the range of frequencies from 2 to 50 MHz. In addition, a therapeutic ultrasound can also be configured in combination with ultrasound imaging or imaging/monitoring capabilities, either separately configured with imaging, therapy and monitoring systems or any level of integration thereof.
US08915868B1 Instrument for measuring the posture of a patent
The disclosed invention is an instrument for measuring posture in a patient. The instrument comprises a measuring instrument, further comprising a perpendicular member mechanically coupled to a fixed marker and a sliding marker. The fixed marker and the sliding marker can mark a poster instrument. The poster instrument is mechanically coupled to right side banner track which is mechanically coupled to three track screws, a left side banner track which is mechanically coupled three track screws and an upper banner track, which is mechanically coupled to an upper track screw. An examiner can utilize the measuring instrument to mark the poster instrument and maneuver the track screws to determine difference in measurements at head, shoulders, iliac crests, and vertical head measurement in a repeatable and consistent manner.
US08915867B2 System for marking a location for treatment within the gastrointestinal tract
A device and method for mapping, diagnosing and treating the intestinal tract is provided using a capsule passing through the intestinal tract. Further, a capsule tracking system is provided for tracking a capsule's location along the length of an intestinal tract as various treatment and/or sensing modalities are employed. In one variation, an acoustic signal is used to determine the location of the capsule. A map of sensed information may be derived from the pass of a capsule. Capsules may be subsequently passed through to treat the intestinal tract at a determined location along its length. One variation uses an electrical stimulation capsule to treat and/or diagnose a condition in the intestinal tract.
US08915866B2 Implantable sensor and associated methods
Implantable sensors and methods for detecting changes in a characteristic of a soft tissue is disclosed. In one embodiment, an implantable sensor for detecting indicators of cartilage wear in a joint is provided. The implantable sensor includes a sensing element for detecting a signal indicative of a characteristic of the cartilage of the joint and a telemetry circuit in communication with the sensing element for transmitting a data set representative of the detected signal. In another embodiment, a system for detecting changes in joint cartilage includes an implantable acoustic sensing element and an external receiver in communication with the implantable acoustic sensing element. In other embodiments, methods of detecting cartilage degradation in a joint and methods of using the disclosed sensors are provided.
US08915862B2 System for assessing endothelial function
The system assesses the endothelial function of a subject. Particularly, peripheral tissue perfusion measurements taken in a subject are compared to reference perfusion data and the comparison yields the assessment of endothelial function. The reference may be data indicative of peripheral tissue perfusion in a healthy person. Also, peripheral tissue perfusion measurements taken in a subject when perfusion is in an unperturbed state (the reference) can be compared to perfusion measurements taken promptly after a challenge to normal or unperturbed tissue perfusion of the subject.
US08915859B1 Monitoring device, system and method for a multi-player interactive game
A system and method for multiple players to play an interactive game is disclosed herein. The system preferably includes monitoring device monitoring the vital signs of a user, a game console and a video monitor. The monitoring device is preferably an article having an optical sensor and accelerometer. The monitoring device preferably provides for the display of the following information about the user: pulse rate; blood oxygenation levels; calories expended by the user of a pre-set time period; target zones of activity; time; distance traveled; and/or dynamic blood pressure. The article is preferably a band worn on a user's wrist, arm or ankle.
US08915857B2 Method for manufacturing optical device, optical device, and biological information detector
An optical device comprises a substrate having a first surface and a second surface being opposite the first surface; a light-emitting element having a first center, installed on the second surface; and a light-receiving element having a second center, installed on the first surface. At least a part of the light-emitting element is arranged at a position, overlapping the light-receiving element with respect to a plan view; the light-receiving element, installed after the light-emitting element, has a bonding pad, provided at a position displaced relative to the second center towards a first direction with respect to the plan view; and the first center is provided at a position displaced relative to the second center towards a second direction, being opposite the first direction DR1, with respect to the plan view.
US08915854B2 Method for fat and cellulite reduction
A method and system for providing ultrasound treatment to a tissue that contains a lower part of dermis and proximal protrusions of fat lobuli into the dermis. An embodiment delivers ultrasound energy to the region creating a thermal injury and coagulating the proximal protrusions of fat lobuli, thereby eliminating the fat protrusions into the dermis. An embodiment can also include ultrasound imaging configurations using the same or a separate probe before, after or during the treatment. In addition various therapeutic levels of ultrasound can be used to increase the speed at which fat metabolizes. Additionally the mechanical action of ultrasound physically breaks fat cell clusters and stretches the fibrous bonds. Mechanical action will also enhance lymphatic drainage, stimulating the evacuation of fat decay products.
US08915849B2 Transcutaneous analyte sensor
The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for measuring an analyte in a host. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for transcutaneous measurement of glucose in a host.
US08915848B1 Apparatus and method for eyelid everter
An ophthalmic instrument that includes an elongated handle member and a plurality of extensions configured to grasp an eyelid, wherein the extensions extend from a top surface of the handle member at an angle that is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the handle member, wherein a first extension is located on a first side of the top surface of the handle member and a second extension is located on a second side of the top surface of the handle member. A double-everting method that includes holding an eyelid to a second end of the handle member and rotating the instrument until the eyelid is placed in an everted position, positioning the plurality of extensions over a lower edge of the everted eyelid in order to grasp the everted eyelid with the plurality of extensions, and rotating the instrument until the grasped-everted eyelid is placed in a double-everted position.
US08915844B2 Endoscope diagnostic apparatus
The endoscope diagnostic apparatus includes a light source emitting white light and two or more kinds of excited light with different center wavelengths for emitting two or more kinds of self-fluorescence from a self-fluorescent material, an imaging unit which receives reflected light of white light to image a normal light image, and receives self-fluorescence emitted from the self-fluorescent material to image self-fluorescent images, and a light source control unit which has compensation coefficients for preventing emission intensity from being lowered depending on the volume of blood when the two or more kinds of excited light are absorbed by blood, and compensates the ratios of emission intensity of the two or more kinds of excited light using the calculated compensation coefficients so as to exclude the influence of absorption of light by blood in each of the two or more kinds of excited light.
US08915840B2 Capsule-type medical device, power supply apparatus, and power supply system
Provided is a capsule-type endoscope that has a power receiving coil that wirelessly receives an electric power from outside a body of an individual to be examined, a processing circuit that performs predetermined processing, and an adjusting reactance section that is capable of adjusting a reactance that is connected to the power receiving coil.
US08915838B2 Medical apparatus and medical system provided with the same
In the present invention, an endoscope apparatus has an identification unit which identifies the classification on the basis of scope ID information of an endoscopic scope, a storage unit which stores information regarding processing to be executed according to the classification of the endoscopic scope (a first SOP), and a control unit which reads a second SOP corresponding to the classification from the first SOP stored in the storage section on the basis of the result of the identification by the identification unit and sets the second SOP, and which, in the case where the information corresponding to the classification does not exist, performs switching so that predetermined information (a third SOP) is read from the first SOP stored in the storage unit and sets the predetermined information.
US08915833B1 Image guided intraoperative simultaneous several ports microbeam radiation therapy with microfocus X-ray tubes
A microbeam intraoperative, 10-50 kilovoltage radiation therapy system with multiple simultaneous microfocus X-ray sources and method for image guided, microsecond duration, 100 to 1,000 Gy microbeam radiation therapies with dose rate ranging from 1,000 to 20,000 Gy per second and RBE closer to high LET with minimal toxicity to normal tissue is provided. Dismountable coronal, sagital and transverse half-circle gantry sections are assembled on to a surgical table for mounting the microfocus X-ray sources for intraoperative radiosurgery. A stereotactic breast core biopsy system is adapted for combined breast biopsy, positron emission tomography and computerized tomography with phase-contrast imaging. Cosmetic whole breast preserving electronic brachytherapy is combined with stereotactic core biopsy. The low dose valley regions of the intersecting microbeams at the tumor site are filled with scattered and characteristic radiation from high Z-element that is bound or implanted into the tumor.
US08915831B2 System and method for automating package assembly
A system and method of automatically assembling a package may include maintaining a data structure comprising a dynamic rule set for package production. A desired package may be selected for assembly. An assembly sequence may automatically be developed to create a three dimensional package from the dynamic rule set based on the desired package. The desired package may be assembled using the assembly sequence.
US08915829B2 Reformer exercise apparatus
A reformer exercise apparatus is disclosed that has a generally rectangular frame. The rail portions of the frame each have an upright outer wall, an integral downwardly slanted inner wall and a hidden outwardly open slot therein between the outer and inner walls. A foot bar support assembly movably carried by each of the outwardly open slots supports the foot bar. Each foot bar support assembly has an elongated slide plate movably supported within the slot, a hook plate fastened to the slide plate, and a foot bar support arm rotatably and slidably fastened to the hook plate. A pair of tubular risers each having an upper roller therein at the head end of the frame direct arm cord ends to a cord retraction assembly mounted on the carriage. The retraction assembly releases the cords by pivoting either one of the shoulder stops toward the foot end of the frame.
US08915823B2 System and method for processing information
A method for processing biological information is provided, wherein the method includes receiving biological information from a monitoring device responsive to a first party and responsive to an exercise regime and processing the biological information to generate resultant information responsive to at least one physical characteristic of the first party.
US08915820B2 Configuration for compact five speed planetary transmission
A compact five-speed transmission planetary gear train includes a first, second, third, fourth and fifth planetary gear sets between an input and an output as well as first, second, third and fourth brakes and first and second clutches. The first, second, third and fourth brakes and first and second clutches are selectively actuatable to provide five different forward speeds and a plurality of different reverse speeds between the input and the output.
US08915815B2 Power transmission system of hybrid electric vehicle
A power transmission system may include: an input shaft receiving engine torque; a first planetary gear set disposed on the input shaft and including a first sun gear selectively connected to a transmission housing, a first ring gear directly connected to the input shaft, and a first planet carrier; a second planetary gear set disposed on the input shaft and including a second sun gear, a second ring gear selectively connected to the first ring gear and selectively connected to the transmission housing, and a second planet carrier directly connected to the first planet carrier and directly connected to an output gear; a first motor/generator directly connected to the first sun gear; and a second motor/generator directly connected to the second sun gear.
US08915814B2 Gear-change device for a motor vehicle
A gear-change device includes a primary shaft, a secondary shaft, and a third shaft, which bears both a gear of the reverse and an output pinion meshing with a gear of a differential. The third shaft is connected via a gear reducer to the shaft of an electrical machine, the casing of which is rigidly connected to the easing of the gear-change device.
US08915813B2 Continuously variable hydrostatic transmission having torque division
A continuously variable hydrostatic transmission (10) having torque division for a vehicle comprises a first hydrostatic unit (H1) operating as a pump and a second hydrostatic unit (H2) operating as a motor, and further a planetary drive (12), a first shaft (W1) on the drive side and a summing means (W6). The power present at the first shaft (W1) is divided by way of the planetary drive (12) to a mechanical transmission branch (Z9, W2, Z1, Z2) and a hydraulic transmission branch (Z7, W3, Z4, Z5, Z6, H1, H2) formed by the two hydraulically coupled hydrostatic units (H1, H2) and is combined again at the summing means (W6). In such a transmission, a compact and simplified design and great flexibility in application are achieved in that the power transmission between the first shaft (W1) and summing means (W6) can be controlled exclusively by varying the displacements of the hydrostatic units (H1, H2).
US08915812B2 Hydrostatically power-splitting transmission
A hydrostatically power-splitting transmission (10), particularly for agricultural and construction equipment, comprises at least two hydrostats (H2), which are hydraulically connected to each other and operate as pumps or as motors, wherein at least one of the hydrostats (H2) can be adjusted or pivoted by means of a controller (16, 20, 21; SK1, . . . SK4), mechanical coupling means (K1, K2; Z1, . . . , Z12), which couple the hydrostats (H1, H2) to an inner drive shaft (W1) and an inner driven shaft (W7), a housing (14, 31) comprising a cover (14) and a housing bottom part (31), wherein the hydrostats (H1, H2), the inner drive and driven shafts (W1, W7), and the mechanical coupling means (Z7, Z9) are disposed and attached on the bottom of the cover (14), and in the lower housing part an outer drive shaft accessible from the outside and a driven shaft are supported, which are operatively connected to the inner drive shaft or driven shaft when the housing is assembled. In such a transmission, a compact design, while simultaneously providing easy accessibility and high flexibility in the adaptation to different vehicles, is achieved in that the controller (16, 20, 21; SK1, . . . SK4) for adjustment or pivoting of the at least one hydrostat (H2) is disposed on the top of the cover (14) and acts upon the at least one hydrostat (H2) through the cover (14).
US08915811B2 Continuously variable transmission
A continuously variable transmission includes a first shaft integrally rotatably coupled to a primary pulley, a second shaft integrally rotatably coupled to the secondary pulley, a first gear mounted on the first shaft and relatively rotatable with respect to the first shaft, a second gear fixed on the second shaft and engaged with the first gear, a forward clutch for coupling an engine and the first shaft, and a reverse clutch for coupling the engine and the first gear.
US08915807B1 Slide hammer impact enhancement system
A slide hammer impact enhancement system adapted for incorporation into a hollow arrow shaft comprises a weight member movably positioned within the hollow arrow shaft with a magnet member rigidly secured to an end thereof. A nock member is rigidly mounted at one end of the hollow arrow shaft, and contains an attachment member accessible from within the hollow arrow shaft. The magnet member and attached weight member are maintained adjacent the nock member by the attachment member upon launching the arrow. Upon the arrow striking a target, the magnet member and connected weight member disengage from the attachment member, move down the hollow arrow shaft, and strike an arrow head at the opposite end thereof, thereby further driving the arrow into the target.
US08915806B2 Arrow shaft
An arrow includes an elongate shaft, a plurality of vanes located proximate a proximal end of the shaft, and a point located proximate a distal end of the shaft. The shaft may have a dimpled outer surface. The shaft may also or alternatively have an internal supporting structure.
US08915804B2 Color golf ball
Golf ball comprising: core comprising at least one layer A, cover comprising at least one layer B, intermediate layer C disposed between core and cover, and coating D applied on outermost surface of the golf ball. At least two of layer A, layer B, layer C and coating D comprise a golf ball color contributing component comprising a color and contributing to an overall golf ball color, at least two color contributing components have different saturations or different chromas, or both. Overall golf ball hue is different than that of each color contributing component and overall saturation and chroma are different than that of at least one color contributing component.
US08915801B2 Dual core golf ball having negative-hardness-gradient thermoplastic inner core and steep positive-hardness-gradient thermoset outer core layer
A golf ball includes an inner core layer formed from a thermoplastic material comprising a highly-neutralized ionomer comprising a copolymer of ethylene and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, an organic acid or salt thereof, and sufficient cation source to fully-neutralize the acid groups of the copolymer by 80% or greater. The inner core has a geometric center hardness less than its surface hardness to define a positive hardness gradient. An outer core layer is formed over the inner core and is formed from a substantially homogenous thermoset composition. The outer core layer has an interior hardness substantially less than an outer surface hardness to define a steep positive hardness gradient. An inner cover layer and an outer cover layer are formed over the outer core layer.
US08915798B2 Putter face insert
A putter-type golf club head having a face insert comprising a metal sheet and a urethane backing is disclosed herein. The metal sheet, which makes contact with a golf ball during use, includes a plurality of oval-shaped holes extending through the entire thickness of the sheet and having a specific size and spacing, and the urethane backing has a hardness that optimizes performance of the face insert, and thus the putter.
US08915796B2 Golf club shaft and golf club
A golf club shaft has a tip end to which a golf club head is attached and a butt end to which a grip is attached, wherein the shaft is composed of a fiber reinforced resin having a fiber layer, the fiber layer contains a bias layer having bias fibers oriented at an angle with respect to an axial direction of the shaft, the bias layer includes a tip-side bias layer extending from the tip end toward the butt end and having a butt-side end terminating without reaching the butt end and a butt-side bias layer extending from the butt end toward the tip end and having a tip-side end terminating without reaching the tip end, and bias fibers in the tip-side bias layer has a tensile elastic modulus smaller than that of bias fibers of the butt-side bias layer.
US08915787B2 Sliding type constant velocity universal joint
In a sliding type constant velocity universal joint which includes a coil spring (14) employed to urge an intermediate shaft (13), a cylindrical portion (34) of a spring receptacle which supports an end of the coil spring (14) rises by a height h3, so that an edge (37) of the cylindrical portion (34) makes contact with a lower end surface of an outer ring (26) of a roller assembly (28) of an inner joint member (12) when the constant velocity universal joint takes a maximum operating angle.
US08915786B2 Gaming system and method providing simultaneous gaming with linked paytable events
The gaming device disclosed herein includes a plurality of simultaneously, substantially simultaneously or sequentially played primary games, wherein a designated triggering event in at least one of the games causes the gaming device to change, modify, supplement, add to, activate or otherwise influence the paytable of at least another game.
US08915783B2 Gaming machines with player reservation feature
A player reservation feature is provided for a casino gaming machine by a secondary controller of the casino gaming machine. The player reservation feature may be accessed at the gaming machine or remotely at another gaming machine or other device, e.g., a smart phone, tablet, personal computer, and the like. The gaming machine is locked and unavailable for play except by the player that made the reservation. Reserving a gaming machine may be free, or a fee may be accessed for a reservation. Where a fee is assessed, the fee may be waived for a reserving player. Where the reservation feature is being accessed remotely, a casino floor map may be displayed at the device that is being used, such as another casino machine, smart phone, tablet, personal computer, and the like, along with information about each gaming machine on the casino floor.
US08915781B2 System and method of revealing the outcomes of real world wagers through mirage reveals
The invention relates to systems and methods of selecting and placing real-world wagers responsive to one or more wager triggers, obtaining outcomes of the real-world wagers, facilitating user interactions with various interactive media, and revealing the outcomes of the real-world wagers through the interactive media to give an appearance that the outcomes of the real-world wagers resulted from the user interactions even though the outcomes resulted from the real-world wagers and were determined before the user interactions. The system may provide mirage reveals that give an appearance to the user that an objective may be achieved to obtain a reward. However, the objective may not be achievable, thereby guaranteeing a loss. The mirage reveals may be used to reveal a loss resulting from a real-world wager in a manner that the loss appears to result from the failure to achieve the objective.
US08915780B2 Logistics methods for processing lottery and contest tickets with generic hardware
A lottery data transfer method for processing lottery ticket data piggybacks on a merchant's existing debit or credit card interchange system. A BIN is assigned to lottery tickets that is unique in the merchant's credit or debit card interchange, the BIN associated with a lottery data blob also provided on the lottery ticket. The lottery BIN and data blob are into the merchant's existing credit or debit card activation barcode protocol to initiate transfer of the lottery data to a central lottery site via the interchange. At a processor within the interchange, the unique lottery BIN is flagged to initiate special routing to and further processing of the lottery data blob at the lottery central site, wherein the lottery data blob is processed outside of the interchange's debit or credit card data transfer and processing procedures.
US08915776B2 Air outlet valve as well as a system and method for emergency ventilation of an aircraft cabin
An air outlet valve for use in an aircraft is adapted during normal operation of the aircraft as a component of a cabin pressure control system for adjusting a desired pressure level in an aircraft cabin to remove air from an interior of the aircraft into the environment around the aircraft. The air outlet valve is further adapted during emergency ventilation operation of the aircraft as a component of a system for emergency ventilation of the aircraft cabin to introduce air from the environment around the aircraft into the interior of the aircraft. The air outlet valve comprises a nose-side valve flap, which is pivotable about an axis and is adapted to open or close a nose-side portion of an air outlet valve aperture, and a tail-side valve flap, which is pivotable about an axis and is adapted to open or close a tail-side portion of the air outlet valve aperture. A portion of the tail-side valve flap that in the open state of the tail-side valve flap projects into an air stream flowing around an aircraft skin during cruising of the aircraft is greater than a portion of the nose-side valve flap that in the open state of the nose-side valve flap projects into the air stream flowing around the aircraft skin during cruising of the aircraft.
US08915772B2 Crab shelling machine
A crab shelling machine includes first and second transfer mechanisms for conveying crabs, a cutting mechanism for sectioning the crabs and a separating mechanism for separating crab meat and/or crab roe from crab shells. The cutting mechanism includes a frame body, a pair of transmitting apparatuses positioned above the frame body, and a cutter vertically extending into a slot formed by the pair of transmitting apparatuses. The slot is adapted for the crabs to be conveyed therethrough. Each transmitting apparatus includes two transport wheels and a transport belt associated to the transport wheels. The separating mechanism includes a storage box located above the second transfer mechanism, a suction tube fixed to the storage box for separating the crab meat and/or the crab roe, and a driving apparatus for driving the suction tube.
US08915771B2 Method and apparatus for cleaning grinding work chuck using a vacuum
A vacuum assembly for removing debris formed on the surface of a work chuck after a wafer grinding process by positioning a vacuum source above the work chuck and then activating the vacuum source.
US08915769B2 Method of manufacturing tubular structure, and stent
A method of manufacturing a tubular structure is implemented by housing a tubular base, which has a side circumference surface formed in a bellows-like shape, in a polishing container, causing magnetic particles to flow along a circumferential direction of the tubular base due to action of magnetic poles, and supplying abrasive particles to the polishing container so that the abrasive particles flow along an axial direction of the tubular base, thereby polishing a surface of the tubular base. The method includes: a first polishing step of polishing an exposed surface of the tubular base by causing the magnetic particles and the abrasive particles to flow while an inner surface of the tubular base remains covered; and a second polishing step of polishing an exposed surface of the tubular base by causing the magnetic particles and the abrasive particles to flow while an outer surface of the tubular base remains covered.
US08915763B1 Beehive frame scraping tool
A beehive frame scraping tool that includes a head portion having a first cutaway section disposed upon a first side edge, a second cutaway section disposed upon a second side edge, a top side edge disposed endwise perpendicularly between the first side edge and the second side edge, wherein the first cutaway section includes a rectangular section cut away from the first side edge and the second cutaway section includes a generally triangular section cut away from the second side edge, wherein the first side edge is usable to scrape a frame along at least two perpendicularly adjacent surfaces, the second side edge is useable to clip foundation wire, pry and remove nails from said frame, a point edge is usable to scrape a foundation groove in a frame, and a square edge is usable to scrape a wedge slot of a frame, whereby honeycomb is more expediently harvested.
US08915761B2 Connector terminal
A connector terminal which can achieve high mechanical connection strength and stabilized low electrical connection resistance when it is crimped to an aluminum electric wire, and in addition, can suppress electrical contact resistance low when it is fitted to a mating connector terminal is provided. In a connector terminal (1A) having an electrical contact section (10) which is brought into contact and conducted with a mating connector terminal by fitting to the mating connector terminal, and a conductor crimping section (12) which is crimped to the conductor of an electric wire, a metal material which constitutes the terminal uses aluminum or an aluminum alloy as a base material (100), a Zn layer (101) having a thickness in the range from 0.1 μm to 2.0 μm by electroless plating and a Cu layer (102) having a thickness in the range from 0.5 μm to 1.0 μm by electrolytic plating are formed in sequence on the surface of the base material (100), and an Sn layer (105) having a thickness in the range from 0.7 μm to 1.7 μm by electrolytic plating is formed on the outermost surface.
US08915760B2 Surface mount clip
A surface mount clip includes a base part having a rear surface electrically connected to a conductor part of a printed wiring board; and an extension part extending from the base part. The extension part contacts with a conductive member attached to the printed wiring board with elastic deformation of the extension part to hold the conductive member and make electrical connection thereto. The base part includes a solder-bonding part having a bonding plane to be bonded with the printed wiring board and a floating part forming a gap from the printed wiring board in a state that the solder-bonding part is solder-bonded to the printed wiring board. The extension part includes a root part extending from the floating part toward the rear surface of the base part and a folded-back part extending from an end of the root part toward a front surface of the base part.
US08915759B2 Terminal connector with electric wire and method of manufacturing the same
A terminal connector with an electric wire includes a bottom portion, a wall, a plurality of connection pieces, and an auxiliary wall. An end portion of the electric wire is placed on and connected to the bottom portion. The electric wire includes a core wire exposed at the end portion. The wall is provided continuously from the bottom portion and integrally rises from one side of the bottom portion extending to another side. One of the connection pieces extends from one end of the bottom portion and another one of the connection pieces extends from one end of the wall and the connection pieces are contacted and connected to an opposing terminal connector. The auxiliary wall is provided continuously from another end of the wall that is opposite from the one end from which the connection piece extends. The auxiliary wall extends downwardly to the bottom portion.
US08915756B2 Communication connector having a printed circuit board with thin conductive layers
Communications connectors include a housing and a printed circuit board that is at least partially mounted in the housing that has a plurality of conductive paths that are arranged in pairs to form a plurality of differential transmission lines. These connectors further include a plurality of contacts, each of which is electrically connected to a respective one of the conductive paths of the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board further includes at least a first floating image plane that is located between a top surface and a bottom surface thereof, the floating image plane being electrically isolated from the plurality of conductive paths.
US08915745B2 Method and apparatus for forming a writable erasable area on an object
A method of forming a writable erasable area on an object includes selecting a glass sheet having a front surface and a back surface, where the front surface is opposed to and parallel to the back surface. An area of the object where the writable erasable area is to be located is selected. The selected area has a select non-flat shape. The shape of the glass sheet is conformed to the select non-flat shape. The glass sheet is then mounted on the object such that the glass sheet is located at the selected area of the object and conforms in shape to the selected area of the object.
US08915744B2 System and method for automated competency assessment
The present invention relates to a system used for competency assessment of candidates. More particularly the present invention relates to an automated system for talent acquisition in an enterprise to identify talented candidates who meet the qualification standards specified by enterprise using a secured and light weight method of providing content including questions and responses in a distributed architecture. The data center server of the system may connect to Knowledge center server to receive the secure test content. The test content is transferred to one or more exam center servers from the data center server. The exam center servers assess the competency of candidates connected to them via candidate console devices (computational devices), by generating unique and standardized test content for each candidate. The system enables less effort, time and consequently money, that multiple test administrators may spend traveling to different test locations to support the system infrastructure.
US08915740B2 Virtual reality pipe welding simulator
A simulator facilitates virtual welding activity of pipe and open root weld joints. The simulator may include a logic processor based system operable to execute coded instructions for generating an interactive welding environment that emulates welding activity on a section of virtual pipe having at least one virtual weld joint. It also includes a display connected to the logic processor based system for visually depicting the interactive welding environment, wherein the display depicts the section of virtual pipe. A mock welding tool is provided for performing virtual welding activity on the at least one weld joint in real time where one or more sensors are adapted to track movement of the input device in real time for communicating data about the movement of the input device to the logic processor based system.
US08915737B2 Personnel casualty simulator
A system and method uses three-dimensional, visual feedback for simulated weapons fire during training of a soldier in a combat exercise. In the system, the soldier is provided with a weapon equipped with a laser transmitter that simulates the firing of actual rounds. Further, sensors are positioned on a human target. Also, discharge members are located on the human target. When a signal is received by a sensor, selected discharge members are activated to immediately expel a plume of dust. As a result, the plume of expelled dust provides three-dimensional, visual feedback to the soldier in real-time. Additionally, the system contemplates providing three-dimensional, visual feedback from background surfaces and vehicles in the combat environment.
US08915735B1 Arrangement for obtaining reliable anchoring of a threaded implant in bone
In an arrangement for obtaining reliable anchoring of a threaded implant (3) in dentine, a hole (2) is made in the bone substance. In the side wall (2b) of the hole it is possible to establish an internal threading which can cooperate with an external threading (3d) on the implant. The implant threading is arranged to force the bone substance out in essentially radial directions as a function of the extent to which the implant is screwed into the hole. The threading is arranged to effect greater forcing out of the bone substance at the outer parts of the hole than at the inner parts of the hole. The degree of forcing out is adapted in relation to the softness of the bone in order to achieve the reliable anchoring. Along at least part of the longitudinal direction of the implant, the implant threading can be given a non-circular configuration for the purpose of obtaining improved rotational stability in soft/weak bone. The implant can also have two or more thread spirals/thread entries which shorten the time for screwing the implant into the hole and additionally offer tight threading which permits effective integration with the bone substance during the healing-in process.
US08915732B1 Ventless fireplace
A ventless fireplace is provided, including a protective fireplace door, a wall positioned behind the protective fireplace door, a hearth surface positioned adjacent the wall, the protective fireplace door, wall and hearth surface defining a cavity the hearth surface further defining an opening therein, and a mechanical structure for housing one or more fuel cells positioned below the hearth surface, so that when operational, one or more flames emanating from the one or more fuel cells supported by the mechanical structure pass through the opening in the hearth surface. The protective door further includes a door frame, a door bezel hingedly attached to the door frame by one or more hinges, a door screen fixed within the door bezel, and a latch assembly fixed to the door frame to selectively engage the door bezel from the door frame.
US08915731B2 Flameless combustion burner
A burner has a fuel/oxidant nozzles and a pair of dynamical lances spaced on either side thereof that inject a jet of fuel and primary oxidant along a fuel injection axis, and jets of secondary oxidant, respectively. Jets of actuating fluid impinge against the jets of secondary oxidant to fluidically angle the jets of secondary oxidant away from the fuel injection axis. The action of the angling away together with staging of the oxidant between primary and secondary oxidant injections allows achievement of distributed combustion conditions.
US08915730B2 Three-dimensional modeling apparatus, method of producing a three-dimensional object, and three-dimensional object
A three-dimensional modeling apparatus includes a stage, a head, a movement mechanism, and a control unit. The head supplies a process liquid that is one of a solution and a dispersion liquid onto the stage to cause a material that constitutes a three-dimensional object to be precipitated out of the process liquid by evaporating one of a solvent and a dispersion medium therefrom. The movement mechanism relatively moves the head and the stage. The control unit controls a drive of the movement mechanism to form the three-dimensional object.
US08915729B2 Blow mould
A blow mould for containers wherein the mould base comprises a first member (5) and a second member (6) connectable to each other by means of a quick coupling system comprising at least one first connection pin, wherein said second member (6) includes a first slider (13), defining a first sliding direction on a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the mould and capable of taking an unlocking position and a locking position, said first slider (13) being provided with at least a hole in order to lock the first connection pin when the first slider (13) is in the locking position, and a second slider (16) defining a second sliding direction on said plane, intersecting said first direction; said second slider (16) being slidable along said second direction from a position of mechanical connection with the first slider (13) to a position of releasing from said first slider.
US08915726B2 Rotary vane air motor with improved vanes and other improvements
A rotary vane air motor comprises a rotor, stator and vanes. The rotor has slots for the vanes, and the vanes may move between a retracted position and a contact position in which the vanes contact the cylinder. Each vane may have a longitudinal portion whose shape conforms generally to the slot, and a transverse portion that is radially outside of the slot and extends at least in part in a direction that is transverse to the longitudinal portion and that may be tangential to the perimeter of the rotor at the slot. The shape of the perimeter may be a polygon with rounded corners. The vanes may also include a magnetic portion or a rotating portion.
US08915724B2 Scroll compressor with control valve for controlling cooling capacity based on speed and centrifugal force
A scroll compressor includes an orbiting scroll member, a drive mechanism accommodation space, a rotary shaft, a drive bushing, an upstream space, a downstream space, a first communication passage and a second communication passage. The upstream space and the downstream space are formed in the drive mechanism accommodation space by a plain bearing, the drive bushing and an eccentric pin of the rotary shaft. The second communication passage passes through at least the drive bushing and allows the upstream space and the downstream space to communicate with each other. A control valve is disposed in the second communication passage. Centrifugal force of the control valve developed when the rotary shaft is rotated at a predetermined speed or higher causes the control valve to move in a direction in which the second communication passage is opened, thereby to allow the upstream space and the downstream space to communicate with each other.
US08915722B1 Integrated fluid end
Tapered valve guide and spring retainer assemblies are described for use in plunger pump housings that incorporate corresponding outwardly flared discharge and suction bores, as well as structural features for stress-relief. Plunger pumps so constructed are relatively resistant to fatigue failure because of stress reductions, and they may incorporate essentially any style of valves, including top and lower stem-guided valves and crow-foot-guided valves, in easily-maintained configurations. Besides forming a part of valve guide and spring retainer assemblies, side spacers may be shaped and dimensioned to improve volumetric efficiency of the pumps in which they are used. The present disclosure provides, for the first time, the use of tungsten carbide valve seats, which significantly increase durability and service life of a pump, especially when abrasive fluids are being pumped, as in various oilfield operations.
US08915720B2 Fan hub integrated vacuum pump system
An integrated fan and pump drive system.
US08915719B2 Cryogenic reciprocating pump intermediate distance piece
The present invention teaches providing heating elements into the nose of an intermediate distance piece of a cryogenic reciprocating pump in order to warm the piston packing seals of the pump. The heating elements increase the temperature of the piston packing seals to limit deformation of the seals while the pump is in operation. In addition, a warm, dry vapor purge may be provided to the interior of the intermediate distance piece to reduce or eliminate rime from interfering with the piston packing seals.
US08915718B2 Airfoil including damper member
An airfoil includes an airfoil body that defines a longitudinal axis. The airfoil body includes a leading edge and a trailing edge and a first sidewall and a second sidewall that is faced apart from the first sidewall. The first sidewall and the second sidewall join the leading edge and the trailing edge and at least partially define a cavity in the airfoil body. A damper member is enclosed in the cavity. The damper member includes a first end and a second end. The first end is connected in a first joint to the first sidewall at a first longitudinal location and the second end is connected in a second joint to the second sidewall at a second, different longitudinal location.
US08915707B2 Exhaust gas housing for a gas turbine and method for producing same
An exhaust gas housing for a gas turbine is provided and includes a support structure, which, arranged concentrically, includes an outer ring and an inner ring which are interconnected by radially arranged struts, and a flow liner, which is attached inside the support structure and, arranged concentrically, includes an outer liner and an inner liner which are interconnected by radially arranged liner ribs. The liner ribs each encompass the struts of the support structure, and the outer and inner liners inside the support structure form an annular passage for the turbine's hot exhaust gases. The liner ribs are welded together from front and rear parts in the flow direction, forming welded seams which extend axially in the outer liner and in the inner liner up to the liner edge. End rings, which cover the welded seams at the liner edge, are welded on the liner's rear edges for reinforcement.
