Document Document Title
US08960566B2 Spill-proof dispersion device for dispersing volatile liquids
This invention provides a spill-proof dispersion device for dispersing volatile liquids, comprising a receptacle for containing volatile liquid therein and having an opening, at least one wick having an end placed in contact with the volatile liquid in the receptacle and for delivering the volatile liquid, and a diffuser in firm connection to the other end of the at least one wick and having a body with a surface from which the volatile liquid delivered from the wick is dispersed into an environment. The diffuser comprises a base located at its bottom and a sheath having a screwed outer surface and is sleeved tightly on an outer surface of the base; the base and the sheath are to be inserted into the opening of the receptacle such that the diffuser is engaged with the receptacle in an air-tight manner; and the wick runs through the base and the sheath.
US08960565B2 Apparatus for hot water pressure washer with an automatic burner cool-down
A hot water pressure washer with an automatic burner cool-down includes a water inlet assembly, a low pressure water supply assembly, a coil outlet assembly, a control system, and other related components which are required for the functionality of the pressure washer. A shut-down timer of the control system shut down a power source so that the pressure washer can be automatically shut down through the control system when the pressure washer is not operated. Then a cool-down timer of the control system efficiently cools down a heating coil of a burner assembly. The cool-down timer activates the water inlet assembly, the low pressure water supply assembly and the coil outlet assembly through a pair of solenoid valves in order to cool down the heating coil, where the thermal energy within the heating coil is removed from a phase change of water into water vapor and convection.
US08960561B2 Wireless communication device
A wireless communication device includes a wireless IC chip that processes a high-frequency signal and a feeding substrate including a coil conductor, a plane conductor, and a matching circuit that is connected to the wireless IC chip and that has a predetermined resonant frequency. The coil conductor and the plane conductor are connected to the matching circuit. The wireless communication device, when used by itself, operates as a monopole antenna in which the plane conductor functions as a ground and the coil conductor functions as a radiation element. When a conductive object is in a vicinity of the plane conductor, the plane conductor is coupled to the conductive object, and the wireless communication device operates as a dipole antenna in which the plane conductor and the conductive object function as a first radiation element and the coil conductor functions as a second radiation element.
US08960560B2 Electronic tag capable of coupling to metal
An electronic tag capable of coupling to metal can be attached to the metallic surface of a product, and includes a substrate, a radiation body arranged on a surface of the substrate, a grounding body and a reference line. The grounding body is also arranged on the aforementioned surface and electrically connects to the radiation body. The reference line is arranged on the aforementioned surface and in the grounding body. While such electronic tag is attached to the metallic surface of a product, a portion of the grounding body, which is opposite to the radiation body, contacts with such metallic surface, so that the signal reading distance of such electronic tag can be broadened and extended in virtue of coupling such grounding body with such metallic surface to cause the grounding area to be enlarged. The extent of such contact shall not extend beyond such reference line.
US08960558B1 MOS electronic article surveillance, RF and/or RF identification tag/device, and methods for making and using the same
A RF MOS- or nonlinear device-based surveillance identification tag, and methods for its manufacture and use. The tag includes an inductor, a capacitor plate coupled to the inductor, a dielectric film on the capacitor plate, a semiconductor component on the dielectric film, and a conductor providing electrical communication between the semiconductor component and the inductor. The method of manufacture includes depositing a semiconductor material/precursor on a dielectric film; forming a semiconductor component from the semiconductor material/precursor; forming a conductive structure at least partly on the semiconductor component; and etching the electrically functional substrate to form an inductor and/or a second capacitor plate. The method of use includes causing/inducing a current in the tag sufficient to generate detectable electromagnetic radiation; detecting the radiation; and selectively deactivating the tag. The present invention provides a low cost tag capable of operating at MHz frequencies and in frequency division and/or multiplication modes.
US08960554B2 Bar code system including network acknowledgement
A bar code symbol may include decode network response state configured to cause a bar code decoder to transmit a decode acknowledgement to a networked server computer corresponding to an acknowledgement address.
US08960552B2 Hand-held data collector with detachable scanner
Disclosed is data collection apparatus for hand use. The apparatus comprises a body and a bar code scanner. The body has: a central portion adapted to be and gripped in the manner of a joystick; a switch positioned on the central portion and positioned in the manner of a pistol trigger, for finger actuation; a first data entry portion to which the central portion extends, the first data entry portion having at least a 10-digit numeric keypad, each key of said keypad being adapted for and actuable in use by the thumb of said hand; and a second data entry portion from which the central portion extends. The scanner is: adapted for actuation by said switch; has a configuration in which the bar code scanner defines a protuberance extending from the first data entry portion; and is detachable from the body for use in tight spaces.
US08960550B2 Minimizing misdecodes in electro-optical readers
An arrangement for, and a method of, minimizing misdecodes of GS1 DataBar Limited (Databar-limited) symbols in a reader for electro-optically reading symbols of different symbologies, such as Universal Product Code (UPC) Version A (UPC-A) symbols, includes a data capture assembly for capturing light from a target symbol, and for generating an electrical signal indicative of the captured light; and a controller for processing and decoding the electrical signal, and for determining whether the decoded signal is indicative of a Databar-limited symbol, and for determining whether the decoded signal has characteristics indicative of a different symbology, such as the UPC-A symbol, to indicate whether a misdecode of the Databar-limited symbol has occurred.
US08960548B2 Bioptic data reader with split vertical windows and speaker
A data reading system including a lower base section with a generally horizontal surface and a vertical section extending perpendicularly from the lower housing section. The vertical section includes a front face with a first scan window through which a data reader is operable to read encoded data on an item. The data reading system further includes a speaker system having a speaker grille laterally spaced apart from the first scan window on the front face of the vertical section. The speaker system may emit a sound or other message to confirm that the encoded data was (or was not) properly captured by the data reader. The data reading system may further include a second scan window on the front face of the vertical section. In such instances, the speaker grille may be positioned between the scan windows on the front face of the vertical section.
US08960543B2 RFID reader and apparatus with an RFID reader
An RFID reader that is situated in a recess of an apparatus housing, such that the apparatus housing is constituted of an electrically conductive material, and such that the RFID reader is configured as an RFID reader operating according to the “EMV Contactless Protocol Specification, Version 2.1, March 2011,” such that the RFID antenna is situated in or on a plane constituted by the apparatus housing or inside the apparatus housing, such that the RFID reader has a transmitting power of more than 400 milliwatts, and that a quality factor (Q) of the RFID antenna is in a range between Q=12 and Q=20. In addition, the invention relates to an apparatus with an RFID reader of this type.
US08960537B2 Money transfer systems and methods
The present invention provides systems and methods of facilitating money transfers. The method includes receiving, at a money transfer system, access to a customer's account, establishing, at the money transfer system, a money transfer record including a recipient and an amount, and receiving, at the money transfer system, an identifier for the money transfer record. The method further includes receiving presentation of the identifier at an input device of the money transfer system and authorizing a money transfer associated with the money transfer record.
US08960534B2 System and method for quality management utilizing barcode indicators
A quality management system for products including a multiplicity of barcoded quality indicators, a barcode indicator reader and a product type responsive indication interpreter, each of the barcoded quality indicators including a first barcode including at least one first colorable area, the first barcode being machine-readable before exceedance of the at least one time and temperature threshold, at least a second barcode including at least one second colorable area, the second barcode not being machine-readable before exceedance of the at least one time and temperature threshold, a coloring agent located at a first location on the indicator and a coloring agent pathway operative to allow the coloring agent to move, from the first location to the first and second colorable areas simultaneously thereby causing the first barcode to become unreadable and at the same time causing the second barcode to become machine-readable.
US08960533B2 Using bar-codes in an asset storage and transfer system
A secure asset storage and transfer system. A first display displays a first bar code encoding a request message including an asset value amount to be transferred. A first camera-equipped device is configured for: reading the first bar code, decoding the first bar code to recover the request message; generating a value transfer message for transferring asset value amount to be transferred from a storage medium associated with the camera-equipped device; encoding the value transfer message to generate a corresponding second bar code; and displaying the second bar code on a second display. A second camera-equipped device is configured for reading the second bar code, and decoding the second bar code to recover the value transfer message.
US08960531B2 Data communications system, information processing terminal, IC card, reader/writer, and program
Disclosed herein is a data communications system configured to execute data communication between three parties of a reader/writer, an integrated circuit card wirelessly communicable with the reader/writer in a non-contact manner, and an information processing terminal connected to the intergraded circuit card via a wired interface, the data communications system including: the reader/writer having a read/write wireless control block; the integrated circuit card having an integrated circuit card wireless control block; and the information processing terminal having a request acceptance block, a data storage block, and a data transmission block.
US08960526B2 Flux for soldering and soldering process
There is provided a flux for soldering and a soldering process which form better solder connection without the occurrence of the poor connection nor the insulation degradation.Such flux which is placed between a solder portion formed on a first electrode and a second electrode when the first electrode is soldered to the second electrode contains: a liquid base material made of a resin component which is dissolved in a solvent, an active component which removes an oxide film, and a metal powder made of a metal of which melting point is higher than that of a solder material which forms the solder portion, and the flux contains the metal powder in an amount in the range between 1% and 9% by volume based on a volume of the flux.
US08960525B2 Brazing process and plate assembly
A brazing process and plate assembly are disclosed. The brazing process includes positioning a braze foil on a first workpiece, then securing the braze foil to the first workpiece to form a brazable component, then positioning a second workpiece proximal to the brazable component, and then brazing the second workpiece to the brazable component. Additionally or alternatively, the brazing process includes positioning the braze foil on a tube, then securing the braze foil to the tube to form a brazable tube, then positioning a plate of a plate assembly proximal to the brazable tube, and then brazing the plate to the brazable tube. The plate assembly includes a plate and a tube brazed to the plate by a braze foil secured to the tube.
US08960521B2 Loose staples removal system
A staple cartridge is provided for retaining fully formed staples not clenched through body tissue. The staple cartridge generally includes staple pockets containing surgical staples having a backspan and first and second legs projecting from the backspan and staple pushers positioned within the staple pockets beneath the surgical staples. The staple pushers include body portions having first and second flexible fingers extending from the body portions and removably engagable with the backspan of the surgical staples. The flexible fingers include flexible stems extending from the body portions and head portions extending from the flexible stems. Each head portion includes a rounded distal tip positioned offset from and outward of a central axis of the stem and an inwardly projecting grasping portion for engaging the backspan of the surgical staple. Distal ends of sidewalls of the staple pockets are flared outwardly to accommodate movement of the head portions of the flexible fingers.
US08960513B2 Infield backpack for carrying a spotting scope attached to a tripod
A backpack is disclosed for carrying a spotting scope or other optic device attached to a tripod. The backpack includes an optics storage compartment having an interior that is accessible from a front of the backpack and first and second tripod leg attachment structures positioned below the optics storage compartment for securing first and second legs of the tripod against a corresponding first and second side of the backpack. When the tripod is attached to the backpack by the first and second tripod leg attachment structures, the spotting scope is positioned to be rotatable into and out of the interior of the optics storage compartment by a user.
US08960501B2 Dispensing assembly and method for dispensing a mixed fluid
A dispensing assembly and method for preventing a lead-lag condition between first and second fluid components forming a mixed fluid includes a nozzle and a mixer insert connected to first and second barrels respectively containing the first and second fluid components. The nozzle has a nozzle inlet that includes first and second cavity portions. The mixer insert is positioned at least partially within the nozzle inlet to collectively define respective first and second passages. The first and second passages are adapted for directing the first and second fluid components into a nozzle bore of the nozzle for forming a pre-mixed fluid according to a predetermined ratio. The nozzle is further adapted to mix the pre-mixed fluid for dispensing the mixed fluid from the nozzle.
US08960500B2 Dispenser for beverages including juices
A beverage dispenser for combining a number of micro-ingredients, one or more macro-ingredients, and one or more water streams. The beverage dispenser may include a micro-mixing chamber for mixing a number of the micro-ingredients and the water into a micro-ingredient stream and a macro-mixing chamber for mixing the micro-ingredient stream, the macro-ingredients, and the water into a combined stream.
US08960492B2 Coin-operated gumball machine
A gumball machine includes a gumball container that holds a plurality of gumballs, a neck portion coupled to the gumball container, the neck portion having a coin slot for receiving a coin, and a gumball dispensing assembly that releases a gumball from the gumball container when a coin is inserted into the coin slot. The gumball machine further includes an elongated housing having an upper end coupled to the neck portion, the housing holding coins that have been inserted through the coin slot. A base is coupled to the lower end of the housing and has a bottom portion that is seated on a surface. A spiral ramp has a mouth coupled to the neck portion, the spiral ramp connected around the housing for allowing a dispensed gumball to roll downwardly.
US08960483B2 Slosh pot
The invention relates to a reservoir tank, particularly for receiving a reducing agent for metering into the exhaust gas tract of an internal combustion engine. A spill basin is accommodated in the hollow space of the reservoir tank. At the base region, the spill basin is radially and axially guided into a recess of the reservoir tank base.
US08960482B2 Cryogenic liquid tank
A hydrogen storage tank for a hydrogen fueled aircraft. The tank has a wall made of layers of aerogel sections around a hard shell layer, sealed within a flexible outer layer, and having the air removed to form a vacuum. The periphery of each layer section abuts other sections of that layer, but only overlies the periphery of the sections of other layers at individual points. The wall is characterized by a thermal conductivity that is lower near its gravitational top than its gravitational bottom. The tank has two exit passageways, one being direct, and the other passing through a vapor shield that extends through the wall between two layers of aerogel. A control system controls the relative flow through the two passages to regulate the boil-off rate of the tank.
US08960478B2 Food and condiment container
A food and condiment container having a first storage space for a food item and a second storage space for a condiment. The container includes a paperboard carton and an appliqué fold-out pocket affixed thereto and moveable between open and closed positions for receiving a condiment The pocket includes a front panel, a back panel, and first and second side panels extending therebetween. The back panel is joined to the carton, and the front panel is joined to the back panel along a portion thereof to hinge forward from the back panel. The side panels are connected between the front and back panels and are collapsible along a crease extending the vertical length of the side panels. Prior to use, the appliqué pocket remains flush with the carton and is opened along a perforation line to form a storage space for a condiment.
US08960475B1 Universal container seal
A universal container seal for sealing a container opening includes a resilient body having a top surface and a bottom surface. The body is further configured in a geometric plan form and having a width significantly greater than a thickness, the thickness being greater at a center of the resilient body than at a periphery of the resilient body. At least one finger tab extends upwardly from the top surface of the body. The body further defines a plurality of grooves in the top surface.
US08960473B2 Fuel tank
The invention relates to a fuel tank having at least one filler pipe (2) enclosing a refueling duct (13), at least one operational venting valve (11), at least one refueling venting valve (8) and at least one venting line (9), which is connected to a filler head (3) of the filler pipe (2). The filler head (3) comprises a valve, which when refueling closes a flow path from the venting line (9) into the refueling duct (13). One of outstanding features of the fuel tank is that the venting line (9) is embodied as a collective venting line for the refueling and operational venting and that in any switching position of the valve it communicates with a downstream fuel vapor filter (10) connected to the filler head (3).
US08960471B1 One-piece foldable corrugated cooler with improved locking system
A one-piece, foldable corrugated cooler includes a storage portion having a bottom panel, two side panels, two end panels, and four corner panels; two handle panels forming a lid and a handle; and at least one locking panel. The at least one locking panel is adapted to secure the lid in a closed orientation, and the at least one locking panel is integral with at least one corner panel and at least one handle panel.
US08960464B2 Coupler support mechanism
A coupler for transit cars includes a coupler anchor, a coupler mechanism supported to the coupler anchor by a deformation tube and draft gear element, and a coupler support mechanism. The coupler support mechanism includes two support arms pivotally mounted to a lower part of a coupling connector. A tension rod is provided for each support arm to control the pivotal displacement of each support arm. Each support arm further includes a torsion spring which is loaded as the support arm is pivotally displaced in an upward direction and unloaded as the support arm is pivotally displaced in a downward direction. The position of each support arm may be adjusted independently, thereby allowing adjustment of the coupler along longitudinal and lateral planes of the transit car.
US08960461B2 Crane equipped with travelable counterweight unit
Disclosed is a crane comprising: a lower body; an upper slewing body; a counterweight unit including a plurality of wheels to travel on the ground in a turning direction equal to a slewing direction of the upper slewing body while being suspended from the upper slewing body; a steering actuator for rotating each of the wheels around a steering-rotation center axis to change the steering angle; and a steering control device for controlling the steering actuator. The steering control device includes: a slewing-identification-signal receiving section which receives a slewing identification signal for identification of the slewing direction of the upper slewing body; and an actuator operating section operates the steering actuator to orient each of the wheels to the inside of a tangent line to an orbit of the wheel at the steering-rotation center axis, based on the identified slewing direction identified from the slewing identification signal.
US08960458B1 Storage apparatus
An add-on shelf has a pair of legs at least one of which having a locking structure that is configured to removably lock the leg to an existing structure and a support structure that supports a shelf deck. A void space is positioned between the legs, shelf deck, and existing structure. Alternatively, a width adjustable storage apparatus has first and second sections operable to engage each other in a plurality of adjustable positions each corresponding to a different width of a shelf surface formed by the sections, and first and second supports that engage an existing structure for supporting the first and second sections. The shelf surface is positioned in a generally horizontal plane and the first and second sections do not extend above that generally horizontal plane.
US08960455B2 Mobile industrial rack system
A mobile industrial rack system which includes a flue spacer, a carriage spacer, and a synchronous motor control that individually and collectively allows the rack system to be used on unleveled surfaces. The industrial rack system is therefore well suited for storage facilities in which it is not possible or not desired to level an otherwise unleveled floor.
US08960452B2 Drying rack assembly
A drying rack assembly for countertop placement has a drip pan and a drying rack positionable on the drip pan for holding one or more objects to be dried above the drip pan. The drying rack includes a base seatable on the drip pan, with at least a portion of the base being configured for disposition above the drip pan upon seating the drying rack on the drip pan. At least one panel is pivotably connected to the base for positioning relative to the base between a standing position for supporting the one or more objects to be dried and a collapsed position in which the at least one panel is generally laid down against the base.
US08960450B2 Apparatus and method for implementing hydroclone based fluid filtration systems with extensible isolated filter stages
Filter assemblies and fluid flow inhibitors that are particularly well suited for use in centrifugal separation enhanced filtration devices are described. Moreover extensible filter assemblies are described. In one aspect of the invention, extensible filtration assemblies can be used to operate in circulating fluid filtration devices. Such extensible filter elements can use fluid manifold to reduce the effects of fluid circulation inside filter elements and to reduce reverse flow problems in such filters. Additionally, indexable filter elements and invertable filtration elements can be used to extend filter life in filtration in filtration devices.
US08960449B2 Composite semipermeable membrane and manufacturing method therefor
In manufacturing a composite semipermeable membrane useful for separating a liquid mixture selectively, it is rendered possible to provide a composite semipermeable membrane that exhibits reduced deterioration of water permeability and solute removing property as a result of drying and that demonstrates reduced economic burden and load for waste liquid treatment without impairing the water permeability or solute removal ratio of the composite semipermeable membrane through change of the membrane manufacturing method, by making a saccharide exist in an aqueous polyfunctional amine solution in performing interfacial polycondensation by bringing the aqueous solution of the polyfunctional amine into contact with an organic solvent solution containing a polyfunctional acid halide on a microporous support membrane.
US08960448B2 Thin film composite osmosis membranes
A two-layered osmosis membrane contains a support layer and a rejection layer. The support layer, in which a mesh is embedded, is made of a phase separation polymer and has a thickness of 50 to 200 μm. The rejection layer, which adheres to the support layer, is made of a thin film composite polymer and has a thickness of 0.05 to 3 μm. The mesh, which is embedded in the support layer, has an open area of 30 to 70%, a mesh size of 60-300 mesh, and a thickness of 45-150 μm. Also disclosed is a method of making the above described membrane.
US08960443B2 Flotation separation device and method
A flotation separation system is provided for partitioning a slurry that includes a hydrophobic species which can adhere to gas bubbles formed in the slurry. The flotation separation system comprises a flotation separation cell that includes a sparger unit and a separation tank. The sparger unit has a slurry inlet for receiving slurry and a gas inlet to receive gas with at least enough pressure to allow bubbles to form in the slurry within the sparger unit. The sparger unit includes a sparging mechanism constructed to disperse gas bubbles within the slurry. The sparging mechanism sparges the gas bubbles to form a bubble dispersion so as to cause adhesion of the hydrophobic species to the gas bubbles substantially within the sparger unit while causing a pressure drop of about 10 psig or less across the sparging mechanism. The sparger unit includes a slurry outlet to discharge the slurry and the bubble dispersion into the separation tank.
US08960442B2 Wafer storing container
Wafer support shelves (10, 10) are each provided with wafer support projections (A, B1, B2) on which parts of the outer margins of a semiconductor wafer (W) are to be placed. In each case, one of the support projections (A, B1, B2) is provided on the far side of the center position of the semiconductor wafer (W), and two of the support projections are provided on the near side of the center of the semiconductor wafer. By means of this structure, in a state in which a lid body (3) is not attached to a wafer extraction/insertion opening (2), the flexure amount of the semiconductor wafers placed on the support projections of multiple locations in the wafer support shelves can be reduced with a minimal number of projections, so that a hindrance is not created to an operation such as extraction by a robot arm.
US08960441B1 Room temperature butter dish
A room temperature butter dish has a cover and a base. The base has two end walls and two side walls that a stick of butter resides between. The cover sits over the end walls and side wall and rests on the base. The end walls have raised shoulders and a horizontal knife scraper between the shoulders. The knife scraper is above the height of a conventional stick of butter. Butter can be scrapped off of a knife and rest on top of a stick of butter below. The shoulders of the end walls keep the bottom edge of the cover from hitting any butter as the cover is put on or removed.
US08960437B2 Gas storing packing material and packing method
In a packing material 1 including a plate-shaped member having a surface of thermal weldability, and a gas storing section formed by thermally welding plastic film members having thermal weldability and flexibility and configured to store a gas, the packing material has a planar section formed by linearly thermally welding the plate-shaped member and the plastic film member to form the gas storing section configured to store a gas, and a connecting section bent by thermally welding the plate-shaped member and the plastic film member, and is bent at the connecting section to form a three-dimensional shape to store a material to be packed.
US08960433B2 Dual activation package for readable card
A package is configured to hold an information carrying card. The package includes a first panel connected to a second panel via a first fold line. The first panel includes a first opening. A third panel is connected to the second panel via a second fold line, the third panel includes a second opening. In a state where the first panel has been folded to overlap the second panel via the first fold line and the second panel has been folded to overlap the third panel via the second fold line, the first opening at least partially overlaps the second opening. The package may include a card on which data is stored. The data is exposed through the first and second opening to an environment outside the package.
US08960432B2 Medical device packaging system, package and method
A packaging system for medical devices includes a elongate connector having a plurality of channels formed therein, and a first and a second tubular holder configured to form an assembly with an elongate, coiled medical device. The first and second tubular holders each have shapes congruous with the plurality of channels, and are positionable therein such that the elongate connector forms a bridge attaching the tubular holders in an assembly with a medical device.
US08960431B2 Packaging for wound coil
Packaging for a wound coil is formed from a single piece of cardboard or plastic. The packaging includes a central support having a width substantially equal to the width of the coil, first and second side elements attached to and rotatable relative to the central support and defining cutouts so that the side elements may rotate to extend over a portion of the wound coil with a portion of the side elements meeting and being fastened to each other at a location substantially half-way along the width of the coil, and a handle section with first and second handle portions attached and rotatable relative the side elements. The handle section can assume a first position defines a hand-hold, and a second position substantially parallel to the central support. With the packaging, one package and coil assembly can be stacked atop another.
US08960430B2 Carrying case with improved access for defibrillator and accessories
A substantially rigid defibrillator carrying case having a hinged side, a latch disposed on a latch side opposite the hinged side, and a handle disposed on a handle side disposed between the hinged side and the latch side. The carrying case is constructed without protrusions and with a rigid handle, which combine to allow easy removal and deployment of the contents from a vehicle storage location to a cardiac arrest patient. The carrying case is further constructed for greater ease of use during rescue, greater ro-bustness, and for ease of maintenance.
US08960427B2 Decorative case
A case for a portable electronic device that includes a first section having a first plurality of apertures, a second section having a second plurality of apertures, and a plurality of decorative pieces that have a base. The second section is slideable in relation to the first section such that the second plurality of apertures overlaps the first plurality of apertures when the first section and the second section are in a first position or in a second position. The base of each decorative piece is sized and configured to pass through a first overlap region when the first and second sections are in a first position and the base is held in a locked engagement in a second overlap region when the first and second sections are in a second position.
US08960421B1 Foldable front cover for electronic tablet
A foldable cover has panels or sections and hinges that allow the cover to be folded into a stand for an electronic tablet or other electronic device. The front cover protects the front screen of the electronic tablet. The front cover can be folded into a stand to provide multiple viewing angles for the tablet, without needing to carry a separate standalone stand device. The foldable cover can be part of case that houses and protects the electronic tablet. Due to the foldable cover, this case has additional functionality and usability. Since the stand can be formed from the front cover, the stand will be available wherever the case is and is harder to lose than having a separate standalone stand.
US08960418B2 Motor drive of a gearless belt conveyor drive system
A motor drive for a gearless belt conveyor drive system, which includes a motor base frame, a torque arm mounted on the motor base frame or a conveyor baseplate, a rotationally symmetrical stator of a synchronous motor being fixedly held by the torque arm and a rotationally symmetrical rotor casing containing permanent magnet elements of the rotor of the synchronous motor. The rotor casing is directly mountable on a front end of a cylindrical belt conveyor pulley so that the permanent magnet elements of the rotor rotate around the stator and so that the symmetry axis of the rotor casing and the symmetry axis of the stator are aligned with each other and with a longitudinal axis of the belt conveyor pulley.
US08960414B2 Retaining device for a vibration tray
A vibratory apparatus for feeding discrete articles. The vibratory apparatus has a tray for receiving the discrete articles and a vibratory drive for imparting a vibration movement to the tray. A retaining device releasably retains the tray to the vibratory drive. The retaining device includes a tray locking assembly selectively moveable between a locked position to lock the tray to the vibratory drive and an unlocked position to unlock the tray from the vibratory drive. In the unlocked position the tray can be removed from the vibratory drive. In the locked position the tray is locked to the vibratory drive in a vibration transmission relationship.
US08960412B1 Tandem conveyor
In one aspect, an apparatus includes an elongated housing, first and second spaced-apart material inlet openings in a top wall of the housing, an outlet opening in a bottom wall of the housing, a first conveyor configured to move material received from the first material inlet toward the outlet opening, and a second conveyor configured to move material received from the first material inlet toward the outlet opening. The outlet opening is longitudinally disposed between the first and second spaced-apart material inlet openings. In another aspect, an apparatus includes a housing having first and second opposite ends and an outlet opening in a bottom wall of the housing. The first end is configured to receive a portion of a first conveyor and the second end is configured to receive a portion of a second conveyor. The first and second conveyors are configured to move material toward the outlet opening.
US08960408B2 Handrail for a moving walkway
A moving walkway or escalator includes a handrail and a guide for the handrail. The handrail is driven by motor and moved along the longitudinal axis thereof at or on the guide. The handrail is guided at or on the guide along an arcuate portion of the guide while rotated or twisted about the longitudinal axis thereof, so that it can be guided more easily around curves of the moving walkway.
US08960406B2 Bezel assembly comprising image recognition for use with an automated transaction device
The bezel assembly for data reception, for use with a bill validator in a financial transactional device, includes a bezel housing and a data reception assembly. The bezel housing includes a customer-facing front portion and a back plate connectable to the bill validator that is mounted within the transactional device cabinet. The front portion includes an insertion/dispensing slot for receiving currency and a projecting protrusion forward of the casing. The forward-extending protrusion accommodates at least a portion of the data reception assembly. The bezel assembly can include a wireless communication function that is communicably connectable with a mobile device via a wireless communication method, a manual entry function, a biometric reader, one or more cameras for scanning and decrypting 2D barcodes and the like, thus enhancing the overall functionality of the financial transactional device.
US08960402B2 Financial device, method of controlling the same, and medium processing apparatus
Provided is a financial device, which comprises a medium entrance, a medium processing apparatus, and a control unit. A medium is deposited or withdrawn through the medium entrance. The medium processing apparatus processes the medium. The control unit controls the medium processing apparatus. The medium processing apparatus comprises a front guider, a rear guider behind the front guider, a pushing member pushing a medium disposed in a medium processing space, and a supporting guider supporting the medium in the medium processing space. The control unit controls an operation of the medium processing apparatus such that states of the front guider, the rear guider, the pushing member, and the supporting guider when moving of a medium is completed in the medium processing space to deposit the medium are the same as states of the front guider, the rear guider, the pushing member, and the supporting guider when moving of a medium is completed in the medium processing space to withdraw or return the medium.
US08960401B2 System integration
A large and massive panel is maneuvered and supported by a work piece support which has an upper horizontal work piece support surface for receiving the panel in extended surface-to-surface contact. An array of apertures is provided in the work piece support surface, beneath same of which are provided low friction bearing elements moveable between a raised, load-bearing position in which the panel can be slid onto the work piece support and a retracted position in which the panel is left in extended surface to surface contact with the work piece support.
US08960397B2 Apparatus for transmitting torque
A device for transmission and/or generation of torque having a driveshaft and having a driven shaft acted upon by field-excited forces of a magnetorheological medium, the driveshaft terminates in a flange in a housing, at least one cylinder is arranged on the flange (7), and the cylinder extends over the driven shaft coaxially while forming a gap which is filled with the magnetorheological medium.
US08960395B2 Torque converter assembly with fluid manifold
A manifold for a torque converter assembly is disclosed. The manifold may have a base portion configured to be fixedly connected to a frame of a mobile machine. The base portion may have a first face, a second face, and an outer radial surface located between the first face and the second face. The manifold may also have a sleeve portion extending axially away from the second face of the base portion. The sleeve portion may have an outer radial surface. The base portion may further have a first passageway configured to receive hydraulic fluid. The first passageway may have an inlet in the outer radial surface of the base portion and an outlet in the outer radial surface of the sleeve portion. The manifold may also have a second passageway configured to receive hydraulic fluid. The second passageway may have an inlet in the first face and an outlet in the second face.
US08960390B2 Vehicle-mounted active vibration reducing device
Provided is a vehicle-mounted active vibration reducing device wherein vibrations in a plurality of directions are reduced by a single dynamic damper. Since an actuator is attached so as to be supported by an elastic member attached to a bracket, the actuator can be used as a mass of a dynamic damper. The moving directions of the actuator are the forward and rearward directions, and are different from the moving directions of the dynamic damper using the actuator as a mass, i.e., the upward and downward directions. Accordingly, vibrations can be controlled in the forward and rearward directions which correspond to the moving directions of the actuator as well as the upward and downward directions which correspond to the moving directions of the dynamic damper.
US08960385B2 Damper for a bicycle
A pull shock damper for a bicycle comprising a spring device and a damper device, the spring device comprising a positive spring and a gas-operated negative chamber. The damper device comprises a first oil chamber and a second oil chamber connected therewith. The negative chamber abuts the first oil chamber via a piston. A tubular structure extends from the piston through the negative chamber interior up to the end of the negative chamber. The piston rod of the piston extends through the first oil chamber to the exterior.
US08960382B2 Chamber with filler material to dampen vibrating components
A component defines at least one chamber that is confined by the component. The chamber has an inner surface. A filler material is disposed inside the chamber. Relative movement between the inner surface and the filler material helps dampen vibrations and other oscillations if and when the component is vibrated.
US08960379B2 Supplemental mechanism for actuating the brake of a bicycle and methods of use
The present invention describes a supplemental mechanism for actuating the brake of a bicycle either independently or as an addition to normal hand operation of the brake by a brake lever on the handlebars. The actuating mechanism can be adapted to operate a variety of manufactured rim, disc or hub brakes and brake operating mechanisms, including but not limited to Bowden cables and hydraulic actuators and to a variety of different bicycle configurations including but not limited to tandems, (which here is used to describe any kind of multi-seat bicycle), recumbent bicycles and tricycles.
US08960372B2 Elevator car door interlock
An apparatus for use with an elevator car is operable to selectively lock an elevator car door. The apparatus verifies that the elevator car door is closed, locks the elevator car door, and verifies that a lock is engaged. Once conditions are met, the apparatus signals an elevator controller that the elevator car can move through a hoistway. The apparatus further ensures that passengers can safely disembark from the elevator car by detecting the position of the elevator car relative to a designated landing zone within the hoistway, and confirming the elevator car is stopped at a landing zone prior to disengaging the lock. The apparatus thus ensures that the elevator car door remains closed while the elevator car is in motion or between landing zones.
US08960369B1 Air accelerating system
An air accelerating system includes a housing that has a bore extending through top and bottom ends of the housing. A mounting collar mounted on the bottom end fluidly couples the housing to an oil fill hole of a valve cover. An axle mounted in the bore has a plurality of main blades mounted thereon which are rotated when the axle is rotated to exhaust air from the bottom end to blow oil out of engine valves and into an oil pan of an engine. A drive mount mounted to the top end has at least one vent aperture extending therethrough that is in fluid communication with the bore. A drive spindle rotatably mounted to the drive mount is engaged with the axle and engageable with a drill. The drill rotates the axle to draw air into the vent aperture and expel it outwardly of the bottom end.
US08960367B1 Acoustic panel
An acoustic panel for diffusing sound waves, the acoustic panel comprising: a panel front surface and a substantially opposed panel back surface; the panel front surface defining a plurality of front surface regions each delimited by a respective front surface region perimeter, each of the front surface regions being curved. The sound waves incoming at the panel front surface are diffused by the panel front surface.
US08960363B2 Electric power steering device
Disclosed is an electric power steering device capable of applying a prescribed steering assist force to a steering assembly, even when a torque sensor is out of order and the electric power steering device is in a state of being unable to sense steering torque by the torque sensor. Using an angle of rotation of a rotating element, which is detected by a resolver that serves as a rotating element angle of rotation sensing unit of a motor, a steering angle and a steering angular velocity are estimated, and a prescribed steering assist force is applied to a steering assembly by the motor, on the basis of an estimated steering angle and/or an estimated steering angular velocity.
US08960360B2 Integrated vehicle structure and power-plant exhaust
A frame is disclosed for a vehicle having a vehicle body, a vehicle suspension, and a power-plant configured to generate torque and an exhaust gas stream. The frame includes a tubular frame rail in fluid communication with the power-plant, wherein the rail is defined by a fully-closed cross-section that provides a fluid passage. The frame rail is configured to support the vehicle body and the vehicle suspension. The fluid passage is configured to channel the exhaust gas stream through the frame rail and away from the vehicle body. A vehicle employing such a frame is also disclosed.
US08960359B2 Work vehicle with diesel particulate filter
A work vehicle includes a cooling fan, an engine, and a diesel particulate filter (DPF) purifying exhaust gas of the engine, placed under a hood in that order, beginning at the front. Exhaust gas from the engine is exhausted through an exhaust passage after passing through the DPF. The cooling fan supplies cooling air to the rear. The DPF is placed such that a length direction thereof follows a width direction of a vehicle body. The exhaust passage includes a first passage, a second passage, and a third passage. The first passage extends forward and upward from the DPF before extending along the length direction thereof on a front side of the DPF. The second passage extends downward from a downstream portion of the first passage. The third passage extends to the rear from a downstream portion of the second passage and also includes an exhaust outlet.
US08960355B2 Electric motorcycle
An electric motorcycle of the present invention comprises: a battery for storing electric power; an inverter for generating an AC current by the electric power supplied from the battery to the inverter; a motor for generating driving power by the AC current generated by the inverter and supplied to the motor; a wiring member for electrically connecting the inverter to the motor and flowing a current to drive the motor; a battery case for accommodating the battery; an inverter case for accommodating the inverter; and a motor unit case for accommodating the motor, wherein the wiring member is placed in a space defined by the battery case, the inverter case and the motor unit case.
US08960354B2 Combination structure of bicycle frame and motor hub
A combination structure of bicycle frame and motor hub includes a bicycle frame, a motor hub, and an elongated axle. One can extend, from one side of the bicycle frame, the elongated axle through a through hole of the bicycle frame and the motor hub, and then with one hand, a tail end of the elongated axle can be fastened into an internal thread hole of the bicycle frame. This will facilitate assembly of the components of the motor hub and the bicycle frame. Besides, when screwing or unscrewing the elongated axle, since the elongated axle has passed through the through hole and the internal thread hole opposing each other at the bicycle frame, the motor hub will not fall accidentally, and convenience can be assured for maintenance staff during proceeding of maintenance work.
US08960351B1 Utility vehicle
A utility vehicle equipped with a main frame for forming a framework of a chassis; a ROPS (Roll-Over Protective Structure) provided at an intermediate portion of the main frame in a front-rear direction of a body of the utility vehicle so as to enclose a cabin; a seat disposed inside the ROPS; an engine disposed under the seat; and a battery disposed under the seat and on an outside of the engine in a width direction of the utility vehicle.
US08960349B2 Hydraulic fluid warm-up using hydraulic fan reversal
A work vehicle is disclosed including at least one hydraulic actuator that receives hydraulic fluid, and a cooling system that promotes improved warm-up of the hydraulic fluid by directing air from an engine compartment across the hydraulic fluid in a reverse direction to warm the hydraulic fluid.
US08960348B2 Four-wheeled vehicle
A four-wheeled vehicle is provided which increases and secures the volume of an air cleaner while avoiding increase in the number of components and reducing the influence of the air cleaner on other components. The vehicle is equipped with a driver seat and a passenger seat arranged on a vehicle body frame side by side in the vehicle width direction, and is equipped with an engine disposed on the vehicle body frame substantially at the center in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. An air cleaner, constituting a part of an intake device of the engine and formed in an elongated shape in the vehicle width direction, is disposed between the driver seat and the passenger seat.
US08960345B2 Transporter vehicle
A cooling air supply device (22) for supplying cooling air to an alternator (19) and an electric motor (20) for traveling is provided with a cooling air inlet port (24B) for taking in outside air as cooling air; a cooling air supply line (23) for establishing connection between the cooling air inlet port (24B), and the alternator (19) and the electric motor (20), and an alternator side cooling fan (36) and an electric motor side cooling fan (37) for sucking cooling air from the cooling air inlet port (24B) into the cooling air supply line (23). A dust separator (28) is provided in the halfway section of the cooling air supply line (23) to spirally circulate the cooling air and centrifugally separate the dust from the cooling air, and the dust in the cooling air is separated by the dust separator (28).
US08960344B2 Fuel cell vehicle
An object of the present invention is to efficiently mount a fuel cell system below a floor of a vehicle rear portion and to protect the fuel cell system when a forward impact force acts on a vehicle rear portion. To achieve this, a fuel cell vehicle in which a fuel cell system includes a gas tank is configured to store a fuel gas and a fuel cell unit formed by integrating a fuel cell stack, an intake duct, and an exhaust duct, the gas tank is disposed in a space below a rear floor connected to a front floor via a vertical wall portion and adjacent to the vertical wall portion, and the fuel cell unit is disposed behind the gas tank. In the fuel cell vehicle, an axle beam extending in a vehicle width direction and connecting left and right rear wheels to each other is disposed behind the gas tank, the fuel cell unit is disposed between the axle beam and a rear bumper, and vertical walls of front and rear portions of the fuel cell stack are covered with at least one of an upstream portion of the intake duct and a downstream portion of the exhaust duct.
US08960342B2 Swing-out coolers and cooling fans
A vehicle is provided having at least one swing-out cooling assembly. A method of assembling the at least one swing-out cooling assembly on the vehicle is further provided.
US08960339B2 Mecanum wheel
A Mecanum wheel having a circular plate with a plurality of peripheral flanges formed thereon, the flanges having tab portions bent at an angle of less than 90° from said plate; a roller being mounted to and cantilevering off of each of said tab portions such that the axis of rotation of each roller is at corresponding angle of less than 90° from said plate. In some cases, the angles are approximately the same, being approximately 45°. By cantilevering the rollers, more space is available for use by machines using this Mecanum wheel design.
US08960336B2 Rock drill bit
A rock drill bit having a shank fitted with a clamping end and a drilling tip located from the clamping end. The drilling tip has at least three blades and a central zone centered on a drill bit axis. The blades each include on a top side thereof a lip constituted by a leading chipping face and a trailing flank. The lips substantially converge onto each other within a the central zone of the drilling tip, wherein in the central zone, a long lip of the lips runs through the drill bit axis and has a commensurate overshoot segment extending beyond the drill bit axis.
US08960335B2 Bit for drilling wells and associated drilling method
A bit for drilling wells has a front face with radial blades having cutting elements distributed around the front face. A space for forming a core is situated at the center of the front face. A cavity is provided for evacuating the core towards a periphery of the bit. At least a portion of the cavity is situated between adjacent blades. The cavity is delimited by two lateral surfaces and a clearance surface set back with respect to the front face, and the cavity is open in a direction opposite the clearance surface. The bit may be used in methods for drilling wells and makes it possible to rapidly drill wells of great depth in all types of rock without the risk of clogging.
US08960330B2 System and method for directional drilling
A system and method facilitate directional drilling. The technique employs an orienting tool which may be connected into a coiled tubing drilling system to selectively orient a drilling assembly. The orienting tool is able to cause relative rotation of an outer housing to orientate a tool face. The relative rotation is facilitated by utilizing floating members, such as a floating piston and a floating nut, in the internal orientation assembly. The floating member or members are decoupled in a radial direction to better facilitate the relative rotation of the housing with respect to components of the internal orientation assembly.
US08960328B2 Drill bit with adjustable side force
A drill bit is disclosed. The drill bit includes a center member configured to rotate at a first speed and an outer member disposed outside the center member, wherein the outer member is configured to rotate at a second speed. The drill bit also includes a first cutter disposed on the center member and a second cutter disposed on the outer member, wherein the first speed and second speeds are configured to control a resultant side force of the drill bit.
US08960321B2 Agricultural implements with float-restricted hinged wings
A towable soil pulverizer having a center section and foldable wings mounted by hinges on opposite sides of the center section to fold upwardly or downwardly about substantially longitudinal hinge axes. Each hinge has a spaced ball joint and guide roller in roller slot. A wing float axis for each wing extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal hinge axis in a transverse direction, each wing also being pivotal about the float axis. The hinge design with the float axis prevents weight transfer between the center section and wing sections when the pulverizer operates over uneven soil, providing uniform soil conditioning over the width of the pulverizer. The center section rollers are positioned ahead of, behind, or co-linear with the wing rollers. Lockout kits are provided for mounting in the roller guide slots for restricting motion.
US08960319B2 Flat plate concealed horizontal sidewall sprinkler
A sprinkler assembly having a base including a passageway, an inlet opening communicating with a pressurized fluid source, an outlet opening for outputting a flow of pressurized fluid along a flow path, and an axis extending through the outlet opening. The sprinkler assembly further comprises a top engaging the base and a deployment assembly supporting a flow shaper assembly. The deployment assembly is movably mounted to either the base or the top and is movable horizontally between a retracted position and an extended position for dispersing the pressurized fluid from the outlet opening. A heat responsive trigger is mounted to releasably retain the deployment assembly within the retracted position.
US08960318B2 Fire suppression nozzle
A fire extinguishing device for the uniform distribution of compressed air foam for fire suppression, connected to a piping network of a CAF system. Multiple nozzles of different types are connected to a single body, set at specific angles both horizontally and vertically. Each nozzle is selected to provide a set discharge spray angle and positioned in the body of the device to provide the proper distribution. The device body has a female thread at the inlet for connection to the CAF system in addition to female outlets at the discharge for connection of spray nozzles. The device may be used to create a 360° spray pattern or a 120° spray pattern depending on the application.
US08960315B2 Swellable downhole apparatus and support assembly
A downhole apparatus and support assembly has a radially expanding portion comprising a swellable elastomeric material selected to increase in volume on exposure to at least one predetermined fluid, and the support assembly is operable to be deployed from a first retracted position to a second expanded condition. The support assembly comprises an inner surface arranged to face the radially expanding portion, and at least a portion of the inner surface is concave. The support assembly may be configured to direct a force from the swellable material to boost or energize a seal created between the radially expanding portion and a surrounding surface in use.
US08960313B2 Packer deployed formation sensor
A packer deployed well wall monitoring or transceiver assembly. The assembly may be particularly suited for use with swellable packers wherein the sensor or transceiver is delivered in a manner that substantially avoids damage thereto. Furthermore, the pre-deployment configuration of the assembly may enhance the deployment and reliability of the sensor in terms of formation monitoring over time. The deployment of the packer provides the energy required for the sensor or transceiver to contact the well wall. The packer elastomeric material provides or can be enhanced to provide isolation of the sensor or transceivers from extraneous borehole disturbances improving their signal to noise characteristics.
US08960310B2 Apparatus and method for connecting fluid lines
An apparatus and method for controlling fluid flow in a blowout preventer. In one embodiment, an apparatus for connecting fluid lines includes a socket fluid connector and a plug fluid connector. Each connector includes a flow channel. The plug fluid connector is detachably connectable to the socket fluid connector at a connection end of the plug and socket fluid connectors such that the flow channels align. Each of the socket and plug fluid connectors includes a check valve in the flow channel. The check valve is configured to prevent fluid flow through the connector flow channels while the plug and socket fluid connectors are not connected, and to enable bidirectional fluid flow through the connector flow channels while plug and socket fluid connectors are connected.
US08960309B2 Oil well pump apparatus
An oil well pumping apparatus for pumping oil from a well to a wellhead provides a tool body sized and shaped to be lowered into the production tubing string. A working fluid is provided that can be pumped into the production tubing, by a prime mover. A flow channel into the well bore enables the working fluid to be circulated from the prime mover via the production tubing to the tool body at a location in the well and then back to the wellhead area. A pumping mechanism is provided on the tool body, including upper and lower spur gear or gears connected with a common shaft. The upper spur gear is driven by the working fluid. The lower spur gear is rotated by the first spur gear. The tool body has flow conveying portions that mix the working fluid and the produced oil as the oil is pumped.
US08960307B2 Wellhead system with gasket seal
An offshore well system for a subsea well. The system includes a floating platform, an external riser and an internal riser nested within the external riser. A external riser tension device tensions the external riser. The drilling system also includes a surface wellhead system that includes a wellhead, a collet, and a flange assembly. The wellhead, collet, and flange assembly are assembled to establish a common bore for receiving the top of the internal riser. A gasket located between the top of the internal riser and an inner shoulder of the flange assembly seals between the wellhead system and the top of the internal riser. The surface wellhead system also retains the internal riser in tension with the wellhead, the internal riser extending above the wellhead into the collet.
US08960306B2 Annular blowout preventer and lower marine riser package connector unit
An annular blowout preventer assembly has an annular element housing and a central cavity with an elastomeric annular element in the central cavity. An annular element piston is located within the central cavity in engagement with the annular element. A connector housing has an upper end that abuts a lower end of the annular element housing. Bolts extend upward from the connector housing into threaded blind holes in the annular element housing for securing the connector housing to the annular element housing. A locking element is carried within the connector housing for radial inward movement into engagement with a profile on a mandrel of a blowout preventer stack.
US08960304B2 Underwater hydrocarbon transport apparatus
An underwater fluid transport apparatus (10) to transport a fluid between a sea bed (12) and the surface (14) of the sea vertically above the sea bed. A riser (20) is connected to a flexible pipe (32) leading to the sea surface (14). A retaining float (24) is installed around the riser in order to maintain the riser (20) in a stretched suspended position between the sea bed (12) and a subsurface region situated between the sea bed and the surface (14) of the sea. The flexible pipe (32) extends in a catenary curve between the riser (20) and the sea surface. An additional float (28) is installed between the riser (20) and the sea surface (14). The riser (20) is attached to the additional float (28) to increase the buoyancy of the riser.
US08960302B2 Marine subsea free-standing riser systems and methods
A free-standing riser system connects a subsea source to a surface structure. The system includes a concentric free-standing riser comprising inner and outer risers defining an annulus there between. A lower end of the riser is fluidly coupled to the subsea source through a lower riser assembly (LRA) and one or more subsea flexible conduits. An upper end of the riser is connected to a buoyancy assembly and the surface structure through an upper riser assembly (URA) and one or more upper flexible conduits, the riser also mechanically connected to a buoyancy assembly that applies upward tension to the riser. The riser may be insulated for flow assurance, either by a flow assurance fluid in the annulus, insulation of the outside of the outer riser, or both. The system may include a hydrate inhibition system and/or a subsea dispersant system. The surface structure may be dynamically positioned.
US08960296B2 Complex fracturing using a straddle packer in a horizontal wellbore
A method of inducing fracture complexity within a fracturing interval of a subterranean formation is provided. The method comprises defining a stress anisotropy-altering dimension, providing a straddle-packer assembly to alter a stress anisotropy of a fracturing interval, based on defining the stress anisotropy-altering dimension, isolating a first fracturing interval of the subterranean formation with the straddle-packer assembly, inducing a fracture in the first fracturing interval, isolating a second fracturing interval of the subterranean formation with the straddle-packer assembly, inducing a fracture in the second fracturing interval, wherein fracturing the first and second fracturing intervals alters the stress anisotropy within a third fracturing interval, isolating the third fracturing interval with the straddle-packer assembly, and inducing a fracture in the third fracturing interval. The straddle-packer assembly comprises a first packer, an injection port sub-assembly above the first packer, and a second packer above the injection port sub-assembly.
US08960292B2 High rate stimulation method for deep, large bore completions
A method of servicing a wellbore comprising inserting a first tubing member into the wellbore, wherein a manipulatable fracturing tool is coupled to the first tubing member and comprises one or more ports configured to alter a flow of fluid through the manipulatable fracturing tool, positioning the manipulatable fracturing tool proximate to a formation zone, manipulating the manipulatable fracturing tool to establish fluid communication between the flowbore of the first tubing member and the wellbore, introducing a first component of a composite fluid into the wellbore via the flowbore of the first tubing member, introducing a second component of the composite fluid into the wellbore via an annular space formed by the first tubing member and the wellbore, mixing the first component with the second component within the wellbore, and causing a fracture to form or be extended within the formation zone.
US08960291B2 Method for forming a hydrocarbon resource RF radiator
A method for forming a radio frequency (RF) radiator in a laterally extending wellbore in a subterranean formation containing a hydrocarbon resource may include positioning at least one electrically conductive member within the laterally extending wellbore. The method may also include supplying a solidifiable material adjacent the at least one electrically conductive member, and solidifying the solidifiable material to form a dielectric material layer over the at least one electrically conductive member to form the RF radiator.
US08960285B2 Method of processing a hydrocarbon resource including supplying RF energy using an extended well portion
A method for hydrocarbon resource recovery in a subterranean formation including a laterally extending injector well having a tubular conductor therein, and a laterally extending producer well adjacent the injector well, may include drilling outwardly from a distal end of the injector well beyond a distal end of the tubular conductor to define an extended injector well portion. The method may further include advancing a radio frequency (RF) conductor through the tubular conductor so as to extend beyond the distal end of the tubular conductor and into the extended injector well portion. The method may further include supplying RF energy into adjacent portions of the subterranean formation from the RF conductor, and recovering hydrocarbon resources utilizing the producer well.