US08915706B2 Transition nozzle
A transition nozzle is provided and includes a liner in which combustion occurs and through which products of the combustion flow toward a turbine bucket stage. The liner includes opposing endwalls and opposing sidewalls extending between the opposing endwalls. The opposing sidewalls are oriented to tangentially direct the flow of the combustion products toward the turbine bucket stage. At least one of the opposing endwalls and the opposing sidewalls including a flow contouring feature to guide the flow of the combustion products.
US08915704B2 Turbocharger variable-nozzle assembly with vane sealing ring
A variable-nozzle turbocharger includes a turbine housing and a center housing, and a generally annular nozzle ring and an array of vanes rotatably mounted to the nozzle ring such that the vanes can be pivoted about their axes for regulating exhaust gas flow to the turbine wheel. The vanes extend between the nozzle ring and an opposite wall of the nozzle. An axially floating vane sealing ring is disposed in an annular recess formed in the face of the nozzle ring adjacent proximal ends of the vanes. The vane sealing ring is urged by exhaust gas pressure differential toward the proximal ends of the vanes, and the vanes are thus urged toward the opposite nozzle wall so that distal ends of the vanes are close to or abutting the wall, resulting in a reduction or closing of the gaps at the proximal and distal ends of the vanes.
US08915702B2 Gas turbine engine front center body architecture
A gas turbine engine includes a central body support that provides an inner annular wall for a core flow path. The central body support includes a first mount feature. A geared architecture interconnects a spool and a fan rotatable about an axis. A flex support interconnects the geared architecture to the central body support. The flex support includes a second mount feature that cooperates with the first mount feature for transferring torque there between. A method of disassembling a front architecture of a gas turbine engine includes the steps of accessing forward-facing fasteners that secure a central body support to a flex support, wherein the flex support includes a geared architecture supported thereon, removing the fasteners, and decoupling first and second mount features respectively provided on the central body support and the flex support.
US08915699B2 Circulation structure for a turbo compressor
A circulation structure for a turbo compressor, in particular for a compressor of a gas turbine, is disclosed. The circulation structure includes at least one annular chamber that can be traversed in a circumferential direction, is concentric with a shaft of the turbo compressor in the region of the free blade ends of a blade ring, and radially borders a main flow channel. Several chambers that can be traversed in an axial direction are situated upstream of the or each annular chamber, when viewed from the main flow direction of the main flow channel.
US08915696B2 Device and method for depalletizing stacked bundles
In a method and device for depalletizing stack containers, the stacked containers are supported by at least one support base, and the stacked containers on the support base are frictionally engaged and lifted on two opposite sides thereof.
US08915695B2 Conveying system having endless drive medium and method for delivering/receiving article therein
In a transport system, carriers are attached to an endless belt configured to rotate in a circulating manner. At a station, a hand, a driver configured to move the hand in a rotation direction and a vertical direction, a moving distance sensor configured to measure a moving distance of the endless belt, a carrier sensor configured to detect one of the carriers at a position upstream of the hand along the rotation direction, and a signal processor configured to operate the hand are provided. To load an article, when the moving distance from a time point of detection of the carrier by the carrier sensor reaches a first moving distance, the hand is activated at a first acceleration, and to unload an article, when the moving distance from the time point of detection of the carrier by the carrier sensor reaches a second moving distance which is larger than the first moving distance, the hand is activated at a second acceleration which is larger than the first acceleration. The delay in signal processing after detection of the carrier does not affect control, and both of loading and unloading can be performed in substantially the same area.
US08915687B2 Self-drilling bolt and nut assembly
A self-drilling bolt and nut assembly includes a nut which has a window to permit visual inspection of the fastener thread upon engagement with the nut. The nut also includes a protective cap or receives a protective cap so that upon threadably engaging the fastener with the nut, the drill tip of the fastener is automatically received in the cap. The nut also has at one end a plurality of projections to enhance the locking engagement. The self-drilling bolt may have an integral washer and employ a clamping plate engageable against the washer.
US08915684B2 Cargo deck
A cargo deck includes a floor engageable with a load. The floor is formed from extruded aluminum in tubular panels extending transversely along the floor. Side rails are disposed on opposed sides of the deck. A plurality of longitudinally-extending support members support the floor, and are coupled to the floor via a plurality of support brackets extending angularly from the floor to the support members.
US08915672B2 Movable breakwater and method of operating movable breakwater
The present invention provides a movable breakwater that can do with a small amount of compressed air supplied to raise the buoyant steel pipe. The buoyant steel pipe 6 includes a buoyancy tank 6d in which gas is filled, an air chamber 6e provided above the buoyancy tank 6d, a penetration pipe 19 that penetrates through the buoyancy tank 6d and feeds compressed air supplied from a pressure accumulator tank 13 to the air chamber 6e, and an open chamber 6f, whose top side is open, provided above the air chamber 6e and in the buoyant steel pipe 6 at the upper end portion thereof.
US08915666B2 Taper coupling structure and rotating machine
A taper coupling structure includes a groove, serving as a hollowed part, provided in a rear end surface of a hub. The groove is formed continuously in the circumferential direction and uniformly in the radial direction. In the state in which a taper shaft is fitted in the hub, the groove interferes with the taper shaft in the radial direction. An inner shell part, which is a portion on the inside of the groove in the radial direction, has a low radial rigidity because of the presence of the groove. For this reason, if a force is applied from the hollow portion of a flange part toward the outside in the radial direction, the diameter of the inner shell part is liable to be increased in the radial direction by elastic displacement (deflection).
US08915664B2 Complete exhaustion type lipstick tube
A lipstick tube has an outer-layer spiral tube, a middle-layer involution tube and a lipstick cup arranged on the inner side sequentially sheathed on the inner side of a base, and a longitudinal groove is arranged on the tube wall of the middle-layer involution tube. The lipstick cup has a vertical groove on the cup wall. A first lifting point is arranged directly under the vertical groove, engaged with the longitudinal groove of the middle-layer involution tube and the internal thread of the outer-layer spiral tube; a second lifting point is arranged on the outer surface of a base plate, engaged with the vertical groove, the longitudinal groove and the internal thread. The outer-layer spiral tube allows the first and the second lifting points to move side by side. The internal thread of the upper-section spiral tube only allows the second lifting point to move.
US08915663B2 Writing instrument with eraser protected by a sleeve
A writing instrument that includes a shaft and an eraser exit device. The eraser exit device includes an eraser protection sleeve that is mobile at least in rotation relative to the shaft so that the eraser can assume a maximum exit configuration and a retraction configuration, and an eraser holder provided with at least a first longitudinal guiding member directly interacting with a first complementary guiding member connected to the shaft so as to prevent any rotation movement between the holder and the shaft, and provided with at least a second guiding member that interacts with a second complementary guiding member connected to the sleeve. The sleeve has a front portion surrounding the rear end of the shaft and a rear portion having an inner guiding portion including the second complementary guiding member.
US08915654B2 Optical multi-port connectors
A connector comprising a base formed using a base material with an obverse face, a reverse face, and at least one wall member that defines the perimeter of the base; a multiplicity of inserts each having a first end and a second end, which extend through the base; wherein the inserts are of a different material than the base material, and the inserts are generally parallel to one another, wherein a single hole extends longitudinally through each of at least a subset of the inserts, and wherein each hole is configured to receive a single optical fiber; and a method of making the connector.
US08915649B2 Wheel bearing apparatus
A wheel bearing apparatus has a protecting cover formed from non-magnetic steel sheet with a cup-shaped configuration. The protective cover has a cylindrical fitting portion, a disk-shaped shield portion, a radially reducing portion, a stepped portion and a bottom portion. The cylindrical fitting portion is press-fit into the inner circumference of the inner-side end of the outer member. The disk-shaped shielding portion extends radially inward from the fitting portion, via the radially reducing portion. The inner-side surface of the shielding portion is arranged close to or in contact with a rotation speed detecting sensor. The bottom portion is continuous with the shielding portion, via the stepped portion to close the inner-side end of the inner member. A full deflection of the side surface of the shielding portion that is caused by a load the same as that applied to the protecting cover when it is press-fit into the outer member is limited to a predetermined value or less.
US08915645B2 Method and device for monitoring a component arranged in an exhaust region of an internal combustion engine
The invention relates to a method for monitoring a sensor unit (20) that is arranged in the exhaust gas region of an internal combustion engine (10). According to the invention, a sensor temperature (31, 32) is directly or indirectly determined by the sensor unit (20), and is compared to an exhaust temperature (33) that is determined by a further sensor unit and/or to model variables and/or to defined threshold values, whereby a dismounting and/or an inappropriate mounting of the sensor unit is indicated. The invention further relates to a device for monitoring a sensor unit (20) arranged in an exhaust region of an internal combustion engine (10), the sensor unit being used to directly or indirectly determine a sensor temperature (31, 32) which can be compared to an exhaust temperature (33) that is determined by a further sensor unit and/or to model variables and/or to defined threshold values in an engine control unit (14), wherein a malfunction entry and/or a warning signal can be derived from said comparison.
US08915642B2 Method for constructing co-rotating contiguous bodies and computer program product for carrying out said method and screw elements produced accordingly
The present invention relates to a method of generating tightly intermeshing, self-cleaning, co-rotating screw profiles, the use of the screw profiles in screw and transition elements, novel screw profiles which have been generated by the method and a computer program product for executing the method in a computer system.
US08915641B2 Display device
A display device is provided with a backlight system and a display panel which controls and selectively transmits light from the backlight system, and the device is formed such that the backlight system contains the light source, the light guide plate OG and the optical sheet OS within a lower frame SF and has such a structure that the lower frame is covered by a middle frame NF that covers around an opening on an upper surface of the lower frame, at least one portion around the light guide plate is provided with an elastic member EP placed between the lower frame and the light guide plate, and the elastic member is provided with a protrusion that covers part of an upper surface of the light guide plate, and the middle frame presses (B) the elastic member against the lower frame so that the protrusion holds (C) the light guide plate within the lower frame.
US08915640B2 Display device
Disclosed is a display device including a plurality of channels for forming a specific pattern, in which each of the channels includes: a light source module comprising one or more light sources for generating optical signals having different wavelengths; a driving module for controlling on/off or strength of the optical signal generated in the light source module; an optical waveguide for transferring the optical signal generated in the light source module to an outside without a loss of the optical signal; and a scattering pattern for scattering the optical signal transferred through the optical waveguide and displaying the scattered optical signal to the outside.
US08915638B2 Backlight module and display apparatus
The present invention provides a backlight module and a display apparatus. The display apparatus comprises the backlight module and a display panel. The backlight module comprises a back bezel and a plurality of light sources. The back bezel includes a plurality of bezel convex portions and a plurality of corresponding bezel concave portions. The light sources are disposed on the back bezel and positioned between the bezel convex portions. The present invention can use the bezel concave portions of the back bezel to improve a heat-dissipation effect.
US08915637B2 Light source module
A light source module including a light guide plate, a plurality of light emitting devices, and a plurality of first reflective devices is provided. The light guide plate has a plurality of through holes and a light emitting surface. The through holes pass through the light emitting surface. Each of the through holes has a first side wall and a second side wall opposite the first side wall. At least one of the light emitting devices is disposed in each of the through holes. Each of the light emitting devices is capable emitting a light beam. The light beam enters the light guide plate from the first side wall of the through hole which the light emitting device is disposed in and leaves the light guide plate from the light emitting surface. The first reflective devices are disposed on the second side walls of the through holes.
US08915633B2 White point adjustment for multicolor keyboard backlight
There are provided systems, devices and methods for operating a light source to match a white point of ambient light. In one embodiment, a light control system is provided. The light control system includes a light source and a light sensor. The light sensor is configured to operate in conjunction with the light source to provide a visual effect. A controller is electrically coupled to the light source and the light sensor and configured to determine the intensity and color of light to which the light sensor is exposed and dynamically adjust the output of the light source to match the determined intensity and color of light to which the light sensor is exposed.
US08915632B2 Vehicle headlamp system
An exemplary vehicle headlamp system includes an ultraviolet light emitting diode for emitting ultraviolet light, a first lens, and a phosphor layer. The first lens is located between the ultraviolet light emitting diode and the phosphor layer. The first lens and the phosphor layer are located at a light outputting path of the ultraviolet light emitting diode to make the ultraviolet light concentrated by the first lens and then radiates to the phosphor layer to act the phosphor layer to obtain a white light.
US08915630B2 Vehicle exterior mirror system
An exterior mirror system for a vehicle includes an exterior mirror assembly having an indicator having at least one light emitting diode. The indicator may include a light guiding element that guides light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode. The at least one light emitting diode may be associated with circuitry of the exterior mirror assembly. During low ambient lighting conditions at night, the intensity of light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode of the indicator is reduced under photosensor control to a nighttime intensity level. The nighttime intensity level is greater than about 0.3 candela and is less than about 200 candelas.
US08915629B2 Light fixture for a merchandiser
A light fixture assembly including a bracket defined by an arcuate base and a clip dovetailed to the bracket within the base. The clip and the bracket define cooperative serrations to permit rotatable adjustment of the clip relative to the base about a longitudinal axis to provide different orientations for a light source within the case.
US08915627B2 Protrusion structure processing method of backplane and backplane
At least one stress concentration factor is arranged in a bending position of forming the protrusion structure on a surface of the backplane. Then, a shape of the protrusion structure is formed by stamping. In the present disclosure, because the bending position during stretching the protrusion structure is firstly configured with a plurality of stress concentration factors in the stretching process of the protrusion structure, when the protrusion structure is stretched, stress concentration occurs in the position with the stress concentration factors.
US08915622B2 Highly efficient LED array module with pre-calculated non-circular asymmetrical light distribution
A light module includes a light emitting diode (LED) array and a double-reflective assembly coupled to the LED array. The double-reflective assembly includes a lower member having a frame. The frame has an opening corresponding to the LED array. The frame and LED array are located in the same plane. The light module further includes a left bottom reflector and a right bottom reflector. The light module further includes an upper member which includes a left top reflector; and a right top reflector, wherein the left top reflector is attached to the left bottom reflector, and right top reflector is attached to the right bottom reflector, each forming an arbitrary left and right double-reflective assembly. A shape geometry and profile of each double-reflective assembly provides a pre-calculated combined non-circular asymmetrical intensity distribution pattern. The intensity distribution pattern is a superposition of light reflected from the bottom reflectors, light reflected from the top reflectors, light doubly reflected from both the top and bottom reflectors, and light directed into the intensity distribution pattern directly from the LED array.
US08915619B2 Light emitting module comprising a thermal conductor, a lamp and a luminaire
A light emitting module (100), lamp and a luminaire are provided. The light emitting module (100) comprises a housing (106), a solid state light emitter (112), a luminescent element (102) and a thermal conductor (104). The housing (106) comprises a light exit window at a first side of the housing (106) and the housing (106) comprises a base (108) at a second side of the housing being different from the first side, the housing (106) enclosing a cavity (114) comprising cavity material being light transmitting. The solid state light emitter (112) is provided within the cavity (114) and is coupled to the base (108). The solid state light emitter (112) is configured to emit light of the first color range into the cavity (114). The luminescent element (102) being optically arranged in between the solid state light emitter (112) and the light exit window. The luminescent element (102) comprises luminescent material for converting at least a part of the light of the first color range into light of a second color range being different from the first color range. The thermal conductor (104) is arranged within the cavity (114) and has a thermal conductivity that is higher than a thermal conductivity of the cavity material. The thermal conductor (104) is thermally coupled to the luminescent element (102) and is thermally coupled to the base (108).
US08915617B2 Thermally conductive thermoplastic for light emitting diode fixture assembly
The present invention relates to a light emitting diode fixture assembly, having at least one component made out of thermally conductive thermoplastic which is comprised of a thermally conductive thermoplastic composition which is comprised of at least one thermoplastic polymer and at least one thermally conductive filler. The light emitting diode fixture assembly is comprised of (1) at least one light emitting diode, (2) a lens covering a portion of the light emitting diode, (3) a back plate to which the light emitting diode is affixed, (4) the housing for the light emitting diode and the base plate, and (5) electrical connectors which are in electrical communication with the light emitting diode and an electrical supply source with a enclosing cup/sleeve.
US08915613B2 Light emitting diode luminaire device and system
A lighting device is disclosed that includes one or more master circuit boards configured to power light emitting diodes. The lighting device also includes modular light boards with arrays of light emitting diodes that interchangeably couple to the matched connectors on the master circuit board. The master circuit boards and the modular light boards are positioned within a housing with one or more diffuser lenses. In accordance with the embodiments of the invention, master circuit boards and modular light boards are mounted in a stacked arrangement to emit light from opposed sides of the housing. In further embodiments of the invention, the lighting device includes a controller for independently controlling light output from each master circuit board.
US08915612B2 Illumination system for spot illumination with reduced symmetry
An illumination system (1;30;40;60;70;90) for spot illumination comprising: a tubular reflector (3;31;61;91) with a reflective inner surface, the tubular reflector having an entrance aperture (9), and an exit aperture (10) being larger than the entrance aperture; and a light-source array (2;33;41;63;71;93) comprising a plurality of light-sources arranged in a physical light-source configuration to emit light into the tubular reflector at the entrance aperture thereof. The tubular reflector (3;31;61;91) comprises a plurality of reflective surfaces (14a-g) each being arranged to provide a primary mirror image of the light-source array, the primary mirror image having a primary mirror image light-source configuration; and the light-source array (2;33;41;63;71;93) is configured in such a way that, for each of the primary mirror image, at least half of all secondary mirror images of the light-source array resulting from reflection of the primary mirror image by the reflective surfaces (14a-g) exhibit secondary mirror image light-source configurations that are different from the physical light-source configuration.
US08915609B1 Systems, methods, and devices for providing a track light and portable light
A light module for use as a portable light or as a light source in a track lighting system is described herein. The light module may include a module housing containing a light emitting aperture, and a light emitting diode (LED) light source located inside the module housing, where the LED light source is aligned with the light emitting aperture. The light module further includes a driver electrically connected to the LED light source, and a chargeable power supply component electrically connected to the driver. The light module also includes at least two magnets attached to the exterior of the module housing, where at least one magnet is associated with a positive electrical terminal and another magnet is associated with a negative terminal, and where at least one magnet provides electrical power to at least one of the chargeable power supply component or driver.
US08915607B2 Aqua lamp structure having light transmissive candle
The application is related to an aqua lamp structure having a light transmissive candle, mainly comprising an aqua lamp decoration having a light transmissive candle thereon; the aqua lamp decoration comprises a base upwardly mounted to an aqua lamp main body; the light transmissive candle comprises a hollow and transparent cage, and the cage comprises a lighting unit and a pattern film surroundingly set at outer edge of the lighting unit, and outer shell wall of the cage has a pattern layer, and the pattern layer has grain to project the patterns of the pattern film on the cage by the light of the lighting unit to be crossed and overlapped with the grain of the pattern layer on the shell wall. Thereby, due to the splendid aqua lamp main body with light to shine on, the 3D visual effects which have light and shadow in different layers, front and back, deep and shallow above the splendid aqua lamp main body can be realized.
US08915606B2 Display device
A display device includes: a display of which a display surface is displayed with an image; plural light sources which output light toward the display, and configure a backlight; a diffuser plate arranged between the display and the plural light sources, and diffuses light output from the light source; and a support pin arranged on the opposite side to the display by interposing the diffuser plate therebetween, and holds the diffuser plate by being in contact with the diffuser plate. A plate shaped unit formed in a transparent plate shape is provided at a portion located on the diffuser plate side in the support pin, the plural light sources and the support pin are arranged in line in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the display and the diffuser plate are aligned, and the plate shaped unit is caused to face the light source in the shortest distance.
US08915604B2 Prism sheet, backlight unit including the same, and optical display apparatus including the same
A prism sheet includes a base film having one flat surface and an optical refractive section having a plurality of prisms arranged along a first direction to constitute first and second prism parts. The optical refractive section is integrally formed with another surface of the base film that is opposite to the flat surface of the base film, and each of the prisms has a predetermined cross-sectional shape. The first prism part includes a first prism of the plurality of prisms, which first prism has a constant height along a second direction that intersects the first direction. The second prism part includes a second prism of the plurality of prisms, which second prism has a variable height in the second direction, and a maximum value of the variable height of the second prism is higher than the constant height of the first prism.
US08915592B2 Apparatuses and methods of ocular surface interferometry (OSI) employing polarization and subtraction for imaging, processing, and/or displaying an ocular tear film
Apparatuses and methods employing ocular surface interferometry (OSI) employing polarization and subtraction for imaging, processing, and/or displaying an ocular tear film are disclosed. The apparatuses and methods can be employed for measuring tear film layer thickness (TFLT) of the ocular tear film, which includes lipid layer thickness (LLT) and/or aqueous layer thickness (ALT). An imaging device is focused on the lipid layer of the tear film to capture optical wave interference interactions of specularly reflected light from the tear film combined with a background signal(s) in a first image. The imaging device is focused on the lipid layer of the tear film to capture a second image containing background signal(s) in the first image. The second image can be subtracted from the first image to reduce and/or eliminate background signal(s) in the first image to produce a resulting image that can be analyzed to measure tear film layer thickness (TFLT).
US08915586B2 Extendable eyeglasses and method of use
An eyeglass apparatus comprises first and second eyeglass portions, each having a connector portion and a lens portion. The eyeglass apparatus is configured to transition between stowed and extended configurations. When the eyeglass apparatus is in the stowed configuration, the lens portions overlie one another. When the eyeglass apparatus is in the extended configuration, the lens portions are in a non-overlying configuration.
US08915583B2 Systems, methods, and materials for temporary printing and indicia
Methods and/or systems for printing or otherwise evincing temporary indicia on media with disappearing inks are described along with suitable disappearing ink formulations and media constructions for executing the same. In particular embodiments, the methods and/or systems described employ a plurality of disappearing inks with different disappearing rates. In one embodiment, a barrier layer that is selectively used to cover a major surface of the media is employed to substantially block or otherwise regulate a rate of phase transitions (e.g., evaporation and/or sublimation) experienced by ink borne by the media.
US08915578B2 Printing apparatus
A printing apparatus that discharges liquid droplets onto a recording medium, includes a movable carriage; discharging units, which are installed on the carriage and include piezoelectric elements for discharging the liquid; a first circuit substrate, which is installed outside of the carriage, and on which is installed a control signal supply unit that generates control signals; a second circuit substrate, which is installed on the carriage, and on which is installed a circuit that charges or discharges each of the piezoelectric elements according to the control signals; which supplies a power supply voltage and a ground voltage to the second circuit substrate, in which a total path length of the plurality of wirings between the first circuit substrate and the second circuit substrate is shorter than the total path length of the wiring between the second circuit substrate and each of the piezoelectric elements.
US08915576B2 Liquid ejecting head and liquid ejecting apparatus
A ink jet type recording head which circulates ink between a first manifold and a second manifold via a pressure generation chamber is provided, the flow path member has a first and second bypass flow paths which connect the first and second manifolds, respectively in two locations of one end side and the other end side of a nozzle row on the outside of the nozzle row on which the nozzle openings are formed, and a relationship between a flow path resistance R of the first and second bypass flow paths, and a flow path resistance r of a flow path portion including the pressure generation chamber which connects the first and second manifolds is R
US08915573B2 Inkjet printing device
An inkjet printing device includes at least one ink cartridge, at least one ink pipe, at least one print head, an ink refill mechanism, and a pump module. The ink refill mechanism includes at least one transfer channel. After the ink refill mechanism is enabled and the at least one transfer channel is in an open status, in response to a suction generated by the pump module, the air within the at least one print head is ejected out through the at least one transfer channel, and the ink within the at least one ink cartridge is transferred to the at least one print head through the at least one ink pipe.
US08915571B2 Multiple monochromatic print cartridge printing system
A color ink printing system includes a plurality of print head cartridges each including a modular printhead made up of a plurality of print head tiles; a print head chassis for supporting the plurality of print head cartridges; and a maintenance chassis for supporting a plurality of maintenance cradles, the maintenance chassis is actuable between a storage position and an operational position. Each of the plurality of print head cartridges is held stationary with respect to a platen on which print media is propagated. Each print head cartridge is a monochrome print head cartridge ejecting a fluid different to the remaining print head cartridges. One or more of the plurality of print head cartridges includes a plurality of ventilation slits defined in the vicinity of the print head tiles, having applied thereto a suction force for sucking ink aerosol particles away from the print head tiles.
US08915568B2 System and method for adaptive printhead temperature control
A printing system with adaptive printhead temperature control, comprises a least one printhead for inkjet printing; heating means to heat said printhead or ink in said printhead to a predetermined temperature range; and control means to analyze content information of a print job to be printed, wherein said control means sets said predetermined temperature range and sets a heating power of said heating means at a given position of said printhead in accordance with content information relating to an entire print page of said print job, or a plurality of print pages of said print job.
US08915566B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a conveying device for conveying paper, an image forming unit for forming an image on the paper, and a paper discharge tray where the image-formed paper is discharged and loaded at a predetermined discharge angle by the conveying device. The conveying device is controlled in a manner that a discharge speed of a first sheet of the paper is different from a discharge speed of second and subsequent sheets of the paper.
US08915561B2 Folding sliding shelf
A refrigerator includes a shelf assembly positioned within a compartment. The shelf assembly includes a first shelf portion attached to a first slide and having at least one projection, and a second shelf portion attached to a second slide and having at least one receiving portion. The first and second shelf portions are movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The at least one projection selectively engages the at least one receiving portion. Further, the first shelf portion is movable between a lowered position and a raised position when the first shelf portion is in the retracted position.
US08915557B2 Locking mechanism for adaptor assembly of a server rack chassis
A locking mechanism includes a latch, a handle, a first link, and a second link. The latch to engage with a recess of a server rack chassis, and to lock an adaptor assembly within the server rack chassis. The handle is connected to the latch, and engages and disengages the latch with the recess. The first link includes a first stub. The first link puts the first stub in an up position in response to the handle being in a down position, and puts the first stub in a down position in response to the handle being in an up position. The second link includes a second stub. The second link puts the second stub in a down position in response to the handle being in the down position, and puts the second stub in an up position in response to the handle being in the up position.
US08915556B2 Track chain joint for a crawler type work vehicle
A track chain assembly for a crawler type work vehicle includes a plurality of links pivotally connected together at respective link joints. Each link joint includes a bushing, a pin, and at least one elastomeric bearing. Each elastomeric bearing includes an inside diameter (ID) engaging the pin and an outside diameter (OD) engaging a link and/or bushing. Each elastomeric bearing includes a plurality of alternating metal layers and elastomer layers.
US08915555B2 Brake control device for vehicle
In the brake control device, a wheel-cylinder hydraulic pressure (Pw) obtained by adding the linear-valve pressure difference to a master-cylinder hydraulic pressure (Pm) is applied to the wheel cylinder while the vehicle is running. When an operation of a brake pedal is started while the vehicle is running (t1), the driving of the hydraulic pump is started. Thereafter, when the vehicle is stopped (t2), the driving of the hydraulic pump is stopped. When the start of movement of the vehicle is detected during an operation of returning the brake pedal (t4) and an operation of re-depressing the brake pedal is detected (t5) in this state (specifically, while the vehicle is in a stopped state, the hydraulic pump is in a stopped state, and the brake pedal is being operated), the driving of the hydraulic pump is started (t5).
US08915553B2 Hydraulic brake comprising a safety function
A braking device for braking a moving mass includes a movably guided coupling member for pressing a brake lining against a braking surface, a brake cylinder, filled with a hydraulic liquid, a brake piston which is movable inside the brake cylinder and which is connected to the coupling member. At least one hydraulic line can be connected to the brake cylinder. The device ensures the moving masses to be reliably decelerated. For that purpose, a fluidic-mechanical safety brake device is used to connect the brake cylinder to the one or more hydraulic lines.
US08915550B2 Cold planar anti-stabbing mechanism
A cold planer includes a frame and a cutting mechanism having a rotatable cutter configured to cut material of a substrate. An anti-slabbing mechanism is coupled to the frame and includes an upwardly oriented base plate, and a plurality of skids. The skids are arranged in a first subset and a second subset positioned upon opposite outboard sides of a forwardly projecting plow, and downwardly depend from a base plate of the anti-slabbing mechanism, for applying a slabbing opposition force to uncut material of the substrate.
US08915545B2 Chair with rotatable backrest
A chair for use in combination with a table. The chair has a seat, a back and four legs. To the back, an upper backrest and a lower backrest are secured. The lower backrest can rotate with respect to the back. While projecting forwards from the back, the lower backrest engages with the upper surface of the top plate of the table. The chair is therefore supported, with the legs suspended above the floor.
US08915541B2 Sunroof apparatus
Provided is a sunroof apparatus capable of opening and closing an opening of a fixed outer roof panel of a vehicle, the closing being done by locating a front edge of a movable roof panel at a location adjacent to an upper edge of a front window without the fixed outer roof panel between the front edge of the movable roof panel and the upper edge of the front window. The sunroof apparatus comprises a front roof rail whose cross sectional shape is approximately closed, the front rail extending in a width direction of the vehicle and being attached to an inside of the upper edge portion of the front window. And the front edge portion of the movable roof panel is located over the closed cross sectional shape of the front roof rail when the opening of the fixed outer roof panel is closed.
US08915538B2 Two shot double inverted acoustic hood to cowl seal
A seal adapted to extend along an interface between a vehicle hood and cowl. A profile has a base layer seating upon a flattened lip edge of the cowl, the base layer being supported upon the cowl lip edge from a rear edge to an intermediate underside stepped protrusion. The base layer further exhibits having a forward bottom projecting portion. A first upwardly/rearwardly and substantially linear angled blade extends from a first location of the base layer, with a second upwardly/forwardly and arcuately shaped blade extending from a second forward spaced location of the base layer, such that said blades project relative to underside opposing locations of the hood in contacting fashion and in order to both prevent admittance of engine exhaust into an adjoining passenger compartment and to provide optimum resistance to sound transfer.
US08915537B2 Vehicle body structure
There is provided a vehicle body structure that can improve collision performance at the time of a rear collision. The vehicle body structure includes first and second crash boxes that are provided at rear ends of rear side members. Further, the second crash boxes are disposed at positions different from the positions of the first crash boxes in a vertical direction of the vehicle. The second crash boxes, which are disposed at the positions different from the positions of the first crash boxes, can absorb a load applied from bumper reinforcement of another vehicle. Since a load at the time of a rear collision is absorbed by the second crash boxes, it is possible to suppress the deformation of a trunk that is provided at the rear portion of a vehicle body.
US08915533B2 Modular door drive
A drive device for a sliding door or a pivot and slide door of a transportation vehicle including at least one runner mounter such that it can at least move linearly so as to move a door leaf attached to the latter. A motor is attached to the runner of to the transportation vehicle. A first transmission mechanism between the motor and the runner affects the longitudinal displacement of the runner. Between the motor and the first transmission mechanism at least two attachment options are provided which differ in the arrangement relationship of the first transmission mechanism and the motor.
US08915526B1 Grill accessory
Grill accessories and food preparation devices are shown and described. In one embodiment, the grill accessory is used to remove a cooking grate from a grill and retain the accessory in a resting position on a ledge or the like. The accessory may include a handle assembly having an upper handle and a lower lateral support. The accessory typically includes at least one prong extension. Further, a vertical support spaces the lateral support and the prong extension. The result is grilling systems and methods to improve grilling and food hygiene practices.
US08915521B2 Steering column telescoping bushing with roller springs
An adjustable steering column for a vehicle and a bushing for the adjustable steering column are provided. The adjustable steering column includes a column jacket having a lower jacket extending along a first axis and an upper jacket telescopically coupled to and extending with the lower jacket. The lower and upper shafts are configured to selectively move telescopically relative to one another for telescope adjustment of the steering column. The adjustable steering column also includes a bushing positioned between the lower jacket and the upper jacket, the bushing including a support portion extending along a length between the lower jacket and upper jacket, the support portion including a first seating area, and a roller portion positioned in the first seating area, the roller portion configured to engage at least one of an outer surface of the lower jacket and an inner surface of the upper jacket.
US08915520B2 Roll-bar structural arrangement
A roll-bar structural arrangement featuring symmetrical covers that can be mounted both internally and externally of the structure of the accessory, on both sides, without the need for separate parts, said cover (30) being attached to the extension (11) of the roll-bar and ends fitted onto the central bar (10), and comprising single body parts shaped in the form of two symmetrical parts (301) and (302) and welded together via tongue and groove (not shown) placed on the edges, with a hollow inner region and featuring a leading segment (31) with a curvature coinciding with the curvature of the extreme portion of the central bar (10), and a secondary segment (32) projecting from the vicinity of the end of the leading segment (31), said secondary segment (32) accompanying the curvature of the extension (11) of the roll-bar, with ends of the leading segment (31) and of the extension (32) with an opening (33) with a section coinciding with the diameter of the central bar (10) and of the extension (11) of the roll-bar, and a hollow inside zone in which a metallic structure (40) is arranged.
US08915519B2 Method for manufacturing airbag
An airbag is manufactured as follows. In a first joining step, peripheral portions of structural fabric portions that are located closer to the main body fabric portions at the installation are joined to the main body fabric portions in a spread state. In a second joining step, a part that is not overlaid onto the structural fabric portions is joined to the main body fabric portions, and a part that is overlaid onto the structural fabric portions is joined only to the structural fabric portions. In a third joining step, peripheral portions of the structural fabric portions that are separated away from the main body fabric portions at the installation are joined to each other.