US08960283B2 Damper cartridge for launching plugs in cementing operations
An apparatus for use in launching cement plugs in a well cementing operation comprises a cylinder, a piston slideably received in the bore of the cylinder and an actuator extending from the piston through the cylinder. The actuator is operable by the piston for launching plugs from the apparatus into the well. A resilient damper cartridge is slideably mounted on the actuator in the cylinder so as to be contactable by the piston. A series of frangible pins is located in the cylinder wall so as to provide temporary limits to the movement of the cartridge in the cylinder as the piston slides along the cylinder.
US08960282B2 Centrifugal subterranean debris collector
A subterranean debris catcher takes in debris laden fluid at a lower end. The inlet flow is induced with an eductor whose discharge goes around the housing to the lower end inlet for the debris. The eductor suction induces flow into the lower end of the housing as well. Incoming debris goes up an annular space around the collection receptacle and turns to pass through a bladed wheel that imparts a spin to the flowing stream. The flow direction reverses from up before the wheel to down through a tube after the wheel. The solids are flung to the tube periphery and the fluid reverses direction to go back up to a screen before reaching the eductor suction connection. The debris swirls down an open bottom tube and is collected in a housing surrounding the down tube.
US08960280B2 Method for determining fracture plane orientation using passive seismic signals
A method for determining fracture plane orientation from seismic signals detected above a subsurface formation of interest includes detecting seismic signals using an array of seismic sensors deployed above the subsurface formation during pumping of a hydraulic fracture treatment of the subsurface formation. A time of origin and a spatial position of origin (hypocenter) of microseismic events resulting from the hydraulic fracture treatment are determined. Time consecutively occurring ones of the hypocenters falling within a selected temporal sampling window are selected. A best fit line through the selected hypocenters using a preselected linear regression coefficient is determined. The selecting hypocenters and determining best fit lines is repeated for a selected number of windows.
US08960277B2 Packer for sealing against a wellbore wall
A packer for sealing against an inner cylindrical mandrel and a wellbore wall.
US08960276B2 Wellhead seal device to seal casing
A wellhead seal device forms metal seals in an annular space between inner and outer tubular members such as a rough casing held within aligned casing and tubing heads. An annular metal sealing sleeve has a lower portion seated in the annular space, and an upper portion which forms an inner sealing annulus adjacent the outer wall of the inner tubular member. A metal seal ring and a wedge ring are located in the inner sealing annulus. A retaining ring is retained by the upper portion above the wedge ring. Threaded seal energizing members extend through the retaining ring to push downwardly on the wedge ring and compress the metal seal ring radially inwardly to form a metal seal to the inner tubular member and thus seal the inner sealing annulus. The lower portion of the annular metal sealing sleeve may seal to the casing head and to the casing.
US08960273B2 Artificial lift system for well production
A method of pumping production fluid from a wellbore includes deploying a centrifugal pump into a production wellbore; and pumping hydrocarbons from the production wellbore by rotating an impeller of the centrifugal pump in the production wellbore from surface using a drive string, wherein the impeller is rotated at a speed less than or equal to seventeen hundred fifty revolutions per minute.
US08960269B2 Plug bypass valve and heat exchanger
A heat exchanger includes: a bypass valve; a stack of standard tubes; and, in the stack, a pair of stacked-together adapter tubes. Each standard tube end has spaced-apart walls including openings. Each adapter tube end has: a wall including an opening; and a passage. At one end of the pair, the passages communicate with one another and the openings communicate with the openings in adjacent standard tubes; at the other end, the openings communicate with the openings in adjacent standard tubes. The valve includes a plug with opposed plug walls, one plug wall having one of an inlet and outlet, the plug being disposed with its walls between and at said other end of the pair and with the inlet and outlet communicating with the passages. An actuator is adjacent to the plug and has a reciprocating plunger for selectively blocking at least said one of the inlet and outlet.
US08960261B1 Vehicle window shade system
A vehicle window shade system for providing shade to the interior of a vehicle. A first guide rail and a second guide rail are attached to a vehicle window frame. The shade is supported by a top support bar and a bottom support bar. At least a part of the top support bar and/or the bottom support bar is made from elastic materials or telescoping parts such that the support bars may be extended to reach the varying distances between the first side rail and the second side rail. The shade expands by pressing a switch that triggers a motor to uncoil a cable and move the top support bar up the first and second guide rails.
US08960258B2 Device for winding up and unwinding raising cords of a screen such as a window covering
The invention relates to a device (1) for winding up and unwinding raising cords of a screen, comprising: an elongate housing (2); a shaft (3) intended for rotation in the housing; a number of winding rollers (4) which are coaxially mountable on the shaft for winding up and unwinding the raising cords (5) and which are adapted for releasable fastening of the raising cords; a number of winding roller holders (6) for bearing-mounted support of the winding rollers, which winding roller holders are adapted to be received in the housing. The device further comprises a number of blocking elements (10), each arranged on one of the winding rollers, for blocking one of the degrees of freedom of movement of the winding rollers, wherein each blocking element is movable between an assembly position, in which the respective winding roller is blocked against rotation, and a position of use in which the respective winding roller is blocked against translation, wherein the blocking elements are adapted for releasable fastening of one of the raising cords.
US08960257B2 Methods, apparatuses, and systems for controlling lateral displacement of a movable partition
Apparatuses, methods and systems for directionally controlling a movable partition are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus for controlling lateral displacement of a movable partition includes a bracket, a roller assembly, a first attachment bracket, and a second attachment bracket. The roller assembly is coupled to the bracket and includes a roller element. The first attachment bracket attaches to a first panel of the movable partition and is configured for hinged coupling to a first side of the bracket such that a first pivot line substantially coincides with a centerline of the first panel. The second attachment bracket attaches to a second panel of the movable partition and is configured hinged coupling to a second side of the bracket such that a second pivot line substantially coincides with a centerline of the second panel.
US08960256B2 Manual override system for motor-driven retractable awning
A retractable motor-driven awning can be extended or retracted by energizing the motor in one direction or another. A manually operable system, however, is also employed for rotating the awning by hand in a direction to retract the awning in the event the motor drive becomes inoperable. The ability to hand rotate the roll bar to retract the awning is achieved by connecting the roll bar to the drive shaft of the motor with a manual override system. Implementations of a manual override mechanism include one-way bearings and various ratchet designs.
US08960253B2 Tire bead for a heavy civil engineering vehicle
A technique for improving the durability of the beads of a radial tire for a heavy vehicle of the civil engineering type, by reducing the rate of spread of cracks initiated at the turned-back end of carcass reinforcement and the spread through the coating, edge-binding and filler polymer materials. A transition element (25), made of a transition polymer material, is at least partially in contact, on its axially external face, with the edge-binding polymer material (22) and, on its axially internal face, with a filler polymer material (23b), the radially external (E25) and radially internal (I25) ends of the transition element are respectively radially on the outside of and radially on the inside of the end of the turned-back portion of carcass reinforcement, and the elastic modulus at 10% elongation of the transition polymer material is somewhere between the respective elastic moduli at 10% elongation of the edge-binding polymer material and of the filler polymer material with which the transition element is in contact.
US08960250B2 Low moisture permeability laminate construction
An article having a fluid permeation prevention layer, such as a pneumatic tire or hose. A tire for example includes an outer tread layer, intermediate sidewall and carcass layers and an innermost air permeation prevention layer: (i) the air permeation prevention (APP) layer having an upper and a lower surface, the layer having a polymer composition exhibiting an air permeation coefficient (APC) of about 25×10′12 cc cm/cm2 sec cmHg (at 30° C.) or less and a Young's modulus of about 1 MPa to about 500 MPa, the polymer composition comprising: (A) at least 10 wt % of at least one. thermoplastic resin component having an APC of about 25×10″12 cc cm/cm2 sec cmHg (at 30° C.) or less and a Young's modulus of more than 500 MPa, which is preferably a polyamide resin or mixture, and (B) at least 10 wt % of at least one elastomer component having an APC of more than about 25×10″12 cc cm/cm2 sec cmHg (at 30° C.) and a Young's modulus of not more than 500 MPa, which elastomer component is preferably a halogen-containing rubber or mixture, the total amount (A)+(B) being not less than about 30 wt %, and the elastomer component is a dispersed vulcanized, discontinuous phase in the thermoplastic resin matrix; and (ii) at least one thermoplastic laminate layer bonded to at least said lower surface of the APP layer, the thermoplastic layer comprising a film-forming, semi-crystalline, substantially hydrophobic carbon chain polymer having a glass transition temperature, Tg, of less than about −200 C.
US08960246B2 Pneumatic tire
A pneumatic tire comprises a plurality of main grooves extending along a tire circumferential direction, and shoulder lateral grooves extending to an outer side in a tire width direction from a shoulder main groove positioned in an outermost side in the tire width direction among the main grooves, the main grooves and the shoulder lateral grooves being arranged on a tread surface, wherein a depression is formed on a wall surface of a land portion facing to the shoulder lateral groove, in a state in which it is not exposed to a surface of the land portion, and wherein the depression is formed in such a manner that a height of the depression in a depth direction of the shoulder lateral groove is reduced toward an inner side in the tire width direction, and an exposure length of the depression becomes longer in accordance with a progress of an abrasion of the land portion.
US08960238B2 Quick release tire stem cap
An article of manufacture, a quick cap device for use with a tire valve stem, which may be a pushed-to-put-on/squeezed-to-remove tire valve stem cap.Optional interior female threads and grooves may also be used with versions of the invention.
US08960236B2 Bypass piston port and methods of manufacturing a bypass piston port for a series progressive divider valve
A series progressive divider valve comprises a valve body and pistons. A fluid inlet extends into the valve body. Stations are disposed in the valve body and extend from a first end to a second end; each station comprises piston stations extending through the valve body and a bypass station fluidly isolating the first end from the second end. The piston stations comprise a piston bore and a piston. The bypass stations comprise first and second fluid passages extending from the first and second ends to positions inside the valve body. Outlet bores extend into the valve body, and each comprises first and second sets of outlet bores. Porting forms passageways connecting the stations to each other and with the outlet bores such that when high pressure fluid is applied to the inlet the pistons reciprocates from the first end to the second end in sequence.
US08960235B2 Gas dispersion apparatus
A gas dispersion apparatus for use with a process chamber, comprising: a quartz body having a top, a ring coupled to a bottom surface of the top and a bottom plate having dispersion holes coupled to the ring opposite the top; a plurality of quartz plates disposed between the top and the bottom plate, wherein the plurality of plates are positioned above one another and spaced apart to form a plenum above each of the plurality of plates and the bottom plate; a plurality of quartz tubes to couple the plenums to the plurality of dispersion holes, each of the plurality of quartz tubes having a first end disposed within one of the plenums and having a second end coupled to one of the dispersion holes; and a plurality of conduits disposed through the top, wherein each of the plurality of conduits is coupled to one of the plenums.
US08960232B2 Latch valve for actuating a transmission control element
A latch valve includes a first port containing line pressure, a second port containing control pressure, a third port located between the first and second ports, alternately connecting the first and second ports to a transmission control element, and a fourth port containing control pressure that tends to close the second port and open the first port in opposition to a spring force.
US08960219B2 Valve actuator
Actuator for a seat valve or a butterfly valve which is of the type that is normally closed (NC) or normally open (NO), and also has a cylinder and a piston being held in the normal position by a spring. The spring includes a closed space with a pressurized fluid, and the actuator further has at least a top unit, with two or more connections for a pressurized fluid. The actuator is with one of the connections in the top unit that is connected to the inside of the cylinder through one or more openings at one end of the cylinder and another connection is connected to the inside of the cylinder through one or more openings at the other end of the cylinder. The top unit is designed to allow the connections to be interchanged by changing the position of the top unit, e.g. by turning the top unit 180 degrees around an axis corresponding to or parallel to the axis of the piston and cylinder.
US08960217B2 Pilot relay
A spool is provided with a first discharge air duct connecting the first opening to the first discharge air chamber, and a second discharge air duct connecting the second opening to the second discharge air chamber, where the first discharge air duct and the second discharge air duct are divided by a non-duct part. A first output air pressure chamber is adjacent to a first discharge air chamber with a first diaphragm interposed therebetween, the first discharge air chamber is adjacent to a bias chamber with a second diaphragm interposed therebetween, the bias chamber is adjacent to an input air pressure chamber with a third diaphragm interposed therebetween, the input air pressure chamber is adjacent to a second discharge air chamber with a fourth diaphragm interposed therebetween, and the second discharge air chamber is adjacent to a second output air pressure chamber with a fifth diaphragm interposed therebetween.
US08960214B2 Tire pressure release apparatus and method
An apparatus includes a housing, a passageway, a pressure release mechanism, and at least one seal. The housing includes a longitudinal axis. The passageway extends through the housing and along the longitudinal axis and has a first end and a second end. The first end is configured to be threadably coupled and to be in fluid communication with a Presta valve of a tire. The second end is configured to be in fluid communication with a hose. The pressure release mechanism communicates with the passageway. The seal communicates with the pressure release mechanism and seals the pressure release mechanism and the passageway.
US08960208B2 Ultrasonic cleaning device
An ultrasonic cleaning device includes an ultrasonic transducer (13) for providing ultrasonic energy to a propagation liquid (15), an ultrasonic propagation tube (12) for flowing the propagation liquid provided with the ultrasonic energy by the ultrasonic transducer, a holding mechanism disposed below the ultrasonic propagation tube for holding an object to be cleaned (21), and a cleaning liquid supply mechanism for supplying a cleaning liquid to a cleaning surface of the object to be cleaned held by the holding mechanism. The ultrasonic propagation tube (12) is disposed so that a side surface thereof may contact a liquid film (19) of the cleaning liquid formed on the cleaning surface by supplying the cleaning liquid to the cleaning surface by the cleaning liquid supply mechanism.
US08960207B2 Aqueous washer with rotating arms with nozzles
A washer adapted to wash a part with a solution, the washer comprising spaced apart sidewalls, and at least one arm rotatably mounted near its center on at least one of the sidewalls. The arm has one end and another end, a central portion, and an angled portion near the one arm end and angled relative to its adjacent arm central portion. The washer also includes a plurality of nozzles spaced apart along the arm central portion and the arm angled portion between near the one arm end and near the other arm end.
US08960198B2 Filter for a smoking article
A filter (11) for a smoking article (10) comprises a first flowpath (13) through the filter, a second flowpath (14) through the filter, the second flowpath being disposed around the first flowpath, and a selector (16) for allowing flow selectively through the first and second flowpaths.
US08960193B2 Mobile medical ventilator
A ventilatory system for providing ventilatory support to a patient without the need for an external source of pressurized drive gas. The ventilatory system comprises a drive pump and a controller such that the drive pump collects ambient air and may pressurize it to a pressure determined by the controller. The controller may signal to the drive pump to pressurize the collected ambient air to a first pressure for delivering ventilatory support to a patient and a second pressure for providing PEEP support to a patient. The controller may signal to the drive pump to deliver a targeted flow and/or volume of collected ambient air to the bellows to provide volumetric ventilatory support during inhalation and a PEEP support during exhalation.
US08960191B2 Powder inhalation device
A powder inhaler comprising: a body (10) that is provided with a dispenser orifice; at least one reservoir containing a dose of powder for dispensing; reservoir-opening means for opening a reservoir on each actuation; and a dispersion chamber (70) including an outlet (720) that is connected to said dispenser orifice, and an inlet (710) that is connected to said opening means and that receives the dose of powder from said open reservoir, said dispersion chamber (70) containing at least one movable element (75), such as a ball; the inhaler being characterized in that said dispersion chamber (70) includes a ball path (730) having a width that decreases from said inlet (710) in the direction of displacement of said at least one ball (75).
US08960190B2 Protective device
A protective device protects the user from infection and may simultaneously immunize the user against future infection. In an embodiment, the protective device includes a disinfection chamber wherein the chamber is arranged to disinfect and/or sterilize fluid in the chamber prior to discharge of the fluid from the chamber such that the fluid discharged from the chamber comprises inactive microorganisms. The device may include a disinfection chamber in fluid communication with a face mask, with the chamber arranged to disinfect and/or sterilize fluid in the chamber prior to discharge of the fluid from the chamber to the mask, such that the fluid discharged from the chamber to the mask comprises inactive microorganisms.
US08960185B2 Compound collector system for solar energy concentration
A solar collector is formed as a compound arrangement of a multiple number of tapered, pyramidal-type structures. This forms an N-stage solar collector, each stage providing a degree of concentration and thus forming an arrangement that is smaller than a single stage collector (while achieving the same amplification factor). The stages are arranged in tandem along a common optical axis, with the output of the first stage becoming the input for the second stage, and so on. It was found that a reduced number of reflections is required, reducing the loss of the overall system.
US08960184B2 Solar receiver system
A solar receiver is provided, comprising a receiver housing extending along a longitudinal axis, having front and rear ends; a window configured to allow radiation to pass therethrough, the window being mounted at the front end and projecting within the housing; a receiver chamber defined between the housing and the window, the receiver chamber having a working fluid inlet for ingress of working fluid to be heated therewithin, and a working fluid outlet for egress therethrough of the heated working fluid; and a solar radiation absorber configured for absorbing the radiation and heating the working fluid thereby, the absorber being located within the receiver chamber and surrounding at least a portion of the window, the solar radiation absorber being formed with channels and made of a foam material, such as a ceramic or metallic foam material, having a characteristic average pore diameter.
US08960181B2 Solar cooking appliances
Solar heat collector, especially an evacuated-tube solar heat collector, filled with first solid heat storage and conducting material transfers the solar heat to an electric power heat insulated utensil through second heat conducting/transferring material for cooking foods and making coffee/tea. A set of solar cooking appliance having a solar heat collector filed with a first solid heat storage and conducting material and a solar cooking range filled with third solid heat storage and conducting material. The solar cooking range having a heat insulated enclosed compartment and also having a cooktop. The cooking range having a set of cooking chambers which are in thermal contact with the first and second heat storage and conducting material for cooking food therein. The cooking appliance also has a group of removable parts that cover the cooking chambers separately. An electric power heater provides a backup energy source and electric heat storage.
US08960180B2 Solar cell cleaning device of an energy storage system and method of cleaning the solar cell
A solar cell cleaning device of an energy storage system, and a method of cleaning solar cells. Solar cells are positioned outside of a protective case only when sunlight is present. The surface of the solar cells is automatically cleaned when the solar cells are positioned outside of a protective case, or when the solar cells are stored in the protective case. The solar cell cleaning device includes a protective case, a rotatable drum coupled to the protective case, and a brush installed on the protective case and closely contacting the drum. A plurality of solar cells are installed on a surface of the drum, and are cleaned by the brush when the drum is rotated.
US08960176B2 Metered ball delivery
Methods and apparatus, for metered ball delivery. An apparatus includes a secure enclosure housing a reservoir of tennis balls, a battery power supply and a battery powered portable tennis ball machine, the secure enclosure and tennis ball machine communicating via a wireless network to determine a location of the portable tennis ball machine.
US08960172B2 Projectile launching device
A launching device comprises a shaft having a first end and a second end, a head coupled to the first end of the shaft and a handle coupled to the second end of the shaft. The head comprises a cavity and a launch ramp curved both upwardly and outwardly from the cavity, wherein a distal portion of the launch ramp extends outwardly beyond the cavity in a forward launching direction. An angle is defined by the longitudinal grip axis and the distal portion of the launch ramp to direct a projectile disposed in the cavity in the forward launching direction.
US08960171B1 Finned engine spacer
A finned engine spacer is coupled in thermal communication between an intake manifold and a fluid metering device. The spacer includes a body having an upstream face, an opposed downstream face, and sides extending between the upstream and downstream faces, the sides cooperating to form an outer periphery. A bore is formed through the body from the upstream face through to the downstream face, the bore for communicating a fuel charge from the fluid metering device to the intake manifold. Fins are formed in each of the sides, and the fins extend between the bore and the outer periphery, creating a finned engine spacer.
US08960167B2 Ventilation control apparatus for internal combustion engine
A ventilation control apparatus for a supercharged internal combustion engine that can perform crankcase ventilation favorably. A system includes a supercharging system, an EGR mechanism, and a blow-by gas reflux mechanism. The EGR mechanism includes an ejector between an EGR valve and an EGR cooler. A suction port is connected to a cylinder head cover via a PCV passage. A nozzle portion is connected to an EGR passage on the EGR cooler side. A diffuser portion is connected to the EGR passage on the EGR valve side. By making EGR gas flow through the EGR passage, gas in the crankcase can be drawn through the PCV passage to thereby be burned, together with the EGR gas or fresh air, in an engine.
US08960165B2 Fluid-guiding housing of an internal combustion engine with an electrically operated heating device
A fluid-guiding housing, in particular a gas-, oil-, fuel- or water-guiding housing (12), of an internal combustion engine, in particular of a motor vehicle, with an electrically operated heating device (33) for heating fluid in the housing (12) is described. At least one wall (18, 20) of the housing (12) is equipped with an electrically heating textile (32).
US08960163B2 Fuel evaporation gas discharge suppressing device of internal combustion engine
A fuel evaporation gas discharge suppressing device of an internal combustion engine includes a gas storage tank for storing a fuel evaporation gas in a communication passage for causing an air intake passage and a fuel tank in an internal combustion engine of a vehicle to communicate with each other in the communication passage. Control unit controls canister opening/closing unit, fuel tank opening/closing unit and gas tank opening/closing unit based on an internal pressure of the fuel tank. The control unit opens the canister opening/closing unit and opens the fuel tank toward the communication passage, and then opens the gas storage tank toward the communication passage when reducing the internal pressure of the fuel tank.
US08960155B2 Operating system for internal combustion engine
A fuel separation device is configured to separate the first fuel from the mixed fuel to have a concentration of the high-octane fuel not more than a prescribed upper limit value. The prescribed upper limit is defined that a consumed amount of the high-octane fuel measured under a condition that the internal combustion engine is operated at an operation mode including a state in which a fuel injection amount from a first fuel injection valve for the first fuel is equal to a lower injection amount limit by using the first fuel and the second fuel separated by the fuel separation device is less than a consumed amount of the high-octane fuel measured under at the above operation mode by using the first fuel and the second fuel having the concentration of the high-octane fuel at 100% and 0%, respectively, by a prescribed amount or more.
US08960151B2 HCCI fuel injectors for robust auto-ignition and flame propagation
A direct injection engine includes a fuel injector receiving a flow of pressurized fuel. The fuel injector provides fuel injections directly into a combustion chamber of the engine. The fuel injector includes a first fuel injector nozzle opening directing with a first narrow injection angle a first portion of a fuel injection mass at a spark gap of a spark plug. The fuel injector further includes a second fuel injector nozzle opening dispersing with a second wider injection angle a second portion of the fuel injection mass within the combustion chamber.
US08960147B2 Intake manifold
An intake manifold is provided with a chamber member provided with an exhaust port and a chamber formed therein, a port member provided with an intake groove forming a ventilation passage bent so as to be communicated with the exhaust port and the chamber of the chamber member when the chamber member and the port member are welded together, and a cover member that covers the port member from a side opposite to the welded side between the chamber member and the port member. The intake groove has an outer wall surface opposing to the chamber member is formed with a reinforcing member so as to protrude from at least one of the port member side or chamber member side toward another one thereof, and the reinforcing member extends along an extending direction of the intake groove, the reinforcing member is welded to another reinforcing member protruding from another outer wall surface of the port member and chamber member, or from the port member and the chamber member.
US08960146B2 Variable-angle vortex generator
A variable-angle vortex generator (10) installed in an intake pipe (100) of an internal combustion engine includes a shaft seat (1), a plurality of vanes (2) and a position restoring mechanism (3). Each vane (2) is arranged radially with an interval apart from each other and pivotally coupled to the shaft seat (1) and each vane (2) has a movable end (21) at an edge of the vane (2). The position restoring mechanism (3) is installed at the shaft seat (1) and includes a synchronizing element (31) for connecting each movable end (21). Each vane (2) is pushed by a fluid to produce a swing movement and let the fluid in the intake pipe (100) form a smooth vortex.
US08960144B2 Variable valve mechanism of internal combustion engine
The present invention provides a variable valve mechanism of an internal combustion engine, which includes a main arm having at a rear end thereof a supported portion that is continuously supported swingably by a support member without floating upward, a sub arm which has a tip end to which a roller contacting a cam is rotatably attached, in which a center of the roller is located rearward of the pressing portion and forward of a swing center of the supported portion, which has a rear end that is swingably supported with respect to the main arm by a support pin, and in which a center of the support pin is located rearward of the center of the roller and forward of the swing center of the supported portion, and a switch pin that is inserted in a central portion of the roller.
US08960142B2 Valve opening-closing timing control apparatus
A valve opening-closing timing control apparatus includes a partition portion partitioning a fluid pressure chamber into an advanced angle chamber and a retarded angle chamber, a phase control portion controlling a rotational phase of a driven-side rotational member relative to a driving-side rotational member, a lock mechanism including a lock member and a lock recess for locking the rotational phase at a predetermined phase, a lock control portion switching the lock mechanism between a locked state and an unlocked state by supplying and discharging a pressurized fluid to and from the lock recess, a phase controlling supply passage supplying the pressurized fluid to the advanced angle chamber and the retarded angle chamber, a lock controlling supply passage supplying the pressurized fluid to the lock recess, and a one-way valve blocking the pressurized fluid supplied to the lock controlling supply passage from flowing into the phase controlling supply passage.
US08960141B2 Adjustment shaft activation of a valve operation for combustion engines for operating gas exchange valves
An adjusting shaft actuating device of a valve train for internal combustion engines includes a cam unit with first and second cams rigidly connected thereto. The second cam is spaced apart from the first cam in axial and peripheral directions. The device also includes a lever unit non-rotatably arranged on an adjusting shaft with first and second lever arms rigidly connected thereto. The second lever arm is spaced apart from the first lever arm in axial and peripheral directions. The first and second cams are configured to be brought into respective operative connections with the first and second lever arms by an axial alignment between the cam unit and lever unit. The first and second cams and the first and second lever arms are arranged such that the first operative connection and the second operative connection are produced during a rotation of the adjusting shaft in a temporally consecutive manner.
US08960140B2 External volume accumulator configuration in a camshaft adjuster
A camshaft adjuster (4) including a stator (20) and a rotor (22) which is received in the stator (20) and which can be rotated relative to the stator (20) by a pressure chamber (44), a pressure interface (46, 80) for supplying hydraulic liquid to the pressure chamber (44), and an outflow interface (78) for the discharge of the hydraulic liquid from the pressure chamber (44). The camshaft adjuster (4) also has a third interface (82) for filling the pressure chamber (44) with hydraulic liquid from a volume accumulator (47).
US08960139B2 Engine assembly having camshaft with non-magnetic journal
An engine assembly may include an engine structure, a camshaft, a timing wheel and a camshaft position sensor. The camshaft may be rotationally supported within the engine structure and may have a non-magnetic journal rotationally fixed thereto. The timing wheel may be rotationally fixed to the camshaft proximate the non-magnetic journal. The camshaft position sensor may be coupled to the engine structure and configured to determine the rotational position of the camshaft based on a magnetic impulse from the timing wheel.
US08960136B2 Method and apparatus for managing airflow and powertrain cooling
An air flow apparatus and method are provided. The apparatus includes a shroud having a first end for connection to a cooling package, and a second end for connection to a fan ring. The fan ring of the apparatus is configured to mount directly to an engine block and surround a fan of the engine block. The apparatus also includes a duct positioned below the shroud and fan ring. The duct has a first opening that opens to an engine compartment, and a second opening that opens to ambient. A flow path extends between the first and second openings and is arranged to route heated air in proximity to the shroud and fan ring to ambient.
US08960134B1 Targeted cooling with individualized feeding ports to cylinders
A cooling system for an engine having a plurality of piston cylinders. The cooling system can include a liquid coolant source having liquid coolant and a cylinder cooling passage network having an inlet and an outlet for receiving and transmitting the liquid coolant. The cylinder cooling passage network having a plurality of individual upstream fluidic passages each being fluidly coupled to the inlet to directly receive the liquid coolant from the liquid coolant source in parallel flow. The cylinder cooling passage network further having a plurality of cylinder jacket passages each extending about at least a portion of a corresponding one of the plurality of piston cylinders and being positioned immediately adjacent thereto. The cylinder jacket passages are fluidly coupled directly to a corresponding one of the plurality of individual upstream fluidic passages to receive the liquid coolant and transmit the liquid coolant to the outlet for improved cooling performance.
US08960131B2 Water heater having upstream and downstream manifolds
A water heater system comprises a water tank, a burner plenum, a flue, a blower, a combustion air passageway, a dilution air passageway, an upstream manifold, and a downstream manifold. The upstream manifold divides air from the blower so that some air flows through the combustion air passageway to the burner plenum and some air flows through the dilution air passageway to the downstream manifold. The downstream manifold combines the air from the dilution air passageway with combustion products from the flue.
US08960127B2 Waste pad
A pet waste collection apparatus having a drawstring within an outer peripheral border of the pet waste collection apparatus, the drawstring having a drawstring exit portion exiting the pet waste collection apparatus, the drawstring exit portion of the drawstring releasably fastened to a bottom corner portion of the pet waste collection apparatus, the pet waste collection apparatus adapted to form a shape of a bag when the drawstring exit portion of the drawstring is released from the bottom corner portion of the pet waste collection apparatus and the drawstring is pulled taut, the pet waste collection apparatus substantially enclosing and sealing pet waste within the pet waste collection apparatus when the drawstring is pulled taut. Alternative embodiments include a bifurcated exit sleeve, an alternate exit sleeve, and a tab, each adapted to adhesively and releasably fasten the drawstring exit portion to the bottom corner, and a leak protection barrier.
US08960126B2 Pump module for pet fountain
A pump module for a recirculating pet fountain having a module housing in which a pump is received in which a filter can also be removably received. The module includes a perforate intake formed in a surface of the housing located adjacent to and generally facing toward a bottom of a fountain basin in which the module is removably mounted helping to keep debris and the like from entering the module and plugging the filter. In one embodiment, the intake is a perforate grate integrally formed in a generally downwardly facing surface of the housing and the module is configured so water enters through the intake and flows upwardly through the filter before entering the pump. The downwardly facing surface of the module housing is configured so some intake perforations are closer to the basin bottom than others helping ensure at least one perforation remains under water and substantially unplugged.
US08960118B2 Lifting apparatus for submarine-atmospheric interface devices and submarine comprising the lifting apparatus
A lifting apparatus for devices used for detection, observation, air intake or communication on a submarine comprises a first movable mounting unit and a second movable mounting unit equipped at the top of them with at least one detection or communication device and at least one actuator associated with the first movable mounting unit and/or with the second movable mounting unit to move them along a main direction of movement. The apparatus further comprises a supporting member extending along the main direction and interposed between the first movable mounting unit and the second movable mounting unit and also having a pair of guides, each extending along the main direction and slidably coupled to a respective movable mounting unit to guide its movement along the selfsame main direction.
US08960114B2 Marine lifting apparatus
A catamaran lifting apparatus includes first and second vessels that are spaced apart during use. First and second frames span between the vessels. The first frame connects to the first vessel with a universal joint and to the second vessel with a hinged connection. The second frame connects to the second vessel with a universal joint and to the first vessel with a hinged or pinned connection. The catamaran hull arrangement provides longitudinal flexibility in a quartering sea state due to the unique universal joint and hinge placement between the frames or trusses and the hulls or barges. Each of the frames extends upwardly in an inverted u-shape, providing a space under the frame and in between the barges that enables a marine vessel to be positioned in between the barges. An object that has been salvaged from the seabed can be placed upon the marine vessel.
US08960113B2 Marine vessel
The invention relates to a marine vessel comprising a hull and a propulsion arrangement. The marine vessel is further provided with at least one vertically arranged cylinder (6) with a cylindrical shell and with a first vertical axis (7). The vertically arranged cylinder is adapted to rotate around the first vertical axis. In order to provide a flexibly adaptable arrangement suitable for various operating modes of the marine vessel, the cylindrical shell comprises at least three sections (62, 63, 64) with a curved portion extending between two ends, whereby each of the three sections is arranged to be turnable around a respective second vertical axis (8), which is positioned at the circumference of the cylindrical shell. Each section is arranged to be anchored into a given position.
US08960111B2 Apparatus and lower thread winding-spool for detecting the ending region of lower thread of sewing machine
A lower thread ending region detection apparatus prevents problems associated with false stitchings occurring from inability to detect lower thread's exhaustion during sewing operation. The lower thread ending region detection apparatus comprises: light control unit, which contacts a part of lower thread wound on a thread bobbin and activates or inactivates at least one of the functions of emitting light, reflecting light, passing light and blocking light, due to the effect of the physical movement force generated depending on whether the lower thread of the ending region is unwound; light receiving unit, which receives the light transferred out by the light control unit and outputs a detection signal; and control and notification unit, which analyzes the detection signal output from the light receiving unit to determine whether the lower thread has reached the ending region and outputs the result to the user.
US08960104B2 Table
The disclosed article of furniture comprises a table with an adjustable base, a support, and a worksurface. The table can be deployed in a generally upright position for use and can be folded into a compact form for storage. The worksurface is mounted on an arm coupled to the base and is rotatable relative to the arm. The arm may be folded into the support. The support may be folded into the base. The worksurface may fit within a cavity between the legs of the base when the table is in the stowed position. The worksurface may have a height adjustment mechanism for the worksurface. The height adjustment mechanism may be configured to adjust to a predetermined “home” position when the support is folded into the base for the stowing position.
US08960101B2 Ski-chair-lift display apparatus and method
A display system is easily attached to the safety bar of a chair on a chair lift system at the beginning of a season. The display system includes brackets formed of rails holding clamp portions that may be fastened together to clamp the display system to a chair, such as to the safety bar across the lap of a rider. At the end of a season, the display system may be removed from each chair, the clamp portions removed, and the display systems stacked. In one simplified system, adjacent displays may be stacked back to back, and such adjacent pairs may be stacked with the displays in adjacent pairs positioned face-to-face. Thus, metal brackets on the backs need not scratch up the reading faces or surfaces. Meanwhile, the displays may be stored in minimal space, with great stability, while minimizing wear and damage.
US08960100B2 Energy recovery system for a mobile machine
The disclosure is directed to an energy recovery system for a mobile machine. The mobile machine may include a locomotive and a tender car. The recovery system may include a tank located on the tender car. The tank may be configured to store a liquid fuel for combustion within a main engine located on the locomotive. The recovery system may also include a fuel delivery circuit connecting the tank to the main engine, and an auxiliary engine located on the locomotive. The auxiliary engine may be selectively connectable to receive gaseous fuel formed in the tank. The energy recovery system may also include a boil-off circuit connecting the tank to the auxiliary engine.
US08960085B2 Camera for monitoring functions of a round baler
A system is provided to utilize one or more video cameras placed proximal to one or more operating systems of a round baler and one or more signals on the baler to switch screens on a display to display video during bale ejection, crop feeding, twine or net wrapping and back up. The display switches screens back to other baler application when for example the ejection cycle is completed, the wrapping cycle is completed etc. This allows an operator to visually monitor various baler functions while facing forward and without the need to manually change setting on the display.
US08960084B2 Juice extractor with a temperature displaying function
A juice extractor with a temperature displaying function includes a body and a temperature display device. The body includes a base and a container. A cover is mounted on a top end of the container. The temperature display device is mounted to the body and includes a temperature detecting portion and a display. The temperature detecting portion is connected to the display via a signal transmission route. A temperature change in the container during operation of the body can be known by the temperature display device.
US08960083B2 Multifunction barbecue oven
A multifunction barbecue oven includes a main furnace, an auxiliary furnace arranged below the main furnace and a charcoal disc selectively placed on the bottom of the main furnace or the bottom of the auxiliary furnace. The top of the main furnace has an inclined tile roof shaped main furnace top portion with hinged left and right triangular side plates and a detachable connecting rod means. The furnace chamber can be covered by hinged front and rear covers. The handled fork can be inclined erected on top portion of the main furnace or inclined inserted into the interior of the main furnace chamber and the auxiliary furnace chamber for grilling or roasting in a hanging manner to avoid the food to contact the iron grid. The barbecue oven can be used for grilling, roasting, grilled and hot pot cooking and other function, and can be stored and carried conveniently.
US08960077B2 Double piston apparatus for controlling the preparation of beverages
A dispensing apparatus for hot beverages is provided with a device (4,5) to filter hot, pressurized water through ground edible ingredients such as coffee, tea or herbal remedies in a chamber, a controlling unit (16) storing data, and two pistons operated independently by two motors to control the volume and/or the position of the brewing chamber.
US08960073B2 Cylinder head for a compressor
A cylinder head for a compressor includes a closure device that can be adjusted between an unactuated position (off-load) in which the compressor delivers air and an actuated position (off-load) in which the compressor is running in an idle mode, a pneumatic control device having a control cylinder and a control piston that can be moved in the control cylinder, a spring device that prestresses the closure device into the unactuated position (on-load), and a driver configured to couple the control piston to the closure device. The closure device closes a compressed air passage in the unactuated position (on-load) and clears the compressed air passage in the actuated position (off-load), and the driver is permanently connected to the closure device and can be driven by the control piston.
US08960069B1 Adjustable gas block method, system and device for a gas operation firearm
Methods, systems and devices for an adjustable gas block with variable gas port dimensions to control the amount of gas in the gas block before the gas enters into the gas tube. The adjustable gas block includes a gas block barrel bore to slide over a barrel and a gas tube bore to mate with the firearm gas tube, a gas port between the barrel bore and the gas tube bore, a sliding regulator plate to slide one of the gas ports into alignment with the block gas port and the barrel gas port, and a spring and detent pin to hold the sliding regulator plate in alignment with the barrel gas port. An alignment hole in the gas tube bore can align the block gas port with the barrel gas port.
US08960068B2 Floor protection device for vehicle cab
A protection device for a vehicle cab having a floor and two vertical side walls, the device including an armor plate below and substantially parallel to the floor of the cab, and deformable compartmented caissons connected between the floor and the armor plate and under the side walls of the cab, each compartmented caisson having buckleable walls dimensioned to buckle upon shock impact to the exterior of the armor plate.
US08960065B2 Method for braiding reinforcing fibers with variation in the inclination of the braided fibers
A method of braiding reinforcing fibers on a mandrel (8) with a machine having a ring (9) carrying at least two series of reels of fibers, by moving the mandrel at a predetermined forward speed while moving the two series of reels along the ring (9) so that they cross while rotating in opposite directions and at a predetermined speed of rotation about an axis (AX) of the ring. The braid is formed on the mandrel (8) in the vicinity of a region of convergence (R) of the fibers that together define a conical shape (C). The method comprises: a step of reconfiguring the machine in which the angle (a2) at the apex of the cone (C) defined by the fibers takes on a new value (a2); and a step of restarting braiding in which the movement of the reels along the ring (9) and the forward movement of the mandrel (8) are re-established with a new speed of rotation and a new speed of advance.
US08960061B1 Slide lock for sheet cutting
A slide lock includes a slide lock base having a plurality of grip element openings; a slide lock handle carried by the slide lock base and positional in a released position and a locked position relative to the slide lock base; and a plurality of grip elements carried by the slide lock handle and disposed in the grip element openings, respectively. The grip elements are retracted in the grip element openings, respectively, when the slide lock handle is in the released position and the grip elements protrude from the grip element openings, respectively, when the slide lock handle is in the locked position.
US08960060B1 Sharpening element for a cutting table
A cutting table has a planar table surface with a linear cutting edge that is engaged by a moveable cutting blade that progressively contacts the cutting edge to make a cut. An elongate sharpening element extends along the cutting edge wherein the sharpening element will be progressively contacted by the blade with each cut, thereby sharpening the blade.
US08960059B2 Variable folding system comprising linear drives, especially for printing machines
A method for producing individual material sections, particularly sheets of paper, according to a certain format, from a web-type, for example imprinted object (object web), more particularly a web of paper or material, using a cutting means for cutting off the individual material sections from the object web and then removing said sections from the cutting means, wherein during the course of actuation of the cutting means at least one carrier is engaged with the object web, wherein following the cutting process, the carrier is displaced, together with the object web gripped by said carrier, by means of a controllable linear drive, over a displacement stroke, which is adjusted and/or varied in a controlled manner by the linear drive according to a section format that is predefined for the material section.
US08960051B2 Combined hub, counterweight and crank arm with single piece steel body
A combination hub, counterweight and crank arm for a governor assembly in a ram air turbine is has a hub section with a cylindrical orifice, an annular collar section that surround the hub section, a counterweight section that extends out of the annular collar section and a crank arm section that extends out of the annular collar section, with all the sections formed in a single piece steel body.
US08960050B2 Lock lever on steering column
The invention provides a lever assembly for controlling a lock of a steering column assembly. The lever assembly includes a first lever portion pivotable about a locking axis between a locked position for substantially preventing adjusting movement of a steering column assembly and an unlocked position spaced from the locked position. The steering column assembly is moveable in adjusting movement when the first lever portion is in the unlocked position. The lever assembly also includes a second lever portion defining a handle portion and operable to rotate about the locking axis. The lever assembly also includes a lost motion linkage disposed between the first lever portion and the second lever portion. The lost motion linkage is operable to transmit rotation of the second lever portion about the locking axis to pivot the first lever portion between the locked position and the unlocked position. The lost motion linkage is also operable to yield in response to movement of the second lever portion in a direction parallel to the locking axis.
US08960049B2 Vehicle brake system
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a vehicle brake system having a high degree of mounting freedom. The present vehicle brake system is configured in such a manner that an input device into which braking operation of the operator is inputted and a motor cylinder device which generates hydraulic brake pressure on the basis of an electric signal according to at least the braking operation are disposed so as to be separated from each other in the engine room partitioned in front of the dashboard. The vehicle brake system is characterized in that the input device is disposed behind a power device in such a manner that at least a part of the input device overlaps the power device in the front-rear direction.
US08960048B2 Accelerator pedal adjustment mechanism
A mechanism for the adjustment of an accelerator pedal, comprising a support part (2) which is fixed to the vehicle, a control part (3) which can move in relation to the support part (2), a pedal (4) which pivots in relation to a rotary shaft (5) which is connected to the control part (3), and actuation means (6) for moving the control part (3) in relation to the support part (2). Each side of the control part (3) is equipped with at least two pins (7,8) which are housed in respective guide grooves (9,10) in the support part (2), such that the actuation means (6) can move said control part (2) along a curvilinear path.
US08960047B2 Device for coupling a guide element secured to at least one cable sheath, in a support mount
The guide element has two opposed hooks in alignment. One hook is positioned angularly so as to bear and butt in a recess formed in a support mount. An other hook bears on an elastic member of the mount so as to trigger pivoting movement of a tilting latch which engages with the other hook, under a tilting effect of the guide element that corresponds to a position of coupling with the support mount.
US08960040B2 Electronic shifter with adaptive position
A latching shifter mated with a shift-by-wire transmission in which the gear cam includes a momentary shift lever position which is spring biased toward the drive gear notch. A driver is enabled to shift the transmission into a desired gear by passing the shift lever into and out of the momentary shift lever position in the event of autonomous shifting by the transmission or to otherwise provide a selected gear of the transmission. Preferably a dynamically changeable gear shift display is provided, the indicia of which is responsive to the gear status of the transmission.
US08960039B2 Auto transmission lever mouse device for shift by wire system
A mouse AT lever includes a pair of A/B buttons generating control signals when being pressed and an operation dial turning to implement P, R, N, D, and M shift ranges, and can implement a basic function of outputting operation signals for the positions of the selected shift ranges and implementing operation feeling according to the shifting in various ways using the pressing time of A/B buttons, a function of preventing mis-operation in the shifting by using H-MATIC functions, a shift-lock function that prevents the ranges from being switched under a predetermined condition, a function of starting the engine by using a button, a customer-directional safety control function that is set by the customer, and an interface function for communicating with an DIS (Driver Information System) controlling the devices mounted in the vehicle.
US08960038B2 Motion transmission module with a cooling device
A motion transmission module with a cooling device is aimed at solving the disadvantage of the conventional motion transmission module that the cooling structure of the conventional motion transmission module would increase the length or outer diameter of the nut. The nut is formed with a flat surface for mounting the cooling device, so that the length of the nut won't be increased. Furthermore, the cooling device also serves as a positioning block to fix the return member, it doesn't increase the outer diameter of the nut.
US08960033B2 Hybrid drive of a motor vehicle
A hybrid drive of a motor vehicle having an automated manual transmission with two coaxial input shafts and a common output shaft. The input shafts are respectively driven by an engine and an electric machine and can couple the output shaft via respective groups of gearwheel sets. Each gearwheel set comprises a gear fixed to the associated input shaft and an idler gear supported by respective countershafts. At least two idler gears disposed on one of the two countershafts of two gearwheel sets, within the transmission, assigned to two different input shafts, can be coupled via a winding-path shift element, and the two output constants are disposed in a common radial plane by using a common output gear disposed on the output shaft.
US08960031B2 Aircraft stabilizer actuator
An actuator for actuating movement of a control surface relative to a structure can include a high-efficiency assembly and a low-efficiency assembly. The high-efficiency assembly can be connectable between a control surface and a structure for providing a first load transfer assembly and the assembly can have minimum backlash. The low-efficiency assembly is connectable between the control surface and the structure for providing a second load transfer assembly. The low-efficiency or irreversible assembly can be disposed in parallel relationship to the high-efficiency assembly and can have a higher backlash than the low-efficiency assembly. The low-efficiency assembly can be unloaded in normal operation. The actuator also can include a coupler for that can have a closed state in which both load transfer assemblies are synchronously driven by the drive mechanism, and an open state in which the drive mechanism is decoupled from the low-efficiency assembly and the low-efficiency assembly can inhibit movement of the control surface.
US08960022B2 Device for detecting the presence of at least one human finger on surface, and a method of using the device in the user interface of a machine, a device (in particular a portable device), or a system
A device for detecting the likelihood of the presence of at least one human finger on a surface, and a method of using the device in the user interface of a machine, device or system. The device comprises at least one element having piezoelectric characteristics, located under a surface, the element arranged in the device in such a manner that a force when exerted on the surface, such as when the surface is pressed by finger, is transferred to mechanical stress of the element, the element then producing a voltage output in response to the mechanical stress. Also included are means for measuring the voltage output in a predefined time period and means for determining the degree of stability of the measured voltage output, and configured to indicate whether or not the degree of stability shows that the measured voltage output is likely to be a human finger or not.
US08960021B2 Non-contact type torque and angle of rotation sensing device and measurement method using same
A non-contact type torque and angle of rotation sensing device consisting of a magnetic member, sensing members and a computing unit for measuring a torque being applied to rotate a transmission member and the angle of rotation of said transmission member in a first axial direction is disclosed. The magnetic member defines a first center, and is mounted on and rotatable with the transmission member. The magnetic member deflects relative to the transmission member in a nonparallel manner relative to the first axial direction when rotating with the transmission member. Sensing members induce a magnetic field variation to output respective electrical signals that exhibit a phase difference there between. The computing unit receives and calculates the electrical signals of the sensing member to obtain the amplitude and to further translate the amplitude into torque value and angle of rotation.
US08960020B2 Non-contacting torque sensor with injection molded magnets
A non-contacting torque sensor comprises a magnetic flux generating rotor and a magnetic flux detecting probe. The magnetic flux generating rotor is disposed axially between a first stator and a second stator and has a radially outboard surface and plurality of N pole magnets and S pole magnets alternatingly disposed proximate the radially outboard surface. Each stator has a plurality of stator teeth, with each one of said plurality of stator teeth corresponding to a unique one of said plurality of N pole magnets and S pole magnets. The magnetic flux detecting probe is disposed at a distance from the radially outboard surface and configured for detecting variations in magnetic flux produced by the magnetic flux generating rotor to detect a change of a relative twist between the magnetic flux generating rotor and the first stator and second stator. The N pole magnets and S pole magnets are injection molded.
US08960017B2 System and method for ultrasonic metering using an orifice meter fitting
A method of retrofitting an orifice meter includes providing an orifice fitting body having a bore, an orifice plate, a plurality of tap holes, and a plurality of pressure sensors installed in the plurality of tap holes. The method further includes removing the orifice plate and the plurality of pressure sensors from the orifice fitting body and installing a plurality of transducers into the plurality of tap holes. At least one of the plurality of transducers is configured to generate a signal and at least one of the plurality of transducers is configured to receive the signal. Additionally, the method includes measuring a flow rate of a fluid flowing through the bore based on an output of each of the plurality of transducers.
US08960014B2 Methods of validating edge strength of a glass sheet
Methods of validating edge strength of a glass sheet are provided. The glass sheet includes a first surface, a second surface opposing the first surface, a thickness defined between the first surface and the second surface, and at least one edge including an edge surface. The first surface and the second surface intersect the edge surface of the at least one edge. The methods include a step (I) of noncontactually thermally loading the glass sheet to subject at least a portion of the at least one edge to a tensile stress. The methods also include a step (II) of determining whether the at least one edge has an edge strength below a predetermined level by detecting whether a resulting strength imperfection has originated in the glass sheet due to the noncontactual thermal loading of step (I).
US08960013B2 Cement testing
Systems and methods provide for testing a cement by applying force in a first direction until the first portion of the cement sample fails in compression or tension; and applying force a second direction opposite the first direction until the second portion of the cement sample fails in tension or compression.
US08960012B2 Method and apparatus for detection and characterization of mechanical damage
Yield stress is an important indicator of the strength of a component such as a pipe section. A method and apparatus for measuring yield stress of components made from magnetic materials is provided. The magnetic permeability of the material is recorded at multiple stress levels below yield establishing a permeability-stress relationship. The yield stress is then estimated as a function of the recorded permeability-stress relationship. The permeability stress relationship may be non-linear for a range of stress levels, achieving a peak permeability response for a stress below yield. The yield stress may be estimated as a multiple of the stress at which the peak permeability response is recorded.
US08960011B2 Wheel operating force sensor
A wheel operating force sensor includes: an attachment fixed to a vehicle body member supported by a suspension device; a hub to which a wheel is fixed and which is rotatably supported about a wheel axis with respect to the attachment; a sensing body having a tube formed substantially concentrically with the wheel axis, one end of the tube being fixed to the attachment, and the other end being connected to the hub, with a hub bearing being interposed between the other end and the hub; and a component force sensing unit having a bridge circuit including per component force at least four strain gauges that are provided on a circumferential surface of the tube of the sensing body. The hub bearing has: a radial bearing provided between the sensing body and the hub and receiving a load in a radial direction; and a thrust bearing provided between the sensing body and the hub and receiving a load in a thrust direction, and moreover provided separately from the radial bearing.