US08915514B2 Multi-task trailer hitch assembly
A multi-function, anti-rotational, power-sports utility hitch receiver assembly includes a four-sided hollow receiver tube having a forward end configured to attach to a tow vehicle and a rearward end configured to house an attachment of an accessory shank. Aligned apertures are present in the opposing sidewalls between the forward end and the rearward end for securing a hitch accessory shank within the receiver tube by inserting a hitch-pin through apertures. A removable, adjustable tightening bar is attachable to an underside of the hitch receiver tube for maintaining the receiver tube in a stationary position when the receiver tube is installed on a tow vehicle by abutting a surface on the tow vehicle. The assembly further includes a tow loop, e.g., for attaching tow chains, straps, bungee cords, tow hooks and the like to the receiver.
US08915509B2 Boat trailer bow mount step
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one aspect thereof, is an improved boat trailer bow mount step device that can be attached to an existing boat trailer and that enables a user to more easily and safely access the bow portion of a boat. In a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the improved bow mounted step may be comprised of a neck portion, a cross beam, two step portions to enable an individual to access the bow of a boat from either side, a mounting bracket, and a fastening means for securing said step device to a boat trailer and/or a winch post. In a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the improved bow mounted step may be comprised of a cross beam, two step portions, and a pair of spaced apart mounting brackets and fasteners for mounting said device to a frame tongue.
US08915507B2 Rigid axle with air suspension
A rigid axle with direct air suspension, preferably for a commercial vehicle. The rigid axle includes an axle body, trailing arms, air springs and vibration dampers. The rigid axle is characterized in that a contact point of the vibration damper, on the axle side, is arranged on the trailing arm. The arrangement of the vibration damper parallel to the direction in which the axle is deflected provides both space and weight savings, without the necessity of arranging elaborately constructed and weight-increasing additional devices in the area of the axle body or the chassis and allows light and slim vibration dampers to be used, and eliminates undesirable horizontally-acting force components of the damping force.
US08915498B2 Cornhole game difficulty modification
The invention is a device that modifies the target aperture for the standard game board for the traditional lawn game known as cornhole or bean bag toss. The device, when inserted into the game board's target aperture, replaces the open hole with a circular shaped “trapdoor” that opens only when directly struck by a tossed game bag. When opened, the trapdoor allows the passage of the game bag through the game boards target aperture. The device includes a spring hinge mechanism that returns the trapdoor to the closed position after the bag has passed through the opening. The device is designed so that it can be quickly and easily inserted into and removed from the target aperture of the game board without moving or damaging the game board.
US08915492B2 Sheet finishing apparatus and sheet finishing method
According to one embodiment, a sheet finishing apparatus includes a finishing section configured to apply finishing to a sheet placed on a processing tray, a sheet discharging section configured to discharge the sheet subjected to the finishing to a stack tray via a discharge port, a roller attached to a shaft provided in parallel to the discharge port and which rotate in a first direction for guiding the sheet in the direction of the finishing section and a second direction for discharging the sheet, and an arm attached to the shaft to extend in the centrifuging direction from the shaft, rotate with the torque of the shaft, and idly rotate when force for regulating the torque acts. The arm flaps down the trailing end of the sheet on the stack tray onto the stack tray.
US08915490B2 Post-processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and folding apparatus
A post-processing apparatus includes a transport path, a loading part, a first folding member, a second folding member, a drive mechanism, a position detecting unit, a time information output part, a time monitoring part, and a rotational driving control part. The time monitoring part measures a moving time of the blade member from a first position between an initial position and a protrusion position to a second position, and determines whether the moving time has elapsed by a predetermined time. When the time monitoring part determines that the moving time has elapsed by the predetermined time, the rotational driving control part controls a rotary drive part so as to switch a rotational driving direction into a backward rotational direction.
US08915489B2 Method for producing a flexible circuit configuration
A method is specified for the production of a flexible circuit configuration, which allows the manufacturing of such flexible circuits on a carrier film cost-effectively and with high precision. For this purpose, the carrier film is fastened at the beginning of the method on a rigid frame, which encloses an inner area, and spans the inner area using an inner surface. After finishing of a layer structure and optionally additional method steps, structures for flexible circuit configurations which are created over the inner surface may be cut out easily by cutting the flexible circuit configurations out of the inner surface as a cutout. Through the fastening of the carrier film on the frame, it is ensured during the various method steps of the production of the flexible circuit configuration that the carrier film, which is flexible per se, always forms a level foundation for the various method measures, in particular the photolithographic structuring of layers of a layer structure.
US08915487B2 Barriers
A barrier is provided, including opposed longitudinal side members separated by a gap, supports which hold the side members above the ground; and at least one U-shaped member when viewed in transverse cross section which is/are connected to the opposed members to span between the gap and wherein the at least one U-shaped member does not contact the supports.
US08915484B2 Fluid delivery valve having a compression member
A fluid delivery valve and system including a neck portion adapted to connect to a fluid delivery tube; a head portion comprising a dispensing face with a perimeter and a slit; and a compression member disposed in the head portion which is adapted to apply a force to the slit.
US08915476B2 Leg device
A leg device that is capable of simultaneously releasing three extendible/contractible legs from a locked state with a single action is provided. A tripod, which is a leg device, has a base. A tripod head is attached to a tripod head attaching portion of the base. A middle extendible/contractible leg, a one-side extendible/contractible leg, and an opposite-side extendible/contractible kg are pivotally attached to a leg attaching portion of the base. Gripping all the three extendible/contractible legs, i.e. the middle extendible/contractible leg, the one-side extendible/contractible leg, and the opposite-side extendible/contractible kg, together causes the middle extendible/contractible leg, the one-side extendible/contractible leg, and the opposite-side extendible/contractible leg to simultaneously shift from a locked state to an unlocked state.
US08915471B2 Bonded splice joint
An apparatus for an aircraft structure comprising first and second stringers, each having a vertical stringer portion defining a lengthwise gap. The structure may include a fitting having a central rib attachment member and first and second extensions extending in opposite directions from said central rib attachment member. Stringer attachment portions extending up from said first and second extensions are inserted into the lengthwise gaps of the first and second stringer portions, respectively. The rib attachment member may be attached to a side-of-body rib.
US08915467B2 Optimal wing planforms for reducing the induced or total drag of the wing of an aircraft driven by wing-mounted tractor propellers/rotors
The disclosure relates to Aeronautics, more particularly relating to wing planforms that reduce wing drag substantially in aircraft driven by propellers or other rotors in tractor configuration. An aircraft comprising a wing and propeller system (1), said system comprising wing planform (2) characterized into wing chord regions (3) behind each propeller/rotor (5) whose length is relatively varied with respect to length of wing chord regions (4) at outboard of the propeller/rotor (5) towards wing tip and/or at inboard of the propeller (5) towards fuselage, and plurality of propellers (5) fixed ahead of wing leading edge such that induced drag is reduced by exploiting the velocity field generated by the slipstream of the propeller (5). Also, provides for a method of optimizing wing and propeller system and a method reducing induced drag, among other possible parameters of interest.
US08915465B1 Mast main bearing lubrication and thermal management
A rotor system is disclosed for a reactive drive rotary wing aircraft. Rigidity of the rotor is enhanced and play between flight controls and the rotor are eliminated by mounting swashplate actuators to a flange rigidly secured to the mast. Thermal management of the rotor is performed in order to avoid bearing failure or loss of bearing preload. Methods include modulating the temperature of oil pumped over one or more of the mast bearing, swashplate bearing, and spindle bearing. The temperature of air passively or actively drawn through rotor may also be modulated to maintain bearing temperature within a predetermined range. Structures for reducing pressure losses and drag on components due to air flow through the rotor are also disclosed. Thermal management of a rotor may be performed by oil and air flow.
US08915463B2 Paper dispenser
A paper dispenser has a dispensing opening for paper and also a first roll, which is located in a dispensing position, and a guide path, which leads into the dispensing position and contains a storage position for a reserve roll. The dispensing opening is of a size which, once the first roll has been used up, allows manual access to the paper of the reserve roll, while the reserve roll is still in the storage position.
US08915460B2 Device for feeding a quasi-endless material web
The invention relates to a device for feeding a quasi-endless material web (4) to a manipulation device (19) receiving the material web (4), wherein a feed tension unit (8) is provided, through which the material web (4) is fed in an S-shape. The feed tension unit (8) comprises a pivotal feed dancer roller (12), the angle positions thereof being captured by a feed angle sensor (34) and fed to a control unit (36), by means of which the material web (4) is fed or retracted by a dispenser roller motor (3) in the direction of the manipulation device (19), depending on the deviation of the angle position from a reference angle position. Substantially uniform tension in the material web (4) is thereby ensured, even under extreme operating conditions.
US08915458B2 Poultry litter management device and method
A litter management device, such as a device configured to disintegrate and/or de-cake caked litter from poultry is described. In some embodiments, the litter management device includes a litter de-caking mechanism contained within a housing, which is supported by a movable frame. The litter de-caking mechanism includes one or more hammers flexibly attached, such as via chains, to a rotation bar, enabling the hammers to rotate in a circular motion around the rotation bar and within the housing. The rotation of the hammers causes the hammers to strike, often at high speeds, caked litter within a target area, which disintegrates the caked litter, allowing for the removal of the caked litter from an area generally used by poultry, among other benefits.
US08915457B2 Cellulose fibrillation
A process for making a fibrillated blend of lyocell and cellulose pulp fibers in which a blend of lyocell and cellulose pulp fibers is provided. The lyocell is from 25% to 75% of the total weight of the blend of lyocell and cellulose pulp fibers. The blend is refined in a high shear field device to provide a blend of fibrillated lyocell and pulp fibers having a diameter of 10 to 500 nanometers and a fiber length of 50 to 500 μm. The high shear field device can be a homogenizer or colloid mill.
US08915455B2 Massage shower that can achieve the dynamic switch of the water flow
The present invention discloses a massage shower that can achieve the dynamic switch of the water flow, it comprises a hollow essential body, a oblique water body, a impeller that is under the said oblique water body, a face cover component that has the effluent holes and a moving plate used to switch the effluent holes of different areas in the face cover component, the said impeller and the said moving plate are connected through a differential gearing transmission retarding mechanism. The said massage shower can achieve the dynamic switch of different effluent holes on the face cover of the shower during the using process, and achieve excellent massage effect.
US08915454B2 Drinking straws having environmentally-friendly wrappers and methods therefor
A drinking straw includes a tube having an upper end including a first opening, a lower end including a second opening, and an outer wall extending between the upper and lower ends. A wrapper covers the tube and a securing element permanently attaches the wrapper to the outer wall of the tube. The wrapper is adapted to be opened for exposing the first and second openings of the tube while the securing element maintains the attachment of the wrapper to the tube. The outer wall of the tube has an inner surface, whereby at least two opposing sections of the inner surface of the outer wall are joined together for forming a bifurcated opening adjacent an end of the tube. The bifurcated opening defines a total area that is smaller than the area of the opening at the opposite end of the tube.
US08915453B1 Expansion nozzle with continuous rotating stem
A self-cleaning nozzle assembly adapted for use in processing pressurized liquids, slurries, etc., which may carry with it particulate matter. A spacing between two nozzle members forms an orifice, and the size of the orifice is adjustable. The nozzle members are spring biased together to reduce the size of the nozzle orifice, but pressurized liquids processed by the nozzle counteract the spring bias force to increase the size of the nozzle orifice. When the force of the spring bias and the force of the pressurized liquid are at equilibrium, the size of the nozzle orifice is maintained. When adjusting the compression force of the spring on the nozzle members, the upstream pressure of the liquid can be adjusted accordingly. In flash evaporation systems, the nozzle can be employed to control the flash point of the liquid by controlling the pressure thereof.
US08915447B2 Amplifying radio frequency signals
The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for amplifying Radio Frequency (RF) signals. In some implementations, a system includes a first interface, a second interface, secure memory, a user-interface module, a processing module, and am amplification module. The first interface connects to a microSD slot of a mobile host device. The second interface includes an internal antenna for wirelessly communicating with retail terminals. The secure memory stores user credentials and a payment application used to execute financial transactions with the retail terminals. The processing module executes the payment application using the user credentials in response to at least a transaction request received by the RF module and transmits at least one transaction response to the retail terminal based, at least in part, on the executed payment application. The amplification module connected to a lead of the antenna and is configured to amplify at least received RF signals.
US08915440B2 Four dimensional (4D) color barcode for high capacity data encoding and decoding
A method for encoding and decoding color barcodes to increase their data capacity. The encoding steps include determining a shape, a foreground color and a background color for each data cell, wherein a combination of the shape, foreground and background colors for the data cell is chosen from a plurality of such combinations in accordance with a value of the digital data to be encoded; and coloring some pixels in the data cell with a foreground color and other pixels with a background color, in accordance with the shape, foreground and background colors for the data cell determined above. The decoding steps include segmenting the data cells, recognizing a shape, a foreground color of the shape and a background color of the data cell, and obtaining digital data from a combination of the shape and foreground and background colors in each data cell.
US08915431B2 Transit access system and method including device authentication
A system, apparatus, and method for enabling effective use of a contactless payment device in a transit system. The invention may be implemented in a manner that separates the authentication process from the pre-authorization process, thereby permitting a transit system patron to access and begin use of the transit system prior to authorization of the transaction by the issuer of the device.
US08915428B1 Wireless-enabled card reader
Methods, systems, and apparatus, for pairing a card reader and a computing device, including: determining, by the computing device, that an output connector of the card reader is connected to the computing device through a physical connector of the computing device; in response to determining, by the computing device, that the output connector of the card reader is connected to the computing device through the physical connector located on the computing device, sending, from the computing device and through the physical connector, data for establishing a wireless communication link between the card reader and the computing device; and pairing, using the data sent from the computing device through the physical connector, the card reader with the computing device, wherein, upon pairing, subsequent communications between the card reader and the computing device are performed over the wireless communication link.
US08915427B2 Method for transporting value notes
A method for controlling a cycle of notes of value, wherein by a security transport company a cash box is removed from and/or inserted into a device for handling notes of value. The removal and/or the supplying of the cash box are detected by means of a sensor. After removal of a cash box from the device the total value of all notes of value received in the cash box is read out from the memory region of a memory element and is subtracted from a value stored in an account memory element assigned to the security transport company. After insertion of a cash box the total value is added to the value of the account memory element.
US08915422B1 Banking system controlled responsive to data bearing records
An apparatus that operates to cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records, includes a processor that is in operative connection with a card reader and a touch screen display. The processor can cause the card reader to read card data from a user card, and can determine whether the read card data corresponds to an authorized financial account. Without the touch screen display surface visibly providing indicia that corresponds to a desired character, the user can still input the character through user contact with the touch screen display surface. The processor can resolve the desired character from the user contact.
US08915421B2 Transfer, link, bind, specimen tube barcode information to RFID specimen transport puck in a continuous moving binding process method
The present invention relates generally to the process method of transferring/linking/binding specimen tube label barcode information (such as unique accession number along with other useful laboratory information such as test code information, testing department, specimen temperature) using an RFID Specimen Transport Puck moving continuously on a continuously moving conveyor belt and an RFID Reader/Writer that writes the information onto the RFID chip on the RFID Specimen Transport Puck. The process method is to space the specimen transport pucks on the conveyor, rotate the specimen transport puck that is holding the specimen tube with the barcode while the specimen is moving continuously forward using rotating wheels on the side of the conveyor belt and using a dispersed barcode reader to read the barcode information from the specimen tube label, and to transfer/link/bind the information from the specimen tube barcode label to the RFID chip on the specimen transport puck holding the specimen tube using an RFID reader/writer beneath the conveyor belt, a PLC and a database server.
US08915419B2 Method for surface-treating printed circuit board and printed circuit board
Disclosed herein are a method for surface-treating a printed circuit board and a printed circuit board including a surface treatment layer. The method includes: plasma-treating a surface of a printed circuit board; treating the plasma-treated substrate with an organic solderability preserve; performing heat treatment on the substrate treated with the organic solderability preserve; printing a solder paste on the substrate subjected to the heat treatment; reflowing the solder paste printed substrate to fix the solder paste; and deflux washing the resulting substrate.According to the present invention, the discoloration problem due to oxidation of copper can be solved by performing heat treatment under predetermined conditions after treatment with an organic solderability preserve. Therefore, the present invention can meet various multi-reflow processes, as compared with products of the related art.
US08915412B2 Cup holder assembly
A cup holder assembly for use in an automotive vehicle is provided. The cup holder assembly includes a panel and cup holder. The panel includes a top surface. The top surface includes at least one beverage container opening configured to receive a cup holder. A pocket is formed on the top surface of the panel and a cushion is disposed within the pocket. The panel may be covered with a skin such as a synthetic leather so as to cover the panel.
US08915411B2 Utility slidable rack-rail system
Utility rack attachments for rack systems used with automobiles, trailers, or stationary objects are used to conveniently transport or store the same. The invented rack system is basically comprised of an easily mountable and slidable assembly unit designed for quick locking to a rail mounted to a vehicle or trailer that is in tow by a vehicle. In a typical setup a quick locking and unlocking assembly unit is mounted to each of two rails that are separated by a distance that is spanned by the load it is carrying or by a platform which carries the load. The slidable and fixable nature of a complete assembly enables a person to quickly mount and dismount it to a rail and position and reposition a load at any location along the rail thus making it very versatile to accommodate a range of objects to be transported.
US08915410B2 Rotary support apparatus
A rotary support apparatus is provided that includes a rotation mechanism, a support mechanism, an object detector and a controller. The rotation mechanism is configured to rotatably support a supported body between a first position and a second position. The support mechanism is configured to support the supported body with at least a two stage support force at the first position. The object detector is configured to detect a person or an object. The controller is configured to control the support mechanism so as to switch the support force based on the results detected by the object detector.
US08915409B2 System and mechanisms providing an adjustable perch for a wearer of a holder base with device
A system is described that includes a base adapted to hold a device which is removable therefrom, the system including a retractor mechanism coupled to the base and having a retractable cord wound thereon with both ends extending therefrom through at least one opening as a line part of the retractable cord for access by a wearer of the base, and setting means providing adjustability of a perch position on the wearer for the base.
US08915403B2 Fixed-amount discharge squeeze container
A fixed-amount discharge squeeze container (10) which discharges a specific amount of content liquid from a discharge port by squeeze deformation of a container body (11) includes a squeeze-deformable plastic-made container body (11) and a squeeze operating portion (14) to perform squeeze operation is arranged at a barrel portion (13) of the container body (11). The squeeze operating portion (14) has a cross-sectional shape formed with a compression face portion (16) having a mountain-like section including a pair of inclined face portions (15) arranged along two faces intersecting obtusely and a compression support portion (18) having an arc-shaped section which is jointed integrally with foot parts (19b) of the compression face portion (16) respectively via an edge line portion (17). The compression face portion (16) is restricted so as not to be flipped into a valley-like shape after the inclined face portions (15) deforms until force to expand the distance between the bilateral foot parts (19b) vanishes.
US08915397B2 Bulk container with center support between drop door and side wall
A center support structure between a drop door and a side wall of a bulk bin container is provided. The center support structure can be an extension from a lower portion of the drop door contacting the side wall, or an extension of the side wall contacting a lower portion of the drop door.
US08915396B2 Detachable grip device
A grip device has an element that can be moved in relation to fixed element between an open position and a closed position in which the two elements are adapted in such a way as to grip a wall, a displacement device which enables the displacement of the mobile element and the adjustment of the distance separating the two elements in a closed position to the thickness of the gripped wall, and a blocking device, which are adapted in such a way as to immobilize the mobile element in the adjusted closed position. The blocking device can be moved between a release position and a blocking position in which they immobilize the mobile element by friction in the adjusted closed position.
US08915394B2 Waterproof box with tiny and blind passages
When cleaning water hits a lower wall 33h of a first waterproof portion 33 of an upper cover 15, and the water is thrown up to the upper cover 15, a tapered outer wall 30b of the first waterproof portion 30 and a tapered inner wall 33g of the first waterproof portion 33 come into contact with each other, and are engaged with each other to close an entrance side of a tiny passage 27. Even if the water enters, the water enters a blind passage 33b to reduce the force of the water. The water of which force is reduced falls down. It is effective for improving waterproof performance to reduce the force of the water by the blind passage 33b.
US08915390B2 Shipping crate joint and method of forming a shipping crate
A joint for use in making a shipping crate includes a base and a pair of orthogonal channels which extend upwardly from the base and are open from above. Each channel has an inner closed end and an outer open end, and has a width, along a length of the channel between the inner and outer ends, which is greater than the width at the inner and outer ends. The channel is preferably defined by an outer wall, an inner wall, and a pair of reinforcement members located at the inner and outer ends to define the region of smaller width at each end. The reinforcement members are preferably hollow vertical members which are rectangle or square in cross-section and which extend from the inner wall towards the outer wall. Preferably, at their inner ends, the channels share a reinforcement member.
US08915387B2 Nursing bottle apparatus for improvement of suckling
In accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure, a nursing bottle is provided. The bottle includes a body having a hollow interior and defining an upper opening. The bottle further includes a nipple joined to the body and disposed over the upper opening. The bottle also includes a means for generating negative pressure within a portion of the interior of the body.
US08915385B2 Shock-absorbing coupler head for a coupling arrangement
A coupler head for a coupling arrangement is shown, which coupler head includes a coupler head housing (6) extending in a longitudinal direction from a first end (6a), attachable to a drawbar, to a second end (6b), which is arranged to carry a coupling interface between coupled rail vehicles, which coupler head housing houses mechanical coupling components (8,9) effective for automatic coupling to the corresponding components of a connecting coupling arrangement. The coupler head is characterized in that the coupler head housing has at least one notch (11, 11′) for a predetermined and primarily axial compression thereof with absorption of energy from a deforming compressive force that is applied to the coupler head in the longitudinal direction thereof. The coupler head has preferably at least one notch (11, 11′) for a predetermined folding of the coupler head housing.
US08915383B2 Ready-to-assemble plant stand
A plant stand includes a first support having a first tier, a second tier and a third tier and a second support having a first tier that corresponds with the first tier of the first support, a second tier that corresponds with the second tier of the first support and a third tier that corresponds with the third tier of the first support. The third tier of the second support has a height that is substantially equal to a height of the third tier of the first support. The plant stand also includes a plurality of shelves. The height of the third tiers substantially corresponds to a length of each shelf. In addition, the first support, the second support and the plurality of shelves are configured into one of a flat pack state having a flat pack height and an assembled state having an assembled height.
US08915381B2 Vertical roll wrap product tray kit
A vertical roll wrap tray kit of the present invention includes at least one product tray, a plurality of spacer clips, a plurality of wire dividers and a plurality of push clips. The product tray can be attached to various types of retail display units. The product tray contains two slot walls which are sized to accommodate insertion of the wire dividers. The dividers are used to divide the tray into segments or compartments in which the roll wrap material is stored and displayed in a vertical arrangement. The width of the rows or compartments can be varied based on the diameter of the roll wrap product. Spacer clips are used to hold two adjacent dividers into place. The tray is angled slightly in a backwards direction to avoid accidental removal of the vertical roll wrap.
US08915380B2 Separator for low discharge applications
A separator 252 for immiscible liquids comprises a tank having an inlet, a separation chamber and an outlet chamber 262, with the inlet 12 feeding effluent into the separation chamber 28 at or below a maximum acceptable flow rate. The effluent is separated into a more dense and less dense fractions in the separation chamber 28. The separation chamber 28 is in communication with the outlet chamber 262, where the more dense fraction exits. An outlet 260 for the less dense fraction is in communication with the separation chamber 28 and has a lowermost exit level at which the less dense fluid exits. The more dense fluid cannot rise to the level of the lowermost level, and the height of the less dense fluid is such that it will exit through the outlet as the more dense fluid passes over the weir.
US08915379B2 Method to improve the selectivity of polybenzoxazole membranes
The present invention discloses a novel method to improve the selectivities of polybenzoxazole (PBO) membranes prepared from aromatic polyimide membranes for gas, vapor, and liquid separations. The PBO membranes that were prepared by thermal treating aromatic polyimide membranes containing between 0.05 and 20 wt-% of a poly(styrene sulfonic acid) polymer. These polymers showed up to 95% improvement in selectivity for CO2/CH4 and H2/CH4 separations compared to PBO membranes prepared from corresponding aromatic polyimide membranes without a poly(styrene sulfonic acid) polymer.
US08915375B2 Vibrating screen suspension systems
A compact mobile variable angle vibrating screen with a suspension and dampening system configured to accommodate variable angles and exhibit acceptable vibration levels; especially during power up and power down surge vibration at the variable angles. The system comprises a group of bi-directional dual pivot leg vibration damper mechanisms which are effective only during times of excessive vibration such as during the power up and power down vibration surges.
US08915373B2 Coal flow distribution controllers for coal pulverizers
A solid particle flow distribution controller includes an extension skirt configured to be mounted to a discharge skirt at a division between an upstream solid particle conveyance pipe and a plurality of downstream pipes. The extension skirt includes a plurality of circumferential segments. Each segment is movably mounted to the discharge skirt for movement in an upstream and downstream direction with respect to the discharge skirt. The segments of the extension skirt are configured and adapted for motion in the upstream and downstream direction independent of one another to extend upstream of the discharge skirt as needed to improve solid particle distribution among the downstream pipes.
US08915362B2 Sharps container
The disclosure relates to a multifunctional sharps container having a first dispensing compartment for storing unused sharps and a second compartment for receiving used sharps. The first and second compartments are separated by a generally liquid impermeable partition fixed to the walls of the container. In addition, the first and second compartments are provided with apertures and structures for conveying the sharps, out of and into the compartments respectively, which are functional in at least two orientations of the container.
US08915358B2 Wet wipes dispenser with lid positioning feature
A moist wipes dispenser has a top attached to a bottom along a hinge. The top is adapted to pivot about the hinge's axis of rotation. The top is adapted to assume a closed position and a dispensing position. In one embodiment, the top can assume a warning position adapted to warn a user that the top is not shut. The top is urged to the warning position if the top is angularly disposed in a red zone that extends between the closed position and the warning position. The warning position is angularly displaced from the closed position by at least five degrees. In another embodiment, the hinge includes a pin integrally molded with the top or bottom, and an open knuckle integrally molded with the other of the top and bottom. The hinge is adapted to urge the top into closed and dispensing positions in selected angular ranges.
US08915351B2 Work piece conveying apparatus and work piece manufacturing method
A work piece conveying apparatus capable of conveying plural work pieces with differing transport pitches to each other. The work piece conveying apparatus includes a drive motor that includes an output shaft, plural drive pulleys that are fixed to the output shaft and have different diameters to each other, plural timing belts that are respectively entrained around the plural drive pulleys, and plural coupling plates that are respectively fixed to the timing belts and that move reciprocating with different transport pitches to each other accompanying forward and reverse rotation of the output shaft, and cause to convey work pieces.
US08915339B2 Interdigitated cellular cushioning
An interdigitated cellular cushioning system includes an array of void cells protruding from each of two binding layers interdigitated between the two binding layers. Peaks of each of the void cells are attached to the opposite binding layer forming the interdigitated cellular cushioning system. The interdigitated cellular cushioning system may be used to absorb and distribute a source of kinetic energy incident on the interdigitated cellular cushioning system (e.g., an impact or explosion) so that the amount of force transmitted through the interdigitated cellular cushioning system is low enough that it does not cause injury to personnel or damage to personnel and/or equipment adjacent the interdigitated cellular cushioning system.
US08915336B2 Brake
A brake includes a brake shoe, an actuating element for pressing the brake shoe against a brake disc, and at least one lever disposed such that it increases the braking force applied by the brake shoe to the brake disc by deflecting a tangential force acting on the brake shoe during braking. The actuating element comprises at least one brake disc side part, an actuator side part, and a coupling part disposed between the brake disc side part and the actuator side part, wherein the coupling part can be pivoted relative to the brake disc side part and/or the actuator side part.
US08915333B2 Elevator
An elevator comprising a cabin (1), vertical guide elements (2, 3) for guiding said cabin, at least one suspension or support belt (4, 5), groups of pulleys associated to the guide elements and the cabin; each of said groups of pulleys is composed of at least two coplanar pulleys arranged on parallel axles and vertically one above the other; each of the groups of pulleys comprises pulleys having a diameter decreasing from a pulley of a maximum diameter to a pulley of a minimum diameter. Preferred embodiments of the belts having one or two concave or convex surfaces and internal reinforcing wires are disclosed.
US08915331B2 Battery powered, handheld lubrication gun with display
A battery-powered, handheld grease gun for dispensing lubricant. A pump mechanism driven by a motor is in communication with the lubricant and has a supply port for dispensing the lubricant at a lubrication point. A sensor monitors the pump mechanism of the motor. A display displays information indicative of the monitored condition of the device, such as volume of lubricant dispensed. A processor responsive to operator input selectively energizes the motor to drive the pump mechanism to dispense lubricant.
US08915329B1 Morphing resonators for adaptive noise reduction
Tunable perforate acoustic liners are disclosed using shape memory materials, which allow the acoustic liners to tune for multiple frequencies across a wide range, unlike current designs which are limited to specific frequencies or small ranges. The liner will be initiated through a sensor and feedback loop to monitor the current acoustic environment and initiate geometry change needed to more effectively attenuate engine noise.
US08915325B2 Drive device for electric vehicle
A swing arm (25) including a pivot portion (57) pivotally supported by a vehicle body frame (2) and an arm portion (100) extending from the pivot portion (57) towards a back side of a vehicle body. The arm portion (100) includes a box-shaped case (58) being integrally formed with the pivot portion (57) and having one side in a width direction of the vehicle body opened, and a case cover (59). A harness (64) pulled out from the motor (60) is fixedly supported on the case (58) side at a first position proximate to the motor (60), and extended to a control device (52) at a front side of the vehicle body from the arm portion (100) through a grommet (66, 67) arranged at a front wall (597) of the case cover (59) at a second position on the pivot portion (57) side.
US08915324B2 Electric bicycle and control method thereof
An electric bicycle and a control method thereof are disclosed. The disclosed electric bicycle includes a direction sensor to sense a rotation direction of pedals, a pedal load controller to adjust a load applied to the pedals, and an electronic control unit to release the load applied to the pedals through the pedal load controller when the sensed rotation direction is a reverse direction.
US08915320B2 Variable actuation rate shutter louvers
A shutter system for controlling a flow of fluid through an entryway includes a plurality of louvers, wherein each louver includes a pivot axis and an actuating portion. The shutter system also includes a mechanism configured to select a position for the system between and inclusive of fully opened and fully closed by rotating each of the plurality of louvers about the respective pivot axis. The mechanism is configured to engage each actuating portion and rotate each louver at a variable rate. A vehicle employing the shutter system is also disclosed.
US08915317B2 Trailer maneuvering drive
A maneuvering drive for a trailer includes a fastening means for fastening to the trailer, a carrier movable relative to the fastening means, a drive motor held by the carrier, a drive roller rotatable drivable by the drive motor and a braking means for braking a rotary movement of the drive roller. The drive motor and the braking means are arranged coaxially to each other. In the flux of force between the drive motor and the drive roller a transmission device is provided, which has no self-locking feature.
US08915316B2 Vehicle traction module and respective terrestrial vehicle
Vehicle traction module (1) comprising—a pair of runners ((11,12), (21,22), (42, 43)), side by side according to a first direction (X)—first moving means ((14, 17, 19), (24, 31, 28), (45,48,49)) suitable to generate an alternate and reciprocal approaching and departing of the runners along the first direction (X),—the pair of runners ((11,12), (21,22), (42, 43)), having a cylindrical symmetry shape wherein the respective axis of symmetry lie along the first direction (X),—second moving means ((15, 16, 18, 17), (30,26 31, 27), (40, 41) suitable to generate a rotation of the runners along the first direction (X).
US08915314B2 Down-the-hole drill drive coupling
A down-the-hole drill hammer is provided that includes a housing, a piston mounted within the housing, a drill bit mounted below the housing, and a drive coupling operatively engaged with the housing and drill bit. The drive coupling can be configured with a plurality of lugs circumferentially disposed about the drill bit and coupled with the casing for providing rotation thereof. Alternatively, the drive coupling can be configured with segmented lugs configured to circumscribe the drill bit, or as a cylindrical chuck formed out of arch-shaped chuck segments which radially assemble onto the shank of the drill bit.
US08915312B2 Drill motor enhancement providing improved sealing performance and longevity
Enhancements to a drill motor include a bearing pack assembly, a balancing piston, a recording transducer package (RTP), and a latch rod assembly for a drill motor to improve performance and reliability of a drill motor. The bearing pack assembly includes a bearing housing coupled to an end cap and a drive shaft extending into the end cap and the bearing housing. The bearing pack assembly also includes a thrust bearing disposed within the bearing housing, wherein the thrust bearing separates the drive shaft and the bearing housing, and a bearing sleeve disposed within the bearing housing, wherein a radial bearing is placed between the bearing sleeve and the drive shaft. The balancing piston includes a first and second hydrodynamic seal. The recording transducer package is self powered and gathers data from a plurality of sensors in the downhole tool. The latch rod assembly include a latch head is coupled to the rotor of a drill motor, wherein the latch head is larger than the opening in the bottom end of a top sub.
US08915309B2 Dust collecting device and electric tool equipped with dust collecting device
A dust box joined to a dust collecting device is formed of a box body, and a lid body that is joined to the box body by a hinge and can open and close an opening of the box body, and a main filter and a pre-filter are attached to the lid body.
US08915300B2 Valve for hydraulic fracturing through cement outside casing
A valve includes: a housing; a mandrel disposed in the housing; a rupture disk disposed in a passageway of the mandrel; a sliding sleeve disposed between the housing and the mandrel; and a ball seat disposed in the mandrel. A method for actuating a valve includes: flowing a fluid through the valve; dropping a ball; seating the ball in the ball seat and blocking fluid flow through the mandrel; flowing fluid through the passageway to the sliding sleeve; moving the sliding sleeve axially within the valve; and exiting fluid through the openings of the housing and mandrel. A valve includes: a housing having an opening; a mandrel disposed in the housing; a sliding sleeve disposed between the housing and the mandrel; and a ball seat disposed in the mandrel blocking fluid communication between the mandrel and the passageway.