US08960010B1 Automatic detection and adjustment of a pressure pod diaphragm
A system for controlling the position of a diaphragm in a diaphragm-containing pressure pod, is provided. The system can include a peristaltic pump, a pressure pod having a flow-through fluid side and a gas side that are separated by a diaphragm, and a pressure sensor operatively connected to the gas side. The pressure sensor is configured to sense pulses of pressure resulting from movement of the diaphragm and caused by the action of the peristaltic pump. A gas source and a valve can be in fluid communication with the gas side of the pressure pod and can be configured to provide gas to, or vent gas from, the gas side. A controller receives pressure signals from the pressure sensor and controls the valve in response, and in so doing, controls the position of the diaphragm. Methods for positioning the diaphragm are also included.
US08960009B2 Apparatus and method for measuring vibration characteristics
A vibration characteristic measuring apparatus includes a magnetic bearing that generates magnetic force on the rotating body of a multi-stage centrifugal compressor, a displacement sensor that measures the vibration amplitude of the rotating body, a current amplifier that supplies a current to the magnetic bearing, and an excitation controller which outputs an excitation control signal for applying vibration to the rotating body and which measures the response characteristics of the vibration of the rotating body to the excitation control signal. The excitation controller outputs a rotating body control signal obtained by adding a vibration eliminating signal for eliminating unbalance vibration of the rotating body to the excitation control signal when measuring the response characteristics, and the current amplifier supplies a current that generates magnetic force in accordance with the rotating body control signal to the magnetic bearing.
US08960007B2 Handheld probe for tube inspection using APR
Exemplary embodiments of a handheld probe (HHP) of an Acoustic pulse reflectometry (APR) system are disclosed. Embodiments of the HHP can comprise a loudspeaker and microphone that are vibration isolated from each other and from the tube under test. In some embodiments the microphone can be isolated from the housing of the HHP. In other embodiments the housing of the HHP can be isolated from the loudspeaker. In another embodiment the housing of the probe can be isolated from the tube under test. Yet, some embodiments combine all of this isolation options. In such embodiment the loudspeaker is isolated from the housing, the housing is isolated from the tube under test, and the microphone is isolated from the housing, and so on. Isolation can be achieved by using materials that absorb vibration, material such as but not limited to rubber, foam, silicone, etc.
US08960003B2 Motion sensor device and methods for forming the same
A Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) device includes a sensing element, and a proof mass over and overlapping at least a portion of the sensing element. The proof mass is configured to be movable toward the sensing element. A protection region is formed between the sensing element and the proof mass. The protection region overlaps a first portion of the sensing element, and does not overlap a second portion of the sensing element, wherein the first and the second portions overlap the proof mass.
US08960002B2 Vertically integrated 3-axis MEMS angular accelerometer with integrated electronics
Sensors for measuring angular acceleration about three mutually orthogonal axes, X, Y, Z or about the combination of these axes are disclosed. The sensor comprises a sensor subassembly. The sensor subassembly further comprises a base which is substantially parallel to the X-Y sensing plane; a proof mass disposed in the X-Y sensing plane and constrained to rotate substantially about the X, and/or Y, and/or Z, by at least one linkage and is responsive to angular accelerations about the X, and/or Y, and/or Z directions. Finally, the sensor includes at least one electrode at the base plate or perpendicular to the base plate and at least one transducer for each sensing direction of the sensor subassembly responsive to the angular acceleration. Multi-axis detection is enabled by adjusting a configuration of flexures and electrodes.
US08959999B2 Particulate material monitoring system
A particulate material monitoring system for efficiently monitoring the level of particulate material within a container. The particulate material monitoring system generally includes a flange defining a front opening, a viewing cover attached to the flange covering the front opening, a viewing wall connected to the flange and a rear opening extending through the viewing wall.
US08959998B2 Ultrasonic liquid level sensing systems
Embodiments of the present invention provide an ultrasonic probe having an increased number (e.g., twelve) of ultrasonic sensors for measuring the level of liquid within a sealed container. The ultrasonic probe includes a neck tube that enables the ultrasonic probe to be used with existing, standardized container fittings despite having an enlarged barrel to accommodate the increased number of ultrasonic sensors. Embodiments of the present invention also provide a system and method in which ultrasonic sensors within an ultrasonic probe are activated one at a time to reduce crosstalk between the ultrasonic sensors and their wiring.
US08959997B2 Method and apparatus for measuring volume flow rate of liquid flowing into a container and/or volume of liquid which has flowed into the container
A method and apparatus for measuring volume flow rate of a liquid flowing into a container and/or volume of the liquid flowed into the container, with which method, respectively with which apparatus a high measure of automation is achievable in microfluidic systems, especially in the field of analysis. Before liquid flows in, gas is enclosed under a starting pressure in a predetermined starting volume in the container, then liquid is allowed to flow into the container to compress the enclosed gas to a gas volume dependent on the volume of the flowed-in liquid, and to effect a rise of gas pressure of the gas in the container relative to the starting pressure dependent on the volume of liquid which has flowed in and on the volume flow rate of the inflowing liquid, the gas pressure in the container is measured as a function of time, and the volume flowed in up to a given time and/or the volume flow rate of inflowing liquid at the given time are/is determined based on the measured gas pressure.
US08959996B2 Water meter casing having a middle casing and inlet and outlet ports formed as separate components
A water meter casing and manufacturing process thereof are provided. The water meter casing comprises a middle casing (1), a water inlet port (2) and a water outlet port (3), which are separate parts, wherein a water inlet (4) and a water outlet (5) where the water inlet and outlet ports (2, 3) are arranged are respectively provided at the two sides of the middle casing (1), and a support ring (6) is also provided in the inner cavity of the middle casing (1). The manufacturing process of the water meter casing relates to a method of forming the water meter casing by high pressure hydraulic bulging. The manufacturing process is simple and easy to carry out, and it presents the advantage of low cost.
US08959995B2 Thermal flow sensor having a power source for driving a bridge circuit and an integrated circuit
A thermal flow sensor for vehicles includes a bridge circuit unit having a heating resistor whose resistance value changes according to temperature, a resistance thermometer, detecting a temperature of a fluid, whose resistance value changes according to temperature, and an integrated circuit unit controlling the bridge circuit unit and outputting a signal of detected fluid flow rate. A drive power source for the bridge circuit unit is supplied from a battery, and a drive power source for the integrated circuit unit is supplied from a constant voltage source stabilized by a fuel injection control device.
US08959992B1 Solar-powered windsock assembly
A solar-powered windsock assembly indicates wind direction and relative wind speed while also providing a light for illuminating the assembly at night. The assembly includes an elongated tube having an open top end, an open bottom end, and a perimeter wall extending between the open top and bottom ends. A support apparatus is coupled to the tube and extends upwardly away from the open top end wherein the support apparatus is configured for coupling the tube to a mounting pole and directing wind therethrough. A plurality of solar cells is coupled to the tube and electrically coupled to a power supply wherein the solar cells recharge the power supply. A light is coupled to the tube and is operationally coupled to the solar cells wherein the light is configured to emit light energy through the tube when the power supply delivers power to the light.
US08959989B2 Tire tread gauge
A compact, easy to use tire tread gauge has a window that displays an indication of the condition of an automobile tire and whether it needs to be replaced because of tread wear.
US08959987B2 Oxygen sensing method and apparatus
A method of determining an air:fuel ratio of a combustion process based on information from an oxygen sensor exposed to exhaust gases of the combustion process. A first value is determined indicative of the exhaust gas oxygen content, with the value being based on a resistance of an oxygen sensing portion of the oxygen sensor. A second value is determined indicative of a temperature of the oxygen sensor, which may be based on a resistance of a heater portion of the oxygen sensor. A third value is determined indicative of the air:fuel ratio as a function of the first and second values. Thus, the oxygen level data from the oxygen sensor may be temperature compensated so as to result in a more accurate estimate of the air:fuel ratio. The third value may then be used to control the combustion process, which may be associated with an internal combustion engine.
US08959981B2 Motion state of impacting and impacted object measuring apparatus and method
A measurement apparatus includes a first Doppler sensor which outputs a first transmission signal and receives a first Doppler signal, that is the first transmission signal returned after being reflected by an impacting object, a timing detection unit that detects an impact timing which is a moment when an impacted object is impacted by the impacting object, an impacting object speed computing unit that computes a speed of the impacting object based on the first Doppler signals obtained from the detected impact timing to a timing before a predetermined period, and an imaging unit that images the impacted object immediately after the impact so as to be used for computing a motion state of the impacted object, based on the computed speed of the impacting object.
US08959978B2 Forging press and method of controlling same
A forging press includes a slide configured to have a die attached thereto; a drive shaft configured to cause the slide to rise and lower by rotating; a flywheel connected to the drive shaft via a clutch; a servomotor connected to the drive shaft; and a control part configured to control respective operations of the clutch and the servomotor, wherein the control part is configured to perform such control as to cause the drive shaft to rotate with the driving of the flywheel in at least one of a rising process, in which the slide is caused to rise, to cause the slide to rise and a lowering process, in which the slide is caused to lower, to cause the slide to lower.
US08959971B2 Corner cam assembly and method of using the same
A corner cam assembly for use with a forming die and including a generally cylindrical inner cam component, an outer cam component, a base, and a retainer unit. Contoured contact surfaces on the inner and outer cam components enable the components to slide past one another during transitions between retracted and extended positions. Some features of the corner cam assembly include helical contact surfaces, guide features that control movement of the cam components, removable work steels, standardized cam components, and being able to form negative and other tight angles, multiple corners and edges, to name but a few.
US08959970B2 Method and apparatus for applying uniaxial compression stresses to a moving wire
An apparatus and method for moving a wire along its own axis against a high resistance to its motion causing a substantial uniaxial compression stress in the wire without allowing it to buckle. The apparatus consists of a wire gripping and moving drive wheel and guide rollers for transporting the moving wire away from the drive wheel. Wire is pressed into a peripheral groove in a relatively large diameter, rotating drive wheel by a set of small diameter rollers arranged along part of the periphery causing the wire to be gripped by the groove.
US08959964B2 Outer handle device for vehicle door
An outer handle device is provided in which a cylinder lock placed adjacent to an opposite end portion of an outer handle and operatively connected with a latch mechanism is attached to an outer panel, the outer handle having one end portion pivotally supported by the panel. The device includes a base member sandwiched between an outer surface of the panel and the cylinder lock and a bracket which sandwiches the panel between the bracket and the base member, and is fastened to the cylinder lock. In a temporarily mounted state where the base member and the bracket are held by the panel by engagement of the bracket with the base member, the cylinder lock can be inserted from the outer side of the panel into the base member and the bracket.
US08959961B2 Cleaning apparatus for soiled substrates having a removable cage sealing means
The invention provides an apparatus and method for use in the cleaning of soiled substrates, the apparatus comprising: (a) housing means, having: (i) a first upper chamber having mounted therein a rotatably mounted cylindrical cage, and (ii) a second lower chamber located beneath said cylindrical cage; (b) at least one recirculation means; (c) access means; (d) a multiplicity of delivery means; and (e) sealing means, wherein said sealing means is removably attached to the outer surface of the cylindrical side walls of said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage, and is adapted to prevent the ingress or egress of fluids and solid particulate matter from the interior of said cage. The method involves cleaning the soiled substrate by treatment of the substrate with a formulation comprising solid particulate cleaning material and wash water, the method being carried out using the apparatus of the invention, and the apparatus and method find particular application in the cleaning of textile fabrics.
US08959959B1 Knitted component for an article of footwear including a full monofilament upper
An article of footwear including a full monofilament upper is described. The full monofilament upper incorporates a knitted component including a monofilament knit element. The monofilament knit element is formed by knitting with a monofilament strand. The monofilament knit element is formed of unitary knit construction with the remaining portions of the knitted component, including peripheral portions that are knit using a natural or synthetic twisted fiber yarn. An inlaid tensile element can extend through the knitted component, including portions of the monofilament knit element. The monofilament knit element may be knitted with a monofilament strand according to a variety of knit structures.
US08959955B2 Pulse laser device, transparent member welding method and transparent member welding apparatus
An inexpensive pulse laser device that outputs a laser pulse capable of welding a transparent member is provided. There is provided a pulse laser device including: a laser light source 1 that outputs a repeated pulse laser; a demultiplexer 2 that demultiplexes the pulse laser output from the laser light source 1 into two pulse lasers; first pulse train generation means 3 that generates a first pulse train by changing at least a peak power and/or a pulse width of one of the two pulse lasers demultiplexed by the demultiplexer 2; and a multiplexer 4 that multiplexes the other of the two pulse lasers demultiplexed by the demultiplexer 2 and the first pulse train generated by the first pulse train generation means 3, in which a pulse laser in which a low-peak power pulse laser is superimposed on a high-peak power ultra-short pulse laser is output.
US08959950B2 High capacity chiller compressor
A high efficiency, low maintenance single stage or multi-stage centrifugal compressor assembly for large cooling installations. A cooling system provides direct, two-phase cooling of the rotor by combining gas refrigerant from the evaporator section with liquid refrigerant from the condenser section to affect a liquid/vapor refrigerant mixture. Cooling of the stator with liquid refrigerant may be provided by a similar technique. A noise suppression system is provided by injecting liquid refrigerant spray at points between the impeller and the condenser section. The liquid refrigerant may be sourced from high pressure liquid refrigerant from the condenser section.
US08959945B2 Refrigerator
Disclosed is a refrigerator in which a cool air generation chamber and a machine room are disposed in the upper portion of a main body of the refrigerator, and a structure of a cover grill disposed in front of the cool air generation chamber and the machine room is changed, thereby achieving stable heat radiation of the machine room and efficient operation of the refrigerator.
US08959941B2 Data center cooling with an air-side economizer and liquid-cooled electronics rack(s)
A cooling apparatus and method are provided for cooling an electronics rack. The cooling apparatus includes an air-cooled cooling station, which has a liquid-to-air heat exchanger and ducting for directing a cooling airflow across the heat exchanger. A cooling subsystem is associated with the electronics rack, and includes a liquid-cooled condenser facilitating immersion-cooling of electronic components of the electronics rack, a liquid-cooled structure providing conductive cooling to electronic components of the electronics rack, or an air-to-liquid heat exchanger associated with the rack and cooling airflow passing through the electronics rack. A coolant loop couples the cooling subsystem to the liquid-to-air heat exchanger. In operation, heat is transferred via circulating coolant from the electronics rack, and rejected in the liquid-to-air heat exchanger of the cooling station to the cooling airflow passing across the liquid-to-air heat exchanger. In one embodiment, the cooling airflow is outdoor air.
US08959938B2 Cooling system and method for controlling cooling system
A cooling system includes an evaporator for evaporating a refrigerant to cool an object to be cooled; a refrigerant-supply-flow-rate regulator for regulating a flow rate of the refrigerant to be supplied to the evaporator; a condenser for condensing the refrigerant by cooling the refrigerant by use of a chilled fluid; and a chilled-fluid-flow-rate regulator for regulating a flow rate of the chilled fluid to be supplied to the condenser, the refrigerant condensed by the condenser being to be pressurized to be supplied to the evaporator. The chilled-fluid-flow-rate regulator regulates a flow rate of the fluid, to be supplied to the evaporator, for a temperature of the refrigerant condensed to come to a predetermined target refrigerant-liquid temperature, and the refrigerant-supply-flow-rate regulator regulates a flow rate of the refrigerant, to be supplied to the evaporator, for a temperature of the object cooled to come to a predetermined target cooling temperature.
US08959936B2 Method for operation of an HVAC system
A method for operating an HVAC system includes the steps of adjusting a heating temperature of a heat exchanger disposed in a first flow passage, directing a first partial air mass flow through the first flow passage, directing a second partial air mass flow through a second flow passage, and directing the first partial air mass flow and the second partial air mass flow downstream of the first flow passage and the second flow passage, wherein the heating temperature of the heat exchanger required to at least one of achieve and maintain a desired climate in the passenger compartment of the vehicle is set as a maximum heating temperature for the heat exchanger, and wherein only an amount of energy required to at least one of achieve and maintain a desired climate in the passenger compartment of the vehicle is added to the HVAC system.
US08959933B2 Cryopump system and method for regenerating cryopumps
A cryopump system includes: a plurality of cryopumps connected to a common roughing pump and provided with a plurality of rough valves, respectively; and a controller configured to control each of the rough valves for regenerating a corresponding one of the plurality of cryopumps. A delay time is set between closing of an open one of the plurality of rough valves and opening of a closed one of the plurality of rough valves.
US08959932B2 Cryopump and evacuation method
A cryopump includes: a cryopump chamber having an inlet port through which a gas to be pumped is introduced; a refrigerator provided with a second cooling stage provided in the cryopump chamber; an intermediate member thermally coupled to the second cooling stage; and a cryopanel having a connecting part connected to the intermediate member at a position farther from the inlet port in the direction in which the gas is introduced than the second cooling stage, and extending from the connecting part toward the inlet port. For example, a cryopump having a suspended panel structure is provided.
US08959919B2 Gas turbine combustor
A gas turbine combustor is provided with a combustor basket where combustion gas flows, the combustion gas being produced by combustion of fuel injected from a nozzle, and a first resonance device and a second resonance device mounted on an outer surface of the combustor basket. The second resonance device is disposed on a downstream side from the first resonance device in a flow of the combustion gas and damps combustion oscillation of a frequency higher than the first resonance device. The first and second resonance devices are acoustic liners each having a housing mounted to the outer surface of the combustor basket. A resonance space surrounded by the housing and the outer surface of the combustor basket communicates with an interior space of the combustor basket via a plurality of acoustic holes formed in the combustor basket.
US08959917B2 Method for operating a forced-flow steam generator operating at a steam temperature above 650°C and forced-flow steam generator
A method for operating a forced-flow steam generator operating at variable pressure and at a steam temperature above 650° C. and reducing the minimum forced-flow load of the forced-flow steam generator, wherein the economizer of the forced-flow steam generator includes at least one high pressure pre-heater and/or a heat transfer system for preheating the working medium, the at least one high-pressure pre-heater and/or the heat transfer system arranged upstream as viewed in the working medium circuit direction, wherein if a predetermined partial load point is exceeded, the heat absorption of the working medium within at least one high-pressure pre-heater and/or the heat transfer system is reduced so that the temperature of the water/steam working medium at the outlet of the economizer is below the boiling point relative to the corresponding economizer outlet by a predetermined temperature difference, and a forced-flow steam generator for performing the method.
US08959913B2 Systems and apparatus for transferring fluid flow
Various apparatuses and systems are provided for a turbocharger. In one example, the turbocharger system includes a first turbine having an exhaust flow outlet and a second turbine having an exhaust flow inlet. The turbocharger system further includes a transition conduit fluidically coupling the outlet of the first turbine to the inlet of the second turbine, the transition conduit including an expansion region upstream of a first bend, and a bypass which routes exhaust flow around the first turbine, the bypass having an exhaust flow outlet fluidically coupled to the transition conduit downstream of the expansion region.
US08959912B2 Vehicle comprising a charged combustion engine and method for operating a vehicle comprising a charged combustion engine
A vehicle includes an internal-combustion engine for driving a drive train of the vehicle, at least one charger for increasing the pressure of the air supplied to the internal-combustion engine and an electrical machine which can be or is coupled to the charger in a torque-transmitting manner and is provided for driving or supporting the drive of the charger. The drive train can be or is coupled with the electrical machine in a torque-transmitting manner.
US08959910B2 Method and system for determining conditions of an air filter
A method for operating a turbocharger wastegate is disclosed. In one example, the wastegate is operated to provide a state of an engine air intake system air filter. The approach can provide a status the air intake filter via a sensor that has an alternative primary purpose thereby potentially reducing system cost.
US08959908B2 Brake controller
Provided is a brake controller which can be made smaller. The brake controller (100) has a hydraulic control mechanism (150), which comprises a master cylinder (250) which generates a hydraulic fluid pressure on the basis of an input piston (182) and a control piston (190) that move when a braking operation is performed, motors (290, 296), and a moving mechanism (200) which moves the aforementioned control piston as the aforementioned motors turn, and a motor control unit (300) for regulating the turning of the aforementioned motors. The brake controller is characterized in that the aforementioned motor control unit (300) has a metal case (302) with a built-in control circuit, the aforementioned metal case (302) is affixed to the housing (160) of the aforementioned moving mechanism (200), one end of the aforementioned case (302) is placed at approximately the same position as an end of the aforementioned moving mechanism (200) in the axial direction of the aforementioned input piston (182), and the other end of the aforementioned case (302) is placed at approximately the same position as an end of the aforementioned master cylinder (250).
US08959907B2 Rotating apparatus
The present invention concerns a rotating apparatus related to water power, particularly related to wave power, and related to conversion of energy, for instance to generate electricity. The apparatus according to the invention may comprise one or more axially connected horizontally arranged floating or neutrally buoyant rotors that are driven by a number of fins that in turn are driven by wave waterflows and/or linear waterflows, said rotors being adapted for rotation, said rotation being non-changing and independent of the direction of the waterflows. The rotational energy is preferably converted to electricity by built-in generators. In addition, the apparatus comprises an arrangement so that the apparatus is adapted to move into a position corresponding to the direction of the waterflows.
US08959904B2 Method to control and diagnose an exhaust gas heat exchanger
A method for controlling a vehicle having an engine with an exhaust heat recovery system, includes generating a signal to control exhaust gas flow through an exhaust gas heat exchanger, and generating a diagnostic code based on the signal and a rate of change of coolant temperature. A vehicle has an engine and an exhaust heat recovery system with an exhaust gas heat exchanger and a temperature sensor. A controller for the vehicle is configured to (i) generate a signal to control exhaust gas flow through the exhaust gas heat exchanger, and (ii) generate a diagnostic code based on the signal and a rate of change of coolant temperature.
US08959902B2 Exhaust treatment burner and mixer system
An exhaust aftertreatment system may include a first housing and a burner. The first housing may include first and second chambers. The first chamber may include an exhaust gas inlet receiving exhaust gas from an engine. The second chamber may receive exhaust gas from the first chamber and may include an exhaust gas outlet. The burner may include a second housing and a combustion chamber disposed within the second housing. The second housing may be at least partially disposed within the first chamber. The burner may supply heated gas to the second chamber. The heated gas within the burner may be fluidly isolated from exhaust gas in the first chamber. The second housing may be in a heat transfer relationship with exhaust gas in the first chamber.
US08959901B2 Metal-gas battery system
A metal-gas battery that utilizes an exhaust gas stream from a combustion engine as reactive gases is provided. Almost constant concentration of exhaust gases are supplied to the metal-gas battery via an existing engine systematic combustion system. The systematic combustion system keeps a definite air fuel mixture (A/F) that acts to enhance the fuel efficiency of the vehicle, and the metal-gas battery leverages the existing vehicle air management system. Exhaust heat of the exhaust gases is sometimes utilized for the heat control of the vehicle, and then the cooled exhaust gases are introduced into the metal-air battery to be consumed during a cathode reduction reaction to create and store electrical energy. The metal-gas battery supports the cleaning of exhausted gases using existing emission catalysts.
US08959896B2 Reed valve
A reed valve is adapted to be fixed to a fixing member. The reed valve includes a valve plate and a resiliently deformable reed. The valve plate is fixed to the fixing member and includes a frame part and a supporting column. The frame part has an opening inward of the frame part. The opening passes through the frame part in a thickness direction of the valve plate. The supporting column is disposed across an inside of the opening. The reed is configured to open or close the opening. The frame part includes a frame seating surface with which the reed is engaged. The supporting column includes a column seating surface with which the reed is engaged. The column seating surface is recessed relative to the frame seating surface in the thickness direction.
US08959894B2 Manganese-based oxides promoted lean NOx trap (LNT) catalyst
MnOx-containing, base-metal oxide mixtures (e.g., MnOx—CeO2) are useful NOx oxidation catalyst materials and NOx storage materials in lean-burn engine exhaust gas treatments using Lean NOx Trap (LNT) systems. These oxidation catalyst materials are used in combination with a NOx storage material and a NOx reduction material. MnOx-containing oxide mixtures can replace platinum (Pt) in LNT systems where the exhaust of the engine is repeatedly varied between a relatively long fuel-lean mode of operation and a relatively short fuel-rich mode of operation. The combination of the MnOx oxidation catalyst, NOx storage material, and NOx reduction catalyst material serves to complete the oxidation of unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, and to convert NOx to nitrogen.
US08959890B2 SCR thawing control system
A selective catalytic reduction thawing control system that can distinguish between a thawing failure and a malfunction and can prevent a malfunction of a supply module (“SM”) pump. The thawing control system includes a thawing control unit that detects a pressure inside the supply module when the SM pump is operated, and stops the operation of the SM pump and continues thawing of urea water when the pressure is less than a predetermined value.
US08959883B2 Hook rotor stripper
Rotor strippers are sized and shaped to securely fit between adjacent rotor fingers on a rotor shaft of a rotor for stripping crop material and for conveying the crop material to a bale chamber for forming a bale. Each rotor stripper is formed of a segment comprised of two opposing side walls with an interior section extending between the two opposing side walls. A first end portion has a curved hook section shaped to securely fit around a majority portion of the rotary shaft for secure engagement therewith; a second end portion is secured to a backbone portion of the rotor allowing the segment to remain fixed with respect to rotation of the rotary shaft; and a middle portion extends between the first and second end portions in a curved manner.
US08959881B2 Rotary disk header with a roller for transferring the crop supported by a center bearing
A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted on a cutter bar for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common rotary member with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. The common rotary member includes two portions connected at a center location driven at one end and supported at the center location by a bearing and support plate connected to the cutter bar attached to one portion and a universal joint between the end of the supported portion and the other portion to allow flexing of the cutter bar to be transmitted through the universal joint.