US08915297B2 Methods and equipment to improve reliability of pinpoint stimulation operations
Apparatuses and methods for improving the reliability of pinpoint stimulation operations is disclosed. A pinpoint stimulation improvement apparatus is disclosed which includes a hold down device, at least one flow reducer coupled to the hold down device, and a jetting tool coupled to the flow reducer. The flow reducer is positioned downstream from the jetting tool. A fluid flowing through the jetting tool passes through the flow reducer and forms a sand plug downstream from the pinpoint stimulation improvement apparatus.
US08915295B2 Method of adaptive control of a bypass damper in a zoned HVAC system
A zoned HVAC system comprises an HVAC unit including a climate control system and an air mover. In addition, the system comprises a supply air duct in fluid communication with the outlet of the HVAC unit. Further, the system comprises a return air duct in fluid communication with the inlet of the HVAC unit. Still further, the system comprises a plurality of zones positioned between the supply air duct and the return air duct. Moreover, the system comprises a bypass duct extending between the supply air duct and the return air duct. The bypass duct includes an active bypass damper having an open position, a closed position, and a plurality of partially opened positions. The system also comprises a control device configured to control the position of the bypass duct.
US08915293B2 Heat exchanger
An exemplary heat exchanger includes evaporator channels and condenser channels, connecting parts for providing fluid paths between evaporator channels and the condenser channels, a first heat transfer element for transferring a heat load to a fluid in said evaporator channels, and a second heat transfer element for transferring a heat load from a fluid in the condenser channels. In order to achieve a heat exchanger that can be used in any position, the evaporator channels and said condenser channels can have capillary dimensions. The connecting part arranged at a first end of heat exchanger can include a first fluid distribution element for conducting fluid from a predetermined condenser channel into a corresponding predetermined evaporator channel, and the connecting part arranged at a second end of the heat exchanger can include a second fluid distribution element for conducting fluid from a predetermined evaporator channel into a corresponding predetermined condenser channel.
US08915286B2 Roller shade filler panel
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus for closing off an opening above, below, or between electronic equipment in a rack. The rack includes a pair of equipment rails. The electronic equipment is mounted to the equipment rails. The apparatus includes a base, a roller shade, and a handle. The roller shade is rotatably connected to the base and includes a free end extending from the base when the roller shade is rotated. The handle is connected to the free end of the roller shade. The base is removably connected to the equipment rails at a first position. The handle is removably connected to the equipment rails at a second position spaced apart from the first position such that the free end of the roller shade is extended to close off the opening in the rack.
US08915276B2 Pneumatic tire set
On a tire inner surface “is” facing a tire cavity “i” surrounded by a rim 2 and a pneumatic tire 3, the tire is provided with a noise damper 4 made of a spongy material and extending in the circumferential direction of the tire. Noise dampers 4 having the same cross sectional shape are used in a size group of tires which include a minimum volume tire that the cross sectional area S of the tire cavity on the meridian cross section has a minimum value Smin and a maximum volume tire that the cavity cross section area S has a maximum value Smax, and which have sizes such that the cavity sectional area ratio Smax/Smin falls within the range of 1.00 to 1.95.
US08915264B2 Fluid transfer device and system
Fluid transfer apparatus including a body having a bore formed through at least a portion of its interior. Contained within the bore is a movable plunger that moves without changing the axial dimensions of the body. A first end of the body contains a face designed to be attached to an upstream component. A second end of the body is connected to a downstream component such as a filter, pipeline, etc. A first end of the plunger, when it is in the closed position, is in alignment with the face of the body, which combined form a steamable surface and a sterile barrier against the environment to the remainder of the interior of the body, the plunger and downstream components. An outer annular collar is rotatable relative to the body and causes the plunger to move axially within the bore from an open to a closed position.
US08915261B2 Pressure control apparatus for supercritical fluid
A pressure control apparatus for a supercritical fluid according to the present invention includes: a valve comprising; a valve chamber provided in a midway of a channel through which a supercritical fluid passes; and an electrically-operated valve element located in the valve chamber; a pressure detection member for detecting the pressure of the supercritical fluid in the channel on an upstream or downstream side of the valve chamber; an open/close control member for controlling the pressure detected by the pressure detection member to be a target pressure; and a valve-opening rate adjustment member for adjusting the valve-opening rate when the valve is opened based on the state of the supercritical fluid.
US08915260B2 Force transferring pressure relief device
A pressure relief device is disclosed for a system containing a pressurized fluid. The device includes a main valve body having inlet and outlet flow ports and a valve plug positioned to seal the flowpath of the pressurized fluid between the inlet port and the outlet port of main valve body. A force transmission component is connected to the valve plug and an activation component is installed between the force transmission component and a mounting surface. The activation component is configured to prevent axial movement of the valve plug until a predetermined pressure is exerted on the valve plug. The force transmission component more efficiently transfers the output force acting on the valve plug to the activation component.
US08915258B1 Ground blind with improved access opening
A ground blind includes a collapsible support structure and a flexible cover mounted to the collapsible support structure. The flexible cover includes a top, at least one sidewall, at least one opening, at least one elastic member, and at least one fastener. The elastic member is configured to bias the opening into an open position. The fastener is configured to releasably hold the opening in a closed position.
US08915256B2 Combined device for treating hair
The present invention relates to a combined device for treating the hair, which secures simultaneous hair drying, straightening, smoothing and styling with minimum damage to the structure of the hair. A combined device for treating the hair contains a dryer part A and a styling (straightener) part B. The hot or warm air from the part A flows onto the part B, which comprises hairbrushes (5, 6) of variable profile. Drying and styling or straightening is performed by the part B. The device causes minimum damage to the structure of the hair.
US08915251B2 Mask system
A headgear assembly for a mask system includes a two-dimensional first headgear section and a two-dimensional second headgear section, wherein the two-dimensional first and second headgear sections are attached to one another to form a three-dimensional anatomically-shaped headgear assembly.
US08915246B2 Dosing device
The invention relates to a dosing device for inhaling a powdery substance, particularly of a medical nature, which is arranged in a storage chamber above a trailing bottom and can be brought from said storage chamber into an evacuation readiness position, and having a display (A) associated with the actual filling level in the area of the device wall. In order to further develop a dosing device of the type in question particularly with regard to an improved display in an advantageous manner, it is proposed that the display (A) be composed of a strip tape carried along by the bottom and deflected by 180°, wherein the deflection area of the strip tape lies behind the transparent device wall.
US08915241B2 Solar radiation collection system and method
The invention relates to a radiant energy powered water heating methods and apparatus, particularly, to the open-loop solar radiation collection systems. At least one nozzle is directed against a reflection surface facing an evaporation surface to spray at least one jet with reflection to diffuse the fluid within the inner cavity in an atomized plume having the evaporation surface been moisturized by a part of the sprayed fluid and said moisturizing part of the sprayed fluid been sufficiently vaporized or evaporated (see FIG. 3).
US08915238B2 Portable collapsible cooking grill
A portable grill includes: a cooking grate; a collapsible body surrounding the sides and bottom of the cooking grate and collapsible mesh basket when the grill is configured for cooking; a collapsible frame supporting the position of the body, cooking grate, and the mesh basket when the grill is configured for cooking; and a removable collapsible lid adapted to cooperate with the body to completely surround the cooking grate and mesh basket when the grill is configured for cooking, wherein the collapsible body and collapsible lid are formed primarily from a flexible high temperature resistant material.
US08915236B2 Systems and methods for controlling engine combustion stability
A control system for an engine includes first and second modules. The first module determines an oxygen concentration within an intake manifold of the engine. The second module regulates a flow of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) into the intake manifold based on the determined oxygen concentration. In a homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine, the second module may also disable an HCCI combustion mode of the HCCI engine based on the oxygen concentration.
US08915233B2 Fuel supply equipment
A fuel supply equipment includes: a lid member provided with a fuel discharge pipe; a fuel pump held by the lid member and configured to suck in fuel within the fuel tank and discharge the fuel to an outside of the fuel tank from the fuel discharge pipe; a suction filter that filters the fuel within the fuel tank that will be sucked into the fuel pump; a fuel filter that removes foreign matter in the fuel discharged from the fuel pump; a pressure regulator configured to adjust a pressure of the fuel discharged from the fuel filter to a predetermined pressure and discharge excess fuel; a case configured to accommodate the fuel pump, the suction filter, the fuel filter, and the pressure regulator; and a supporting member provided to the lid member to support the case on the lid member.
US08915230B2 Split bearing arrangement and a method of manufacturing a split bearing arrangement
A split bearing arrangement for reciprocating engines comprises a bedplate section and a block section made of materials differing in hardness. The bedplate section includes at least a bedplate section clamping surface made of an iron material, and has at least one positioning protrusion located on the bedplate section clamping surface. The block section, made of a material having a hardness which is less than the hardness of the iron material, is adapted to be clampable and forcibly pressed against the bedplate section. When the bedplate section is first pressed into the block section, at least one positioning groove located in a block section clamping surface is formed. The at least one positioning protrusion has two longitudinal concave surfaces, two transverse concave surfaces and a substantially flat upper surface.
US08915227B2 Spark plug of an internal combustion engine
A spark plug of internal combustion engine is disclosed. The spark plug includes: a main body having main thread on lower outer side; an insulator mounted in a hollow portion of the main body; a ground electrode to correspond to a central electrode extending from the lower end of the terminal rod; a primary combustion chamber forming shell having female thread to be screw-coupled with the main thread, male thread to fix a combustion chamber, and an ejection hole; the primary combustion chamber formed between the main body and the primary combustion chamber forming shell and having changeable volume; and a heat exchange member disposed between the main body and the insulator to exchange heat caused by flame and to block leak of volatile gas; wherein the main ejection hole has a single main ejection hole and at least two auxiliary ejection holes formed around the main ejection hole.
US08915223B2 Valve timing control apparatus
Provided is a valve timing control apparatus that allows relaxation of manufacturing precision of a driving-side rotary member and a driven-side rotary member and that achieves space saving at the same time. An urging member includes at least one trough-folded portion and at least one crest-folded portion, one end side contact portion formed between one terminal end of the urging member and the trough-folded portion and coming into contact with a sealing element, and other end side contact portion formed between the other terminal end of the urging member and the crest-folded portion and coming into contact with a partitioning portion. In association with urging of the urging member, the distance between the one end side contact portion and the other end side contact portion along the urging direction is decreased and the angles of the trough-folded portion and the crest-folded portion are decreased.
US08915222B2 Variable valve timing control apparatus
A variable valve timing control apparatus includes a driving side rotation member, a driven side rotation member positioned coaxially with a rotational axis of the driving side rotation member, at least one plate, a plurality of partition portions forming a fluid chamber between the partition portions, a vane portion being fitted to the fluid chamber to relatively rotate the driving side rotation member and the driven side rotation member within a movable range thereof, a restriction mechanism for restricting a relative rotational phase, a fastening member fixing the plate and the partition portion of the driving side rotation member, and a reinforcement member engaged with the partition portion including a contact surface among the partition portions, the contact surface being configured to receive a contact of the vane portion when the relative rotational phase is either at a most retarded angle phase or a most advanced angle phase.
US08915218B2 Fuel system and method for burning a liquid renewable fuel in engines and boilers
A process and apparatus is provided for burning liquid ammonia in an energy device such as a diesel engine, boiler or gas turbine. In particular, the process and apparatus include mixing a renewable fuel with a low flame speed and high ignition temperature, e.g., ammonia, with a combustible liquid fossil or bio-fuel and supplying the mixture into a closed fuel loop where part is efficiently burned in an engine combustion chamber, and part is used to cool the engine and returned by the loop for mixture with fresh incoming fuel mixture. The invention provides for the mixing and emulsifying in such a way that vapor lock is avoided. In the loop, the mixture is emulsified into a disperse distribution of fuel droplets such that upon injection of a portion into the combustion chamber, the renewable fuel in an emulsified droplet evaporates, mixes with the air and forms a small combustion cell surrounding the liquid fuel droplet. The fuel droplet burns and then serves as an ignition kernel for the gas mixture in the small combustion cell producing efficient and rapid combustion of the renewable fuel. The fuel loop allows the fuel system to automatically scale for engines varying in power output from 1 to 35,000 horsepower.
US08915215B1 Method and apparatus for monitoring poultry in barns
A method and apparatus for monitoring and acquiring data concerning the health of poultry and animals housed in one or more barns or enclosed environments predicated upon the frequencies and intensity of sounds generated by the poultry and animals to obtain baseline data of healthy and happy poultry and animals.
US08915211B2 Apparatus for resin impregnation
A two roller impregnator for impregnating a fiber with (catalyzed) resin. The resin is kept directly above the two rollers and enclosed with a set of dams to create a resin pool. A different resin pool may be generated for each roller. The resin release mechanism facilitates for the resin and if necessary, a catalyst, to be released into the resin pool(s). Temperature of the resin pool can be controlled, along with the temperature of each roller. A post-impregnation catalyst activator can be utilized to activate the catalyst.
US08915209B2 Paint roller with an end-surface blocking structure
A paint roller with an end-surface blocking structure is provided with a mounting stem coupled to a handle, a roller sleeved on the mounting stem, a connecting sleeve sleeved on the mounting stem, and an end-surface blocking piece pivoted to the connecting sleeve. The pivot connection of the connecting sleeve with the second pivot allows the connecting sleeve to pivot around the first direction and allows the end-surface blocking piece which is pivoted to the connecting sleeve to pivot around the second direction, so that the end-surface blocking piece is capable of rotating in two different directions, which improves flexibility when operating the paint roller.
US08915207B2 Watercraft stabilizing device
An apparatus for stabilizing a watercraft, such as a kayak or canoe, for boarding or exiting, utilizing a paddle, comprising a quick insert/release paddle clamping device for mounting on a watercraft. The clamping device has laterally elongated jaws forming a C-shaped channel with a longitudinal slot for receiving a paddle shaft. The jaws have a deflectable lip portion configured to allow insertion and releasably retain the paddle shaft within the channel. The clamping device is mounted with the channel oriented horizontally and transverse to the fore-and-aft axis of the watercraft, with the slot disposed along a longitudinal side of the channel to allow insertion and removal the paddle shaft by fore-and-aft motion. Lateral spacing of paddle gripping regions minimizes twisting forces imposed on the clamping device when the outer end of the paddle engages an object to limit roll of the watercraft.
US08915205B2 Fairlead latch device
A self-aligning fairlead latch device is provided for guiding and securing an anchor chain between an offshore structure and an anchor. The fairlead latch device includes a latch housing pivotally mounted to a fairlead housing. The latch housing includes one or more latches for securing the anchor chain in place. The fairlead latch device further includes an upper retainer component that is coupled to an upper support structure and a lower support structure. The coupling of the upper retainer component to the support structures allow the fairlead latch device to be relocated by lifting of the device from the support structures.
US08915204B2 Sail mounting assembly
A mast assembly for a sailing vessel includes a first tubular portion defining an interior and an end, and a second tubular portion defining an interior and an end. The mast assembly also includes a ferrule having a first end disposed within the interior of the first tubular portion, and a second end disposed within the interior of the second tubular portion. An intersection ring is disposed over the ferrule and positioned between the ends of the first and second tubular portions. The intersection ring includes a plurality of apertures formed therein for receiving rigging lines.
US08915203B2 Transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG)
There is provided a method for loading or unloading a liquid cargo for a water-borne vehicle. An exemplary method comprises distributing liquid cargo to a first storage compartment of the water-borne vehicle to a first level. The exemplary method additionally comprises distributing liquid cargo to a second storage compartment of the water-borne vehicle to a second level different from the first level so that a natural period of the first storage compartment is separated relative to a natural period of the second storage compartment to reduce sloshing of the liquid cargo. An exemplary water-borne vehicle and method of producing hydrocarbons are also provided.
US08915198B2 Table system
A table system that includes at least first and second table assemblies. The first table assembly includes a horizontally oriented first table member having a first upright member extending downwardly therefrom and a top surface and a bottom surface, a first flap member hingedly connected to the first table member and movable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The first flap member has a top surface and a bottom surface. The second table assembly includes a horizontally oriented second table member having a first upright member extending downwardly therefrom and a top surface and a bottom surface. A first top surface horizontal distance is defined between the top surfaces of the first and second table members. The top surface of the first flap member defines a first top surface width dimension. The first top surface horizontal distance and the first top surface width dimension are approximately the same.
US08915196B2 Aircraft table system with rolling sled member
An aircraft table system includes a table member configured to move reversibly from an undeployed position to a deployed position, coupled to a movable sled member. The system may further include one or more rollers in conjunction with one or more guide rails to facilitate the motion of the sled member. The system may further include a spine member with one or more holes in conjunction with one or more bolts and one or more cables to hold the sled and table members in place. The system may further include a spine member in conjunction with one or more spring reel elements and one or more cables to impart an assisting or resisting force on the sled member.
US08915195B2 Portable table
A portable collapsible table, having a foldable supporting frame that supports a table top, the frame including a plurality of legs that are positionable in a first position that positions the table top in a first relatively low position and that are positionable in a second position that positions the table top in a second relatively raised position, the table top including a plurality of wells disposed therein, the wells, the frame and the table top being collapsible so that the table may be folded for ease in storage or transport thereof.
US08915194B2 Hopper cars with one or more discharge control systems
Hopper cars both open and covered and discharge control systems are disclosed. Each hopper car may include at least one hopper and a center sill which defines in part a longitudinal axis of the hopper car. At least one discharge opening may be formed proximate a lower portion of each hopper. A respective door assembly may be pivotally mounted adjacent to each discharge opening to control the flow of lading from the respective discharge opening. Each discharge control system may include a common linkage and associated secondary linkages operable to move associated door assemblies between a first position and a second position. A power source including a motor, an air cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder may be disposed on the railway car to move the common linkage. For other hopper cars a wayside drive system may be releasably engaged with a capstan operable coupled to the common linkage.
US08915192B2 Circulated pneumatic tube transit system
A circulated pneumatic tube transit system is used to transport passengers/cargo along a pair of pneumatic tubes, which are positioned along each other. Capsules are movably suspended within the tubes by either a maglev system or wheels. The capsules travel in opposite directions in each tube so that the system provides back and forth transportation between two destinations. A fluid loop mechanism cycles a volume of air through the tubes as a means to propel the capsules through each tube. A series of fluid loop mechanism can be air multipliers as the volume of air cycles through the tubes. Two one-directional valves are located at opposite ends of the tubes and are used to transfer the kinetic energy for an arriving capsule within one tube into kinetic energy for a departing capsule within the other tube.
US08915184B2 Doctor blade system for print unit intended for a photogravure printing machine
A doctor blade system intended for a print unit includes a doctor blade support provided with a blade, an edge of the blade is able to come into contact with a peripheral surface of an engraved printing cylinder, a supporting hub, on which the doctor blade support is mounted, a structure fixing the supporting hub to a frame of the print unit. Apparatus provides a reciprocating motion of the blade along the peripheral surface of the engraved cylinder roughly parallel to the axis of revolution of the engraved cylinder. Thrust elements drive movement of the blade along the direction of the peripheral surface of the engraved cylinder. The reciprocating apparatus directly drives the doctor blade support. The thrust element or elements move the supporting hub and the doctor blade support and the blade to maintain a constant contact over the entire length of the edge of the blade with the peripheral surface of the engraved cylinder.
US08915182B2 Ejector system for a square baler
A control system is provided to select the number of dogs automatically in dependence of the position of the last completed bale in the bale case as indicated by the output of a sensor responsive to movement of the bales in the bale case.
US08915181B2 Press load controlling apparatus for mechanical press
In a mechanical press, the pressure (cylinder force) of a hydraulic pressure chamber of a cylinder-piston mechanism provided in a slide of the mechanical press can be variably controlled with a high responsiveness by a hydraulic pump/motor driven by an electric servomotor, in response to a cylinder force command corresponding to the press load command. Accordingly, even if a die height value is set to a value small enough to cause an overload, the press load can be restricted before the occurrence of the overload, and this can save the trouble of strictly adjusting the die height value. Further, pressure-application time in the vicinity of a bottom dead center can be lengthened, and a breakthrough phenomenon can be suppressed from occurring at the end of pressure application. Still further, because the overload does not occur, pressure oil is not relieved, so that the interruption of a press operation is avoided.
US08915178B2 Minute pressure grill
A minute pressure grill includes an upper grill unit and a lower grill unit. It further includes a U-shaped lift pole, which is rotately connected to the two sides of the upper grill unit. The two ends of the U-shaped lift pole are separately disposed with a first cavity. The first cavity is disposed with a pressure spring and a J-shaped lock catch to drive the pressure spring to compress or release. A pair of arc lead rails are disposed separately on the two sides of the lower grill unit. With the rotation of the J-shaped lock catch inside the U-shaped front pole and the J-shaped lock catch is compressed tightly to the arc lead rails, the food is pressed by the upper grill unit. The food is pressed with the cooperation of the pressure spring and the lock catch.
US08915170B2 Optical alignment device for a table saw
A table saw includes a workpiece support surface and a laser apparatus. The workpiece support surface defines a blade opening through which a cutting blade is configured to extend. The laser apparatus is configured to emit a laser light away from the workpiece support surface.
US08915167B2 Cork screw
There is disclosed a cork screw made up of a spiral screw for driving into a cork to thereby remove the cork from a bottle. The spiral screw is attached to a handle for driving the spiral screw into the cork. The handle passes through a flange that, along with a cork screw stop, provides a countervailing force as the spiral screw is used to drive a cork back into a bottle. An upper stop, integral to the cork screw is included. The upper stop maintains the position of the cork screw relative to the bottle as the cork is being removed from the bottle using the spiral screw. A lower stop, integral to the cork screw is also included. This lower stop maintains the position of the cork screw relative to the bottle as the cork is being returned to the bottle using the spiral screw.
US08915166B2 Single mold milling process
A bit mold is milled using a turning stage which forms a base mold component and a base gagering component. Next, a blade milling stage is performed in which the base mold component and base gagering component are milled to define integral junkslot formers separated by blade regions. Lastly, a pocket milling stage is performed in which the blade regions and integral junkslot formers of the base mold component are milled to define a plurality of cutter pockets in primary and perhaps secondary rows. Each cutter pocket includes a seat portion and a face portion. The milling of the pocket milling stage provides, at one or more of the cutter pockets, a facet. This facet is provided in an area about the junkslot former associated with the face portion of the cutter pocket, the face portion having, due to the presence of the facet, a surface for matching a cutter core displacement end surface without voids of a size which would require the use of fill material. The facet is also provided on either side of the pocket associated with the seat portion to avoid the need to clay the sides of the displacement for providing top-loading clearances. The milling process at the pocket milling stage further supports definition of relief and erosion resistance features in the mold.
US08915163B2 Steering column lock
A steering column arrangement for a vehicle comprises a first portion rotatably supported by a second portion. The steering column arrangement further comprises a first electrical motor that is adapted to be operably connected to a vehicle control system. The steering column is arranged to be moved laterally and/or axially by the first electric motor. The steering column arrangement further comprises locking means arranged to lock the steering column thereby preventing rotation of the steering column. The locking means comprise a first locking member attached to the steering column and a second locking member arranged to be attached to the vehicle chassis, where the first electric motor is arranged to move the steering column to a locked position in which the first locking member and the second locking member are arranged to engage, thereby preventing rotation of the steering column.
US08915162B2 Compliant gear assembly having variable spring force
A compliant gear assembly includes a hub subassembly including a first hub component defining a first axis and a second hub component movable relative to the first hub component in a controlled direction perpendicular to the first axis. A gear ring, which is rotatably mounted on the hub subassembly and defines a gear ring axis of rotation, is coupled to move with the second hub component between a biased position in which the gear ring axis of rotation is coaxial with the first axis and a translated intermediate stop position in which the gear ring axis of rotation is parallel to but not coaxial with the first axis. A spring component is coupled between the first and second hub components, biases the second hub component toward the biased position, and provides a variable spring force that increases as the second hub component is moved toward the translated intermediate stop position.
US08915161B2 Fine motion control rod drive mechanism handling apparatus and method of handling fine motion control rod drive mechanism
A fine motion control rod drive mechanism handling apparatus attaches a fine motion control rod drive mechanism having a control rod drive mechanism body, a spool piece, a motor bracket and a motor unit to a reactor pressure vessel, and detaches it from the reactor pressure vessel. The fine motion control rod drive mechanism handling apparatus is provided with a bolt wrench assembly, a motor unit attachment mounted to the bolt wrench assembly, for meshing a first gear of a first gear coupling on a spool piece side with a second gear of a second gear coupling on a motor unit side, and a rotation mechanism mounted to the bolt wrench assembly, for rotating the motor unit attachment.
US08915158B2 Methods and systems for micro transmissions
Methods and systems for micro transmissions for a micro machine may comprise an input shaft assembly coupled to a micro actuator, an output shaft assembly coupled to a micro shaft, and one or more power conversion elements operable to convert a first type of movement from the micro actuator into a second, disparate type of movement for the micro shaft.
US08915157B1 Nonintrusive sensor cup for composite waste tank
A sensor cup has a tube with lateral sides, a distal end with a base coupled to the liner of a tank, and an opposite proximal open end. A composite laminate surrounds a circumference and the lateral sides of the tube. A connection is associated with the tube. A sensor is disposed in the tube and retained therein by the connection. A flange can extend radially outwardly from the cylindrical tube at the distal end with the flange coupled to the liner. The composite laminate can cover the flange with the flange sandwiched between the composite laminate and the liner.
US08915154B2 System and method for preparation of a sample
A system and method for the automated preparation of one or more samples for analysis is disclosed. The system comprises a processing mechanism configured to process the one or more samples, wherein each sample is contained in a separate sample container. The system further comprises a cover configured to enclose the sample containers while the processing mechanism is operating, a first holder comprising a first pivot point and a second pivot point, wherein the first pivot point of the first holder is hingedly connected to the cover, a second holder comprising a first pivot point and a second pivot point, wherein the first pivot point of the second holder is hingedly connected to the cover, a first actuator interface arm hingedly connected to the second pivot point of the first holder, and a second actuator interface arm hingedly connected to the second pivot point of the second holder.
US08915152B2 Force sensor with wings and force distribution component
A force sensor comprising a substrate, a semiconductor body, and a piezoresistive element provided on a top surface of the semiconductor body. The semiconductor body is connected to the substrate in a force-fit manner, and includes a first wing which is provided on the top surface of the semiconductor body and being connected to the semiconductor body in a force-fit manner. A first force application area is provided on the first wing. A second wing has a second force application area provided opposite the first wing. The piezoresistive element is disposed between the first wing and the second wing. A force distribution component is connected to the first force application area and the second force application area in a force-fit manner. The force distribution component having a first surface which is oriented away from the top surface of the semiconductor body and includes a third force application area.
US08915150B2 Torque sensor
A torque sensor includes: a torsion bar; a multi-pole magnet; a pair of yokes on an outside of the multi-pole magnet in a radial direction and providing a magnetic circuit in a magnetic field generated by the multi-pole magnet; and a pair of magnetic sensors arranged along a circumferential direction. Each magnetic sensor includes a magnetism sensing part for detecting a magnetic flux density generated in the magnetic circuit, and outputs a detection signal to an external computing device. The magnetic sensors output the detection signals to the external computing device such that the computing device calculates a sum of outputs or a difference of outputs of the magnetic sensors so as to cancel a variation of the outputs produced by a magnetic flux generated from the multi-pole magnet and directly reaching the magnetism sensing parts.
US08915136B2 Determination of pipe internal cross-sectional area
A method is provided of determining the internal cross-sectional area of a pipe along its length. The method includes the steps of: (a) filling the pipe with a first fluid; (b) feeding a second fluid into the pipe at a known flow rate, a meniscus being formed between the first and the second fluid, and the meniscus moving along the pipe as the second fluid displaces the first fluid in the pipe; (c) ultrasonically detecting the position of the meniscus as it moves along the pipe; and (d) determining from the second fluid flow rate and the meniscus position, the internal cross-sectional area of the pipe along its length.
US08915134B2 Instrument fault indication apparatus
A measuring system is disclosed that may include a sensing module that provides a response to a measured quantity, a first mechanical transducer that provides an output signal proportional to the measured quantity, a conversion device that converts the output signal to a second output signal, and a sensor that detects the second output signal and generates an instrument reading within an instrument range of output signals. A bias assembly may forces a second mechanical transducer to provide the second output signal that is detected by the sensor and which generates an instrument reading outside of the specified instrument range when the mechanical transducer is disconnected from the conversion device. A level detector is also disclosed that may include a displacer assembly, a torque rod coupled to the displacer assembly and connected to a magnet, and a non-contact sensor that detects displacement of the magnet assembly within an instrument range.
US08915133B2 Arrangement and method for testing a level gauge system
The invention relates to a test arrangement comprising a waveguide, a first signal reflecting device and a second signal reflecting device. The first signal reflecting device is configured to reflect an electromagnetic signal traveling along the waveguide from the second signal reflecting device back towards the second reflecting device and to allow, at least during a time period, an electromagnetic signal traveling along the waveguide from the second signal reflecting device towards the first signal reflecting device to pass the first signal reflecting device. Hereby, a selected number of passages through a waveguide can be used to simulate passage through a much longer waveguide, and that this allows for use of a high-quality waveguide which would otherwise be too bulky, too heavy or too expensive to use depending on field of application.
US08915131B2 Method of determining surface level, and a soil moisture sensor
A method of determining the surface level of an area subject to flood, furrow or surface irrigation. The method includes the steps of providing at least one measuring cup positioned below the surface level but within the area and providing a water level sensor within or integrated with the at least one measuring cup. The levels provided by the water level sensor are used to calculate the surface level by determining the inflection point between the rapid increase of the monitored levels when the front of irrigation water passes the water level sensor. A further aspect of the disclosure is the provision of a soil moisture sensor, said sensor comprising an auger adapted to be inserted into the ground with minimum soil disturbance, said auger having means for measuring soil moisture.
US08915127B2 Method and apparatus for diagnosing a coolant pump for an internal combustion engine
In a method and a device for diagnosing a switchable coolant pump for circulating a coolant in a coolant circuit of an internal combustion engine, an actual value of the cylinder head temperature of the internal combustion engine is measured and the actual value of the cylinder head temperature is compared with a model value of the cylinder head temperature. The functionality of the coolant pump is assessed according to the comparison result.
US08915124B2 Surface texture measuring apparatus
A surface texture measuring apparatus includes a stylus displacement detector having a measurement arm which is able to swing, a pair of styli provided at a tip of the measurement arm, and a detection unit configured to detect swing amounts of the measurement arm, a stage configured to mount the subject of measurement thereon, and a relative movement mechanism configured to cause a relative movement between the detector and the stage. The apparatus includes a posture switching mechanism configured to switch a posture of the measurement arm between a posture in which the measurement arm is urged in one swing direction and a posture in which the measurement arm is urged in the other swing direction, and a speed control mechanism configured to control a switching speed of posture switching of the measurement arm to a preset speed when the posture of the measurement arm is switched by the posture switching mechanism.
US08915123B2 Methods and apparatus for determining a viscosity of oil in a mixture
Methods and apparatus for determining a viscosity of oil in a mixture are disclosed herein. An example method includes determining water fractions of a mixture flowing into a downhole tool and determining viscosities of the mixture. The mixture includes water and oil. The example method also includes determining a viscosity of the oil based on the water fractions and the viscosities.
US08915121B2 Encapsulated device with integrated gas permeation sensor
An encapsulated device comprising an integrated gas permeation sensor is provided, comprising a base substrate with an electronic component arranged thereon being enclosed within an encapsulation for protecting the electronic component from moisture and/or oxygen; at least one sensor is arranged within the encapsulation to measure the permeation of gas into the encapsulation; each sensor comprises an electrically conductive sensing element comprising a moisture and/or oxygen sensitive material, wherein the reaction of said material with moisture and/or oxygen results in a change in the electrical resistance/conductivity of the sensor.
US08915120B2 Chromatograph device
A vial feed device is equipped with a feed arm, which is positioned between a vial tray and an oven and below either of them and having a feeding housing unit and a cooling housing unit, and a vial up-and-down moving mechanism for placing and removing vials in and from vial tray and oven. Feed arm is rotationally driven by a drive motor to move a feeding housing unit, a cooling housing unit and up-and-down moving mechanism toward vial tray or oven. High-temperature vials in oven are housed in cooling housing unit until cooling time T elapses. After cooling time T elapses, cooling housing unit is moved to a lower part of vial tray by feed arm, to be returned to vial tray by up-and-down moving mechanism.
US08915119B2 Particulate matter sensor, system, and method of using a correction unit
A detection apparatus includes a particulate matter (PM) detection unit, a temperature detection unit, and a correction unit. The PM detection unit includes an insulator, a pair of electrodes, and a detector. The insulator is disposed in an exhaust path of an internal combustion engine through which an exhaust gas flows. The pair of electrodes are arranged in contact with at least a part of the insulator. The detector detects a PM detection value which is a value correlated to an amount of PM in the exhaust gas. The temperature detection unit detects at least one of an exhaust temperature of the exhaust gas passing through the PM detection unit and an insulator temperature of the insulator. The correction unit corrects the PM detection value detected by the PM detection unit based on at least one of the exhaust temperature and the insulator temperature.
US08915118B2 Impact detection system
A garment may be used for detecting an impact. The garment may include a capacitive compression sensor attached to the garment having an inner and outer layer of conductive material as well as a compressible non-conductive material between the inner and outer layers. The outer layer of conductive material may include an electrical isolation region. The garment may further include an impact detection device electrically connected to the capacitive compression sensor via a conductor that traverses the electrical isolation region. The impact detection device may include a processing circuit configured to process a change in a capacitance of the capacitive compression sensor into a digital format representative of the impact. The outer layer of conductive material may enclose the inner layer of conductive material.