US08959878B2 Tablet inspecting device
A tablet inspecting device which can overcome counting and discrimination errors is provided. A medicine packaging envelope strip is formed by connecting in a strip shape multiple envelopes separated when a user takes tablets, and is imaged, thus counting the tablets. A conveyance passage along which the strip is conveyed in an associated longitudinal direction, conveyance mechanism, and gap forming part forming a gap between adjacent tablets, the conveyance passage including a horizontal passage, a first inclined passage with upward inclination extending from the horizontal passage, and a second inclined passage with downward inclination and an upper end spaced apart from an upper end of the first passage, the gap forming part including a rod body having projecting portions staggered throughout a peripheral surface thereof, being arranged at the space approximately orthogonal to the conveyance direction, and being rotatable about a center axis thereof, are provided.
US08959876B2 Shingle with reinforcement layer
A shingle, a method of making it, and a roof embodying the shingle is provided, in which an exterior surface of the shingle is provided with an attached reinforcement layer through which fasteners may be applied when the shingle is applied to a roof.
US08959874B2 Portable drilling rig apparatus and assembly method
A portable drilling rig apparatus includes a rig floor having a pedestal structure thereon, the pedestal structure comprising a lower pivot point and a lower attachment point and wherein the pedestal structure is configured to be rotated to a vertical position about the lower pivot point. The drilling rig further includes a mast structure having a mast pivot point at a lower end of the mast structure wherein the mast pivot point is configured to be pinned to an upper pivot point of the pedestal structure.
US08959873B2 Method of sealing a core hole
A seal assembly (10) is provided for sealing a core hole (52) formed in a concrete slab (54) having opposite first and second surfaces, with the core hole (52) extending between the first and second surfaces. The seal assembly (10) comprises a cover assembly (12) having a cover plate (14) that is configured for engaging the first surface of the concrete slab (54) and seating over and covering the core hole (52). The cover assembly (12) has a lower plate (16) that is configured for being received within the core hole (52). The lower plate (16) is coupled to the cover plate (14) through a support member (20) so that the lower plate (16) is spaced apart from the cover plate (14) when the cover plate (14) is seated over the core hole (52) to define a cavity between the lower plate (16) and the cover plate (14). A locking element carrier (26) is coupled to the cover assembly (12). A locking element (40) is movably coupled to the carrier (26) and facilitates securing the seal assembly (10) to the concrete slab (54). The cavity of the seal assembly may be filled with an insulating material (62).
US08959868B2 Truss system
Disclosed is a truss, having an upper and lower chord member each extending in generally the same longitudinal direction and in spaced apart relation. The truss also includes a plurality of web members each with a first and second end, the web members including a crimped portion at the first and second end with openings disposed therein, wherein the first and second ends and openings of adjacent web members overlap. A lower chord fastening system extends through the lower chord and through the overlapping openings in the first ends of adjacent web members. An upper chord fastening system extends through the upper chord and through the overlapping openings in the second ends of two adjacent web members, wherein a plurality of lower and upper chord fastening systems are utilized across the entire length of the truss.
US08959866B2 Mechanical locking of floor panels with a glued tongue
A tongue with edge sections that are used to glue the tongue into a groove of panel. A tongue for connection of a building panel, said tongue is of an elongated shape and made of molded plastic, the tongue including at least two protrusions at a first long edge of the tongue, wherein the protrusions are bendable in a plane parallel to the upper surface of the tongue and extending essentially in the parallel plane and, wherein the tongue has a second long edge, which is essentially straight over substantially the whole length of the tongue and the tongue includes a gluing part configured to be glued into a groove at an edge of the building panel.
US08959865B2 Method for erecting a building structure with construction elements and a system of construction elements therefor
The present invention relates to a method for erecting a building structure with construction elements, wherein the construction elements comprise block-shaped bags filled with filling material and having an upper side, a lower side, a front side, a rear side, a right end surface and a left end surface, and wherein the block-shaped, bag-like construction elements of a first type are basic wall elements provided with connecting flaps at least close to the two end surfaces; the method comprising at least the steps of: —arranging at least two basic wall elements adjacently of each other on a ground surface, wherein the right end surface of the first basic wall element and the left end surface of the second basic wall element are placed close to each other; —placing against each other the connecting flaps of respectively the first and second basic wall elements situated close to the end surfaces placed closely together; and—mutually connecting the connecting flaps. The invention further relates to a system of construction elements for applying such a method.
US08959864B2 Crack resistant member and tower
A crack-resistant member for preventing crack propagation, a method of preventing crack propagation, and method of assembly a tower are provided. The crack-resistant member includes at least one insert attached to at least one removed portion at a predetermined location along a girth weld and adjacent a heat affected zone of the tower. The at least one insert is positioned perpendicular to a weld direction and intersecting the girth weld. The at least one insert prevents crack propagation in the girth weld of the tower.
US08959863B2 Method and apparatus to fill and fire proof holes in concrete floors of commercial buildings utilizing a precast plug
The present apparatus and method relates in general to sealing a hole in a floor with a precast plug. A precast plug is created by pouring a wet aggregate mix into a form mold and thereafter inserting a pre bent rod into the uncured mixture, positioning it such that the center of the rod rests in the center of the form mold and the ends of the rod extend outward near the top of the form mold. The mix is then cured. The precast plug may then be transported to the hole that it is destined to fix. Grooves may be carved on either side of the hole to accommodate the rod's ends. The interior of the hole and the exterior of the plug may then be covered with a sealant, after which the plug may be inserted into the hole. Once the sealant cures, the hole is fully repaired.
US08959860B2 Expansion joint cover assembly for structural members
A bendable cover assembly for an expansion joint gap in a tread and riser application includes an elongated resilient cover for bridging a gap between underlying structural members. A plurality of spaced-apart rigid plate members are encapsulated within, or otherwise are engaged with, the elongated cover of the cover assembly. Additional bendable plate members may be positioned on opposite lateral sides of the plurality of spaced-apart rigid plate members. The cover has a thickness and sufficient elasticity to elastically deform for establishing supporting contact between the marginal support areas of the cover and the underlying structural members. Fasteners may be engaged with the cover at spaced apart sites along at least one lateral side portion thereof for elastically anchoring the elongated resilient cover to at least one of the underlying structural members.
US08959858B1 Deck drain and associated methods
A deck drain system may include a deck drain having an elongate tube which may be defined by a bottom portion and a top portion. The bottom portion may include an arcuate shape. The top portion may be flat and include an opening. A removable top member may engage the opening formed in the top portion of the elongate tube. The removable top member may include a main body portion which includes a plurality of slots. The plurality of slots formed in the removable top member may include a spacing therebetween that is substantially similar to the spacing between the plurality of slots formed in the top portion. The removable top member may be removeably connected to the top portion of the elongate tube so that, when removed, an interior portion of the elongate tube is accessible.
US08959857B1 Single-piece standoff post base for retrofit
A post to foundation connection made with a connector that can be installed as a retrofit after the post is already in place, with fastener attachments that are made to either side of the post rather than under it. The connector can be slid into place below the post, between it and the foundation, after which it can be attached to the foundation and the post.
US08959854B1 Weatherproof fabric-covered building system
A weatherproof fabric-covered building system for preventing water damage and leakage. The weatherproof fabric-covered building system generally includes a plurality of connecting members attached to a corresponding plurality of trusses, a plurality of fabric panels connected between the connecting members and a plurality of cap members connected to the connecting members to prevent water from entering the interior of the building structure.
US08959848B2 Photovoltaic roofing elements and photovoltaic roofing systems
The present invention relates generally to the photovoltaic generation of electrical energy. The present invention relates more particularly to photovoltaic arrays for use in photovoltaically generating electrical energy. Aspects of the present invention provide a variety of photovoltaic roofing elements and systems that include, for example, interlocking geometries to provide for water handling and integration with conventional roofing materials; and wire management features that can protect wiring and associated electrical components from physical and/or environmental damage.
US08959847B2 Method and apparatus for attaching temporary lifting members to an existing lifting anchor
A hoisting assembly for precast concrete structures is provided. A shackle is joined to an embedded anchor member by a pin or bolt, and the shackle is provided with load bearing members to accommodate various loads in a manner that reduces risk of damage to concrete and provides for a more efficient anchor.
US08959841B1 Gutter protector debris fence
A gutter debris deterrence device is disclosed having a multiplicity of fins, each fin longitudinally coupled one to another in a generally parallel manner to define a debris fence collectively and configured for insertion into a roof rain gutter protection system. The gutter debris deterrence device, upon insertion into a gutter protection system, provides improved debris deterrence as water and debris round a gutter protector cover for entry into a gutter and hit the gutter debris deterrence device thereby preventing entry of the debris into the gutter. The device can include a spine disposed longitudinally to provide structural support and rigidity. The device can include a coupling channel disposed longitudinally generally parallel to the spine and configured to couple to an upper portion of a front wall of a gutter.
US08959840B1 Gutter guard
A system for displaying a strand of lights on a residence or building using an elongated member which attaches to a standard gutter or an eave of the building. The member can be made of metal and has a number of spaced apart hooks for securing a portion of the strand of lights. The system can include a plurality of vertically spaced clips located on a downspout or other structure of the building which secure a portion of the strand of lights or an electric wire such as an extension cord. Additionally, a mesh gutter guard can be utilized with the system and attached to the elongated member. The guard spans the width of the gutter and can be tucked under the drip edge of the roof or under shingles.
US08959836B2 Sliding security door
A sliding door apparatus for closing and opening in a wall. The sliding door apparatus includes a sliding door having top and bottom edges, a door frame, a carriage secured to the top edge of the door and a drive mechanism for opening and closing movement of the door. The drive mechanism preferably includes a bi-directional effector, a power-storing power source and a controller configured to enable the door to be continuously closed but not locked when a continuously-closed signal is received by the controller.
US08959834B2 Plant cultivation container
A plant cultivation container includes a container body having: a plant cultivation space with an opening for planting a plant formed in a front face thereof; and a water reservoir portion for pooling plant cultivation water formed in a lower portion of the plant cultivation space, in which container a water-absorbing plant cultivation flooring material is mounted in the plant cultivation space so that a part of the plant cultivation flooring material is positioned inside the water reservoir portion. One of right and left walls of the container body disposed at right and left ends, respectively, of a front face of the container body is provided with an engaging portion, and the other of the right and left walls is provided with an engaged portion engageable with the engaging portion of another container body, such that a relative angle between two adjacent container bodies is changeable.
US08959825B2 Accessory mounting apparatus and system
Apparatus and system for mounting accessories to firearms and the like. More specifically, an apparatus and system for mounting accessories such as optics, sighting telescopes, lasers, thermal imaging devices, night vision devises, knives, cameras, flashlights and the like to firearms that have been fitted with a Picatinny mounting rail. The mounting apparatus is quickly secured to and removed from a Picatinny rail and provides a highly secure and stable mount for accessories. The apparatus and the accessories that are attached to it may be removed and replaced from the Picatinny rail repeatedly without affecting the preset sighting zero of the device.
US08959821B1 Firearm barrel-modification system
A system for firearm barrel modification includes a firearm, a collar and an auxiliary barrel. The firearm has a barrel with holes extending inward from the first muzzle end. The barrel has rifling. The collar surrounds the barrel to serve as a securing anchor for an auxiliary barrel. A sleeve slidably engages onto the firearm from the muzzle. The sleeve contains a tubular component, serving as a barrel extension. The tubular component extends from within the sleeve to form a second muzzle at the opposite end. The mating end of the barrel extension is situated within the sleeve. It butts up against the muzzle and is aligned with the rifling of the gun. Alignment rods protrude from the mating end of the tubular component and insert into corresponding holes at the muzzle end of the firearm. A spring member attached to the sleeve sets in place over the collar.
US08959818B2 Trigger for firearms with removable magazine
A metal lower receiver for a firearm has a receiver body. A magazine receptacle is disposed in the receiver body and adapted to receive a removable cartridge magazine. A magazine securing lever is disposed on the receiver body. The receiver body has a feed ramp positioned at a slant relative to a barrel of the firearm. The feed ramp is adapted to lift during reloading of the firearm a projectile tip of a cartridge from a removable cartridge magazine inserted into the magazine receptacle and to guide the cartridge in a direction of a cartridge chamber disposed in the barrel.
US08959817B1 Magnetic frame arrangements
Frame arrangements with magnetic assembly features have a frame with a body and a rabbet containing embedded magnets, a lens through which items to be displayed in visible fashion can be viewed, and a backing plate. The lens has a plurality of embedded magnets, and the backing plate is receptive to magnetic attraction with respect to the magnets embedded into the lens, into the frame or both. When desired, the frame arrangement has multipurpose characteristics in that the backing plate can be easily reoriented and provide dry-erase capabilities such that the frame arrangement not only provides a framing function but also is able to provide a message board or similar function.
US08959812B2 Image display
An image display including an image substrate and a support structure. The image substrate has an image printed on a first surface. The support structure can include a front sheet, a back sheet and a plurality of side strips secured between the front sheet and the back sheet for forming a closed support structure. An internal support can be provided in an internal cavity of the support structure for enhancing the rigidity of the support structure. The image substrate can be adhered to an external surface of the front sheet so that the front sheet forms a rigid backing for the image substrate. A variety of image substrates are provided.
US08959811B2 Support device for electrified sign insert
A sign holder for supporting electrified sign inserts that may vary in width, comprises a base having a groove into which the sign insert can be placed. In the preferred embodiment, two or more gaskets are positioned in the groove with each gasket including a resilient section adapted to engage the sign insert so as to retain the sign insert securely in place within the groove. Each of the gaskets also includes an electrical conductor, such as an electrical wire, which may be embedded in the gasket, in a position where it makes electrical contact with the electrical terminals on the sign insert.
US08959808B2 Three-dimensional greeting card and protective case therefor
Provided is a greeting card which provides a three-dimensional effect and enables the change of the layout of a picture. Also provided is a protective case for a greeting card which enables the greeting card to be viewed in a standing state. Specifically, provided is a three-dimensional greeting card including a picture part formed in at least part of a greeting card body, the picture part being configured by sticking an appropriate number of constituent picture pieces on top of one another. Also specifically, provided is a protective case for a greeting card, including a transparent plastic case body including upper and lower openings, the protective case further including: a protruding piece for forming a foot part, the protruding piece being formed at the lower opening so as to be outwardly bendable; and a protruding piece for forming a greeting card receiving part, the protruding piece being formed at the lower opening so as to be inwardly bendable.
US08959799B2 Shoe having lace fitting structure
A shoe having a sole, an upper including a first opening and a second opening, and shoelace means, the upper including: a first side edge portion having a plurality of first eyelets; a second side edge portion arranged between the plurality of first eyelets and having one or more second eyelets which the shoelace means engages with; a movable portion for allowing the second eyelet to move with respect to the first eyelets both in a transverse direction across the second opening and a diagonal front-back direction that is perpendicular to the transverse direction and is extending along the instep; and a main portion covering a medial side surface, a lateral side surface, a toe, the instep and a back surface of a foot, the main portion including the first side edge portion and excluding the second side edge portion and the movable portion; the second eyelet is relatively displaced via the movable portion with respect to the main portion both in the transverse direction and the diagonal front-back direction in response to a change in a direction of a resultant force between a first tensile force and a second tensile force acting upon the second side edge portion from a V-shaped portion of the shoelace means engaging with the second eyelet while transitioning from a flat-footed position to a heel-raised position.
US08959798B2 Shoe sole element
A midsole element to be mounted to the lower surface of an insole of a shoe as a heel, wherein the midsole element has a upper surface adapted to be mounted on the lower surface of the insole and a lower surface, wherein the midsole element comprises a core and a resilient compression element being softer than the core. The midsole element allows a pivoting movement of the upper surface of the midsole element against the lower surface of the midsole element in, at least, an essentially transverse direction to the longitudinal axis of the midsole element in a mounted state, wherein the core has a form of a rounded cone or sphere within the resilient compression element. The midsole element can also be mounted to the lower surface of a shoe under the forefoot portion, wherein the core has the form of a round ridge.
US08959795B2 Flip flop and slipper in one/convertible sandal slipper
A combination apparatus for footwear including a first apparatus into which an individual's foot can be inserted, and a second apparatus into which the individual's foot can be inserted. The second apparatus is adapted to be inserted into the first apparatus. The first apparatus includes a first attachment device, and the second apparatus includes a second attachment device. In at least one embodiment the second apparatus and the first apparatus can be attached, while the second apparatus is inserted into the first apparatus by attaching the first attachment device to the second attachment device. The first apparatus may be a flip-flop or a sandal and the second apparatus may be a slipper and may be made of water proof material.
US08959787B2 Depth determination apparatus
A depth determination apparatus is described. The depth determination apparatus includes a rotatable reel for receiving a length of line, a free end of the line being adapted to receive a weight, a hollow elongate leader assembly through which the line is played out and retracted, a measuring arrangement for measuring the length of line played out and/or retracted through the hollow elongate leader; and a drive means for at least retracting the line through the hollow elongate leader.
US08959785B2 Apparatus and method for measuring runout
A method and apparatus for measuring runout of using a distance measuring sensor mounted to a rotor and targeted at a circular wall, an electronic inclinometer mounted within a diameter of a hub of the rotor, and a microcontroller in data communication with the inclinometer and the sensor. A computer may be operably connected to the microcontroller and used for programming the microcontroller. A rotatable fixture including a bar mounted to the hub may be used to mount the sensor to a distal end of the bar and the microcontroller and the inclinometer may be mounted on the bar. Runout of a fan shroud circumscribing fan blades of an engine rotor may be measured with the apparatus and method and the bar angularly located between a pair of adjacent blades. The computer may be used to gather data from inclinometer and sensor and calculate runout.
US08959784B2 Remote leveling and positioning system and method
Systems and methods are provided herein that provide for remote leveling and positioning. An embodiment includes a leveling device assembly. Another embodiment provides a system including a leveling device assembly and a plurality of audio devices. Further embodiments provide for systems having a plurality of leveling device assemblies.
US08959782B1 Archery sight with correlated distance indicators
A hunting sight has a plurality of pins that each have a head having a unique characteristic such as a color or shape. Each pin head is sighted for a particular discrete distance from the sight to a target. A plurality of markers are anchored in arcs at discrete predetermined radial distances from a hunting location such as a hunting stand or hunting blind. Each of the markers have a characteristic such as a color or shape that matches the unique characteristic of the pin head that corresponds to the distance between the sight and marker. A method of correlating the archery sight with distance indicators, and of using the archery sight with correlated distance indicators, is also disclosed.
US08959781B2 Method and device enabling measurements necessary for mounting lenses and adjusting prescription eyeglasses frames
A measuring device for creating prescription eyeglasses including a rigid eyeglasses template and a rhinometer. The template is made of a face part including two rims that are spaced apart and connected by a bridge. An earpiece is rigidly and removably attached to each side of the face part. The face part of the template is provided with a lining-up means that is precisely positioned on the outer surface of the face part. The rhinometer comprises two parts that are slidable against each other, each part having flanges comprising an angled edge. The angled edges of the flanges of one of the parts slant in an opposite manner to the flanges of the other part, each flange of one of said parts forming a pair of flanges with a flange of the other part, the spacing of said pair being variable so as to form a measuring device.
US08959780B2 Cutting blade
A cutting blade includes a first and a second elongated frame part, and projections protruding from the first and the second elongated frame part in the cross direction. The first and the second frame part are attached to each other by blades, the blades being individually attached to the first frame part at first pivot points and to the second frame part at second pivot points so that the opposite ends of the blades protrude from the first and second pivot points, respectively, in the cross direction of the frame parts. The first and the second elongated frame part are movable relative to each other to rotate the blades around the first and second pivot points and to generate a cutting movement between each end of the blade and projection approaching each other.
US08959779B2 Multi-angle positioned foldable knife
A multi-angle positioned foldable knife includes a knife body (1), a handle (2) and a pin (3). The knife body (1) is pivotally connected with the handle (2) through the pin (3). A cam (4) is arranged on the connecting end of the knife body (1), and snap openings (41) on the outer edge of the cam are provided to position the knife body (1) at multi-angle relative to the handle (2). A positioning button (5) is arranged on the connecting end of the handle (2), and a snap edge (51) is provided on the interior end of the button (5). The snap edge (51) can connect with a snap opening (41) on the outer edge of the cam (4). Compared with prior art, the foldable knife has simple structure, controlled angle, safe use, convenient operation, simple preparation etc. The knife body (1) can be positioned at multi foldable position. Additionally, the rotation of the knife body (1) can be achieved only by pressing the button (5).
US08959777B2 Shearing apparatus
A shearing apparatus comprising an index portion, a thumb portion, and a ripping portion. The index portion has an index blade arcuately movable in a first direction defining an arc about a pivot. The thumb portion is pivotably connected to the index portion at the pivot, and has a thumb blade arcuately movable in a second direction that is substantially opposite the arc of the first direction. The ripping portion is disposed on the thumb blade or the index blade, and has a ripping blade manually movable in a third direction at an angle, parallel or perpendicular to a line parallel to at least one of the index blade and the thumb blade.
US08959775B2 Nose hair trimmer
A nose hair trimmer that facilitates removal of clipped hair from a blade. A main body case of the nose hair trimmer includes an interior chamber, a disposal opening, and a ring-shaped shutter. The interior chamber accommodates an inner blade rotor, which supports an inner blade, and collects clipped nose hair. The disposal opening communicates the chamber with the exterior. The shutter opens and closes the disposal opening. The shutter includes a communication portion, which communicates the interior chamber and disposal opening to the exterior. The position of the shutter in the circumferential direction when the disposal opening is closed is set as a reference position, and the shutter opens the disposal opening when rotated from the reference position by an amount that is less than one complete rotation.
US08959774B2 Method of assembling a modular commercial unit
A method of constructing a modular, commercial unit includes arranging components of said commercial unit in separate modules, each of the separate modules having a frame assembly. The modules are then transported to a predetermined location where certain of said separate modules are connected together, via the frame assemblies, to form an operation superstructure. The components are not removed from the separate modules prior to the separate modules being connected via their respective frame assemblies.
US08959773B2 Method of making membrane filter
Wall flow membrane filters, fabricated by masking a first subset of the channels at one or both ends of a honeycomb body comprising an array of open-ended through-channels separated by porous channel walls, applying a membrane-forming composition to the porous channel walls of a second subset of the channels, curing the membrane-forming composition to provide a wall-adhering fluid-permeable membrane; and then plugging the first subset of channels at a first end of the body and the second subset of channels at a second end of the body, are useful in exhaust systems of improved particulate filtration efficiency for gasoline direct injection or diesel engines.
US08959770B2 Process for manufacturing a laminated glazing unit
A process for manufacturing a laminated glazing unit so that it withstands a predetermined load, in which the unit includes at least one substrate having a glass function and at least one layer of polymeric interlayer. The process: obtains viscoelastic behavior of constituent material of the interlayer; calculates maximum value of at least one quantity representative of the loading resistance of the laminated glazing unit subjected to the predetermined load; adjusts dimensions of the unit such that the calculated maximum value of the quantity representative of the loading resistance of the unit is less than or equal to a permissible maximum value; and the or each substrate and the or each layer of interlayer are prepared and assembled to the adjusted dimensions.
US08959769B2 Method and apparatus for heat recovery within a syngas cooler
A method of assembling a syngas cooler is provided. The method includes coupling a supply line within a cooler shell, coupling a heat transfer panel within the cooler shell, and coupling a heat transfer enclosure within the cooler shell such that the heat transfer enclosure substantially isolates the heat transfer panel from the cooler shell. A manifold is coupled in flow communication with the supply line, the heat transfer enclosure, and the heat transfer panel.
US08959768B2 Method for making deicing system on a nacelle panel
The invention relates to a method for making a deicing system on a panel (22) of a nacelle comprising an outer skin (24) having at least one hole and an inner skin (26), characterized in that it comprises the following steps: A. a grid of resistive elements is positioned on the outer skin (24) with respect to the hole(s) by a positioning means; B. the grid of resistive elements is applied by an application means to the location determined in step A to form the deicing system; C. a surface coating is applied to the resulting deicing system. The present invention also relates to an air inlet lip and to a nacelle comprising a deicing system produced by such method.
US08959766B2 Method for machining the rotor of a turbine and device useful for carrying out the method
In a method for machining grooves, especially fir-tree grooves (13), which are provided for accommodating blades (19), on a rotor (10) of a turbine, especially a low-pressure steam turbine, great simplification and high flexibility is achieved by the fact that in the grooves, or fir-tree grooves (13), material is removed by a program-controlled milling device, wherein the milling device is inserted into the groove, or fir-tree groove (13), with a milling tool (20) which is guided along the places in the groove, or fir-tree groove (13), which are to be machined, by a milling tool positioning device, which is freely movable in space.
US08959765B2 Method for making a temporary turbocharger compressor seal and temporary turbocharger compressor seal made by same
A method for temporarily sealing a turbocharger compressor outlet and the seal for doing same are disclosed. The seal may include a layer of lubricant, a cover, and a layer of heat-shrink material. The seal creates a temporary water-tight seal around a turbocharger compressor outlet preventing damage to the inside of the turbocharger while the turbocharger is not in use.
US08959764B2 Metallurgical clamshell methods for micro land grid array fabrication
A structure and method for manufacturing the same for manufacturing a contact structure for microelectronics manufacturing including the steps of forming first and second metal sheets to form a plurality of outwardly extending bump each defining a cavity. Symmetrically mating the first and second metal sheets in opposing relation to each other to form upper and lower bumps each defining an enclosure therebetween wherein the mated first and second sheets form a contact structure. Coating the contact structure with an insulating material, and fabricating helix shaped contacts from upper and lower bumps. The helix shaped contacts having first and second portions being in mirror image relationship to each other.