US08915117B2 Intrinsically-calibrated tribometer
Intrinsically calibrating friction mensuration device has a drive unit with controllable motive member, configured to receive a controllable propulsion force, and to apply tractive force to a test piece on a surface. A force engine couples to the motive member, and applies the controllable propulsion force. The device includes a controller imposing a propulsion control signal actuating the force engine to produce the propulsion force. A force sensor is between the drive unit and the test piece, producing a force signal responsive to a sensed force between the drive unit and the test piece. The drive unit can self-propelled or stationary. A method includes applying an increasing tractive force to a test piece at rest; measuring the tractive force; identifying the maximum tractive force applied at incipient motion; identifying the transition between the resting test piece and incipient motion; determining the SCOF; continuing motion; and determining the DCOF.
US08915115B2 Piston prover
A piston prover comprises a measurement cylinder; a hydraulic cylinder coupled with a downstream end of the measurement cylinder; a measuring piston that moves a predetermined distance through the measurement cylinder during a measurement due to a fluid flow to eject a reference volume of fluid; and a piston rod that is movably in the hydraulic cylinder, wherein the measuring piston and the piston rod are separately constructed. When returning the measuring piston to a predetermined upstream measurement standby position, the piston rod moves the measuring piston to set the measuring piston at the predetermined measurement standby position, and thereafter only the piston rod is moved from upstream to downstream and is accommodated in the hydraulic cylinder.
US08915114B2 Device and tool for cold expansion of fastener holes
The invention refers to a tool for cold expansion of fastener holes. The tool comprises a mandrel (1) with a conical working part (2), a cylindrical sleeve (4) with a conical hole (5), wherein the sleeve (4) is entirely split from end to end into separate, laterally touching one another, segments (6), fixed in a cylindrical hole (14) of a threaded bush (7) and along the outer cylindrical surface (8) of the mandrel (1). The bush (7) is attached immovably to a device, fixing the segments (6), and each segment (6) gets into contact with the conical surface (2) of the mandrel (1) along only one generatrix (16), laying in the symmetry plane (17) of the respective segment (6). The advantage of the tool is in the possibility to control the degree of cold expansion.
US08915113B2 Deep-drawing device
The invention relates to a deep-drawing method and a corresponding deep-drawing device. The deep-drawing device has at least two projections (112) and at least two corresponding lamellar gaps (102) in a die (106), the width and positioning (Pi) of the lamellar gaps (102) being adjustable. Folding of a metal sheet (10) is brought about by closing the lamellar gaps (102). During the subsequent deep-drawing process, the projections (112) are lowered into corresponding recesses (103). Flat metal sheets (10) as well as previously corrugated metal sheets (10) can be folded and deep drawn by means of the deep-drawing device and the deep-drawing method.
US08915112B2 Device and method for forming end of coiled spring
A coil spring end forming apparatus is provided that includes a pair of horizontally disposed parallel rollers 8; a mandrel 22; a stopper 20 that is provided adjacent to the circumferential surface of the mandrel 22 and is moved up or down and rotated integrally with the mandrel 22; a clamp jig 24 that is provided so as to be movable toward or away from the mandrel 22 and that holds a semi-formed spring 30 in cooperation with the mandrel 22, and a pusher 12 for pushing the semi-formed spring 30 toward the stopper 20, wherein in a state in which the axis of the mandrel 22 is positioned between the axes of the parallel rollers 8 and the semi-formed spring 30, a clamp portion 2 holds the semi-formed spring 30 at the inner side of a triangle formed by the axes of the parallel rollers 8 and the semi-formed spring 30 and rotates around the axis along the winding direction of the semi-formed spring 30 to form a pigtail portion at one end of the semi-formed spring 30, and a coil spring end forming method is further provided.
US08915111B2 Die apparatus using immersion cooling
The present invention relates to a die apparatus which cools metals after hot pressing. More specifically, the present invention relates to an immersion cooling type die apparatus, in which dies are immersed in a coolant to enhance a cooling rate of the dies while guaranteeing uniform quality. The die apparatus includes an upper die having a pressing surface formed on a lower surface thereof, a lower die having a pressing surface formed on an upper surface thereof, a coolant bath storing a predetermined level of coolant, and a pressing unit driven to lower and compress the upper die onto the lower die, to lower both the upper and lower dies in a compressed state, and to lift the upper and lower dies in a reverse sequence.
US08915107B2 Locking system
A locking system is set forth having a key and a lock cylinder. The lock cylinder has a cylinder core journalled in a housing and having a keyway for inserting the key. A plurality of tumblers actuable by the key and an additional blocking element movably arranged in a guide passage of the cylinder core project into the keyway, said additional blocking element being displaceable obliquely or transversely to the direction of insertion of the key. The additional blocking element is made for cooperation with a counter-element arranged at the key blade with a key introduced up to the maximum insertion depth. The counter-element is in this respect arranged in a groove or recess starting from the key tip and extending in the longitudinal direction of the key blade.
US08915106B2 Means for processing information
The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for processing information (20, 21, 22, 23) in connection with the preparation and/or development of objects by spatially distributed planning groups, the information relating to the current state of preparation and/or development. In order to enable creative working in spatially distributed planning groups, it is proposed that the apparatus (1) have the following components: at least one output apparatus (3a, 3b) for reproducing the information (20, 21, 22, 23) at each location (2a, 2b); at least one server (4) for processing the information (20, 21, 22, 23); at least one connection apparatus (5a, 5b) for connecting the output apparatuses (3a, 3b) and further participant terminals (6, 7) at each location (2a, 2b); a data communication network (8) for connecting the connection apparatuses (5a, 5b) to the server (4); and means (10) for processing the information (20, 21, 22, 23) in such a manner that information (20, 21, 22, 23) manipulated using a terminal (6, 7) or in another manner is automatically reproduced in real time on all output apparatuses (3a, 3b) at all locations (2a, 2b).
US08915100B2 Optical fiber end processing method and optical fiber end processing apparatus
An optical fiber end processing method includes the steps of: an optical fiber fixing step of fixing two parts of the optical fiber; a first heating step of heating a tip end side part of the optical fiber between two fixed parts fixed in the optical fiber fixing step, and melting the optical fiber of the tip end side heating part; a second heating step of heating a part on a base end side of the optical fiber between the fixed parts away from the tip end side heating part in a state that two parts of the optical fiber are fixed, and making the holes of the optical fiber disappear; and a removing step of removing the tip end side heating part after the second heating step.
US08915098B2 Downhole refrigeration using an expendable refrigerant
Cooling of downhole components is effected using an expendable refrigerant, such as water. Refrigerant, in thermal communication with a component to be cooled, is evaporated in an evaporator. Vapor is removed from the evaporator and released into a borehole, in order to cool the component. A pump may be used to remove the vapor from the evaporator and force the vapor into the borehole.
US08915097B2 Silica container and method for producing the same
Producing a silica container includes forming a powder mixture by adding an Al compound or a crystal nucleating agent into a first powdered raw material; preliminarily molding to an intended shape by feeding the powder mixture to an inner wall of an outer frame while rotating the outer frame having aspiration holes; forming a silica substrate; and forming a transparent silica glass layer on an inner surface of the silica substrate, wherein the preliminarily molded article is degassed by aspiration from a peripheral side and heated from inside the preliminarily molded article at high temperature making a peripheral part of the preliminarily molded article to a sintered body while an inner part to a fused glass body, and a second powdered raw material having a higher silica purity than the first powdered raw material is spread from inside the silica substrate and heated from the inside at high temperature.
US08915095B2 Hybrid environmental conditioning system
An environmental conditioning system has a compressor for compressor air in an air flow path. A turbine drives the compressor and is coupled to the compressor. An evaporator is in communication with the compressor. The evaporator is configured to cool air from the compressor.
US08915090B2 Gas turbine engine mid turbine frame with flow turning features
A gas turbine engine includes first and second stages having a rotational axis. A circumferential array of airfoils is arranged axially between the first stage and the second stage. At least one of the airfoils have a curvature provided equidistantly between pressure and suction sides. The airfoils extend from a leading edge to a trailing edge at a midspan plane along the airfoil. An angle is defined between first and second lines respectively tangent to the intersection of the midspan plane and the curvature at airfoil leading and trailing edges. The angle is equal to or greater than about 10°.
US08915086B2 System for controlling combustion dynamics and method for operating the same
A system for controlling combustion dynamics is provided. The system includes a combustor having a combustion chamber and an inlet for feeding a fuel-air mixture into the combustion chamber. The system also includes a dome plate at an upstream end of the combustion chamber. The system further includes a liner along a length of the combustion chamber. The system also includes an actuator configured to control one or more recirculating zones in the combustion chamber.
US08915084B2 Heat energy extraction system from underground in situ combustion of hydrocarbon reservoirs
A system and method to extract heat energy from underground heat sources, then transport that heat to the surface in the form of a high temperature liquid or gas, and deliver the contaminant-free heat energy to a surface user of heat. The heat captured in the working fluid of the system is gained by heat transfers and can be extracted from the in situ combustion of any oil sands, heavy oil, conventional or unconventional oil, bitumen, coal, conventional or unconventional natural gas, methane or oil shales, or from various other sources. The invention creates a closed circulation system, in which the working fluid and steam circulating in the system are protected from any direct contact with the hydrocarbon reservoir, and gases produced by the in situ combustion are sequestered in the reservoir by the overlying overburden.
US08915082B2 Regenerative assisted turbocharger system
An engine is described having an engine control unit and two or more hydraulically operated wheels, wherein a fluid is flowed from an accumulator to the engine via the first wheel to assist in acceleration of the turbocharger in response to an acceleration signal from the engine control system and wherein the fluid is flowed from the engine to the accumulator via the second wheel to decelerate the turbocharger in response to a deceleration signal from the engine control unit. In one particular embodiment, the second wheel absorbs energy from the turbocharger in response to the deceleration signal from the engine control unit to decelerate the turbocharger. In some embodiments, the hydraulically operated wheels may be positioned on the same shaft of, and between, the turbine and compressor of the turbocharger.
US08915081B2 Internal combustion engine
An internal combustion engine comprises a compressor disposed in an intake system configured to compress combustion air and deliver it to cylinders of the engine. A compressor inlet assembly has a combustion air inlet, in fluid communication with, and configured to receive combustion air from the intake system. A combustion air passage extends through the assembly to an outlet located downstream of the inlet and is configured for fluid communication with the compressor. An EGR mixing conduit is disposed within the compressor inlet assembly and has an EGR inlet configured for fluid communication with, and receipt of EGR from, an EGR supply conduit. An EGR passage extends from the EGR inlet to an EGR supply annulus disposed about the combustion air inlet opening and a plurality of EGR ports extend between the EGR supply annulus and the combustion air passage for delivery of EGR thereto.
US08915078B2 System for producing energy through the action of waves
A system and method for generating energy from tuning the natural frequency of masses relative to a ground plane and an external force. In some embodiments the external force is the action of the waves. The system has a first mass movable relative to the ground plane, wherein the external force induces an oscillation in the first mass relative to the ground plane. A second movable mass is carried by and movable relative to the first movable mass. The second movable mass creates kinetic energy as the result of varying the position of the second movable mass relative to the first mass. The system adjusts or tunes the frequency of various components in relation to the natural frequency of the waves. The energy created by the relative motion can be converted to various forms of energy including electrical energy.
US08915077B2 Wave power plant
The invention relates to a wave power plant, comprising at least one floating power plant body and means for converting movement of the floating power plant body into a rotary motion for power take off. The floating power plant body (1) is adapted to perform a gyrating motion in response to waves. For generating or enhancing the gyrating motion, the power plant body (1) is provided with one or more of the following elements: a flange-shaped weight (2), which is eccentrically suspended to the floating power plant body (1) and which lies below a waterline (13) of the floating power plant body at a substantial distance from the waterline; one or more transverse flanges (4), which is or are mounted on the floating power plant body in a substantially crosswise position relative to a propagation direction (A) of waves; and a flywheel (11), whose rotating axis lies substantially on a gyraion shaft (5) of the floating power plant body or on a separate vertical shaft and whose gyro force deflects the turning motion of the floating power plant body.
US08915067B2 Diesel engine
Provided is a diesel engine which can efficiently regenerate a diesel particulate filter. The control for regeneration using an ECU includes a first regeneration by burning particulate matter at slightly more than 300° C. for 20 minutes when the accumulation of particulate matter exceeds a first threshold; a second regeneration by burning particulate matter at approximately 560° C. for 30 minutes by an additional injection to remove particulate matter other than ash when the accumulation of particulate matter exceeds the first threshold for a first predetermined period of time, or every 100 hours; and a third regeneration by burning particulate matter at approximately 600° C. for 15 minutes by an additional injection to remove particulate matter other than ash when the accumulation of particulate matter exceeds a second threshold and an emergency regeneration switch is pushed, or after 50 hours since the second or third regeneration and the emergency regeneration switch is pushed.
US08915064B2 Exhaust gas flow device
A flow device for an exhaust treatment system includes a base and at least one flow deflector tube secured to the base. The flow deflector tube includes a flow inlet, a flow outlet, and a passage that extends through the flow deflector tube from the flow inlet to the flow outlet. The flow outlet is at an angled orientation to the flow inlet. A method of mixing reactants and exhaust in an exhaust treatment system includes the steps of injecting reactants into exhaust gases flowing through an exhaust conduit used to convey the exhaust gases from an engine. Bent tubes are disposed in the exhaust conduit and used to mix the exhaust gases and the reactants.
US08915058B2 Heat transfer arrangement for fluid-washed surfaces
A heat transfer arrangement for a fluid-washed body having first and second ends and a fluid-washed surface extending there-between. The arrangement includes a heat transfer member extending from the first end at least part way along the body towards the second end. A heat source is arranged in use to heat the heat transfer member in the vicinity of the first end of the body. A plurality of thermal control layers are provided on the heat transfer member, each of the layers having a different thermal conductivity and being juxtaposed so as to create a thermal conductivity profile which varies along the length of the member. The arrangement may be used for prevention of icing of an aerofoil body such as a blade, vane or the like.
US08915057B2 Gas turbine engine sump pressurization system
A sump pressurization system for a gas turbine engine comprises a first hollow shaft and a second hollow shaft disposed within the first hollow shaft and defining a cavity therebetween. Each of the first and second hollow shafts has a common axis of rotation. Also included is a source of pressurized air to pressurize the cavity and a plurality of hollow tubes disposed in the cavity. The tubes are oriented perpendicular to the axis of rotation and are connected to and rotatable with the first hollow shaft. A plurality of apertures in the second hollow shaft are in fluid communication with the tubes, such that pressurized air flowing through the tubes passes through the apertures into the interior of the second hollow shaft.
US08915055B2 Spinning machine and a process for removing an end section of a yarn of a spinning machine prior to a subsequent piecing process
The spinning station of a spinning machine includes a yarn end disposal means, arranged between the outlet of the spinning device and the winding device, and with the aid of which an end section of the produced yarn is separated from the rest of the yarn and eliminated. Furthermore, a process for removing an end section of a yarn at a spinning station of a spinning machine prior to the subsequent piecing process is proposed, wherein the end section is gripped, cut off, and subsequently eliminated from the area of the spinning station with the aid of a yarn end disposal means arranged between the outlet of the spinning device and the winding device.
US08915054B2 Rotor of haymaking machine provided with arms in two parts connected by a connecting device
A rotor comprising a rotary housing and at least one oscillating arm, the oscillating arm comprising at least an internal part connected to the housing and an external part carrying tools, one of the parts comprising an engaging portion able to engage partially in an engaged portion of the other part, the portions each comprising at least one hole and being able to be assembled by a connecting device comprising at least one threaded element with a shoulder, the threaded element passing through each hole of the portions. The connecting device comprises an insert with at least one tapping able to be inserted inside the engaging portion, the threaded element is screwed in the tapping and the shoulder rests on the engaged portion to tighten the engaged portion against the engaging portion.
US08915053B2 Head harness for a horse
A head harness for a horse includes a browband linked, at the ends thereof, to two headpieces, each of which has, symmetrically on either side of the harness, two attachments arranged side by side, and in that, on the front headpiece, the cheek strap of the bit and one end of the throat latch are attached to the first attachment and to the second attachment, respectively, and in that, on the rear headpiece, the noseband cheep strap and one end of an auxiliary cheek strap and one end of an auxiliary cheep strap are attached to the first attachment and to the second attachment, respectively, the other end of said auxiliary cheek strap being attached onto the noseband cheek strap located on the other side of the harness, and in that the second attachment of the front headpiece that receives the throat latch and the second attachment of the rear headpiece that receives the auxiliary cheek strap are rigidly connected by a link.
US08915052B2 Method and device for screw capping vessels, in particular bottles
A method and a device for screw capping vessels, in particular bottles, by measuring the power consumption of a linear drive system for lifting and lowering the closing head in a pick phase for picking up the respective closing cap and/or in a screw phase for screwing on the closing cap being, and by comparing that measured power consumption with at least one characteristic value of the power consumption to detect an imminent or occurred incorrect closure. In this manner, vessels can be closed at a low error rate and possibly incorrectly closed vessels can be discharged from a continuous product stream at a low error rate.
US08915046B2 Reinforcement for reinforced concrete and methods for manufacturing thereof
Disclosed a reinforcement structure for reinforced concrete and methods for manufacturing thereof. In one aspect, the reinforcement structure includes a rod comprising a spiral strip having a pitch between 1.0 and 10.0 times a width of the strip and a ratio of thickness of the strip to the width of the strip in a range of 1:4 to 1:10. The surface of the spiral strip may be entirely or partially corrugated with ribs of arbitrary shape and having height in a range of 0.05% to 0.30% of the thickness of the strip. In another aspect, method for manufacturing a reinforcement structure comprises flattening a wire rod into a flat strip, corrugating it with ribs, and twisting the ribbed strip into a spiral of the specified pitch.
US08915043B2 Bolt connection for a wind tower lattice structure
A bolt connection assembly is provided that is particularly suited for connecting components of a lattice structure wind tower. The assembly includes a pin component having a head and a shaft, with the shaft having a textured friction-fit outer circumferential surface. The shaft further includes a threaded internal bore. A bolt component having a threaded shaft engages within the threaded internal bore. In an assembled state of the pin component and bolt component, the threaded shaft has a free length section that extends into the threaded internal bore for increased distribution of a specified pretension of the bolt component.
US08915041B2 Angle spreader for trusses
A truss hinge that allows hinging between truss parts, and also allows configuration into a different size, and spreads the angle of the truss open ends. One embodiment uses a first plate, having a connection part to a first truss, where the connection part is adapted for connection to a first truss. A second plate is movable relative to the first plate. The second plate also has a second connection part adapted for connection to a second truss. An angle setting part forms a connection between the first plate and the second plate, that holds the first plate relative to the second plate at any of a number of different relative locations between the first plate and the second plate. The plates include angle markings to set the connections.
US08915038B1 Dynamic concrete form
A dynamic concrete form includes a sleeve defining a passage extending between first and second open ends. A first attachment feature extends outwardly in a first direction from the sleeve at the first open end and a second attachment feature extends outwardly in a second direction that is opposite the first direction at the second open end. In a first position, the passage has a first axial length, the first open end lies in a first plane, and the second open end lies in a second plane. In a second position, the passage has a second axial length that is greater than the first axial length, the first open end lies in the first plane or a first new plane that is parallel to the first plane, and the second open end lies in the second plane or a second new plane that is parallel to the second plane.
US08915035B2 Floor tile designed for multiple tile images
A laminated floor tile includes the following layers laminated together into a single unit, a base having an underside, an upper surface, and perimetric edges, the base being formed of a high impact copolymer material designed to provide a slight flexure, the base including tabs designed to interact with adjacent floor tiles to hold the adjacent tiles fixedly in place, and panels extending upwardly from the perimetric edges of the base and forming the upper surface into a tray shape, graphic media positioned on the base within the tray, and a clear protective layer overlying the graphic image.
US08915032B1 Frameless impact window system
A window construction set in a pre-existing frame includes upper and lower horizontal channel members that respectively engage horizontal top and bottom edges of at least two window panes and first and second laterally spaced vertical channel members that respectively engage vertical outboard edges of the window panes. Each channel member is secured to a corresponding part of the frame and a structural shim is sandwiched between each channel member and its associated frame. The preferred embodiment includes multiple window panes disposed in lateral relation to one another so that all panes are secured at their top and bottom edges and two outboard window panes are further secured along their respective vertical outboard edges. Respective abutting inboard vertical edges of contiguous window panes are joined together by respective strips of silicone, there being no vertical frame members between abutting contiguous window panes.
US08915030B2 Direct mounted photovoltaic device with improved adhesion and method thereof
The present invention is premised upon a photovoltaic device suitable for directly mounting on a structure. The device includes an active portion including a photovoltaic cell assembly having a top surface portion that allows transmission of light energy to a photoactive portion of the photovoltaic device for conversion into electrical energy and a bottom surface having a bottom bonding zone; and an inactive portion immediately adjacent to and connected to the active portion, the inactive portion having a region for receiving a fastener to connect the device to the structure and having on a top surface, a top bonding zone; wherein one of the top and bottom bonding zones comprises a first bonding element and the other comprises a second bonding element, the second bonding element designed to interact with the first bonding element on a vertically overlapped adjacent photovoltaic device to bond the device to such adjacent device or to the structure.
US08915029B2 Face panels for loading dock seals and shelters
Example flexible face panels for dock shelters and dock seals at a loading dock include a tip seal and/or an air-filled blister or elongate “bubble” that sealingly conforms to a rear portion of a vehicle (e.g., truck, trailer, etc.) at the dock. In some examples, an air chamber within the blister is open at one or both ends. This prevents otherwise trapped pressurized air from adversely affecting the blister's compliance or its ability to sealingly conform to irregular surfaces of the vehicle. In some examples, as the vehicle backs into and deflects the face panel, the blister distorts and wraps itself around the vehicle's surface irregularities, such as door hardware and protruding lights. In some examples, the face panel's tip seal includes an overlapping seal flap, wherein a series of slits in the tip seal allow the seal to fit over the vehicle's various surface irregularities.
US08915027B1 Edging system for unit pavement system
A method of installing an edging system for a unit pavement system includes positioning a paver-contacting surface of an edge restraint against an edge of a unit pavement system including a plurality of paver units, and driving a plate-like stake in a generally horizontal direction underneath at least one paver unit of the plurality of paver units and into a granular material layer upon which the unit pavement system is supported such that the plate-like stake is operatively connected with the edge restraint. The edge restraint includes a horizontal section and a vertical section joined at a corner. The vertical section extends upwardly from and generally perpendicular to the horizontal section. An edging system for a unit pavement system is also disclosed.
US08915024B2 Multi-position hunting blind window
A hunting blind including a front wall having an opening therethrough and a multi-position window covering the opening. The multi-position window includes a panel with an elongate aperture covered by a door pivotally connected to the panel. The multi-position window has a first position on the front wall and covering the opening wherein the elongate aperture extends vertically for hunting with a bow. The multi-position window has a second position on the front wall and covering the opening wherein the elongate aperture extends horizontally for hunting with a gun.
US08915021B2 Integrated regulator device of glass and curtain for door
Disclosed herein is an integrated regulator device of a glass and a curtain for a door, including: a motor provided in a door panel; a drive gear inserted into the motor in a vertical direction, rotatably provided, and having a shaft shape; a glass drum operated together with a glass provided in the door and inserted into the drive gear to move in the vertical direction according to rotation of the drive gear; and a curtain drum operated together with an electric curtain provided in the door, inserted into the drive gear, positioned beneath the glass drum, and moving in the vertical direction according to the rotation of the drive gear.
US08915020B2 Device for sealingly closing a room opening
A device (100) for closing an opening in a room has a frame (102) in the reveal of the room opening and at least one leaf (104) which is arranged movably with respect to the frame (102) and is movable with respect to the frame into a closure position in which there is, between the frame (102) and the leaf (104), a gap (112) which can be sealed by means of a deformable and/or movable sealing member (114). A sealing member actuating device (120), by means of which the sealing member (114) can be deformed and/or moved, is arranged in the frame (102) and/or in the leaf (104) in order to seal the gap (112).
US08915010B1 Floating fishing gear holding assembly
A fishing gear holding assembly is provided for floating on a water surface to facilitate fishing without having to leave the water. The assembly includes a buoyant support having an outer perimeter wall, a bottom wall, an upper wall, and an inner perimeter wall. The inner perimeter wall defines a well in the support. A box has a base wall and a peripheral wall coupled to and extending upwardly from the base wall. The box is positioned in the well. At least one upright tube is coupled to and positioned in the box. The upright tube is configured for receiving and supporting a fishing rod in an upright position. A plurality of floats is positioned in the well around the box.
US08915009B2 Modular sighting and lighting system for handguns
Embodiments provide modular illumination systems that may be used with any handgun platform, and are not specific to any make or model. Some embodiments may provide lighting, for instance visible light and/or infrared light for use in low light or dark environments. Also provided in various embodiments are aiming and/or sighting systems that may be equipped with an IR sight or a laser sight, such as a red or green laser. In various embodiments, the illumination modules may couple to the handgun via a mounting member that is integral to the handgun body, and the mounting member may be recessed or otherwise concealed and/or protected by the handgun body. Thus, in various embodiments, no portion of the mounting member (or the corresponding mounting element on the illumination module) is exposed or visible when the illumination module is coupled to the mounting member, and a conventional holster may be used.
US08915006B2 Sports rifle
A sporting rifle with a firing mechanism, comprising a chamber (3) joined to a fork (4), a barrel (2), a butt (1) and means of fixing the butt (1) to the fork (4), wherein the fork (4) comprises at least one projecting stop (6) secured to the outside of said fork (4) which, when the fork (4) is positioned on the butt (1), said at least one stop (6) is fitted into a corresponding housing (5) located on the butt (1) and said at least one stop (6) is positioned on the fork (4) with the weld (10) located between the stop (6) and the chamber (3).
US08915004B1 Systems and methods for a firing pin
Methods and apparatus for operating a firing pin. A first force attracts the firing pin to the pre-firing position. A second force overcomes the first force to move the firing pin to a firing position. A magnitude of the first force on the firing pin is inversely proportional to the distance the firing pin moves away from the pre-firing position.
US08915003B2 Ammunition compartment with strip clip
An ammunition compartment is located in the grip of a firearm's handle. The handle has a hinged door that opens to the compartment. The ammunition is mounted on a strip clip which slides into grooves in the inner walls of the compartment. The strip clip has a tab which extends outside the compartment when the door is open so that the ammunition can be quickly pulled from the compartment to load the firearm.
US08915001B2 Decorative element and method for production thereof and method for actuating the same
The invention relates to a decorative element (10) for a motor vehicle and to a method for producing the same. The decorative element (10) thereby comprises an at least partially transparent decorative film (12) applied to a flat carrier element (30) and back injection molded with two plastic layers (14, 16). At least the first plastic layer (14) is thereby at least partially transparent. The use of the first plastic layer (14) as an optical conductor is thereby made possible, allowing particularly optically attractive light coupling into the decorative element, and opening particularly extensive latitude in design.
US08914999B2 Extended content label with narrow overlaminate
An extended content label with a narrow overlaminate having a substrate, a leaflet and an overlaminate strip. The leaflet is adhered to a section of the upper surface of the substrate and has several overlying panels, longitudinally-extended accordion-type folds alternating along a top and bottom of each panel, and a perpendicular fold oriented normal to the longitudinal direction. The leaflet is a single sheet that is folded into a leaflet without the use of glue. The overlaminate strip is laminated across the entire longitudinal direction of the leaflet and laminated to another section of the upper surface of said substrate to form an extended content label. The height of the overlaminate strip is narrower than the leaflet so that all of the accordion-type folds extend beyond the overlaminate strip.
US08914997B2 Article of footwear with interchangeable bootie
An article of footwear can receive a bootie. The article can include an upper to receive the bootie. Ball control elements may be provided on the bootie and the ball control elements can extend through the upper. The ball control elements can be configured to aid kicking or to interact with various surfaces. The upper can receive different booties having different ball control elements.
US08914995B2 Foot orthotic
A foot orthotic for use as an insole in footwear is made solely from a copper-containing material.
US08914990B2 Hopper structure
A hopper structure for treating granular material, comprising an inner sidewall section arranged, in use, as an upper tubular sidewall, a tapered lower section having a delivery mouth and an elongated insert body wherein said insert comprises an upper portion and a lower portion arranged at said lower tapered portion of the hopper and having its conicity facing away from said upper portion, said upper portion axially extending from the base of the lower portion up to at least one half of the upper tubular section at an angle λ≧0 with respect to a vertical line.
US08914989B2 Clothes dryer and method for adjusting a dilution of a treating solution based on a detected clothes load size
A clothes dryer and method for forming and supplying a treating chemistry solution to a laundry load located in the treating chamber of the clothes dryer.
US08914987B2 I-beam level
A level includes a body comprising a first portion having a first reference surface, and a second portion having a second reference surface, the second reference surface being spaced from the first reference surface. The body also includes an intermediate member comprising a wall positioned between the first and second portions, the wall being generally perpendicular to at least one of the reference surfaces. The level also includes an orientation indicator coupled to the intermediate member, the orientation indicator being positioned to indicate an orientation of at least one of the first and the second reference surfaces. The level additionally includes an indicator support configured to support the orientation indicator, and a resilient member positioned between the orientation indicator and the indicator support. A compression the resilient member facilitates a calibration of the orientation indicator, while the indicator support supports the resilient member and engages opposite sides of the wall.
US08914984B2 Automatic pin adjustment for archery sights
Certain embodiments of the present disclosure deal with an archery sight mounted or mountable on an archery bow. The sight incorporates an indicator or adjustment assembly to indicate or control the desired position of one or more additional sight pins based on sighted in positions of two base sight pins.
US08914982B1 Quick release utility knife blade holder
A quick release utility blade holder preferably includes a handle member and a retention clip. The handle member preferably includes a clip pocket, which is sized to receive the retention clip. A pair of opposed blade grooves are formed below a bottom of the clip pocket to slidably receive a utility knife blade. The retention clip includes a lift tab, a notch lock projection and a blade stop projection. The blade stop projection stops insertion of the utility knife blade. The notch lock projection is sized to be received by one of the notches in the utility knife blade. The lift tab extends from one end of the retention clip at one end of the handle member and one end of the clip pocket. The other end of the retention clip is secured to the handle member at the other end of the clip pocket with at least one fastener.
US08914981B1 Weed cutter with vacuum
A weed cutter with vacuum that includes a removable cover, a cylindrical chamber attachable to the cover, an intake column fastened endwise to the chamber opposite the cover, with a vacuum impeller disposed within the chamber, a motor disposed distally within the intake column, which motor engages a cutting blade pivotally mounted at a distal end of the intake column, wherein debris created at the cutting blade is drawn into the cylindrical chamber and captured in a filter column disposed therein.
US08914980B2 Razor
A razor has a holder, a holder handle defining a razor axis, a cross-piece installed in the holder along the razor axis, and up to four pairs of blades. The holder and holder handle collectively form a T-shape structure. Each of the blades in each of the pairs is installed in the holder on a respective side of the cross-piece and at sharp blade setting angle and symmetrical about the cross-piece. The blade setting angle is 75-80°, and the blade setting angle of each preceding blade pair in the direction of the razor movement is less than the setting angle of a subsequent blade pair. The invention makes it possible to increase the efficiency and ease of shaving and to reduce the production cost of the razor.
US08914979B2 System and method for assembling aircraft components
A system and method for assembling a 360-degree section of an aircraft fuselage or nacelle by properly positioning a plurality of assembly panels relative to a machine datum representing an assembly-level datum schema, drilling full-sized holes proximate to a second skin edge of the panels with the machine, net-trimming a second edge of the panels with the machine, then using the full-sized holes proximate to the second skin edges as alignment features to properly orient and attach pairs of the panels together proximate to first skin edges, opposite of the second skin edges with an auxiliary machine, forming panel pairs. Control systems may be installed into the panel pairs separately and independently, then the panel pairs may be joined together, aligning the full-sized holes proximate to the second edges, and inserting fasteners through the aligned full-sized holes proximate to the second skin edges.
US08914977B2 Vehicle wheel and method for manufacturing vehicle wheel
A vehicle wheel according to the present invention includes a hollow-state hollow portion and a solid-state non-hollow portion inside an outboard bead seat in a radial direction, which are provided in series in a circumferential direction of the wheel, the non-hollow portion having a cross section with a larger area than a hole cross section of a valve hole and having the valve hole formed therein. This structure prevents a sealing structure for ensuring hermetic performance from being complicated as compared to a wheel having the valve hole in the hollow portion, thus simplifying a mounting structure of an air valve. A method for manufacturing such a vehicle wheel allows formation of the valve hole in the non-hollow portion. Machining dust generated through a cutting process can thus be prevented from entering the hollow portion and remaining therein.
US08914972B2 Press for crimping metal terminals attached to a carrier strip
A method and a press for crimping metal terminals onto electric cables, wherein the metal terminal is retained in the centered crimping position, during the entire crimping process. To this end, the press of the invention comprises a crimping assembly (3) provided with means of controlling the knife (7) for the conductor (18) of the electric cable (19) independently or separately from the remaining knives (8,9), respectively for crimping the insulation (20) of said cable (19) and for detaching the carrier strip (21) supporting the metal terminal (17). By comparison with the known art, the method and the press of the invention offer the advantage of ensuring that the metal terminal is kept centered in the correct position for crimping, without undergoing unwanted displacement during the process of attaching to it the conductor and the insulation of the electric cable.
US08914963B2 Mounting station and method for automatically assembling a razor
A mounting station for automatically assembling a razor that includes a shaving cartridge and a razor handle. The mounting station includes providing a razor handle and a shaving cartridge, automatically connecting a first rearwardly protruding connector of the shaving cartridge to the free end of the first handle connector of the razor handle, and then automatically connecting the second rearwardly protruding connector of the shaving cartridge to the free end of the second handle connector of the razor handle to form a razor.
US08914958B2 Method and apparatus for inserting a valve into a valve guide
Upper and lower support members, supporting a valve, are lowered toward a valve guide with at least the lower support member vibrated by a vibrating device. When a lower-end chamfered surface of the valve has failed to be brought into contact with the opening edge of the guide through the lowering, not only the upper support member is caused to gradually move away from an umbrella section of the valve but also the position of supporting, by the lower support member, of a shaft section of the valve is displaced downward after the lower end of the shaft section of the valve contacts the upper end surface of the guide, so that vibrating movement of the lower end of the shaft section is reduced to allow the chamfered surface to contact the opening edge. Then, the valve is inserted into the guide by a pressing member.
US08914951B2 Magnetic fastening buckle provided with permanent magnets and a mechanical locking
A magnetic fastening buckle includes a first plug-in element provided with a first permanent magnet, and a second receiving element that includes a flat support plate surmounted by a support cap for a second permanent magnet. A pair of guiding pins protrudes on both sides of a first opening in which is inserted the first permanent magnet. The guiding pins are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the buckle, so as to ensure a self-entering effect of the first plug-in element in said longitudinal direction.
US08914937B2 Hinge assembly for steam cleaner
This invention relates to a hinge assembly for a steam cleaner capable of pivoting in front/rear (X) and left/right (Y) directions, and more particularly, to a hinge assembly for a steam cleaner capable of being adjusted automatically in a straight direction after a swerving force is removed, when a base assembly was swerved while locking automatically a left/right directional pivoting action.
US08914935B2 Disposable premoistened multilayered cleaning wipe
A multilayered premoistened cleaning wipe having: a liquid permeable first layer joined to a liquid permeable second layer and a core disposed between the first layer and the second layer. A cleaning composition is releasably absorbed in the core. The cleaning composition has between about 0.001% to about 10% by weight of surfactant.
US08914933B1 Broom assembly for sweeping machine and method of operation
A broom assembly for attachment to a vehicle is adapted to rotate a brush having a tubular core. The broom assembly includes a center section, a left side plate, a right side plate, an idle hub on one of the side plates and a drive hub on the other of the side plates. These hubs define a core axis about which the brush is rotated. A first linear actuator is adapted to move the left side plate along an axis that is parallel to the core axis between a left open position and a left closed position, and a second linear actuator is adapted to move the right side plate along an axis that is parallel to the core axis between a right open position and a right closed position. The broom assembly may be operated in a work mode and a maintenance mode.
US08914930B2 Laundry treating appliance with load amount detection
A method and apparatus determines a load size of a laundry load located in a laundry treating appliance having a drum defining a treatment chamber that is rotated by a motor based on a given amount of energy applied to the motor, and a measurement of coast time after the given amount of energy is removed.
US08914926B2 Portable sleeping table apparatus and method
A folding portable sleeping table comprises a planar member rotatably connected to at least one longitudinal support member. A support arm has a proximal and a distal end. The proximal end of the support arm is rotatably connected to the planar member. The longitudinal support member has notches to engage the distal end of the support arm. The longitudinal support member has a hollow interior sized to accept at least one extendable member. A base member is positioned on a lower end of the at least one extendable member. The at least one extendable member is adjustably secured to the at least one longitudinal support member whereby the base member and the at least one extendable member can extend in and out relative to the at least one longitudinal support member.
US08914925B2 Mobile diagnostic assembly
A mobile diagnostic assembly (20) of the type for supporting a patient in a prone position along an examination surface includes a support frame (22) having a top (26) extending between a front edge (38) and a rear edge (40) and defining at least one opening (48) for receiving pendant breasts of the patient in the prone position. The support frame (22) is movable to a testing position for disposing the rear edge (40) adjacent the examination surface. A flap (50) extends from the rear edge of the top for overlaying an examination surface in the testing position to support the prone patient along the examination surface and said flap and said top to prevent movement of the support frame relative to the examination surface. A pivot (54) is disposed between the flap and the top for establishing rotation of the flap from the testing position to cover said top.
US08914922B1 Mountable fan for massage table
A mountable fan for massage table that is removably installable to an underside of an extant massage table headrest, said mountable fan for massage table having a generally ovoid hoop with an upper surface and a lower surface, a vent circumferentially disposed around the upper surface, a fan chamber radially disposed from the hoop, an electric fan disposed within the fan chamber, and an intake duct with a removable filter disposed therein, the intake duct disposed on the fan chamber, whereby air is drawn into the intake duct by the fan and forcibly expelled through the vent to relaxingly stimulate the face of a patient lying on the massage table.
US08914919B1 Fixture use prevention system
A device to prevent the use of newly placed toilets in buildings under construction by securing the toilet seat and toilet lid of a toilet in a fixed position to the toilet bowl. The toilet use prevention system includes a locking mechanism to secure an L-shape lid retainer and a J-shape bowl clamp in a position to prevent a toilet from being opened. Another embodiment prevents use of faucets in sinks and tubs.
US08914915B1 Decorative footwear system
A decorative footwear adornment providing a removable and reusable ornamentation for use upon existing footwear includes an attachable base plate being embellished with a decorative element or indicia. The base plate includes extending malleable attachment arms, each encased within a flexible polymer material, which are wrapped around and secured to straps or other portions of the footwear. The flexible nature of the attachment arms enables a user to repeatedly interchange and reuse the adornments with various footwear.
US08914914B1 Hat with hair keeping device
A hat with hair keeping device including an outer layer with a crown, a continuous side wall, a front portion, rear portion and a brim. An inner layer is disposed within the outer layer. The inner layer has upper, forward, and rearward portions. Parallel lower and upper seams are continuously disposed between the continuous side wall and the brim with a cinching body continuously disposed within the lower and upper seams. There is an opening disposed in the rear portion of the outer layer. The opening is configured to receive a portion of the cinching body there through with the drawstring secured posteriorly to the rearward portion of the outer layer by tying the ends of the drawstring together. The silk or satin inner layer reduces hair breakage by reducing friction against the hair and helps avoid perspiration around the hairline, thus assisting in keeping the hairstyle intact.
US08918911B2 Connection device authentication
A method and apparatus are provided for a secure interconnect between data modules, including a security apparatus within a secured data interconnect apparatus installed with a security chip. The interconnect apparatus may be authenticated prior to enabling a stacking feature. Authentication of a interconnect apparatus may be used to ensure the quality and performance of the interconnect apparatus and the data modules.
US08918910B2 Method and system for software licensing under machine virtualization
A method and system implementing software licensing management under machine virtualization are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a system comprises a virtual platform running on a physical machine; a binding agent running on a host operating system of the virtual platform; a license enforcement module running on a virtual machine instance of the virtual platform. The license enforcement module is in communication with the binding agent. The binding agent enforces a mutex lock to ensure that only a specified number of license enforcement modules are running on the physical machine.
US08918907B2 Approaches for firmware to trust an application
Techniques for determining whether firmware should trust an application sufficiently so as to provide a service to the application. Firmware, executing on a device, receives an indication that an application, also executing on the device, is requesting a service provided by the firmware. The firmware obtains (a) an operating system signature associated with the application and (b) a firmware signature associated with the application. The operating system signature is a signature that is used by the operating system, executing on the device, to authenticate the application, while the firmware signature is a signature that is used by the firmware to authenticate the application. If the firmware determines that the operating system signature matches the firmware signature, then the firmware storing trust data that permits the application to access the service provided by the firmware. The firmware need not calculate a signature based on the in-memory image of the application.
US08918906B2 Communication service system
A communication service system includes a SNS server 1 that manages contents, and client terminals 10 to 30 that can make access to the SNS server 1 via a network 40. Each of the client terminals 10 to 30 includes a portion with which the client terminal can obtain an object. The SNS server 1 manages objects input by the client terminals 10 to 30, and allows a plurality of client terminals that are connected to the network 40 and browse the same content to share objects.
US08918904B2 Systems and methods for user identity verification and risk analysis using available social and personal data
A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support user identity verification based on social and personal information of the user. Under the approach, customers/users are required to grant identity verifying party a degree of access to their social network information, including but not limited to, account data and social graph information on social networks. The identity verifying party then acquires information of a current or potential user's online presence in addition to other information of the user and utilizes such information to verify the user's identity in the real world and/or to assess the fraud risk of a specific financial transaction requested by the user.
US08918903B1 Systems and methods for performing authentication validation
A method may include identifying a computer-usage trend of a first user that reflects a history of computer-related activities engaged in by the first user. The computer usage trend may indicate at least one software program and/or website accessed by the user. The method may also include determining that a current user is logged into a computing system under a user account of the first user. The method may further include tracking activities of the current user while the current user is logged into the computing system as the first user, comparing the tracked activities of the current user with the computer-usage trend of the first user, and determining that the tracked activities of the current user do not correspond to the computer-usage trend of the first user. The method may additionally include, performing at least one remedial action. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08918901B2 System and method for restricting access to requested data based on user location
A system and method for restricting access to requested data based on user location are disclosed. The method comprises receiving a data request and determining origin location information of the data request from a source providing information having accuracy to a predetermined standard. The method further comprises retrieving one or more policies associated with the requested data, comparing the origin location information with the policies, and dynamically adjusting access restrictions to the requested data based on the comparison.
US08918900B2 Smart card for passport, electronic passport, and method, system, and apparatus for authenticating person holding smart card or electronic passport
A smart card authenticates a cardholder. The smart card includes a substrate, a sensor module, a wireless transceiver module, and a power circuit. The sensor module includes (a) a biometric sensor adapted to detect biometric information from a person's body, (b) a processor unit adapted to authenticate the person in response to the detected biometric information and generate an authentication signal representing an authentication result, and (c) a memory adapted to store biometric information of a specific individual associated with the smart card. The wireless transceiver module transmits signals received from the processor unit and receives a wirelessly-transmitted power signal. The power circuit generates at least one supply voltage from the received power signal and provides the supply voltage to the sensor module. An electronic passport is embedded with the smart card, and a terminal module is used for wirelessly transmitting power to and receiving signals from the electronic passport.
US08918895B2 Prevention of information leakage from a document based on dynamic database label based access control (LBAC) policies
In a method for preventing information leakage in a workflow environment, a computer system receives a request to access documents in a repository. In one aspect, the computer system identifies articles in the document against the access credentials of the requestor. Further, the computer system extracts protected information from rows and columns in the articles based on label access controls. In another aspect, the computer system generates protected values in the extracted protected information from the rows and generating protected patterns in the extracted protected information from the columns. The computer system redacts the generated protected value and the generated protected patterns based on the access credentials of the requestor.
US08918893B2 Managing a fault condition by a security module
A microcontroller is awakened from a lower power state in response to a trigger indication indicative of a fault condition. After the awakening, the microcontroller performs a security action with respect to secret information in the security module in response to the fault condition.
US08918890B2 Method of managing software license contracts, system and information processing apparatus therefor, and target software for license contracts
A URL, to launch a license contract registration process, in software which requires license registration is informed to a license contract information input server which executes a process of inputting information necessary for license registration. After input of the necessary information, the license contract information input server transfers a request for license registration to the informed URL. The information necessary for license registration is inputted in accordance with a format arbitrarily created by the license contract information input server. A Web browser used by a user to operate a license contract registration process and license management target software can run on different hosts. After distribution of the target software for a license contract, information to be input by the user at the time of license contract can be changed.
US08918889B2 Information processing apparatus and method
An information processing apparatus for determining whether or not to transmit a predetermined content to a reception apparatus connected to a network, in accordance with a response time taken to respond to a predetermined command, including: reception means receiving a response to a command; measuring means measuring the response time to the command; authentication means authenticating the reception apparatus; generation means generating authentication data to be inserted into the command; transmission means transmitting the command including predetermined one of the authentication data; storage means storing the authentication data contained in the command and the response data contained in the response; request means requesting the reception apparatus for transmission of the authentication data and the response data; and determination means determining whether the authentication data and the response data transmitted from the reception apparatus, and determining transmission permission/inhibition of a content to the reception apparatus.
US08918880B2 Plant security managing device, managing method and managing program
A technology is provided which ensures a high security without affecting a plant operation. A plant security managing device includes a determining unit that determines which one of control units multiplexed as a service system and a standby system associated with monitoring and controlling of a plant is the standby system, a security processing unit that performs a security process for detecting the presence/absence of a security abnormality on the control unit that is the standby system, and a change instructing unit that outputs an instruction for changing the control unit that is the standby system and the control unit that is the service system with each other after the completion of the security process by the security processing unit.
US08918878B2 Restoration of file damage caused by malware
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method including: detecting a malware in a computer system and in response to the detection of the malware in the computer system initiating a deactivation of malware; detecting a file altered by the malware in response to a successful deactivation of the malware; and initiating a restoration of the altered file in response to the detection of the file altered by the malware.
US08918877B1 Signature compilation on a security device
Signature compilation on a security device is disclosed. A first set of malware signatures is received. The first set of signatures is compiled at a first time. A second set of malware signatures is received. The second set of signatures is compiled at a second time that is different from the first time. A determination of whether a file is malicious is made based at least in part by performing a scan using the first and second compiled signatures.
US08918876B2 Deviating behaviour of a user terminal
The invention relates to a method, device (24) in a network node of a communication network (N) and computer program products for determining deviating behavior of a user terminal (10). According to the invention the device (24) obtains a first group of event data sets (EDS1) and a second group of event data sets (EDS2, EDS4), where each group includes at least one event data set. Each event data set in the first group includes user terminal generated event data related to events in a specific user terminal (10) and each event data set in the second group includes network generated event data related to the specific user terminal. The device then performs a comparison involving the first group of event data sets and the second group of event data sets and determines the existence of deviating behavior of the user terminal based on the comparison.
US08918873B1 Systems and methods for exonerating untrusted software components
The instant disclosure describes various exemplary systems and methods for exonerating an untrusted software component based solely on a trusted software component's non-optional or “hard” dependency on the untrusted software component. In one example, a method for exonerating untrusted software components in this manner may include: 1) identifying a dependent software component, 2) determining that the dependent software component is a non-optional dependent component of at least one trusted software component, and then 3) classifying the dependent software component as a trusted software component. As detailed herein, such a method may enable security software to quickly and efficiently exonerate untrusted components by association without having to scan or perform other intrusive and/or resource-intensive security operations on such untrusted software components.
US08918871B1 Blocking/unblocking algorithms for signaling optimization in a wireless network for traffic utilizing proprietary and non-proprietary protocols
According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for signaling optimization in a wireless network utilizing proprietary and non-proprietary protocols. A first session is established between an application on a mobile device and a local proxy on the mobile device, a second session is established between the local proxy and a proxy server not located on the mobile device, and a third session is established between the proxy server and a content server. A byte stream present within the first and second sessions is monitored to identify patterns within the byte stream. If a pattern is found, the pattern is used to determine a behavior of the application. If that behavior is one that is a candidate for optimization, signaling optimization is performed between the application and the content server. Signaling optimization includes dismantling the second session, replaying the pattern to the application via the first session, and replaying the pattern to the content server via the third session.
US08918869B2 Methods and systems for implementing a self defending/repairing database
This disclosure describes, generally, methods and systems for self defending and repairing a database. The method includes monitoring, at a database server, code modifications to a database management application. The database management application is configured to maintain the database. The method further includes determining that a code modification has occurred to the database management application. The method further includes checking the code modification for the presence of an authorization key, and in response to an invalid or non-existent authorization key, determining that the code modification is unauthorized. Further, the method includes quarantining the modified code in a secure storage location, and automatically accessing original code of the database management application and replacing the modified code with code from the original code of the database management application.
US08918867B1 Information security implementations with extended capabilities
Systems, devices or methods provide for control of sensitive data in a computer system that includes at least one central server communicatively-coupled to a plurality of client computers. A particular method relates to the execution of software code on the at least one central server to monitor data communications of the plurality of client computers for sensitive data. A subset of the data communications is restricted when sensitive data is detected. Configuration data is provided to each of the plurality of client computers. Software code is executed on each of the plurality of client computers to detect accesses to sensitive data by one or more applications running on a client computer. Actions of the one or more applications running on a client computer are monitored to determine whether or not a trigger event has occurred. In response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, a notification is sent.
US08918864B2 System, method, and computer program product for making a scan decision during communication of data over a network
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for scanning data during communication of the data over a network. In use, a process is initiated for determining whether to scan data, during communication of the data over the network. Further, the data is conditionally scanned based on the determination.
US08918861B2 Marking one or more items in response to determining device transfer
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: determining that a computing device that was presenting one or more portions of one or more items and that was in possession of a first user has been transferred from the first user to a second user; and marking, in response to said determining, the one or more portions of the one or more items to facilitate the computing device in returning to the one or more portions upon the computing device being at least transferred back to the first user. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
US08918854B1 Proximity-based system for automatic application initialization
A system and method provide automatic access to applications or data. A portable physical device, referred to herein as a Personal Digital Key or “PDK”, stores one or more profiles in memory. In one embodiment, a biometric profile is acquired in a secure trusted process and uniquely associated with a user that is authorized to use and associated with the PDK. The PDK wirelessly transmits identification information including a unique PDK identification number, and optionally the biometric profile and a profile over a secure wireless channel to a reader. A computing device is coupled to the reader. An auto login server is coupled to the reader and the computing device and launches one or more applications associated with a user name identified by the received profile.
US08918852B2 Method of authentication user using server and image forming apparatus using the method
A method of authenticating a user using a server and an image forming apparatus using the same, the method including: transmitting, from an image forming apparatus to a first server that functions as an authentication server, user authentication information; determining if the first server authenticates the user based on the user authentication information; and transmitting, to a second server that processes image data, the user authentication information if the first server authenticates the user, wherein the second server authenticates the user based on the transmitted user authentication information authenticated by the first server. Thus, the user of the image forming apparatus can be automatically authenticated by the second server by authenticating the user on the first server.
US08918850B2 Share cookie on native platform in mobile device without having to ask for the user's login information
Methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for obtaining a limited ID cookie for ad targeting are disclosed. A client requests a limited ID cookie from a cookie making module (CMM), which sends a personal cookie to a verification module for verification. After verification, verification module sends a user ID with user information to CMM. CMM creates the limited ID cookie, and the limited ID cookie is sent to the client. The limited ID cookie is sent to an ads server which utilizes the limited ID cookie to target ads towards the user.
US08918849B2 Secure user credential control
In some embodiments, a user has use a single universal text—or image-based secret for generating a service-provider specific identity credential, for example username plus password, for authentication is derived. A human (i.e., the user) must interpret an image to enter this universal text (or image) based secret. For example, an image based challenge is presented to the user, and a credential is obtained based on the user's response to the challenge.
US08918847B2 Layer 7 authentication using layer 2 or layer 3 authentication
A system and method for authenticating a layer 7 client application (application layer) based on a layer 2 (data link layer) or a layer 3 (network layer) authentication is provided. A request to authenticate to a network is received from a communication device. The request to authenticate to the network is for a layer 2 or layer 3 authentication. The communication device is authenticated to the network based on having the necessary credentials.A request is received to authenticate a layer 7 client application running on the communication device. The layer 7 client application running on the communication device requires a layer 7 authentication. The layer 7 client application running on the communication device is authenticated based on the layer 2 or layer 3 authentication.
US08918846B2 Method and system for secure mobile messaging
A system and method for securely storing, retrieving and sharing data using PCs and mobile devices and for controlling and tracking the movement of data to and from a variety of computing and storage devices.
US08918843B1 Detecting unauthorized tethering
In systems and methods of detecting unauthorized tethering by a wireless device, plurality of wireless devices in communication with an access node is detected, and a suspect device list of wireless devices which are not authorized for tethering is determined from among the plurality of detected wireless devices. Based on a resource usage pattern of the at least one wireless device, at least one wireless device is removed from the suspect device list. For each wireless device remaining on the suspect device list a software indicator is examined, and a list of wireless devices performing unauthorized tethering is created based on the examined software indicators.
US08918841B2 Hardware interface access control for mobile applications
Methods, articles of manufacture, and apparatus for hardware interface access control for mobile applications are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes restricting an application from accessing a set of hardware interfaces of a mobile device, and providing a virtual interface to the application via which the application is to access a first hardware interface in the set of hardware interfaces, the virtual interface provided by a program in a kernel layer of an operating system of the mobile device to control at least one of access or a method of access to the first hardware interface in the set of hardware interfaces, the first hardware interface that is accessible via the virtual interface being unknown to the application.
US08918839B2 System and method for providing multi-location access management to secured items
A system and method for providing access management to secured items through use of a plurality of server machines associated with different locations are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a local server can be dynamically reconfigured depending on a user's current location. Upon detecting that a user has moved to a new location, the local server for the new location can be reconfigured to add support for the user, while simultaneously, the local server for the previous location is reconfigured to remove support for the user. As a result, security is enhanced while the access management can be efficiently carried out to ensure that only one access from the user is permitted at any time across an entire organization, regardless of how many locations the organization has or what access privileges the user may be granted.
US08918834B1 Creating custom policies in a remote-computing environment
Techniques for crafting custom policies for entities (e.g., users, applications, etc.) based on past behavior of the entities are described herein. In one example, the techniques are implemented in a network-based environment. In this environment, a remote-computing service may include multiple different resources that provide different services to customers of the remote-computing service. For instance, the remote-computing service may provide a network-based storage service, a network-based compute service, a network-based payment service, or any other network-based resource. Users and/or applications of a particular customer may then access these resources via an interface provided by the remote-computing service. After tracking a user or application's access to these resources for a certain period of time, the remote-computing service may recommend or create a custom policy for the user or application based on the requests made by the user or application.
US08918831B2 Method and apparatus for managing a presentation of media content
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a computer-readable storage medium having computer instructions to present a plurality of unassociated media programs from a single presentation device having overlapping presentation periods, and cause the single presentation device to present a user interface for one of the plurality of unassociated media programs responsive to detecting a request for the user interface. Each of the plurality of unassociated media programs can be viewable only with a viewing apparatus. The viewing apparatus can be configured for viewing one of the unassociated media programs at a time. Other embodiments are disclosed and contemplated.
US08918828B2 Private user data
An embodiment of the present invention includes a technique for extracting private user data. A data sequence in a packetized transport stream is parsed to obtain a user data identifier (UDI) associated with a pre-defined data structure. The UDI is registered with a registration authority and is different from a standard identifier that is defined by a standard organization in a published standard document. The UDI is recognized. The private user data is extracted from the data sequence according to the pre-defined data structure corresponding to the recognized UDI.
US08918826B2 Method of searching internet and video receiving apparatus to use the same
A method of searching the Internet and a video receiving apparatus, such as an Internet TV, to use the same to enable currently-displayed video to be transmitted to an external apparatus, such as a remote controller, and the video received from the external apparatus to be controlled, thereby increasing user convenience. Specifically, the video captured from the video receiving apparatus is transmitted to the external apparatus which receives coordinate data and performs an operation indicated by a menu of the currently-displayed video corresponding to the coordinate data received from the external apparatus so that websites having menus requiring user control can be used without requiring redesign even if the websites are not designed for use with the video receiving apparatus.
US08918824B2 Logical node identification in an information transmission network
A system for generating and sending a Logical Node identification signal as part of a data stream is disclosed. The system also includes subscriber stations capable of receiving and extracting Logical Node identification information from a data stream. The subscriber stations create new messages including the Logical Node identification signal and send the message to the transmission network system control, such that switching of data streams to an appropriate channel over the information transmission network is done consistent with the network topology.
US08918822B2 Displaying a synchronized instance of content on a portable electronic device
A method and system are described for displaying a synchronized instance of content on a portable electronic device. In the described embodiments, a selection of streaming content that is being displayed on a fixed display system is received by the portable electronic device. The portable electronic device then determines if the portable electronic device is compatible with the streaming content being received by the fixed display system. If the portable electronic device is compatible with the streaming content being received by the fixed display system, then the portable electronic device requests the synchronized instance of the streaming content and displays it.
US08918820B2 Video workflow automation platform
A method and system for a video workflow automation platform (VWAP) is described.
US08918815B2 Display control device, television receiver, method of controlling display, display control program and recording medium
The television (1) includes: an infrared radiation receiver (119) which receives from a user an instruction to select a program cell; and a CPU (118) which generates a user interface screen of an electronic program table to be displayed on an LCD (110). The CPU (118) generates the user interface screen of the electronic program table such that a time zone item column located in a left direction of a selected program cell and a time zone item column located in a right direction of the selected program cell are indicated with deep blue, and other time zone item columns are indicated with light blue.
US08918812B2 Method of sizing an embedded media player page
In a method of displaying video data using an embedded media player page, frame dimensional data for a first video file is received from a database. The database includes frame dimensional data indexed therein for a plurality of video files. The plurality of video files includes the first video file, and the plurality of video files is retrievable from at least one video server through a communications network. A media player is launched within the embedded media player page. A video display area of the media player is sized based upon the received frame dimensional data. The video data from the first video file is displayed within the video display area.
US08918811B2 Program guide system with video-on-demand browsing
An interactive television program guide system is provided in which a viewer may direct a television to simultaneously display a selected television program and a program guide display. A viewer may use the program guide display to browse available video-on-demand (VOD) while continuing to view a previously selected program in the background. The viewer may browse through video-on-demand programs on the program guide display using a variety of keys on a remote control unit. The viewer may direct the program guide to order a given video-on-demand program and set a desired broadcast time for that program.
US08918808B2 Method and apparatus for presenting media content
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set top box having a controller to obtain display parameters associated with a display device, adjust a format of media content at the set top box based at least in part on the display parameters where the adjustment is of one or more portions of a display of the media content, and transmit the media content from the set top box to the display device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08918802B2 Methods and apparatus to monitor media exposure
Methods and apparatus to monitor media exposure are disclosed. An example implementation includes transmitting a start signal from a mailable meter to at least one mailable meter to at least one wearable meter; receiving a first audio at the mailable meter upon transmission of the start signal; receiving a second audio at the at least one wearable meter upon reception of the start signal; deriving a signature of the first received audio at the mailable meter; deriving a signature of the second received audio at the at least one wearable meter; transmitting the signature of the second received audio and an identification number from the at least one wearable meter to the mailable meter; and storing the signature of the first received audio and the identification number at the mailable meter as audience measurement data if the signature of the first received audio and the signature of the second received audio correlate.
US08918800B2 Receiving apparatus and receiving method, broadcasting apparatus and broadcasting method, information processing apparatus and information processing method, bidirectional communication system and bidirectional communication method, and providing medium
When the user of a receiving apparatus presses a notice button provided for a remote controller to indicate the preference concerning the person or thing appearing on the screen of the program being viewed, the corresponding signal is transmitted to the receiving section of a set-top box. A view-log storage section stores an input operation command (including the signal indicating that the notice button has been pressed) together with the receiving time thereof as a view log. A view-information generating section reads the view log, generates a view-information packet, and outputs it to a bidirectional communication section. The bidirectional communication section transmits the view-information packet input from the view-information generating section to a broadcasting apparatus through a bidirectional communication network.
US08918799B2 Method to utilize cores in different operating system partitions
A system call utility may be provided on a first operating system managing a first hardware computing entity. The system call utility may take as an argument a pointer to a computer code a second operating system established to run on the first hardware computing entity. The first operating system is enabled to execute the computer code natively on the first hardware computing entity, and return a result of the computer code executed on the first hardware computing entity to the second operating system.
US08918794B2 Quality of service aware captive aggregation with true datacenter testing
Technologies are generally described for efficient datacenter management. In some examples, client jobs on a datacenter are subcontracted out to another datacenter so that the subcontracted jobs can be pulled back to the original datacenter when capacity becomes available again. A captive aggregator module combining network message, command management, data analysis on QoS effects of traffic relay, and strategic management decides whether it makes sense to keep tasks captively aggregated. A middleware system for testing true performance of an application or surrogate and optimizing among multiple datacenters based on true performance evaluates candidate datacenters prior to subcontracting jobs from the original datacenter. The middleware deploys the application to multiple candidate clouds to perform substantially similar tasks on resources that claim to be roughly equivalent in price/performance. The middleware receives data on actual cost and resource consumption, analyzes differences, and redistributes actual work tasks to take advantage of differences.
US08918793B2 Resolving resource contentions
A computer-implemented method for managing access to a shared resource of a process may include identifying a plurality of process steps, each process step of the plurality of process steps, when executed, accessing the shared resource at a same time. The method may also include rearranging at least one of the process steps of the plurality of process steps to access the shared resource at a different time.
US08918791B1 Method and system for queuing a request by a processor to access a shared resource and granting access in accordance with an embedded lock ID
A hardware-based method is provided for allocating shared resources in a system-on-chip (SoC). The SoC includes a plurality of processors and at least one shared resource, such as an input/output (IO) port or a memory. A queue manager (QM) includes a plurality of input first-in first-out memories (FIFOs) and a plurality of output FIFOs. A first application writes a first request to access the shared resource. A first application programming interface (API) loads the first request at a write pointer of a first input FIFO associated with the first processor. A resource allocator reads the first request from a read pointer of the first input FIFO, generates a first reply, and loads the first reply at a write pointer of a first output FIFO associated with the first processor. The first API supplies the first reply, from a read pointer of the first output FIFO, to the first application.
US08918790B2 Method and system for application profiling for purposes of defining resource requirements
Disclosed are a method of and system for profiling a computer program. The method comprises the steps of using a utility application to execute the computer program; and on the basis of said execution of the computer program, identifying specific performance requirements of the computer program. A profile of the computer program is determined from said identified performance requirements; and based on said determined profile, resources for the computer program are selected from a grid of computer services.
US08918788B2 Scheduling virtual CPU based on priority calculated using time statistics
The present invention provides a scheduling method for a data processing system comprising at least one physical CPU, and one or more virtual machines each assigned to one or more virtual CPUs, the method comprising: a first scheduling step in which one of said virtual machines is elected to run on said physical CPU; and a second scheduling step in which at least one of the virtual CPUs assigned to the elected virtual machine is elected to run on said physical CPU. The second scheduling step is applied to the virtual machine only. When a virtual machine instance is elected to run on a given CPU, the second level scheduling determines the virtual CPU instance to run. The second level scheduling is global and can cause a virtual CPU migration from one physical CPU to another. In order to ensure correct task scheduling at guest level, virtually equivalent (in terms of calculation power) virtual CPUs should be provided to the scheduler. This is achieved by the second level scheduler using a virtual CPU election criteria based on time statistics.
US08918784B1 Providing service quality levels through CPU scheduling
In this disclosure, a resource scheduler is described that allows virtual machine instances to earn resource credits during the low activity levels. Virtual machine instances that spend a predominant amount of time operating at low activity levels are able to quickly gain resource credits. Once these virtual machine instances acquire enough resource credits to surpass a threshold level, the resource scheduler can assign a high priority level to the virtual machine instances that provide them with priority access to CPU resources. The next time that the virtual machine instances enter a high activity level, they have a high priority level that allows them to preempt other, lower priority virtual machine instances. Thus, these virtual machine instances are able to process operations and/or respond to user requests with low latency.
US08918782B2 Software image distribution
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to image distribution. In aspects, portions of an installation image of an operating system may be distributed to one or more repositories. In conjunction with determining a distribution of the installation image, one or more factors may be received. Based on the factor(s), a distribution manager may determine one or more repositories over which the data of the installation image is to be distributed. An indication of this distribution may be persisted for use in obtaining the data from the one or more repositories for installing, configuring, and/or re-configuring the operating system.
US08918780B2 Automatic quality assurance for software installers
An approach for assuring quality of a software installer is presented. A first view of a system is recorded. The installer is executed to create installed components for an application, and subsequently, a second view of the system is recorded. Based on a recorded change between the first and second views, information about the installed components is recorded. The installation is determined to be successful or unsuccessful. If successful, selected installed components are removed. The installer is executed to reinstall the selected installed components. The reinstallation is verified. A third view of the system is recorded. An uninstaller is executed to uninstall the software application. A fourth view of the system is recorded. The uninstallation is verified. A report is generated using the first, second, third and fourth views.
US08918779B2 Logical migration of applications and data
Implementations are described of a computing device that migrates data and software applications from a first computing device to a second computing device, in order to preserve data and other application-related customizations.
US08918777B2 Schema specification to improve product consumability on installation, configuration, and/or un-installation activity
Provided are techniques for retrieving a universal schema specification file that defines a structure of a product specific data set, retrieving the product specific data set that defines a specific configuration for a version of a product, validating the product specific data set using the universal schema specification file, and using the validated product specific data set and a product specific installable to automatically install the version of the product with the specific configuration.
US08918775B1 Dynamic release control of software application version changes
Dynamic release control is performed by identifying a plurality of software application instances installed on a mainframe system, identifying a compatibility level for each software application instance, designating a common execution level based upon a lowest one of the identified compatibility levels, configuring each software application instance to conform to the common execution level, receiving a software update indication that at least one software application instance has been updated and performing a compatibility level switch across the plurality of software application instances after receiving the software update indication if a lowest one of the compatibility levels is different from the common execution level by adjusting the common execution level based upon the lowest one of the compatibility levels and by reconfiguring each software application instance to operate in a mode that constrains the corresponding software application instance to conform to the adjusted common execution level.
US08918774B2 Updating a computer system
A method, computer program product, and system for updating a computer system may include collecting data describing usage characteristics on a customer computer system. Available updates may be stored on a support system together with one or more relevant rules. A recommendation engine may be used to analyze the data describing usage characteristics and to recommend one or more changes based on evaluation of one or more relevant rules for each available update. Changes having one or more attributes and one or more successor relationships to recommend for installation in the computer system may be selected.
US08918773B2 Partially upgradable application and performing database operations with the application
A device provides, to a server device, a single request for user information associated with an application provided in the device. The device also receives, from the server device and based on the single request, one or more tables in a same format as stored in the server device, where the one or more tables are not joined by the server device. The device further stores the one or more tables in a database associated with the device, queries the one or more tables in the database for the user information, and provides, to the application, the user information retrieved based on the query.
US08918772B1 Statically analyzing program correctness for a dynamic programming language
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that uses static analysis to determine program correctness for a program written in a dynamic programming language. During operation, the system receives executable code for a program written in the dynamic programming language. The system identifies a program method called in the executable code, and determines if the program method is implemented for the executable code. If not, the system signals that the program method is not implemented for the executable code.