US08959762B2 Method of manufacturing an electronic module
In one embodiment, a meta-module having circuitry for two or more modules is formed on a substrate, which is preferably a laminated substrate. The circuitry for the different modules is initially formed on the single meta-module. Each module will have one or more component areas in which the circuitry is formed. A metallic structure is formed on or in the substrate for each component area to be shielded. A single body, such as an overmold body, is then formed over all of the modules on the meta-module. At least a portion of the metallic structure for each component area to be shielded is then exposed through the body by a cutting, drilling, or like operation. Next, an electromagnetic shield material is applied to the exterior surface of the body of each of the component areas to be shielded and in contact with the exposed portion of the metallic structures.
US08959759B2 Method for assembling computer modules small in thickness
Computer modules with small thicknesses and associated methods of manufacturing are disclosed. In one embodiment, the computer modules can include a module substrate having a module material and an aperture extending at least partially into the module material. The computer modules can also include a microelectronic package carried by the module substrate. The microelectronic package includes a semiconductor die carried by a package substrate. At least a portion of the semiconductor die extends into the substrate material via the aperture.
US08959751B2 Vehicle body assembly line and method for assembling vehicle body
Doors D (collectively representing doors D1 and D2) are removed from a vehicle body W, and are mounted to door holders 4 which are put laterally outside a base 2. While a carrier 1 is conveyed downstream with the door holders 4 kept holding the doors D and put outside the base 2 in the lateral directions, and, components are assembled to the doors D. Thereafter, the doors D to which the components are assembled are removed from the door holders 4, and are mounted to the vehicle body W.
US08959748B2 Method for assembling panels of dissimilar materials
A fastening system for attaching cladding panels to a carrier panel and allowing for differential thermal expansion. The system fastens the two panels together at points in the direction perpendicular to the panel planes. A combination of different carrier panel hole sizes and slots fix the panels together at one point and allow the panels to expand and contract relative to each other while maintaining rectangular alignment. Wall panels and buildings constructed using the fastener are disclosed.
US08959743B2 Retaining ring removal tool
An example retaining ring removal tool includes a shaft extending along an axis from a first end to a second end, and at least one tapered tab extending axially from the first end of the shaft at a radially outer perimeter of the shaft.
US08959740B2 Shape adjustment system
Systems which may be employed to adjust the shape of a computer housing are provided. The systems may include a measurement apparatus that measures the positions of points on the housing. A determining apparatus may determine an offset between the position of the points and reference values. An adjustment apparatus may apply force to the computer housing with actuators based on the offset at each of the points. This process may be repeated or otherwise continued until the offset is within a predetermined range of acceptable values. Related methods, assemblies, and a non-transitory computer readable medium are also provided.
US08959729B2 Slider for slide fastener
A slider for a slide fastener is provided which is capable of quickly fastening and unfastening the slide fastener in a remote operation manner. A string having pull tabs on longitudinally opposite sides is fixed to a body of the slider for a slide fastener such that the string is not moved in the longitudinal direction.
US08959726B2 Zipper
A fastening device that provides for ease of alignment and operation. The fastening device has a first locking body having a first magnet, a second locking body having a second magnet, a slider body slidably connected to a first zipper track, the first locking body affixed to the first zipper track, and the second locking body affixed to a second zipper track. The first and second locking bodies reversibly form a single element while in use through the attractive force of the first and second magnets.
US08959720B2 Synchronous movement device applied to dual-shaft system
A synchronous movement device of dual-shaft system includes a first shaft and a second shaft, which are assembled with each other and synchronously rotatable. The synchronous movement device further includes a driver disposed on the first shaft and a reactor disposed on the second shaft and a link unit connected between the driver and the reactor. The driver is formed with a driving rail. The reactor is formed with a reacting rail. When the first shaft drives the driver to rotate, the driver pushes the link unit to move along the first and second shafts to forcedly push the reactor to rotate in a direction reverse to the moving direction of the driver. Accordingly, the first and second shafts are synchronously rotated.
US08959719B2 Dual-shaft synchronous movement device
A dual-shaft synchronous movement device includes a first shaft and a second shaft, which are synchronously rotatable. The synchronous movement device further includes a first rotor and/or a third rotor disposed on the first shaft and a second rotor and/or a fourth rotor disposed on the second shaft, and an inextensible/non-contractible flexible plate connected between the first (or the third rotor) and the second rotor (or the fourth rotor). When the first shaft drives the first rotor (or the third rotor) to rotate, the inextensible/non-contractible flexible plate pulls the second rotor (or the fourth rotor) to rotate in a direction reverse to a moving direction of the first rotor so as to make the first and second shafts synchronously rotate. The synchronous movement device solves the problem of delay of kinetic energy transmission and the problem of slippage, deflection and untrue operation of the conventional device.
US08959717B2 Circumferential strain rotary detent
One aspect is a detent device with a first hub having an axis and comprising a first feature having both a radial and an axial dimension relative to the hub axis, and having a first hub connection portion. A second hub is located co-axially outside the first hub and comprises a second feature having both a radial and an axial dimension relative to the hub axis, the second feature of the second hub touching the first feature of the first hub when the features are aligned. The second hub has a second hub connection portion. The first and second features have complementary mating geometries. The detent device is configured such that when relative movement is provided to the first and second hub connection portions, a circumferential strain energy of the second hub changes, providing a variable force between the two connection portions depending on their relative position.
US08959710B2 Door damping mechanism
A damping device that includes an arm having a longitudinally extending slot and a cylinder cut-out defined therein, and a damping assembly secured in the cylinder cut-out. The damping assembly includes a cylinder housing with a chamber having a piston and fluid disposed therein. The piston includes a rod with a head on a distal end thereof that extends outside the cylinder housing and into the slot. The damping assembly includes a biasing member extending between the cylinder housing and the head.
US08959707B2 Vacuum cleaner
A vacuum cleaner including a suction port body, a motor-driven blower, and a cyclone part that is disposed between the suction port body and the motor-driven blower and is provided with an inflow port, a swirl chamber, and a discharge port body. The side surface of the discharge port body is composed of a cylindrical mesh and a conical mesh. The side wall of the swirl chamber is composed of a cylindrical part and a conical part. The vacuum cleaner further includes a zero-order opening formed by opening a part of the cylindrical part, a first-order opening formed by opening a part of the conical part, a zero-order dust case communicating with the swirl chamber via the zero-order opening, and a first-order dust case communicating with the swirl chamber via the first-order opening.
US08959700B2 Wiper blade
A wiper blade includes a wiper strip having an elongated retained portion, a backing, and a case, which retains therein the retained portion and the backing. The cap is attached to at least one of the ends in the longitudinal direction of the backing or to at least one of the ends in the longitudinal direction of the case. The interior space of the cap communicates with the interior space of the case. The cap has a rubber insertion hole that opens to the outside of the cap. The retained portion can enter the interior of the cap via the rubber insertion hole.
US08959696B2 Oral care implement
An oral care implement, such as a toothbrush. In one aspect, the invention is an oral care implement comprising a handle and a head. A plurality of tooth cleaning elements may extend from a front surface of the head, which is formed by a plurality of spaced-apart segments formed of a rigid material, wherein the plurality of segments include a cruciform segment integrally formed with and extending from a distal end of the handle, a first pair of segments located on opposite sides of a longitudinal portion of the cruciform segment, and a second pair of segments located on opposite sides of the longitudinal portion of the cruciform segment, the first pair of segments located on an opposite side of a transverse portion of the cruciform segment from the second pair of segments. The segments of the first and second pairs are flexibly connected to the cruciform segment.
US08959694B2 Bridge apparatus
A bridge apparatus to transfer persons between a moving structure such as a vessel and a second structure such as an offshore installation, for example, to span gaps between work boats and fixed offshore installations such as wind turbines. The bridge comprises a platform supported by a line, the platform being moveable in a vertical direction by movement, of the line, wherein the line extends in a vertical direction from the platform to a capstan, and from the capstan to a counterweight. Thus the inboard end of the bridge can remain in generally the same vertical position in relation to the support structure of the vessel, moving with the vessel in the water, and the outboard end of the bridge apparatus can remain in generally the same vertical position relative to the wind turbine, and the relative vertical movement between the wind turbine and the vessel is compensated by the movement of the bridge, while the stepping on and stepping off points on the bridge remain generally still in relation to the vessel and the wind turbine.
US08959693B2 Modular system for assembling ramps, decks, and other raised structures
Embodiments of the present invention provide a modular, portable, and adjustable wheelchair ramp that provides advantages and benefits over current wheelchair ramps. The ramp may be sold in a kit with individual elements, but it is also designed to provide a frame substructure that can be used with conventional decking materials, railings, and handrails.
US08959689B2 Method for washing and washing machine
Provided is a method for washing laundry in a washing machine, wherein the washing machine includes a tub and a drum disposed inside the tub, the method comprising: supplying wash water into the tub; rotating the drum such that the laundry is attached the drum and spraying the wash water changed to whirling water into the drum; and draining the wash water from the tub.
US08959688B2 Washing machine and control method thereof
A washing machine that controls water supply modes of washing and rinsing operations and a control method thereof. For the washing operation, the wetting of the laundry is improved through the supply of water in unidirectional rotation in which the water is supplied while a washing tub and a pulsator are simultaneously rotated in one direction. For the rinsing operation, laundry is quickly separated from the washing tub, such that the laundry is sufficiently mixed with the water, through the supply of water in unidirectional rotation and the supply of water in alternating-direction rotation in which the water is supplied while only the pulsator is rotated in alternating directions, thereby achieving rinsing utilizing water supply time, and, in addition, turnover of the laundry is smoothly achieved such that washing residues present on the laundry are effectively removed from the laundry, thereby improving rinsing efficiency.
US08959678B2 All truss foundation unit, method of making the same and foundation unit kit
An all truss foundation unit, method of making the foundation unit, and a foundation unit kit. The foundation unit is formed of multiple cross trusses interconnected by bridging top and bottom side rails. This results in a flat surface on both the top and the bottom of the foundation unit. The kit is formed of a plurality of the trusses and four side rails, with the trusses and side rails being oriented together with their longitudinal dimensions aligned in a generally parallel orientation and with at least some of their flat sides in contact with one another. When the foundation unit is constructed, a truss locator guide is provided on at least two of the side rails, and the cross trusses are oriented in a parallel, spaced relationship in accordance with the truss locator guide.
US08959675B2 Passive mattress spinner
A system is disclosed for facilitating rotation of a mattress. Covers with slick surfaces are selectively placed in engagement with each other between the mattress and the box spring or platform . One cover is provided with a slick and non-slick surface. The other cover may be the same as the first cover or may have slick surfaces on two sides. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, one cover may is a protective cover that encapsulates the entire mattress. In another alternate embodiment, one cover cooperates with a slick surface that is integrally provided on one or the other of the mattress or box spring or platform. In yet another alternate embodiment of the invention, slick surfaces are provided on both the mattress and the box spring or platform. The mattress is secured relative to the box spring or platform by removable fasteners in a normal mode of operation.
US08959673B2 Multi-purpose beading for swimming pool liners
An elongate beading for attaching a pool liner to a pool wall includes a substantially planar liner attachment portion having an outer surface for attachment to a pool liner and a hook portion having a pair of opposed first and second legs interconnected by a connector portion. The first and second legs and connector portion have inner surfaces defining a channel and the first leg is substantially coplanar with the liner attachment portion. The second leg defines with the connector portion a downwardly facing shoulder and includes a narrowing intermediate its ends which defines first and second sections, the second section being the free end portion which is separable from the first section. The free end portion tapers outwardly from the narrowing towards its free end, includes a plurality of spaced apart raised ribs on its surfaces and terminates in an enlarged protuberance.
US08959668B1 Chinstrap with jaw protection
A device includes a chinstrap with two or four-point attachment which also incorporates jaw protection and inertia displacement. The chin protection consists of a padded chin cup with interior webbing to align the chin cup on the user's chin. To either side of the chin cup, jaw protecting portions laterally emanate to either side of the chin along the jaw line of the user/wearer. These jaw protecting structures are as wide as the chin cup at their attachments to the chin cup and may taper to a thinner configuration as they extend away from the chin cup. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, two opposed straps emanate laterally to either side of the chin cup and two other straps emanate laterally from respective ones of the jaw protecting structures. An alternate embodiment with only two attachment points is also disclosed.
US08959667B2 Head-mountable apparatus
A head-mountable apparatus mountable on a head of an observer comprises a first pressing member which presses a first portion of the head; a second pressing member which presses a second portion of the head; and an adjustment unit adapted to move the first pressing member and the second pressing member to positions where the first pressing member and the second pressing member respectively press the first portion and the second portion.
US08959665B1 Bottom garment having improved tummy control
A bottom garment for providing improved appearance to the wearer. The garment includes a front panel; a back panel; and at least one tummy control panel formed of a low-stretch, high pre-tensioned fabric attached to the inside of the front panel beneath the waistband of the front panel. In one embodiment, the low-stretch, high pre-tension fabric is formed of a mesh construction. The front panel may further include at least one pocket assembly.
US08966659B2 Automatic fraudulent digital certificate detection
A computing device analyzes digital certificates received from various different sites (e.g., accessed via the Internet or other network) in order to automatically detect fraudulent digital certificates. The computing device maintains a record of the digital certificates it receives from these various different sites. A certificate screening service operating remotely from the computing device also accesses these various different sites and maintains a record of the digital certificates that the service receives from these sites. In response to a request to access a target site the computing device receives a current digital certificate from the target site. The computing device determines whether the current digital certificate is genuine or fraudulent based on one or more of previously received digital certificates for the target site, confirmation certificates received from the certificate screening service, and additional characteristics of the digital certificates and/or the target site.
US08966655B2 Electronic license management
In one aspect, this application describes a method for determining a license status of a software application. The method includes receiving a license status request to obtain an indication of whether a software application is licensed for use on a client computing device. The method also includes identifying identity information that corresponds to user identity information, device identity information, or both. The method also includes sending a communication generated from the license status request and the identity information to a licensing service, the communication being used by the licensing service to generate the indication based at least in part on the identity information and licensing information associated with the software application. The method also includes receiving a license status response from the licensing service that includes the indication. The method also includes sending the license status response to the software application for processing by the software application.
US08966649B2 Systems and methods for providing anonymized user profile data
Embodiments facilitate confidential and secure sharing of anonymous user profile data to improve the delivery of customized content. Embodiments of the invention provide a data appliance to an entity such as a business to convert profile data about the business's customers into anonymous identifiers. A similar data appliance is provided to a content provider in one embodiment to generate identifiers for its user profile data. Because the anonymous identifiers are generated with the same anonymization method, identical identifiers are likely generated from profile data of the same users. Therefore, the identifiers can be used to anonymously match the customers of the business to the users of the content provider. Therefore, data can be shared to improve customized content such as advertisements that the business wishes to place with the content provider without requiring the business to disclose customer data in an unencrypted form, and any non-matched data can remain confidential.
US08966645B2 Prevention of accidental password disclosure in application windows
Text entry context information associated with text entry within an inter-user communication application is evaluated. A determination is made as to whether the evaluated text entry context information identifies a text string entered by a user as a potential password inadvertently entered into the inter-user communication application by the user. In response to determining that the text string is identified as the potential password, the user is prompted to confirm that the user intends to send the text string using the inter-user communication application. The text string is transmitted using the inter-user communication application in response to a confirmation from the user to send the text string.
US08966643B2 Content security in a social network
Members of a social network (SNET) circle can share content with other members of SNET circle, members of the same SNET that are not members of the same circle, or send content to people or devices outside of SNET. Different levels of content security can be applied to the shared content, depending on who requests the content, the destination of the content, user preferences, content type, SNET, SNET circle, or other security parameters. Content can be tagged to limit the number of times it can be accessed, the length of time access is allowed, and to otherwise control redistribution. Content can also be protected by limiting host network access to the content, implementing SNET circle firewalls and virtual private networks, or transcoding content before allowing transmission to non-SNET circle or SNET members. Docking of devices into an SNET security circle can be restricted to properly secured devices.
US08966642B2 Trust verification of a computing platform using a peripheral device
Verification of trustworthiness of a computing platform is provided. The trustworthiness of the computing platform is dynamically assessed to determine whether a root of trust exists on the computing platform. Responsive to determining existence of the root of trust, data is unsealed from a sealed storage facility. The sealed storage facility is unsealed responsive to a root of trust being determined to exist on the computing platform. The data can be used to attest to the trustworthiness of the computing platform to other device on a network.
US08966640B1 Security risk aggregation and analysis
Methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, are described for transaction-based security risk aggregation and analysis. A server computing device receives security risk data elements from a plurality of data sources. The security risk data elements correspond to a transaction submitted by a remote computing device to the server computing device for execution. The server computing device aggregates the security risk data elements into a weighted risk matrix and generates a risk score for the submitted transaction based upon the weighted risk matrix. The server computing device determines a business-level context and an execution priority of the submitted transaction, the business-level context and the execution priority based upon the security risk data elements. The server computing device adjusts the risk score for the submitted transaction based upon the business-level context and the execution priority and determines whether to allow execution of the transaction based upon the adjusted risk score.
US08966639B1 Internet breach correlation
Techniques for ranking a set of vulnerabilities of a computing asset and set of remediations for a computing asset, and determining a risk score for one or more computing assets are provided. In one technique, vulnerabilities of computing assets in a customer network are received at a vulnerability intelligence platform. Breach data indicating set of breaches that occurred outside customer network is also received. A subset of the set of vulnerabilities that are most vulnerable to a breach is identified based on the breach data. In another technique, multiple vulnerabilities of a computing asset are determined. A risk score is generated for the computing asset based on the vulnerabilities. In another technique, multiple remediations associated with a risk score and multiple vulnerabilities are identified. The remediations are ordered based on the remediations that would reduce the risk score the most if those remediations were applied to remove the corresponding vulnerabilities.
US08966638B2 System, method, and computer program product for selecting a wireless network based on security information
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for selecting a wireless network based on security information. In use, a plurality of wireless networks is identified. Further, security information associated with each of the wireless networks is collected, such that one of the wireless networks is selected based on the security information.
US08966632B1 In-the-cloud sandbox for inspecting mobile applications for malicious content
A low resource mobile device, such as a smart phone or a tablet running a mobile operating system, requests a cloud computer system to inspect a mobile application for malicious content. The cloud computer system downloads the mobile application from a mobile application source, and installs the mobile application in a virtual machine sandbox. The cloud computer system inspects the mobile application for malicious content while the mobile application executes in the virtual machines sandbox. The result of the inspection is sent to the user in accordance with a setting that may be indicated in a cloud sandbox agent running on the mobile device.
US08966624B2 System and method for securing an input/output path of an application against malware with a below-operating system security agent
A system for securing an electronic device may include a memory, a processor, one or more operating systems residing in the memory for execution by the processor, an input-output (I/O) device of the electronic device coupled to the operating system; and a security agent configured to execute on the electronic device at a level below all of the operating systems of the electronic device accessing the I/O device. The security agent may be further configured to: (i) trap, at a level below all of the operating systems of the electronic device accessing an input/output (I/O) device, an attempted access of a facility for I/O operation with the I/O device; and (ii) using one or more security rules, analyze the attempted access to determine whether the attempted access is indicative of malware.
US08966623B2 Managing execution of a running-page in a virtual machine
Computer implemented methods, system and apparatus for managing execution of a running-page in a virtual machine include associating an execution trace code with the running page by a security virtual machine. The execution trace code generates a notification upon initiation of the execution of the running page by the virtual machine. The notification is received by the security virtual machine running independent of the virtual machine executing the running-page. The running page associated with the execution trace code is validated by the security virtual machine as authorized for execution. An exception is generated if the running-page is not authorized for execution. The generated exception is to prevent the execution of the running page in the virtual machine.
US08966622B2 Techniques for protecting against denial of service attacks near the source
Systems and methods protect against denial of service attacks. Remotely originated network traffic addressed to one or more network destinations is routed through one or more locations. One or more of the locations may be geographically proximate to a source of a denial of service attack. One or more denial of service attack mitigation strategies is applied to portions of the network traffic received at the one or more locations. Network traffic not blocked pursuant to the one or more denial of service attack mitigation strategies is dispatched to its intended recipient. Dispatching the unblocked network traffic to its intended recipient may include the use of one or more private channels and/or one or more additional denial of service attack mitigation strategies.
US08966620B2 Campaign detection
Campaign detection techniques are described. In implementations, a signature is computed for each of a plurality of emails to be communicated by a service provider to respective intended recipients. A determination is made that two or more of the plurality of emails is similar based on the respective signatures. Responsive to a finding that a number of similar emails exceeds a threshold, an indication is output that the similar emails have a likelihood of being involved in a spam campaign.
US08966614B2 Systems, methods, and computer program products for providing video-passwords for user authentication
This invention is related to authentication schemes utilizing advertising video-passwords, which require the user to watch and remember parts of a given advertisement video. Different embodiments of the invention can utilize just time reference point information, or can optionally include grid element, click point, tag phrase, or a combination of both click point and tag phrase information. A reference video-password is defined based on the time reference point information, and optionally with grid element, click point, or tag phrase information. Subsequently, the user will attempt authentication and the candidate video-password will be defined with the associated time reference point determined from the user's input, and optionally with grid element, click point, or tag phrase information received from the user. The system would then authenticate the user based on the comparison result between the reference video-password and the candidate video-password.
US08966604B2 Method of preventing sequential unauthorized logins
One object is to restrain unauthorized logins without significantly reducing usability. In accordance with one aspect, a server device according to an embodiment includes: an information storage unit for storing information; a setting unit for setting a value conversion rule used for login authentication; an information generating unit for generating login authentication information in response to a display request for a login screen sent from a terminal device; a sending unit for sending login screen data for displaying the login screen on the terminal device; a receiving unit for receiving login information from the terminal device; a determination unit for determining whether a login is permitted based on the received login information; a monitoring unit for monitoring the situation of unauthorized logins to the server device; and a selection unit for selecting a candidate for a new value conversion rule in accordance with the situation of unauthorized logins.
US08966603B2 Systems and methods for intercepting and automatically filling in forms by the appliance for single-sign on
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for form-based single sign-on by a user desiring access to one or more protected resources, e.g., protected web pages, protected web-served applications, etc. In various embodiments, a single sign-on (SSO) module is in operation on an intermediary device, which is disposed in a network to manage internet traffic between a plurality of clients and a plurality of servers. The intermediary device can identify an authentication response from a server and forward the authentication response to the SSO module. The SSO module can complete a login form in the authentication response with a client's authentication data, return the completed login form to the server and forward cookies associated with the authentication response to the client. In various embodiments, multiple login forms can be completed, transparently to the client, by the SSO module on a client's behalf and reduce time expended by a client in obtaining access to protected resources.
US08966598B2 System and method for group video messaging service
A group video messaging method stores user information identifying authorized users of a video messaging system, and provides a user interface to the video messaging system. The user interface permits authorized users to transfer video files to the video messaging system for storage and retrieval, and to identify criteria for other authorized users to access each transferred video file. The method also stores in the video messaging system the video files transferred to the system by the authorized users; stores information identifying the user that transferred each stored video file to the video messaging system, and the criteria for authorized users to access the stored video files; and stores information identifying different groups of the authorized users and which of the stored video files are to be accessible to each of the authorized users or authorized user groups.
US08966597B1 Electronic signatures
A method, comprising: storing, at a server device, an electronic resource; receiving, at the server device and from a client device associated with a first user, a request on behalf of the first user to access the electronic resource; responsive to receiving the request on behalf of the first user to access the electronic resource, enabling the client device associated with the first user to access the electronic resource; while the client device associated with the first user is accessing the electronic resource, receiving, at the server device and from the client device associated with the first user, a request to validate a representation of a credential purported to represent another user received by the client device; validating the received representation of the credential as representing a second user; and responsive to validating the received representation of the credential, enabling the first user to electronically sign the electronic resource.
US08966595B1 Techniques for peer-to-peer communication using a “shared secret”
Techniques for peer-binding are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for peer-binding includes receiving a security sequence submission entered through a trusted script provided with the content from a first client computing device, rendered on the first client computing device. In response to receiving the security sequence submission from a second client computing device and entered through the trusted script, a common communication channel between the first and second client computing devices is established such that an event generated on one of the first and second client computing devices is sent to another of the first and second client computing devices. The submission results from a user action on one or more content elements included in the content. The trusted script is configured, when executed, to detect user actions and determine security sequences resulting from the user actions.
US08966589B2 Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for exception handling of interactive communications privileges governing interactive communications with entities outside a domain
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for exception handling of interactive communications privileges governing interactive communications with entities outside a domain are disclosed. The interactive communications privileges may have been learned through domain administrator configuration or may have been self-learned without domain administrator input. The interactive communications privileges can be used to process interactive communications requests between entities inside a domain and entities outside the domain. Exceptions to the interactive communications privileges can be requested by user entities inside the domain for interactive communications with entities outside the domain. In this manner, if the interactive communications privileges are not sufficient according to user entities inside the domain, the user entities inside the domain can request exceptions for other interactive communications privileges with entities outside the domain. Approved exception requests can also be configured as part of the interactive communications privileges for interactive communications with entities outside the domain.
US08966584B2 Dynamic authentication gateway
A dynamic authentication broker is configured to process authentication requests received from a network access server formatted in any of a plurality of protocols and received over any of a plurality of ports. Processing authentication requests may include authenticating and/or authorizing a particular user, user device and/or network access server.
US08966583B2 Method, apparatus and server for user verification
The present disclosure discloses a method, apparatus, and server for user verification to store a plurality of pictures in a database and define a plurality of rotational directions. The method includes: when receiving from a client a request for a checkcode, rotating a picture retrieved from a database according to a defined rotational direction; after storing a correlation between an identification of the client and the rotational direction of the retrieved picture, outputting the rotated picture to the client; receiving a rotational direction of the picture from the client; finding the stored correlation between the identification of the client and the stored rotational direction of the retrieved picture according to the identification of the client; determining whether or not the rotational direction of the picture returned from the client matches the stored rotational direction. If they match, user verification is passed; otherwise, the user verification is failed. The large number of pictures in the database makes it difficult for enumeration. In addition, by using the rotational direction as identification information to verify user, the safety and accuracy of user verification can be enhanced.