US08918770B2 Compiler for X86-based many-core coprocessors
A system and method for compiling includes, for a parallelizable code portion of an application stored on a computer readable storage medium, determining one or more variables that are to be transferred to and/or from a coprocessor if the parallelizable code portion were to be offloaded. A start location and an end location are determined for at least one of the one or more variables as a size in memory. The parallelizable code portion is transformed by inserting an offload construct around the parallelizable code portion and passing the one or more variables and the size as arguments of the offload construct such that the parallelizable code portion is offloaded to a coprocessor at runtime.
US08918768B2 Methods and apparatus for correlation protected processing of data operations
A method and an apparatus for receiving a first source code having a code block to update the first source code with multiple copies of the code block to protect against correlation attacks are described. The code block can perform one or more operations for execution based on the first source code. The operations can be performed via a random one of the copies of the code block. A second source code based on the updated first source code can be generated to be executed by a processor to produce an identical result as the first source code.
US08918766B2 Analysis of propagated information using annotated forests
Annotation information associated with entities of a computing system can be added to a forest generated from the entities where the structure of the forest reflects relationships between the entities. Annotations associated with a child node can be propagated to all parent nodes of the child node all the way up to one or more root nodes of the annotated forest. Annotations associated with a child node can be propagated to a specified depth or place or at nodes with one or more particular characteristics or annotations. The propagation can be performed on-demand to all or some subset of nodes. The annotated forest can be analyzed to determine nodes to which a set of conditions apply.
US08918762B2 Generating test plans and test cases from service-oriented architecture and process models
Testing a system under test (SUT) having a service-oriented architecture includes generating a first test plan for an inbound interface for each service model, generating a second test plan for an outbound interface of each service model, and generating a third test plan for information consumed by the service models using a processor. Testing the system further includes generating a fourth test plan for a process model, wherein the process model utilizes the service models, generating a fifth test plan that maps service models and the process model to executables of the system, and concatenating the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth test plans into a complete test plan for the SUT using the processor.
US08918760B2 Test script generation for application image validation
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for automated test script generation for application image validation. In an embodiment of the invention, a method of automated test script generation for application image validation is provided. The method can include parsing different modules of an existing image of a customized form of a base application to identify graphical user interface (GUI) elements in different screens of each of the different modules and cataloguing in a GUI element catalog, different GUI elements identified during parsing. The method also can include generating test scripts from the GUI element catalog. Finally, the method can include applying the generated test scripts to a new image of the customized form of the base application.
US08918759B2 Memory model for a layout engine and scripting engine
Various embodiments provide an interface between a Web browser's layout engine and a scripting engine. The interface enables objects from the layout engine to be recognized by a memory manager in the scripting engine and interact in a streamlined, efficient manner. In accordance with one or more embodiments, the interface allows browser layout engine objects to be created as objects that are native to the scripting engine. Alternately or additionally, in some embodiments, the native objects are further configured to proxy functionality between the layout engine and the scripting engine.
US08918755B2 Enterprise performance management software system having dynamic code generation
An enterprise software system provides dynamic code generation techniques that facilitate quick and efficient resolution of multi-dimensional data demands. The system includes an object store that stores a first object that references multi-dimensional data and an object model that receives a request for multi-dimensional data referenced by the first object. The object model causes the first object to dynamically generate a portion of the executable software instructions for a second object in response to the request and instantiate the second object within the object store. The dynamically generated portion of the instructions enables the second object to calculate a memory address into the multi-dimensional data referenced by the first object. The second object utilizes the dynamically generated portion of the instructions to satisfy the request. Because the second object maintains direct access to the multi-dimensional data, it need not make costly and time consuming function calls to the first object.
US08918754B2 Software customization system and method
A system and method for the mass customization of software includes a software production line infrastructure, development environment, and actuator. The infrastructure organizes the software production line using a feature declarations component, a product definitions component, an automatons component, and a partition composition component. The development environment browses, displays, organizes, edits, and maintains the infrastructure. The actuator actuates the software production line to produce custom software products.
US08918747B2 Formal verification of a logic design
A method is provided for verification of a logic design for a processor execution unit which includes an instruction pipeline with one or more pipeline stages. The method includes: creating a design under test using at least a first and a second instance of the logic design; initializing the instruction pipeline using the first instance of the design under test with the same value in each instruction pipeline stage and the second instance with random values in its pipeline stages; selecting an instruction of the processor execution unit out of a plurality of instructions and simultaneously issuing the instruction to each instance of the design under test; providing a comparison between the outputs of the instruction pipeline executing the instruction for each instance; and if the instruction is verifiable by formal model checking, approving the correctness of the logic design if the comparison result is true.
US08918746B1 Cut mask aware contact enclosure rule for grating and cut patterning solution
Methodologies and an apparatus enabling a selection of design rules to improve a density of features of an IC design are disclosed. Embodiments include: determining a feature overlapping a grating pattern of an IC design, the grating pattern including a plurality of grating structures; determining a shape of a cut pattern overlapping the grating pattern; and selecting one of a plurality of rules for the feature based on the determined shape.
US08918742B2 Methods and systems for pattern design with tailored response to wavefront aberration
The present invention relates to methods and systems for designing gauge patterns that are extremely sensitive to parameter variation, and thus robust against random and repetitive measurement errors in calibration of a lithographic process utilized to image a target design having a plurality of features. The method may include identifying most sensitive line width/pitch combination with optimal assist feature placement which leads to most sensitive CD (or other lithography response parameter) changes against lithography process parameter variations, such as wavefront aberration parameter variation. The method may also include designing gauges which have more than one test patterns, such that a combined response of the gauge can be tailored to generate a certain response to wavefront-related or other lithographic process parameters. The sensitivity against parameter variation leads to robust performance against random measurement error and/or any other measurement error.
US08918736B2 Replay recommendations in a text entry interface
A method includes receiving a current set of characters in response to a sequence of user commands. The current set of characters includes a current sequence of words. A respective word in the current sequence of words includes one or more characters in the current set of characters. The user commands include character entry commands. Additional user commands that specify characters to delete from the current set of characters and characters to add to the current set of characters are received. Replay recommendations for additional words to be added to the current set of characters in accordance with one or more deleted words that correspond to the deleted characters are provided.
US08918734B2 Reduced keyboard with prediction solutions when input is a partial sliding trajectory
A reduced virtual keyboard system for text input on electronic devices is disclosed. Text input is performed by creating a tracing trajectory. Dynamic prediction solutions are created during the tracing process, thus avoiding the need for a user to complete the entire word trajectory. The system also allows a mixture of tapping actions and sliding motions for the same word. The system may comprise a Long Words Dictionary database having first letters corresponding to predetermined keys of the keyboard. Alternatively, the system uses a Dictionary and a database management tool to find long words.
US08918729B2 Designing electronic forms
A system and method enabling a designer to build electronic forms from hierarchical data is described. Displays of hierarchical data, facilitation of selection of a portion of the hierarchical data, and displays of one or more transformation-language components associated with a selected portion of hierarchical data are described. From the transformation-language components selected by a designer, generation of an electronic form is also described.
US08918727B2 Video messaging
Systems and techniques for transferring electronic data between users of a communications system by receiving, at an instant messaging host, a video file from a sender and intended for a recipient; authenticating the video file; and sending the video file to the intended recipient.
US08918726B2 Method and apparatus for implementing shared editing of document
The present invention provides a method for implementing shared editing of a document, including: dividing a document into multiple portions; when a user modifies the document, providing at least one portion of the multiple portions for the user to modify, wherein the at least one portion is prohibited to be modified by another user at the same time; and storing the modified by the user. Therefore, multiple users may edit a same document simultaneously by utilizing a docbase management system, and the modifications made by each user to the document can be stored wholly. Moreover, because the document is managed by one party, the security of the document can be guaranteed.
US08918725B2 Systems and methods to support real-time integrated mobile communication for social applications
A user interface on a mobile device includes an integrated communication region positioned within a viewable area of an application on the mobile device. The integrated communication region is configured to display a preview of content of a first message of a plurality of messages sent by a plurality of users. The first message is a most recent message of the plurality of messages. Visibility of the preview is persistent across a plurality of screens of the application. Across the plurality of screens of the application, (i) a position of the preview within the integrated communication region and (ii) the visibility of the preview remain unchanged until displaced by a second message. The second message is more recent than the first message.
US08918722B2 System and methodology for collaboration in groups with split screen displays
A system and methodology for collaboration. A plurality of computing appliances, each respective one of the plurality of computing appliances having a display apparatus and having a user input apparatus to provide respective annotation data as input for the respective user to permit the respective user to provide annotations which appear within a display presentation as an image for viewing and representative of the annotations. A first subset of the plurality of computing appliances is comprised of at least two of the computing appliances that form members of a group. Separate selective communication of the annotation data is provided among the members of the group. There is selective display of the annotation data to selected ones of the members of the group. The annotation data is selectively coupled for distribution to other ones of the plurality of computing appliances in the group for selective viewing at certain other ones of the plurality of computing appliances.Selection logic permits at least one of the users' to selectively choose which of the other users within the group are selected ones that are to have their corresponding annotations viewed as part of the display presentation for the at least one of the users.In one embodiment, a plurality of separate screen display presentations are provided in a split-screen combined presentation to each of the respective users at each said respective computing appliances. Coordinator logic selects which of the users' annotations are utilized in generated each of the display presentation for each of the respective users.
US08918720B1 List of most selected web based application documents
Methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer programs encoded on computer-readable media, for receiving one or more keywords at a web application that are used to search for documents of a first type. The documents are accessible by a user via an account of the user based upon user permissions. Search results are provided based upon the keywords and include links to one or more documents of the first type. A selection one or more of the links is received. Selecting the links logs data that includes an indication that the documents were selected. A request for a list of most or recently selected documents of the first type for the user is received. The list of most or recently selected documents of the first type is based upon an aggregation of the logged data, and the list of most selected documents of the first type is provided.
US08918716B2 Context-based smart tags
A context-based action determiner is configured to facilitate the application of context-based smart tags. The context-based action determiner includes a type determining module configured to determine a type of a context object based on a context in which the context object is being used. The context-based action determiner also includes an action determining module configured to determine one or more context-specific actions that may be performed for the context object based on the type of the context object and to provide the context-specific actions to a user. The context-based action determiner further includes a selection receiving module configured to receive a selection from the user of a context-specific action to be performed and an action performing module configured to perform the selected context-specific action. The type of the context object and the action to be performed are determined based on a smart tag configuration.
US08918713B2 Module specification for a module to be incorporated into a container document
A computer readable medium, an electronic document or a system that uses one of these that includes particular code that specifies a first module selectively designated for inclusion in a personalized container document and additional code that specifies a second module selectively designated for inclusion in the personalized container document. The container document designates a plurality of modules included in the container document. Each module in the plurality of modules is adapted for rendering module data for presenting in the container document. The first module is adapted to render module data based at least in part on the particular code, the particular code including a first content type element, a first content element and one or more preference elements. The second module is adapted for rendering module data for presenting in the container document based at least in part on the additional code, the additional code including a second content type element, a second content element and one or more preference elements. The first content type element is different than the second content type element.
US08918712B2 Dynamically generating a mobile application
Methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, are described for dynamically generating a mobile application. A server receives a request from a mobile device to launch an application on the mobile device. The server generates a configuration file based on the launched application. The server transmits the configuration file to the mobile device for generation of a user interface of the launched application using the configuration file. The user interface includes a first display area using browser functionality of the mobile device to display one or more web page elements formatted by the server to appear as native to the mobile device. The user interface further includes a second display area having one or more interface elements that are native to an operating system of the mobile device.
US08918709B2 Object templates for data-driven applications
An object template system is described herein that allows an administrator of an IT management application to define templates that provide a streamlined mechanism for pre-populating IT objects with common values based on business logic and processes. The object template system addresses manipulation of objects both as part of a user interactive session as well as in programmatic workflows, while also allowing for referencing of existing objects to assume integrity of data. A metadata-driven schema allows for portable definitions of simple and complex extensible objects. The system validates these definitions against the extensible types that define the objects to ensure structural integrity. Users can then apply these definitions at runtime to both create and/or update simple and complex management objects. Thus, the object template system allows an administrator to define controlled processes for creating and modifying management objects within a flexible IT management application.
US08918708B2 Enhanced capture, management and distribution of live presentations
Techniques are provided for converting live presentations into electronic media and managing captured media assets for distribution. An exemplary system includes capture devices that capture media assets of live presentations comprising a session, including image data of sequentially presented visual aids accompanying the live presentations and audio data. Each capture device has an interface for real-time image data marking of the image data for identification of individual images and session marking of the image data for demarcation of individual presentations of the session. A centralized device processes the captured media assets and automatically divides the captured media assets into discrete files associated with the individual presentations based on the session markings. An administrative tool manages the processed media assets to produce modified presentations and enables modification of the visual aid images identified by the image data markings. A production device formats the modified presentations for distribution on distribution media.
US08918706B1 Methods and circuitry for performing parallel error checking
Integrated circuits with a memory array may include error checking circuitry for detecting, locating, and correcting soft errors in the memory array. The error checking circuitry may include row cyclic-redundancy-check (CRC) circuits each of which is operable to receive bits from respective groups of memory elements in the array and may also include an array CRC circuit. In one embodiment, the row CRC circuits compute CRC values based on bits stored in each of the memory elements in the respective groups of memory without the use of the array CRC circuit. After all of the columns have been read out, the array CRC circuit may be used to combine the CRC values from the different row CRC circuits. In another embodiment, the array CRC circuit may update the array CRC value each time the row CRC circuits update their CRC values in response to selecting a new column for readout.
US08918705B1 Error recovery by modifying soft information
One or more locations in a plurality of data bit sequences that do not satisfy parity and are associated with data bit sequences that are unable to be successfully error correction decoded are determined. Soft information associated with the determined locations is modified and error correction decoding using the modified soft information is performed.
US08918702B2 Semiconductor memory having non-standard form factor
A semiconductor memory chip including error correction circuitry configured to receive data words from an external device, each data word comprising a binary number of data bits, and configured to error encode each data word to form a corresponding coded word comprising a non-binary number of data bits including the data bits of the data word and a plurality of error correction code bits. At least one memory cell array is configured to receive and store the coded word and partitioned based on the non-binary number of bits of the coded word so as to have a non-binary number of wordlines and provide the memory chip with an aspect ratio other than a 2:1 aspect ratio.
US08918699B2 Non-volatile semiconductor storage apparatus
According to one embodiment, a non-volatile semiconductor storage apparatus is configured to decide determination periods respectively corresponding to each of management blocks based on rewrite count information items and a temperature, and to perform a determination processing for each of management blocks for each determination period. The determination processing includes determining whether first data read from a block in the blocks is normal based on the number of errors that are occurred in the first data. The apparatus is configured to perform a rewrite processing of rewriting the first data to second data which is error-corrected when it is determined that the first data is not normal.
US08918696B2 Implementation of LDPC selective decoding scheduling
A method for decoding data is disclosed. The method includes partitioning a low-density parity check (LDPC) matrix into a plurality of groups, each comprising one or more check node layers. The method further includes selecting one of the groups based at least in part on a cost function, the cost function based at least in part on information associated with a variable node, or information associated with a check node, or both. The method further includes performing LDPC layered decoding on the selected group.
US08918686B2 Determining data valid windows in a system and method for testing an integrated circuit device
Embodiments of a system and method for testing an integrated circuit device are described herein. Testing is complemented by a determination of characteristics of a data valid window that identifies components of a response data signal from a device under test where the data signal can always be expected to be stable. In at least one embodiment, the method comprises: for each individual data bit region of one or more data bit regions of a second data signal, sampling the second data signal at a plurality of points of the individual data bit region to produce a plurality of sampled values for the second data signal; for each sampled value of the plurality of sampled values, determining whether the sampled value matches an expected bit pattern value corresponding to the sampled value; determining one or more characteristics of the data valid window that defines conditions under which a valid sample can be expected to be taken; and outputting a test outcome based on one or more characteristics of the data valid window. In some embodiments, the second data signal may be sampled at the plurality of points of the individual data bit region concurrently. In some embodiments, the determination of whether each sampled value of the plurality of sampled values matches the expected bit pattern value may be performed concurrently for all of the plurality of sampled values.
US08918685B2 Test circuit, memory system, and test method of memory system
This technology relates to smoothly performing a test on a memory circuit having a high memory capacity while reducing the size of a test circuit. A test circuit according to the present invention includes a test execution unit configured to perform a test on a target test memory circuit, an internal storage unit configured to store data for the test execution unit, and a conversion setting unit configured to set a part of or the entire storage space of the target test memory circuit as an external storage unit for storing the data for the test execution unit.
US08918679B2 Apparatus and method for checking an error detection functionality of a data processor
An apparatus for checking an error detection functionality of a data processing circuit, comprising an arithmetic logic unit, which provides an output datum based on an input datum, and an error detection circuit that executes the error detection functionality and detects an error based on the output datum during correct execution of the error detection functionality, and generates an error signal, if an error is present, which comprises a control circuit that passes the error signal through to an error signal output in a normal operating mode, and blocks the error signal in a checking mode, does not let the error signal pass to the error signal output, influences the arithmetic logic unit, the error detection circuit or the input datum such that the error detection circuit detects an error during correct execution of the error detection functionality, and, if no error signal is received in response to influencing, outputs an alarm signal indicating an incorrect execution of the error detection functionality.
US08918678B2 Functional testing of a processor design
According to exemplary embodiments, a computer implemented method for functional testing of a processor design includes accessing a test template from a library of test templates, wherein the test template is configured to test a first selected function of the processor and inputting the test template to an automated test generation tool executed by a computer. The method further includes generating an instruction sequence based on the test template by the automated test generation tool and injecting an event instruction to the instruction sequence during the generating of the instruction sequence by the automated test generation tool, the injecting of the event instruction preserving testing of the first selected function of the processor and the event instruction being configured to test a second selected function of the processor. The method includes verifying a function of the processor by analyzing responses of the processor to the instruction sequence.
US08918674B2 Directory file system in a dispersed storage network
A method begins by a processing module receiving a data storage request, wherein the data storage request includes data and a data identifier (ID). The method continues with the processing module dispersed storage error encoding the data to produce a set of encoded data slices and determining a data dispersed storage network (DSN) address. The method continues with the processing module sending the set of encoded data slices to a DSN memory for storage at the data DSN address and updating a directory file with path information corresponding to the data ID and the data DSN address to produce an updated directory file. The method continues with the processing module dispersed storage error encoding the updated directory file to produce a set of encoded updated directory slices and sending the set of encoded updated directory slices to the DSN memory for storage at a directory DSN address.
US08918670B2 Active link verification for failover operations in a storage network
Systems and methods for active link verification for failover operations in a storage network are disclosed. An exemplary method includes issuing a command from a first port of a storage device to a local network device in the storage network. The method also includes receiving a response to the command at the first port of the storage device from the local network device in the storage network. The storage device fails over to a second port of the storage device if no response is received at the first port of the storage device.
US08918666B2 Apparatus for synchronizing a data handover between a first and second clock domain through FIFO buffering
An apparatus for synchronizing a data handover between a first clock domain and a second clock domain includes a calculator, a first-in-first-out storage, a synchronization pulse generator, a fill level information provider and a feedback path. The calculator is configured to provide a synchronization pulse cycle duration information describing a temporal position of synchronization pulses at a clock of the second clock domain. The first-in-first-out storage receives an input data value in synchronization with the first clock domain and provides an output data value in synchronization with the second clock domain in response to a current synchronization pulse. The fill level information provider provides fill level information describing a fill level of the FIFO. The feedback path feeds back the fill level information to the calculator to adjust the synchronization pulse cycle duration information.
US08918662B2 System timeout reset based on media detection
In embodiments of system timeout reset based on media detection, an electronic device includes an interface connection that couples the electronic device to a peripheral. A power manager application is implemented to timeout the interface connection if user interaction with the electronic device is not detected for a timeout duration. A media data monitor is implemented to detect audio data in an audio channel of the interface connection, and initiate a reset of the timeout duration responsive to the audio data being detected. Video can continue to be rendered by the peripheral if the audio data is detected to initiate the reset of the timeout duration.
US08918661B2 Method and apparatus for assigning storage resources to a power saving target storage pool based on either access frequency or power consumption
The present invention achieves appropriate power saving of the storage systems in accordance with the user's needs. In a storage system 1 including a storage apparatus 10 comprising a thin provisioning function and a management device 20, the management device 20 receives specification of a storage pool 93 as a power saving target and the specification of a power saving mode from a user and, when receiving the specification of prioritizing host access, selects the storage resource (RAID group 92) allocated to the storage pool 93 preferentially in ascending order of access frequency from the host computer 30 until a sum of a reduced amount of power saving exceeds the target value or, when receiving the specification of prioritizing power saving, selects the storage resources allocated to the storage pool 93 preferentially in descending order of power consumption until a sum of a reduced amount of power consumption exceeds a target value, and makes the power saving function of the selected storage resources operate.
US08918658B2 System and method for an interleaved multi-stage phase array voltage regulator
In accordance with the present disclosure, a system and method for an interleaved, multi-stage phase array voltage regulator is described. The interleaved, multi-stage phase array voltage regulator includes a first phase array with a plurality of first power stages and a second phase array with a plurality of second power stages. The interleaved, multi-stage phase array voltage regulator may also include a voltage control loop that at least partially controls a duty cycle of the first phase array and the second phase array. Also, the interleaved, multi-stage phase array voltage regulator may include a current control loop that at least partially controls which of the plurality of first power stages and second power stages are active.
US08918657B2 Systems, devices, and/or methods for managing energy usage
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, device, manufacture, circuit, and/or user interface adapted for, and/or a method and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise, based on a predicted non-zero future power requirement for performing one or more portions of an expected workload by a predetermined system, the predicted future power requirement based on a past power requirement for performing one or more portions of a known workload by the predetermined system, automatically causing a change from a first power state of the predetermined system to a second power state that does not violate a specification for performing the one or more portions of the expected workload.
US08918652B2 System and method for BIOS and controller communication
A system and method for BIOS and controller communication is provided herein. The system may include an information handling system that includes a central processing unit coupled to a memory. The memory may contain a basic input/output system (BIOS). The information handling systems may also include a controller coupled to a nonvolatile memory and a register coupled to the central processing unit and the controller. The controller may be operable to store a key in the nonvolatile memory; write the key to the register in response to a signal from the BIOS; receive a command from the BIOS; verify the command is from the BIOS using the key; and execute the command if the command is from the BIOS.
US08918648B2 Digital signature and key agreement schemes
A method is disclosed for performing key agreement to establish a shared key between correspondents and for generating a digital signature. The method comprises performing one of key agreement or signature generation, and using information generated in said one of key agreement or signature generation in the other of said key agreement or said signature generation. By doing this, computations and/or bandwidth can be saved.
US08918647B1 Authentication system
A device authentication system including one or more devices, child servers capable of communicating therewith, and a root server configured to enroll devices by: collecting device-specific tokens and creating a complete verification set (“CVS”) therefrom; creating a working verification set (“WVS”) by selecting a subset of the CVS; creating a limited verification set (“LVS”) by performing a derivation function on at least part of the WVS; and distributing part or all of the LVS to child servers. A device authentication system configured such that a PUF-containing device and a server communicating with the device can perform an extended BPV generation. A device authentication system that includes a device containing a PUF and is configured to perform error decoding on subsets of an authentication-related value multiple times.
US08918644B2 Imparting real-time priority-based network communications in an encrypted communication session
This specification describes technologies relating to imparting real-time priority-based network communications in an encrypted session. In general, aspects of the subject matter described can be embodied in methods that include establishing, based on cryptographic information in a reserved, random-data portion of a handshake communication, a session, receiving parameter values relating to a sub media stream, included in a header of a network communication, storing the parameter values, obtaining state information and a data payload included in a second network communication, identifying, from the state information, a purpose of the second network communication, and whether a header of the second network communication includes one or more new values corresponding to one or more of the parameters, updating one or more of the stored values based on the one or more new values, and processing the data payload based on the identified purpose and the stored parameter values.
US08918641B2 Dynamic platform reconfiguration by multi-tenant service providers
A manageability engine or adjunct processor on a computer platform may receive a request for activation and use of features embedded within that platform from a service provider authorized by the manageability engine's manufacturer. The manageability engine may initiate a request for authority through the service provider to a permit server. The permit server may provide, through the service provider, proof of the service provider's authority, together with a certificate identifying the service provider. Then the manageability engine may enable activation of the features on the platform coupled to the manageability engine, but only by the one particular service provider who has been authorized.
US08918640B2 Apparatus and method for using secure removable media (SRM) in digital rights management
An apparatus and a method for using a Secure Removable Media (SRM) in Digital Rights Management (DRM) are provided. The method for using the SRM in Digital Rights Management (DRM) includes determining, at a plurality of content service providers, an SRM usage rule and providing the determination to a trust authority using an eXtensible Markup Language (XML); receiving messages comprising the SRM usage rule from the content service providers and sending the messages to an apparatus together with an electronic signature; and receiving the messages comprising the SRM usage rule and changing an operation of the apparatus according to requirements of at least one content service provider. Thus, various content business models can be realized.
US08918628B2 Electronic device and method for starting applications in the electronic device
An electronic device sets run types and startup information for applications within the electronic device, where each run type is associated with a signal triggered by a hardware component of the electronic device and the startup information of each application comprises a run type and a starting time of the application. In response to detecting a signal triggered by a hardware component of the electronic device, and having an application having a run type associated with the signal, the electronic device further determines if a time of triggering the signal accords with a starting time of the application. The application is started if the time of triggering the signal accords with the starting time of the application.
US08918623B2 Implementing instruction set architectures with non-contiguous register file specifiers
There are provided methods and computer program products for implementing instruction set architectures with non-contiguous register file specifiers. A method for processing instruction code includes processing an instruction of an instruction set using a non-contiguous register specifier of a non-contiguous register specification. The instruction includes the non-contiguous register specifier.
US08918617B2 Defragmentation of storage class memory managed in extents
Embodiments relate to methods, systems and computer program products for defragmenting storage class memory by comparing a utilization rate of the storage class memory to a threshold value. If the utilization rate of the storage class memory is greater than the threshold value, the potentially wasted storage space is then compared to the combined storage capacity of the unclaimed extents of the storage class memory. If the potentially wasted storage space is greater than the combined storage capacity of the unclaimed extents of the storage class memory, a determination is made whether a defragmentation was recently performed. Based on determining that the defragmentation was not recently performed, or that it was recently performed and was productive, performing a defragmentation of the storage class memory.
US08918615B2 Information storage system including a plurality of storage systems that is managed using system and volume identification information and storage system management method for same
An embodiment of this invention is an information storage system comprising a plurality of storage systems connected to be able to communicate. Each of the plurality of storage systems includes default storage system identification information which is the same to the plurality of storage systems, common volume identification information for uniquely identifying volumes provided by the plurality of storage systems to a host computer among the plurality of storage systems, and a controller configured to return the default storage system identification information to the host computer in response to a request from the host computer and to process a read or write request to a volume accompanying the common volume identification information from the host computer.
US08918613B2 Storage apparatus and data management method for storage area allocation based on access frequency
Provided are a storage apparatus and data management method with which the usage ratio of each of the storage tiers is determined beforehand for each virtual volume and data can be managed by being migrated between storage tiers within a range of predetermined usage ratios.A storage apparatus 5, comprising storage devices 30 of a plurality of types of varying performance; and a controller 31 which manages each of storage areas provided by the storage devices 30 of a plurality of types by means of storage tiers ST of a plurality of different types respectively, and which assigns the storage areas in page units to virtual volumes VVOL from any storage tier among the storage tiers ST of a plurality of types, the controller 31 managing usage ratios of the storage tiers ST of a plurality of types and assigning the storage areas in page units to the virtual volumes VVOL based on the usage ratio managed.
US08918612B1 Method and apparatus for verifying memory contents
A system and method of verifying a content of a non-volatile reprogrammable memory communicatively coupled to a microprocessor is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of reading at least a portion of the data stored in the non-volatile reprogrammable memory via a second communication path secured by encryption, generating a computed integrity value according to at least a portion of the contents of the non-volatile reprogrammable memory, and reading an integrity value, and comparing the computed integrity value with the read integrity value.
US08918609B2 Storage apparatus and data management method to determine whether to migrate data from a first storage device to a second storage device based on an access frequency of a particular logical area
A storage apparatus for which a hierarchical data management system is adopted is designed so that when receiving a read request for a first logical area to which a first storage area of a first storage device in a virtual volume is allocated, whether or not to migrate data in a first storage area of the first storage device, to a storage area of a second storage device is decided according to an access frequency to the first logical area in synchronization with the read request. When it is decided that the data stored in the first storage area of the first storage device should be migrated to the storage area of the second storage device, the data is migrated to a second storage area of the second storage device and the second storage area thereof is allocated to the first logical area in the virtual volume.
US08918607B2 Data archiving using data compression of a flash copy
Embodiments of the disclosure relate to archiving data in a storage system. An exemplary embodiment comprises making a flash copy of data in a source volume, compressing data in the flash copy wherein each track of data is compressed into a set of data pages, and storing the compressed data pages in a target volume. Data extents for the target volume may be allocated from a pool of compressed data extents. After each stride worth of data is compressed and stored in the target volume, data may be destaged to avoid destage penalties. Data from the target volume may be decompressed from a flash copy of the target volume in a reverse process to restore each data track, when the archived data is needed. Data may be compressed and uncompressed using a Lempel-Ziv-Welch process.
US08918603B1 Storage of file archiving metadata
Computer file archiving systems and techniques are described. Various aspects include wide area high-availability file archiving, volume-level management capabilities of archiving systems, and methods and systems for storing file archiving metadata. The methods and systems described can be used individually or in combination.
US08918602B2 Dynamically altering time to live values in a data cache
A TTL value for a data object stored in-memory in a data grid is dynamically adjusted. A stale data tolerance policy is set. Low toleration for staleness would mean that eviction is certain, no matter the cost, and high toleration would mean that the TTL value would be set based on total cost. Metrics to report a cost to re-create and re-store the data object are calculated, and the TTL value is adjusted based on calculated metrics. Further factors, such as, cleanup time to evict data from a storage site, may be considered in the total cost.
US08918600B2 Methods for controlling host memory access with memory devices and systems
The present disclosure includes methods for controlling host memory access with a memory device, systems, host controllers and memory devices. One embodiment for controlling host memory access with a memory device includes receiving at least one command from a host and controlling execution of the at least one command with the memory device.
US08918599B2 Integrated storage platform system and method thereof
The present invention discloses an integrated storage platform system and a method thereof. The system comprises at least one adaption module respectively connecting with at least one storage space and each performing a plurality of adaption settings corresponding to one storage space; a storage administration module connecting with the adaption modules and processing the files of the storage spaces; and an access interface connecting the storage administration module, operated by a user to access the storage space through the storage administration module and the adaption module, and presenting access results to the user. The present invention establishes different adaption modules to enable the user to link to and access different types of storage spaces.
US08918597B2 Digital data inversion flag generator circuit
An integrated circuit includes an array of memory cells and a digital flag generator circuit configured to generate a data inversion flag based on whether a number of logical zero bits contained in a data word to be transmitted from the memory cells is greater than a threshold number. The digital flag generator circuit includes a first digital stage including a first plurality of binary logic circuits. Each of the binary logic circuits is configured to receive a subset of the data word.
US08918596B2 System and method for implementing NUMA-aware statistics counters
The systems and methods described herein may be used to implement scalable statistics counters suitable for use in systems that employ a NUMA style memory architecture. The counters may be implemented as data structures that include a count value portion and a node identifier portion. The counters may be accessible within transactions. The node identifier portion may identify a node on which a thread that most recently incremented the counter was executing or one on which a thread that has requested priority to increment the shared counter was executing. Threads executing on identified nodes may have higher priority to increment the counter than other threads. Threads executing on other nodes may delay their attempts to increment the counter, thus encouraging consecutive updates from threads on a single node. Impatient threads may attempt to update the node identifier portion or may update an anti-starvation variable to indicate a request for priority.
US08918595B2 Enforcing system intentions during memory scheduling
A memory controller receives memory access requests from a host terminal, the memory access requests from the host terminal including one or both of host read requests and host write requests. The memory controller generates memory access requests. Priorities are assigned to the memory access requests. The memory access requests are segregated to memory unit queues of at least one set of memory unit queues, the set of memory unit queues associated with a memory unit. Each memory access request is sent to the memory unit according to a priority and an assigned memory unit queue of the memory access request.
US08918589B2 Memory controller, memory system, semiconductor integrated circuit, and memory control method
A memory controller (101) according to this invention includes: a command generation unit (102) which generates access commands each including a physical address, based on an access request including a logical address indicating a rectangular area in image data; and a command issuance unit (105) which issues, to a memory (0), the access commands generated by the command generation unit (102). The command generation unit (102) includes a group determination unit (104) which determines a group to which a bank including data to be accessed belongs, based on the physical address corresponding to the access request. The command generation unit (102) generates a pair of a first and a second access commands which share a prefetch buffer between two banks belonging to different groups, when data to be accessed is continuous across two banks belonging to different groups.
US08918584B2 Refresh algorithm for memories
A method and apparatus for refreshing data in a flash memory device is disclosed. A counter is maintained for each memory block. When a memory block is erased, the counter for that erase block is set to a predetermined value while the remaining counters for other erase blocks are changed. When a memory block counter reaches a predetermined threshold value, the associated memory block is refreshed.
US08918583B2 Adapting behavior of solid-state drive using real usage model
An embodiment is a technique to adapt behavior of a solid-state drive (SSD) to extend lifespan of the SSD. Real environmental information is received from an environmental processor. The real environmental information corresponds to an environment of the SSD. A behavior model is selected based on a real environmental model and an internal data usage model. If a new behavior model is selected, the environmental processor is informed about the new behavior model. The environmental processor sends control commands to a power management module to apply new power policy to the SSD. Information on the new behavior model is made available for query. If current behavior model is selected, the current behavior model is maintained.
US08918582B2 Simulating EEPROM in virtual distributed switches
A virtual EEPROM driver is simulated for a virtual switch. A write function may be written to a shared memory device and designated as a virtual EEPROM driver. The virtual EEPROM driver may be duplicated into a non-volatile memory providing availability during a boot process.
US08918577B1 Three dimensional nonvolatile memory with variable block capacity
In a three-dimensional nonvolatile memory, physical levels in blocks are zoned and different zones store different numbers of bits per cell so that different blocks have different data capacities. Block data capacities are calculated and recorded, and may be updated as data capacities change. User data is mapped to blocks according to their respective data capacities.
US08918575B2 Method and system for securely programming OTP memory
A semiconductor chip may be operable to receive and copy an OTP programming vector presented by the semiconductor chip programming device into its memory after it boots up from the boot read-only memory (ROM). The OTP programming vector which is a computer program may comprise an encrypted data to be programmed into the one-time programmable (OTP) memory in the semiconductor chip and may be signed with an electronic signature. The semiconductor chip may be operable to authenticate the OTP programming vector in the memory. The authenticated OTP programming vector in the memory may be executed to decrypt the data and program the data in a random data format into the OTP memory and then report the status via one or more general purpose input/output (GPIO) pins on the semiconductor chip.
US08918572B2 Micro SD card adapter device for dynamically switching requests between a wireless transmission interface and an SD interface
A card adapter device includes a card slot for receiving a micro SD card therein; a SD interface for coupling electrically to a portable electronic device; a processing chip including a dynamic switch coupled electrically to the card slot and the SD interface, and a processor unit coupled electrically to the dynamic switch; and a wireless transmission/reception interface coupled electrically to the dynamic switch. Upon receiving a first signal from the wireless transmission/reception interface, the dynamic switch detects an operation mode of the SD interface and upon detecting that the SD interface is in an idle mode, the processor unit converts the dynamic switch to be coupled electrically to the wireless transmission/reception interface, thereby enabling the dynamic switch to transfer the first signal to the card slot, which, in turn, enables the wireless transmission/reception interface to access into the SD card.
US08918561B2 Hardware resource arbiter for logical partitions
A computer implemented method, data processing system, and apparatus for hardware resource arbitration in a data processing environment having a plurality of logical partitions. A hypervisor receives a request for a hardware resource from a first logical partition, wherein the request corresponds to an operation. The hypervisor determines the hardware resource is free from contention by a second logical partition. The hypervisor writes the hardware resource to a hardware resource pool data structure, as associated with the first logical partition, in response to a determination the hardware resource is free. The hypervisor presents the hardware resource to the first logical partition. The hypervisor determines that the operation is complete. The hypervisor release the hardware resource from a hardware resource pool, responsive to the determination that the operation is complete.
US08918558B2 Round robin priority selector
Method and structures for performing round robin priority selection receive an input vector into an input port. The methods and structures group the bits of the input vector into groups of bits and supply the groups of bits to round robin priority selectors. Then, the methods and structures simultaneously identify an individual group priority bit within each group of bits based on the starting bit location, using the round robin priority selectors. The methods and structures also choose, using the group selector, a round robin priority selector based on the starting bit location. The methods and structures then output, from the group selector to a multiplexor, the individual group priority bit of the selected round robin priority selector. Following this the method outputs, from the multiplexor, an output vector having a first value (e.g., 1) only in the individual group priority bit output by the group selector.
US08918553B2 Multithreaded programmable direct memory access engine
A mechanism programming a direct memory access engine operating as a multithreaded processor is provided. A plurality of programs is received from a host processor in a local memory associated with the direct memory access engine. A request is received in the direct memory access engine from the host processor indicating that the plurality of programs located in the local memory is to be executed. The direct memory access engine executes two or more of the plurality of programs without intervention by a host processor. As each of the two or more of the plurality of programs completes execution, the direct memory access engine sends a completion notification to the host processor that indicates that the program has completed execution.
US08918551B2 Storage system
A host I/F unit has a management table for managing an MPPK which is in-charge of the control of input/output processing for a storage area of an LDEV, and if a host computer transmits an input/output request for the LDEV, the host I/F unit transfers the input/output request to the MPPK which is in-charge of the input/output processing for the LDEV based on the management table, an MP of the MPPK performs the input/output processing based on the input/output request, and the MP of the MPPK also judges whether the MPPK that is in-charge of the input/output processing for the LDEV is to be changed, and sets the management table so that an MPPK which is different from the MPPK that is in-charge is to be in-charge of the input/output processing for the LDEV.
US08918549B2 Robust cable-type detection for USB power delivery
A system and method for detecting a USB cable-type. A USB PD device configured at a near end of a USB cable is configured to (i) receive and process a signal from a device at a far end of the USB cable to determine a power rating of the USB cable and (ii) adjustably establish power delivered by the first device to the USB cable as a function of the determined USB cable power rating.
US08918548B2 System method for accessory adapter with power supplying capabilities wherein power conductive element is either active or passive depending on placement of electrical contacts
An electronic device and an accessory are provided. The electronic device is installed on the accessory and identifies a type of the accessory. The electronic device includes a housing, a processor and an active sensing element. The processor and the active sensing element are disposed in the housing, and the active sensing element is electrically connected to the processor. The accessory includes a body and a passive sensing element, and the passive sensing element is disposed in the body. When the electronic device is installed on the accessory, the processor identifies the type of the accessory through that the active sensing element detects the passive sensing element, and the processor starts an operating mode relative to the accessory according to the type of the accessory. A method of operating an electronic device and an accessory is also provided.
US08918546B2 Apparatus and method for enabling digital and analog data communication over a data bus
An electronic apparatus such as an audio apparatus enables both digital and analog data to be communicated over a data bus such as a universal serial bus (USB) with a single low-cost connector such as a USB connector. According to an exemplary embodiment, the electronic apparatus includes a connector operative to couple the electronic apparatus to one of a digital device and an analog device. A controller is operative to determine whether the connector is coupled to the digital device or the analog device. A switch is operative to couple the connector to one of a digital element and an analog element responsive to the determination.
US08918544B2 Apparatus and method for configuration and operation of a remote-control system
A method for configuring a remote-control system includes querying via a bus a High Definition Multi-Media Interface (HDMI) display for an Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) for the HDMI display; receiving via the bus from the HDMI display the EDID for the HDMI display; and storing via a processor in a memory the EDID and a link between the EDID of the HDMI display a set of command codes configured for controlling the HDMI display.
US08918543B2 Changing device functionality using environment conditions
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code are provided for changing functionality for an electronic device. A set of signals is received from a set of sensors in the electronic device. Each signal in the set of signals includes a type of sensor from which the signal originated in the set of sensors and information detected by the set of sensors. An action is identified to be issued for the electronic device. The action is identified using the type of sensor and the information. The action is automatically initiated in the electronic device. The automatically initiated action changes the functionality for the electronic device.
US08918542B2 Facilitating transport mode data transfer between a channel subsystem and input/output devices
A computer program product is provided for performing an input/output (I/O) operation initiated by an I/O operation instruction at a host computer system configured for communication with a control unit. The computer program product includes a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing: receiving, by the control unit, a transport mode command message from a channel subsystem of the host computer system, the command message include a command for data to be transferred between the host computer system and an I/O device controlled by the control unit; and sending a command retry message to the channel subsystem, the command retry message including a request that the command message be re-sent to the control unit and a reason code indicating a reason for the request.
US08918540B2 Unmanned air vehicle interoperability agent
A method of coordinating communications between a plurality of Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) operating in connection with differing communication languages. A common language is provided which includes common language commands and common language data objects. Common language commands are communicated from a user to a plurality of UAVs through a UAV Interoperability Agent (UIA), which converts the common language commands to UAV-specific commands which can be understood by the specific UAV. Additionally, UAVs send data in a native platform format to the UIA, which converts the native platform data to common language format for collection and interpretation by the user.
US08918538B2 Automatic MEP provisioning in a link state controlled ethernet network
Ethernet OAM MEPs are automatically configured in a link state protocol controlled Ethernet network. A node operating in the link state protocol controlled Ethernet network receives a Link State PDU (LSP) containing a TLV having a MEP associated with the Ethernet MAC node ID of a second node in the link state protocol controlled Ethernet network, where the path between the first and second node includes a plurality of links. The node updates a forwarding table to indicate an association between the MEP ID and a Ethernet MAC node ID of the second node. An Ethernet OAM maintenance endpoint is produced in a link state protocol controlled Ethernet network by hashing a Sys-ID to produce a MEP; storing the MEP in a TLV; and forwarding the TLV over the link state protocol controlled Ethernet network in an LSP.
US08918536B1 Method and apparatus for optimizing computer network usage to prevent congestion
A method and apparatus for optimizing computer network bandwidth usage to prevent congestion is described. In one embodiment, the method comprises comparing a permissible bandwidth usage with a data transfer rate to produce a comparison result and adjusting the data transfer rate for performing at least one data transfer operation based on the comparison result.
US08918534B2 Writing data slices to ready and non-ready distributed storage units in a distributed storage network
A distributed storage network includes a distributed storage processing unit, which generates multiple data slices from a single data segment, and multiple different storage units to store the data slices. Each data slice is assigned to a particular storage unit for storage. The distributed storage processing unit determines which of the storage units are in a ready state, and sends data slices to the ready storage units. Data slices assigned to storage units that are not in a ready state are temporarily stored in a temporary memory, e.g. cache memory, until the storage unit becomes ready. If the intended storage unit remains in a non-ready status for too long, the slices stored in cache memory can be sent to a substitute storage unit, or discarded and reconstructed at a later time.
US08918531B2 Automated network device provisioning using dynamic host configuration protocol
In an embodiment, an electronic digital data packet router performs receiving a DHCP initiation message on a particular interface among a plurality of network interfaces,; modifying the DHCP initiation message by adding a particular DHCP option that signals a DHCP server to provide router configuration data, resulting in a modified DHCP initiation message; relaying the modified DHCP initiation message to the DHCP server; receiving, from the DHCP server, a DHCPOFFER message that comprises the particular DHCP option containing configuration data; configuring the router using the configuration data; relaying the DHCPOFFER message without the particular DHCP option on the particular interface toward another data packet router.
US08918530B2 Plug and play device redirection for remote systems
A remote access system connects a server computer with one or more client computers, where devices are connected locally at the client computers. The devices are recognized by the client computers and a device driver is provided for each connected and recognized device. A virtual driver is created at the server computer from information specific to the device, such that the virtual driver acts as an actual driver to an application on the server computer. The application through the virtual driver is able to recognize and provide commands to the connected device.
US08918524B2 System and method for flexible data transfer
A method and system for flexibly transferring data from one or more data sources to one or more data destinations within an information network where each of the one or more data sources have data in a particular source format and each of the one or more data destinations have data in the same or another particular destination format using a parameter database that includes parameters to control the transfer of data, a scheduler that initiates the transfer of data, and a data loader in communications with the parameter database and scheduler that, upon initiation by the scheduler, extracts data from the one or more data sources, manipulates the extracted source data into one or more destination formats associated with the one or more data destinations, and inserts the data into one or more data destinations according to the parameters within the parameter database.
US08918519B1 Delayed network interface selection
A user device may communicate registration information to a paging service system and receive a page message from the paging service system via out-of-band signaling. The page message may include a request to establish a communication session with a device, and out-of-band signaling may include a communication channel not dedicated for call session transmissions. The user device may select an in-band channel based on the page message, where the in-band channel comprises a communication channel dedicated for call session transmissions, and establish a communication session with the device using the in-band channel.
US08918517B2 Publish/subscribe mashups for social networks
Described herein is a mashing technology that facilitates mashup creation over a plurality of publish/subscribe social network data stream. These mashing techniques that are tailored to managing content from disparate social networks. As described herein, these techniques include creating and using a set of operations that facilitate the creation of “mashups” over multiple publish/subscribe social network data streams.
US08918513B2 Network resource deployment for cloud-based services
Techniques are described which simplify and/or automate many of the tasks associated with the configuration, deployment, and management of network resources to support cloud-based services.
US08918508B2 Method for transferring resource and method for providing information
Transmitting a resource and providing information in a resource in a Digital Rights Management (DRM) interoperable system includes: transmitting the resource in a transport session by using at least two handlers; and receiving from the handlers an event message including identification information of the transport session and information which indicates a transfer status of the resource. In addition, the information which indicates the transfer status of the resource may include: a resource index capable of identifying the resource; and information on a transfer status of a resource corresponding to the resource index. Accordingly, information related to transmission of resources can be easily provided in an event form.
US08918507B2 Dynamic grouping of enterprise assets
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for dynamic grouping of enterprise assets. A management engine can receive a query to interrogate a set of enterprise resources, such as servers deployed on a network. A user can transmit a query to the management engine, including a specification of attributes by which to group targeted machines to include in the query. The query can include at least a simple group query and a pivoted group query. A simple group query can include an identifier as a simple group expression, and the target can include attributes to match with resources. A pivoted group query can include compound terms or attributes to be used to group resources in the query, such as resources having a parent/child relationship or other hierarchical relationship. The processes of construction of queries and aggregation of resources identified by those queries can all be integrated by the management engine.
US08918504B2 Hardware based detection devices for detecting network traffic content and methods of using the same
A device for detecting network traffic content is provided. The device includes a first input port configured to receive one or more signatures, each of the one or more signatures associated with content desired to be detected, a second input port configured to receive data associated with network traffic content. The device also includes a processor configured to process the one or more signatures and the data to determine whether the network traffic content matches the content desired to be detected, and an output port configured to couple the device to a computer system of an intended recipient of the network traffic content. The output port passes the network traffic content to the computer system when it is determined that the network traffic content does not match the content desired to be detected.
US08918498B2 Data communication in an access network
A management device (100) for use in an access network (10, 19, 20, 30, 40, 100) including a plurality of data connections (18, 19, 20) between end user devices (10) and an aggregation transceiver device (20) where the connections (18, 19, 20) are aggregated for onward connection through the access network (20, 30,40), the access network storing in association with each data connection a Dynamic Line Management, DLM, profile which specifies a set of values for a plurality of parameters associated with the respective data connection, together with a stability level specifying a desired level of stability for the data connection. The device comprises means for receiving monitoring data specifying the stability of each respective data connection over a predetermined period of time; means for selecting a DLM profile to be applied to the connection in dependence on both the monitoring data and the stored stability level associated with the data connection; and means for requesting an OSS system of the access network to apply the selected profile to the data connection.
US08918495B2 Link tracking
Link tracking includes generating an electronic communication with links providing for a destination URL and a target URL. Upon selection of the active link, a destination site is accessed, based on the destination URL. In the destination site, the tracking information associated with the incoming data access request is parsed off. This tracking information may then be stored in a database or business warehouse for monitoring the response from the electronic communication. Also, a target site is determined based on the tracking information. The destination site thereupon redirects the access request to the target site, providing for the access to the target site to be to directed back to the user and not through the destination site. Therefore, the user may access the target web site based on the electronic communication and this activity can be tracked through the destination site.
US08918493B1 Methods and apparatus for automating service lifecycle management
Methods and apparatus to provide, in a cloud infrastructure environment having a compute layer, a network layer, a storage layer, and management layer, wherein the management layer has no knowledge of at least some of existing infrastructure services, selecting hosts containing host bus adapters and/or network adapters having unique identifiers, using the unique identifiers to analyze the storage layer for: storage groups having host initiators that match the unique identifiers of the host bus adaptors, and/or network file storage (NFS) exports exposed to the unique identifiers as client IP addresses.
US08918492B2 Field panel with embedded webserver and method of accessing the same
The systems, methods and devices disclosed herein provide for a field panel that includes a webserver. The field panel and webserver are arranged in communication with one or more automation components and/or field panels deployed for operation in connection with the building automation system. An information request may be directed to a master field panel for authorization. The master field panel may in turn query a node table containing address and/or communication information with the other field panels and/or automation components operable on the wired or wireless communication network. The information within the node table allows for direct communication to the other field panels and/or automation components operable on the network. In this way, authorized access to each of the field panels and/or automation components is achieved while any communications bottleneck at the master field panel may be significantly reduced or eliminated.
US08918489B2 Mobile device, storage medium, and method for automatically connecting the mobile device to server
In a method for automatically connecting a mobile device to a server, an update command is periodically sent to a first server wirelessly connected to the mobile device after the mobile device enters a sleep mode. The update command requires a network status of the first server. The mobile device is waken when the network status is not acquired within a predetermined time period. Alternate servers are searched for to generate a list of server names. A target server is selected from the list, and a connection command is sent to the target server for establishing a connection between the mobile device and the target server. Network setting information is acquired from the target server. The connection between the mobile device and the target server is established according to the network setting information.
US08918485B2 Digital downloading jukebox system with user-tailored music management, communications, and other tools
A digital downloading jukebox system including a mechanism for delivering custom services to a recognized user, including services for creating playlists, communicating with others, accessing other features, etc. is provided. In some exemplary embodiments, after a user is recognized, the jukebox system allows users to access a special front-end via an Internet-enabled device or on an actual jukebox. Then, the user may, for example, create playlists, share songs with friends, send messages to friends, and access other value-added content. Such a system preferably learns about networks of friends, and enables managers to send similar messages to regular customers and/or others known to the system. In some exemplary embodiments, changes via a first user interface on a first device are reflected on second user interface on other properly-configured devices.
US08918483B2 Method and system for synchronization and management of system activities with locally installed applications
The present invention will enable the user to follow a presentation while waiting for presentation files to download to the user's local machine. This invention provides a dynamic cloud based approach to local hand-off. A user will be able to view a cloud or other remotely-based (found via a URL) or screen-shared version of the presentation until source material has downloaded.
US08918480B2 Method, system, and device for the distribution of internet radio content
A network-enabled audio device that provides a display device that allows the user to select playlists of music much like a jukebox is disclosed. The user can compose playlists from disk files, CD's, Internet streaming audio broadcasts, online music sites, and other audio sources. The user can also select a desired Web broadcast from a list of available Web broadcasts. In addition, the user can play standard audio CD's and MP3 encoded CD's and have access to local AM/FM stations. Further, the software, the user controls, and the display in the network-enabled audio device are operably configured and connected such that the user can listen to playlists that include CD's and other audio sources just as the user would choose a playlist in a jukebox. The user accesses a server site via a PC and the Internet. From the server site, the user obtains a list of the devices in his or her Internet Personal Audio Network (IPAN) and what songs are on those devices. The IPAN includes an IPAN server, an IPAN client, and IPAN software stored on the network-enabled audio device. Thus, the network-enabled audio device provides people who are or are not comfortable with computers a way of taking music from various sources and putting it into one place for listening pleasure. In one embodiment, the Personal Computer (PC) is used to compose the playlists, but the user is able to listen to playlists and other audio sources without using the PC.
US08918478B2 Erasure coded storage aggregation in data centers
Embodiments of erasure coded storage aggregation are disclosed. The erasure coded storage aggregation includes storing a data file as erasure coded fragments in a plurality of nodes of one or more data centers. The erasure coded storage aggregation further includes monitoring an access frequency of the data file. Based on the comparison between the access frequency and a predetermined threshold, the data file is either reconstructed from the erasure coded fragments and stored in a storage node or retained as erasure coded fragments in the plurality of nodes of the one or more data centers.
US08918477B2 Inter-domain replication of service information
An automated conversion of service information between independent information technology (IT) management domains is performed using a federated gateway within each of the independent IT management domains that bridges the independent IT management domains. The automated conversion of service information allows at least one service consumer application executing within a first independent IT management domain to use a local service definition format to access at least one remote service provider application with a remote service interface defined using a different remote service definition format for execution in a second independent IT management domain. At least one service request is dynamically processed for the at least one remote service provider application via service provider application endpoint translation using the federated gateway within each of the independent IT management domains that bridges the independent IT management domains.
US08918475B2 Method of and computer program for managing one or more agricultural devices
A system and method for managing an agricultural device, including connecting the agricultural device to a network, collecting operational data relating to the agricultural device, granting an access right in respect of the collected operational data to an entity connected to the network, receiving data from the entity in response to the access right, and managing the agricultural device on the basis of the collected operational data and the data from the entity. The method may be implemented for managing multiple agricultural devices, and may be implemented in a computer readable medium. In one embodiment, the operational data relates to clinical mastitis detection.
US08918468B1 Processing social networking-based user input information to identify potential topics of interest
A method and apparatus of processing communications with end users are disclosed. One example method may include detecting a message or post on a website over the Internet that matches a monitoring company's keywords or rules and processing the message by parsing the message and performing a natural language interpretation of the message and processing the parsed message to determine the user's topic of interest. In response, the method may further provide generating a response to the message based on the user's requested objective and sending the response to the user acknowledging the user's topic of interest. Live agents may be notified to check the status of a message and continually override automated message responses to ensure the integrity of the responses.
US08918465B2 Authentication of service requests initiated from a social networking site
Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for authenticating user service requests from a social networking site. Data representing a selected message and an originator of the selected message is stored. Data representing a reply to the originator of the selected message is transmitted for posting at the social networking server, the reply including data that causes transmission of a service request to the server when actuated. Data representing the service request and a sender of the service request is received. Data representing a user profile of the sender of the service request is retrieved from the social networking server. One or more attributes of the user profile of the sender are compared against one or more attributes of the stored data representing the originator of the selected message in order to verify the one or more attributes of the user profile.
US08918464B1 Systems and methods for assigning conference attendees among multiple conference servers prior to a conference event
A method, device, system or article of manufacture is provided for social networking. In one embodiment, a method comprises hosting, by a master server, a plurality of client devices for a conference event, wherein each of the plurality of client devices is associated with a member of a community, wherein the master server is associated with a first computer program running on a first computer hardware system; identifying that a capacity of the master server is not sufficient to host the conference event; initiating, in response to identifying that the capacity of the master server is not sufficient for hosting the conference event, a secondary server, wherein the secondary server is associated with a second computer program running on a second computer hardware system; and assigning a portion of the plurality of client devices to the secondary server.
US08918458B2 Utilizing group statistics for groups of participants in a human-to-human collaborative tool
A method, system and apparatus for utilizing statistics in a human-to-human collaborative tool is provided. A method for utilizing group statistics for a group participating in a collaborative session can include collecting group statistics including a percentage of the participants in the set having a particular availability status for a grouped set of participants designated to participate in a collaborative session provided by a human-to-human collaborative tool executing in a computer system, generating a display of the percentage of the participants in the set having the particular availability status, and rendering the generated display of the percentage of the participants in the set having the particular availability status in a user interface in association with a hierarchical listing of participants in the collaborative session.
US08918455B2 Systems and algorithm for interfacing with a virtualized computing service over a network using a lightweight client
Systems and algorithm for providing a service to a client includes defining a virtual infrastructure in which a plurality of virtual machines are running on a virtualization layer with at least one of the virtual machine executing an image processor algorithm. The image processor algorithm is configured to access framebuffer data of a specific virtual machine that includes the service to be controlled, process the framebuffer data to generate image data packets with contextual information by scanning the framebuffer data to discern the image of the virtual machine display, evaluate the framebuffer data to identify contiguous areas of activity, extract data related to the contiguous areas of activity and package the extracted data into image data packets. The image data packets are transmitted to the client for presenting on a display device of the client.
US08918454B2 Managing rule sets as web services
Rule sets are managed as a web service. A web service request having at least a body and an endpoint address is received from a client. The endpoint address includes a service description parameter and a parameter identifying a path to a given rule set in a rule set. The body of the web service request is parsed to determine whether the body identifies a first type of method or a second type of method. If a first type of method is identified, a service description file is dynamically generated in a format specified by the service description parameter in the web service request. The service description file is based on the rule set path, information from the rule set database and model data. If a second type of method is identified, the identified rule set is executed. The first type of method may be a GET method while the second type of method may be a POST method.
US08918451B2 System and method for providing service component architecture (SCA) data transformation
A system and method for providing service component architecture (SCA) data transformation in a distributed transaction processing environment. In accordance with an embodiment, an SCA software component can be used to provide a service to transform data and requests from a service-oriented data format to a transactional data format, such as a Tuxedo or other format. In accordance with an embodiment, a configuration file, such as a schema file, is used to define the transformation between the service-oriented and transactional data formats. The SCA software components operate to communicate with a transaction component, perform the data transformation automatically, and support a transaction process on the transaction component.
US08918449B2 Terminal user-interface client for managing multiple servers in hybrid cloud environment
In one exemplary embodiment, a terminal user-interface (UI) client is configured to accept a user-scripted command from a user. The user-scripted command includes an operating system command or a user-customized command. The user-scripted command is passed to a distributed server management platform. A node tag input by a user is accepted. The node tag identifies at least one agent node in a server in the cloud-computing platform to execute the user-scripted command. A distributed server management platform that passes the user-scripted command to a group broker of an agent group comprising the agent node identified by the node tag, and to pass a command result to the terminal UI. A group broker to pass the user-scripted command to the agent node, and to pass a command result from the agent node to the distributed server management platform.
US08918445B2 Circuit which performs split precision, signed/unsigned, fixed and floating point, real and complex multiplication
An integrated multiplier circuit that operates on a variety of data formats including integer fixed point, signed or unsigned, real or complex, 8 bit, 16 bit or 32 bit as well as floating point data that may be single precision real, single precision complex or double precision. The circuit uses a single set of multiplier arrays to perform 16×16, 32×32 and 64×64 multiplies, 32×32 and 64×64 complex multiplies, 32×32 and 64×64 complex multiplies with one operand conjugated.
US08918443B2 Reducing bias in hardware generated random numbers
A random number generator of a processor comprises a whitener for reducing the bias in random numbers generated by the random number generator. The whitener receives a random number of a first length read by an array of latches with inputs from an array of oscillators. The whitener dynamically creates a mask of the first length based on a parity of at least one previous random number read from the array of latches during at least one cycle prior to reading the random number. The whitener applies a compare operation between the random number and the mask to generate a whitened random number of the first length, with reduced bias, without reducing randomness.
US08918441B2 NAF conversion apparatus
According to one embodiment, a NAF conversion apparatus which converts a binary representation of an integer into a w-NAF redundant binary representation includes an acceptance device, a storage device, a shift register, and an update device. The acceptance device accepts the binary representation of the integer for every bit from lower bits. The storage device stores a state value expressed by 1 bit. The shift register stores a state value expressed by (w−1) bits. The update device determines a state of the storage device and a state of the (w−1)-bit shift register at next time, and determines a w-bit parallel output at current time by referring to a 1-bit value accepted by the acceptance device, the state value in the storage device, and the state value in the (w−1)-bit shift register.
US08918440B2 Data decompression with extra precision
Methods and systems for decompressing data are described. The relative magnitudes of a first value and a second value are compared. The first value and the second value represent respective endpoints of a range of values. The first value and the second value each have N bits of precision. Either the first or second value is selected, based on the result of the comparison. The selected value is scaled to produce a third value having N+1 bits of precision. A specified bit value is appended as the least significant bit of the other (non-selected) value to produce a fourth value having N+1 bits of precision.
US08918438B2 Management system, management apparatus, and management method for electronic device
A collection unit collects attribute information of each of a plurality of electronic devices, and registers the collected attribute information in mounted device information correspondingly to a mounting position of the electronic device in a management system. A determination unit refers to device definition information in which attribute information of each electronic device mounted on the management system is registered correspondingly to a mounting position, determines as a comparison object position a mounting position in which the attribute information registered in the mounted device information is not matched with the attribute information registered in the device definition information and, when a plurality of comparison object positions are present, determines whether the attribute information of the mounted device information corresponding to one comparison object position is matched with the attribute information of the device definition information corresponding to another comparison object position.
US08918429B2 Database versioning system
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for identifying one or more rows in a relational database that have each been modified since a first point in time, wherein each of the rows is associated with a respective table in the relational database; for each of the identified rows, updating a respective file in an external representation of the table associated with the row to reflect the modification to the row wherein the respective file is not stored in the database; and creating a first version of the relational database in a version control system using the external representation including one or more of the updated files, wherein the first version of the database comprises one or more files in the version control system.
US08918428B2 Systems and methods for audio asset storage and management
Systems and methods for providing audio asset information using an audio asset information storage system are provided. The storage system includes a data store containing video program information associated with a video program that embeds the known audio asset. The storage system receives a number of requests to identify the known audio asset and stores an indication of each request within the data store. The storage system provides at least a portion of audio asset information associated with the known audio asset to user equipment.
US08918424B2 Managing homeowner association messages
For managing homeowner association messages, a communication module receives a message. A storage module stores the message. The communication module communicates the message to accounts through at least one of a plurality of communication channels in accordance with structured message restrictions. The structured message restrictions comprise full access, partial access, and no access restrictions. Each message comprises a message category of a plurality of message categories comprising a homeowner message, a confidential board member message, and a board member message. Each account is classified with an account class of a plurality of account classes. The account classes comprise a homeowner class, a board member class, and a property manager class. The structured message restrictions permit full access, partial access, or no access to the message for each account.
US08918423B1 Enterprise dynamic access control system and method using an object selection profile
A system and method are provided for determining object access to a resource by comparing reference inputs from an object profile, an object selection profile, an environmental status, and/or a complex outcome to one or more resource profile reference conditions contained in one or more resource profiles. The object profile reference input comparison to the resource profile reference conditions is based on a plurality of object profile categories each including a plurality of hierarchically linked object profile values. The object profile represents no more than one object profile value for each object profile category. The object selection profile reference input comparison to the resource profile reference conditions is based on a plurality of object selection profile categories each including a plurality of hierarchically linked object selection profile values. The object selection profile includes one or more object selection profile values for a particular object selection profile category.
US08918413B2 Method and system for cross-referencing and deduplicating objects in multiple map building blocks
A system and method for providing a digital map database wherein multiple instances of geocoded objects pertaining to points of interest (POI) and/or three-dimensional (3D) objects contained within one or more building blocks are compared to find undesirable duplicate geocoded objects. Cross-referencing information is stored and preference information about which geocoded object or object property/attribute should be used is assessed to determine priority for selection or presentation on the display screen (12) of a navigation device (10) or other suitable computing device. Cross-references can be pre-calculated at compile time or calculated on-the-fly by the navigation application at run time and may be persistently stored in dedicated data structures. When duplicate geocoded objects are found, only the most accurate information or a super set of (attribute) information is used by applications or presented to a user thereby preventing confusion.
US08918412B1 Query proxy system for client-specified models
A system for translating a query expression for a client-specified model (CSM) to a plurality of query expressions compatible with the object model(s) for a plurality of source systems. The source systems comprise a plurality of databases. The databases comprise source information and X sets of response data. The source information comprises mapping metadata and object model metadata. The X sets of response data is data response to a client query. The client comprises client-specified mapping metadata, a CSM, and a query proxy. The query proxy comprises an import module, a client interface module, and a translator module. The import module imports the source information from the plurality of source systems and determines the mapping metadata and the object model metadata. The client interface module receives the CSM, the client-specified mapping metadata, and a query from a client. The translator module parses the query expression and translates a plurality of query expressions compatible with the object model(s) for the plurality of source systems.
US08918409B2 System and method for determining affinity profiles for research, marketing, and recommendation systems
User affinity profiles are defined based upon analyzing the selection of users when they build personal expressions. A system is configured to display a plurality of user-selectable objects on each user system. Each user then selects and arranges the user-selectable objects to create a personal expression. The system analyzes the user selections across a number of personal expressions and defines the user affinity profiles based upon the analysis. The user affinity profiles can be useful for various purposes such recommending products, optimizing product packaging, and generating content that is meaningful to groups of users.
US08918402B2 Method of bibliographic field normalization
A method of normalizing a bibliographic field of a structured field relational database is disclosed. The method comprises weighting potential candidate records according to the value in the corresponding field in the records, together with other related fields in the candidate record and other related records in the database. Each of the candidate records is successively evaluated and compared against an acceptable threshold. If the weight exceeds the threshold, the candidate record is returned from the query. Otherwise, a new entry in the database is created. Optionally, before creating such a new entry, the highest weighted candidate record may be compared against a minimally acceptable threshold and if the weight exceeds such lower threshold, the candidate is returned from the query.
US08918393B2 Identifying a set of candidate entities for an identity record
Systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for matching an inbound identity record to existing entities. A composite generic key may be generated from multiple entity resolution (ER) candidate-building keys determined to be generic keys. A query may be generated based on the composite generic key and executed to retrieve candidate entities for an inbound identity record.
US08918392B1 Data storage mapping and management
A storage controller is implemented for controlling a storage system. The storage controller may be implemented using a distributed computer system and may include components for servicing client data requests based on the characteristics of the distributed computer system, the client, or the data requests. The storage controller is scalable independently of the storage system it controls. All components of the storage controller, as well as the client, may be virtual or hardware-based instances of a distributed computer system.
US08918389B2 Dynamically altered search assistance
Search-engine software displays a group of search results in a graphical user interface (GUI) for a search engine. The search-engine software captures positive feedback and negative feedback as to the search results from a user. Then the search-engine software determines a collective aboutness signature for the search results associated with the positive feedback and a collective aboutness signature for search results associated with the negative feedback. The search-engine software obtains a score of similarity to each of the collective aboutness signatures for a representation of each query suggestion in a group of query suggestions. Then the search-engine software separates the scored query suggestions into two or more groups, based on the similarity scores, and displays query suggestions from the groups in the GUI.
US08918387B1 Systems and methods for classifying applications configured for cloud-based platforms
A computer-implemented method for classifying applications configured for cloud-based platforms may include 1) identifying an online platform that hosts an online service and that is capable of hosting a plurality of third-party applications integrated with the online service and configured to operate on the online platform, 2) identifying at least one third-party application that is integrated with the online service and configured to operate on the online platform, 3) identifying metadata describing at least one characteristic of the third-party application, and 4) generating a classification of the third-party application based at least in part on the characteristic. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08918384B2 Decentralized web annotation
Annotations relating to web sites may be based on blog posts relating to the web sites. A user viewing a web site may concurrently view related blog posts about the web site. More particularly, in one implementation, a method includes detecting when a user visits a web page and receiving, in response to the detection, a group of blog posts that link to the web page. The method further includes displaying an indication of the group of blog posts to the user while the user is visiting the web site.
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