US08966576B2 Provisioning access control using SDDL on the basis of a XACML policy
A method is disclosed, and a corresponding data carrier and policy converter, for producing at least one Security Descriptor Definition Language, SDDL, rule from an eXtensible Access Control Markup Language, XACML, policy (P), wherein said at least one SDDL rule is enforceable for controlling access to one or more resources in a computer network. A reverse query is produced indicating a given decision (d), which is one of permit access and deny access, and a set (R) of admissible access requests. Based on the reverse query, the XACML policy (P) and the given decision (d) are translated into a satisfiable logic proposition in Boolean variables (vi, i=1, 2, . . . ) From said ROBDD, variable assignments (RCj=[ARCj1: v1=xj1, ARCj2: v2=xj2, . . . ], j=1, 2, . . . ) satisfying the logic proposition are derived and at least one SDDL rule is created based on said variable assignments (RCj=[ARCj1: v1=xj1, ARCj2: v2=xj2, . . . ], j=1, 2, . . . ) satisfying the logic proposition.
US08966574B2 Centralized operation management
A novel security framework that is part of an operating system of a device is provided. The framework includes a security assessor that performs security policy assessments for different operations that need to be performed with respect to an application executing on the device. Examples of such operations include the installation of the application, execution of the application, and the opening of content files (e.g., opening of documents) by the application.
US08966571B2 Detection of potentially copyrighted content in user-initiated live streams
Systems and methods modifying a presentation of media content in response to a detected violation are provided. In particular, media content such as a media stream broadcasted by a user to other users can be monitored. The broadcasted media stream can be fingerprinted and compared to a fingerprint repository that includes entries associated with media content that is copyrighted or otherwise considered a violation. If the fingerprint matches entries included in the fingerprint repository, then the media stream can be modified such as modified to terminate.
US08966570B1 Entity to authorize delegation of permissions
Systems and methods are described for delegating permissions to enable account access. The systems utilize a delegation profile that can be created within a secured account of at least one user. The delegation profile includes a name, a validation policy that specifies principals which may be external to the account and which are permitted to assume the delegation profile, and an authorization policy that indicates the permitted actions within the account for those principals which are acting within the delegation profile. Once the delegation profile is created, it can be provided to external principals or services. These external principals or services can use the delegation profile to obtain credentials for performing various actions in the account using the credentials of the delegation profile.
US08966568B2 Method and device for data processing and communication system comprising such device
A method and a device for data processing are provided comprising a first instance comprising at least one local trusted unit (LTU) and a local trust manager (LTM), the method comprising the step: The local trust manager provides a policy related information to the at least one local trusted unit and/or to a second instance.
US08966565B2 Mitigating potential video traffic interference
A method includes detecting, at a video head-end of a video distribution network, a signal populating an ultra high frequency white space frequency. The method includes determining that the ultra high frequency white space frequency is one of a plurality of ultra high frequency white space frequencies with a potential to interfere with video traffic at the video head-end. The method also includes sending an alert from the video head-end to a network management system. The alert indicates the potential of the signal to interfere with video traffic delivered via the video head-end.
US08966563B2 System and method to provide a unified video signal for diverse receiving platforms
A system includes a signal-processing engine configured to generate a video data stream including a plurality of data packets based on a received video signal. A first subset of the plurality of data packets is usable to generate a video display of content having a first quality and all of the plurality of data packets are usable to generate a second video display of the content having a second quality. The second quality is higher than the first quality. The signal-processing engine is further configured to distinguish the first subset of the plurality of data packets from other data packets of the plurality of data packets by applying a tag to particular data packets to form tagged data packets. The system also includes a transmitter coupled to the signal-processing engine and configured to transmit the plurality of data packets of the video data stream.
US08966561B2 Controlling application devices simultaneously
A method and a system of controlling application devices simultaneously. The application devices can be a Web tablet, a set-top box, a VCR, a TV, and PDA, a lamp, a coffee machine, a radio, a telephone, a background wall, a DVD player or an electronic information panel. The method includes four steps controlled by a server: retrieving first documents (501) from a first set of application devices; retrieving identification (502) of a user; generating (505) second documents, each comprising an instruction, on the basis of at least a part of the retrieved identification of the user and at least a part of the first documents; simultaneously sending (506) at least one of the second documents to each device of a second set of the application devices; and performing (507) for a given device of the second set one instruction from at least one of the second documents received in the given device. The step of retrieving identification by the server includes the steps of retrieving user profile (503) information based on the user identification, and retrieving context profile information (504) relating to present surroundings of the user. The said documents include Hyper Text Markup Language, Scalable Vector Graphics, Resource Description Framework and Extensible Markup Language (XML).
US08966560B2 Method and apparatus for uploading data
A method and apparatus for uploading data is provided herein. During operation vehicles in the field will upload their digital multimedia evidence (DME) to a mobile/intermediary upload point(s). These mobile/intermediary upload points preferably comprise computers existing in other vehicles that are not currently connected to a central repository. A mobile recorder (mDVR) will choose a particular mobile/intermediary upload point(s) based on a probability that the mobile upload point(s) will return to a connected upload point to upload the transferred DME.
US08966556B2 Real-time multi-media streaming bandwidth management
A multi-media method, system and apparatus are provided to optimize a network bandwidth and enhanced video experience. Each of a plurality of environmental views are encoded and the encoded multi-media streams are subsequently transcoded in accordance with respective encoding characteristics. The resulting video streams are then provided to a user for selecting preferred views. The user's multi-media preferential attributes are determined from the viewer's feedback. In response to the viewers' feedback, a video manager communicates to the cameras/encoders encoding characteristics and to the transcoders transcoding characteristics associated with corresponding encoded multi-media streams. A transport processor encodes for transport each of a plurality of the transcoded video streams and communicate towards viewers the transcoded video streams.
US08966549B2 Providing and receiving wireless broadcasts
Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for wirelessly providing transcoded broadcasts to mobile devices and receiving content wirelessly via mobile devices. For example, in one embodiment, a distribution device can receive an over-the-air broadcast, transcode the over-the-air broadcast, and broadcast the transcoded broadcast to mobile devices within range.
US08966545B2 Connecting a legacy device into a home entertainment system using a wireless home entertainment hub
A method of connecting a legacy device in a home entertainment system containing a wireless home entertainment hub utilizing a home theatre network interface box includes obtaining a registration with the wireless home entertainment hub for the home theatre network interface box. The home theatre network interface box is connected to the legacy device and the home theatre network interface device is identified at the wireless home entertainment hub according to the functionality of the legacy device. An instruction from the wireless home entertainment hub to transmit data produced by the legacy device to at least one sink device in the home entertainment system is received, where the legacy device is a source device. Representation of the data produced by the legacy device from the home theatre network interface box to the at least one sink device is transmitted.
US08966544B2 Providing and receiving wireless broadcasts
Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for wirelessly providing transcoded broadcasts to mobile devices and receiving content wirelessly via mobile devices. For example, in one embodiment, a distribution device can receive an over-the-air broadcast, transcode the over-the-air broadcast, and broadcast the transcoded broadcast to mobile devices within range.
US08966536B2 Display control system, display control device, and display control method
Provided is a display control device including a display control unit that, when display information of one content among a plurality of contents is selected on a display screen, creates a next display screen containing display information of at least any of a plurality of contents relevant to the one content, wherein the display information contained in the next display screen is display information of contents according to a selection sequence of a plurality of display information having been selected before among the plurality of contents relevant to the one content.
US08966533B2 Receiving apparatus, information processing method, program, transmitting apparatus, and application interlocking system for acquiring and executing an application in conjunction with reproduction of content
Disclosed herein is a receiving apparatus including: an extracting part configured to extract signature data representing a feature of reproduced content from the content; a profile generating part configured to generate user profile data; a query generating part configured to generate a query containing the signature data and the user profile data, transmit the query thus generated to a transmitting apparatus, and receive a response that is sent back from the transmitting apparatus in accordance with the query and that has been caused to match with the user profile data in the transmitting apparatus; and an application executing part configured to acquire and execute an application in conjunction with reproduction of the content based on the response thus received.
US08966532B2 Display apparatus and method for scheduling broadcast using the same
A display apparatus and a method for scheduling a broadcast using the same. The broadcast scheduling method includes generating a program information table, in which broadcast information is arranged, if a broadcast program selected by a user in the program information table is moved into an area adjacent to an icon, displaying the broadcast program being added to an item folder, and scheduling the broadcast program.
US08966531B2 Computer program product and device for displaying advertising on a television
A method of providing advertising from a central database server connected to a global computer network to distributed sites via interactive television. A representative icon is presented to a subscriber on a television screen indicating an advertisement. When a the icon is selected, an advertisement information detail is retrieved from storage in a local memory, or from the central database server and presented to the subscriber on the television screen.
US08966530B2 Systems and methods for presenting multiple assets in an interactive media guidance application
Systems and methods for presenting multiple assets in an interactive media guidance application are provided. A guidance display containing media guidance application listings is provided, where non-linear media assets are extracted from the media guidance application listings and the guidance display is divided into different portions to present media guidance application listings of non-on-demand media assets and non-linear media assets. One portion of the guidance display may include media guidance application listings of non-on-demand assets and may indicate the non-linear media assets extracted from the portion of the guidance display. Another portion may include media guidance application listings of non-linear media assets that were extracted from the media guidance application listings. This portion may also include additional non-linear assets that are available for retrieval and playback.
US08966529B2 Virtual channel table for a broadcast protocol and method of broadcasting and receiving broadcast signals using the same
A virtual channel table for broadcasting protocol and a method for broadcasting by using the virtual channel table includes identification information identifying and permitting discrimination of active and inactive channels contained in the virtual channel table. At a receiver, the virtual channel table transmitted from the transmitting side is parsed, thereby determining whether the current received channel is an active or inactive channel.
US08966527B1 System and method for media inserts in a media distribution system
A predefined advertising service identifier, or trigger code, is broadcast along with the digital media in a media distribution system, to give explicit insert triggers to re-distributors in a multi-tiered distribution system. These service identifiers are encrypted so that other parties without access to the triggers that are receiving the broadcast cannot identify ad insert time slots and therefore cannot insert ads without prior agreement. In one embodiment, the triggers are contained within pre-existing conditional access control word packets.
US08966524B2 Method of associating program content data in a digital television network
There is provided a method of associating program content data in a peer-to-peer digital television network. The network comprises a program content source, a network comprising a plurality of network nodes operable to receive data blocks corresponding to program content propagated from the program content source, and at least one user node coupled to the network. The method includes steps of: (a) receiving one or more user profiles of the at least one user node; (b) matching the one or more user profiles with the program content for determining preferential program content for presentation to the at least one user; (c) including identifiers of the preferential program content in the one or more program content lists for receipt at the at least one user node; (d) procuring for the at least one user node the preferential program content using the identifiers from the plurality of network nodes; and (e) selectively presenting at least part of the preferential program content to the at least one user node.
US08966523B1 Advertisement insertion into media content for streaming
Methods and systems for advertisement insertion into streaming media content are described. In one method, an advertisement insertion tool receives a first indication of a start time of where an advertisement is to be inserted into media content and a second indication comprising at least one of an end time of the advertisement or a duration of the advertisement. The advertisement insertion tool inspects a first original slice of the media content that contains the media content at the start time to locate a first preceding key frame at or prior to the start time and a last frame before the start time. The advertisement insertion tool creates a first new slice comprising the media content of the first original slice up to the start time. The first new slice comprises the first preceding key frame, the last frame and any intervening delta frames between the first preceding key frame and the last frame. The advertisement insertion tool inspects a second original slice of the media content that contains the media content at the end time to locate a second preceding key frame at or prior to the end time, a last frame corresponding to the media content at the end time, and a first frame after the end time. The advertisement insertion tool creates a subsequent key frame with the first frame and creates a second new slice comprising the subsequent key frame and the media content of the second original slice after the first frame until an end of the second original slice. The advertisement insertion tool stores the first new slice and second new slice at a content server for streaming the media content with the advertisement inserted to a media player executing on a client computing system.
US08966521B2 Methods and apparatus to present supplemental media on a second screen
Methods and apparatus to present supplemental media on a second screen are disclosed. An example method includes obtaining, at a digital media device, media identifying data from audio data of a portion of first media being presented via the digital media device; determining that the portion of the first media is an advertisement based on the media identifying data; detecting, at the digital media device, a command to cause the digital media device to skip the portion of the first media; and providing an indication to a second device in response to detecting the command, the indication to cause the second device to present second media.
US08966520B2 Video ad swapping in a video streaming system
Configuration of advertisements in a streaming video segment works in cooperation with a client device. Using a selection algorithm, a server selects a first number of default video advertisements for a video streaming session, and a second number of alternative video ads greater than the first number. The server provides identifiers for the alternative video advertisements and transmits the identifiers to the client device prior to a corresponding ad break in the streaming video. During or before streaming of one of the default video advertisements to the client device, the server detects a signal from the client device requesting that one of the alternative video advertisements be swapped for the one of the default video advertisements, interrupts streaming of the default video, and initiates streaming of the one of the alternative video advertisements, in response to detecting the signal. Corresponding operations may be performed by the client device.
US08966518B2 Method for validating access to a product by means of a security module
A method for validating access to a product by a security module associated with a user unit unidirectionally connected to a managing center MC transmitting management messages being generated following the receipt of a request for an access right to the product, said method comprises the steps of purchasing a product, determining a code representing the product, displaying said code on a display device, transmitting to the MC, a request comprising said code and an security module identifier, transmitting a right confirmation message addressed to the user unit associated with said security module, wherein, at purchasing of the product, a temporary right is registered in the security module, said temporary right being replaced by a definitive right by the right confirmation message received from the MC, said definitive right authorizing the access to the purchased product by debiting the value amount associated with said product.
US08966516B2 Determining automatically generated channel tunes based on channel tune dwell times
Set top box logs are received from a television provider and processed to identify channel tunes and channel tune times. The channel tunes and channel tune times of the log data can be compared to expected air times of television advertisements on channels, and an impression values, e.g., projected viewers, can be generated for each television advertisement.
US08966515B2 Adaptable videolens media engine
A system, method, and computer program product for automatically analyzing multimedia data are disclosed. Embodiments receive multimedia data, detect portions having specified features, and output a corresponding subset of the multimedia data. Content features from downloaded or streaming movies or video clips are identified as a human probably would do, but in essentially real time. Embodiments then generate an index or menu based on individual consumer preferences. Consumers can peruse the index, or produce customized trailers, or edit and tag content with metadata as desired. The tool can categorize and cluster content by feature, to assemble a library of scenes or scene clusters according to user-selected criteria. The results may be sent to visual search engines so that further related content may be identified for use as a customized trailer, replacement content for advertisements, or as material to be shared with others.
US08966513B2 System and method for processing media highlights
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for processing media highlights. A first method includes displaying a real-time media event to a user, and, upon receiving a first indication from the user at a first time, generating a highlight of the real-time media event based on the first time, the highlight being associated with a portion of the real-time media event at the first time, and associating, in a highlight database, the highlight with an individual profile of the user. The highlight can include parameters for media content and/or duration. The highlight duration can be based on an analysis of content of the real-time media event. Highlights can be assigned to specific highlight categories. Other aspects disclosed herein apply to playback of media highlights during playback of a recorded media event, and managing stored highlights.
US08966512B2 Inserting advertisement content in video stream
A system and method for inserting advertising content in a video stream are provided. A screen layout includes a plurality of sections is determined with reference to user-designated parameters or with reference to pre-set rules. An output video stream is generated, in which an input video stream received through an input port is shown in one of the sections of the screen layout and supplemental content comprising advertising received through a content port is shown one or more other sections of the screen layout. The output video signal is then output to a display device through a video output port.
US08966510B2 Kernel execution for hybrid systems
A method for executing kernels in a hybrid system includes running a program on a host computer and identifying in an instruction stream of the program a first instruction including a function of a target classification. The method includes generating a first kernel including the function and transmitting the first kernel to a client system to execute the first kernel based on identifying the first instruction as being of the target classification. The method also includes determining whether to store results of executing the first kernel in a read-only buffer of the client system based on determining whether a subsequent instruction of the target classification relies upon results of the first instruction.
US08966503B1 System and method for correlating anomalous events
The method includes monitoring a plurality of information handling systems. The method further includes receiving an anomalous event with respect to at least one information handling system of the plurality of information handling systems. In addition, the method includes performing, via at least one correlation handler, at least one correlation algorithm on the anomalous event. Further, the method includes, responsive to the performing, creating, via the correlation handler, at least one composite event. Additionally, the method includes sending the at least one composite event to an event handler. The method also includes issuing, via the event handler, an alert for the at least one composite event.
US08966499B2 Virtual switch extensibility
An extensible virtual switch allows virtual machines to communicate with one another and optionally with other physical devices via a network. The extensible virtual switch includes an extensibility protocol binding, allowing different extensions to be added to the extensible virtual switch. The extensible virtual switch also includes a miniport driver on which the extensions are loaded, tying the lifetimes of the extensions to the lifetime of the extensible virtual switch.
US08966498B2 Integrating operational and business support systems with a service delivery platform
A service-oriented approach provides for an integration of components that would otherwise be considered different and unrelated components, such as runtime, business support systems (BSS), operational support systems (OSS), and third party components. Such integration allows messages to be transformed and passed between components as necessary to perform a particular task. For example, a BPEL workflow can be initiated upon receiving a user request through a network and gateway layer which will direct provisioning, activation, and processing via these various components. Identities can be managed across these various layers to provide for seamless end-to-end integration.
US08966494B2 Apparatus and method for processing threads requiring resources
A data processing apparatus has processing circuitry for processing threads using resources accessible to the processing circuitry. Thread handling circuitry handles pending threads which are waiting for resources required for processing. When a request is made for a resource which is not available, a lock is set to ensure that once the resource becomes available, the resource remains available until the lock is removed. This prevents other threads reallocating the resource. When a subsequent pending thread requests access to the same locked unavailable resource, the lock is transferred to that subsequent thread so that the latest thread accessing that resource is considered the lock owning thread. The lock is removed once the lock owning thread is ready for processing.
US08966492B2 Service provision quality control device
A service provision quality control device according to the present invention includes a simulation processing unit which predicts a group of state predicting vector values on the basis of vector values of a current state and a past state of measurement statistic, a judging unit which judges whether a control operation is necessary or not on the basis of the state predicting vector value and a target state vector value whose control target is agreed service level, and an adjusting unit which adjusts evaluation condition of an execution environment repeatedly until control deviation becomes not larger than a predetermined value under the condition that iteration number is not larger than a predetermined value which is corresponding to an upper limit value.
US08966488B2 Synchronising groups of threads with dedicated hardware logic
The invention provides a processor comprising an execution unit arranged to execute multiple program threads, each thread comprising a sequence of instructions, and a plurality of synchronisers for synchronising threads. Each synchroniser is operable, in response to execution by the execution unit of one or more synchroniser association instructions, to associate with a group of at least two threads. Each synchroniser is also operable, when thus associated, to synchronise the threads of the group by pausing execution of a thread in the group pending a synchronisation point in another thread of that group.
US08966487B1 Application transaction wait time dynamic adjustment
A transaction server. The transaction server comprises a processor, a non-transitory memory, and an application stored in the non-transitory memory. When executed by the processor, the application transmits a plurality of transaction requests to at least one backend server, where the backend server performs processing on the transaction, determines that a transaction request timeout occurs when a transaction response has not been received from the at least one backend server within a timeout time period after transmitting the associated transaction request, and adjusts the timeout time period based on the transaction request timeouts without restarting.
US08966481B2 Computer program code and method for delivering external data to a process running on a virtual machine
A method and system for delivering external data to a process running on a virtual machine, the virtual machine running on an operating system. The method includes the steps of executing instructions on the virtual machine that obtain state data related to the process; querying the virtual machine to obtain component data related to the state data; and manipulating the component data to deliver the external data to the process. In one example, the system provides a single sign-on application that passes user credentials to a Java applet running on a Java virtual machine.
US08966480B2 System for migrating a virtual machine between computers
An I/O device performs data input and data output between the I/O device and first and second computers. An I/O switch relays input and output data between the I/O device and each of the first and second computers. A device emulator emulates the I/O device when a virtual machine running on the first computer and directly accessing the I/O device is migrated from the first computer to the second computer. A connection controller controls switching connection between any one of the first and second computers and any one of the I/O device and the device emulator. The first computer is connected to the I/O device and the second computer is connected to the device emulator until the virtual machine running on the first computer is stopped, and the second computer is connected to the I/O device after the virtual machine running on the first computer is stopped.
US08966475B2 Workload management for heterogeneous hosts in a computing system environment
Methods and apparatus involve managing workload migration to host devices in a data center having heterogeneously arranged computing platforms. Fully virtualized images include drivers compatible with varieties of host devices. The images also include an agent that detects a platform type of a specific host device upon deployment. If the specific host is a physical platform type, the agent provisions native drivers. If the specific host is a virtual platform type, the agent also detects a hypervisor. The agent then provisions front-end drivers that are most compatible with the detected hypervisor. Upon decommissioning of the image, the image is returned to its pristine state and saved for later re-use. In other embodiments, detection methods of the agent are disclosed as are computing systems, data centers, and computer program products, to name a few.
US08966474B2 Managing virtual machines using shared image
A method for managing a computing system comprises identifying read-only portions of a file system, sharing the read-only portions of the file system among a plurality of virtual machines, and managing the shared read-only portions of the file system as a single unit.
US08966472B2 Image forming apparatus, method of preinstalling application, and non-transitory computer-readable medium
An image forming apparatus, which is configured to install application software that runs on an operation environment, comprises: a storage unit which stores a data file of system software, a data file of application software required to extend a function of the image forming apparatus, a license file required to install the application software, and a control file which defines a state after preinstall with respect to the application software; a preinstall unit which preinstalls application software stored in the storage unit using the license file upon activation of the image forming apparatus; and a changing unit which changes the preinstalled application software to a state defined by the control file.
US08966470B2 Remote content updates for portable media devices
Improved techniques for interaction between a host device (e.g., host computer) and a portable media device (e.g., media player) are disclosed. According to one embodiment, interaction between the host device and the portable media device can be performed over a network. The network can include wired and/or wireless components. The network can also be local, regional or global in geographic coverage. The interaction over the network can be initiated by the portable media device, manually or automatically, so as to request a content update from the host device. In response to the requested content update, updated content is received at the portable media device from the host device, provided a network connection between the portable media device and the host device is available through the network.
US08966466B2 System for performing firmware updates on a number of drives in an array with minimum interruption to drive I/O operations
The present invention concerns an apparatus comprising a management utility and a processing utility. The management utility may be implemented on a host computer and be configured to initiate a request to apply a firmware update to a plurality of drives in an array. The processing utility may be implemented on a drive controller and may be configured to (i) determine which of the plurality of drives are in an idle state, (ii) send the firmware update to the drives determined to be in the idle state and (iii) repeat (i) and (ii) until all of the drives have been updated.
US08966463B2 Eliminating redundant function calls
A computer-implemented method for removing redundant function calls in a computer program includes identifying a first set of equivalent function calls appearing in the computer program. For each of the equivalent function calls, the method identifies whether the function call is partially available or partially anticipable. When a function call is identified as being partially anticipable, a result of the function call is stored in a temporary variable. When a function call is identified as being partially available, the function call is removed and replaced with use of the temporary variable.
US08966453B1 Automatic generation of program execution that reaches a given failure point
An execution of a target software program that causes a particular bug to manifest itself is generated. A target software program is received. A bug report generated by an execution of the target software program is received. The bug report describes a particular bug within the target software program. A bug type of the particular bug is received. A synthesized execution file is generated based on the target software program, the bug report, and the bug type. The synthesized execution file specifies an execution of the target software program that causes the particular bug to manifest itself.
US08966449B2 Test case pattern matching
A method of providing feedback on source code being created includes receiving source code and processing the received source code according to a predefined rule set to create a representation of the received source code. A source code repository is accessed that includes source code fragments. Each source code fragment in the repository has been processed according to the predefined rule set to create representations of the respective source code fragments. The representation of the received source code is compared to each representation of the source code fragments. A matching score is calculated for the representation of the received source code with respect to each representation of the source code fragments based upon an output of the comparison step. An output derived from the calculated matching scores is presented.
US08966446B1 Systems and methods of live experimentation on content provided by a web site
Techniques for experimentation on live content in a production environment are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for live experimentation comprises receiving a first request from a client computing device for an instance of content, sending a second request for an instance of content to a content provider, receiving the instance of content from the content provider in response to the second request, associating a test script with the received instance of content, and sending the instance of content with the associated test script to the client computing device. The client computing device is configured to execute the test script on the instance of content without modifying content executed by the content provider.
US08966444B2 Method and apparatus for programming software components
Methods and systems are disclosed for programming software components that treats software components as the basic unit of abstraction and computation. A software component is encapsulated and classes and other program entities, such as data fields and methods, within a given component do not exist beyond a component boundary. A component interacts with other components only by means of a defined set of input and output ports. A component can inherit and implement ports declared in a template and can declare and implement new ports. A component can only access the external environment through its output ports. An output port of one component can only be connected to a conforming input port of another component. A connect statement is an explicit plumbing operation for connecting components together. Interactions between components are loosely coupled. A related set of templates can be grouped to form a group.
US08966441B2 Dynamic scripts to extend static applications
One or more processors receive (a) first software written in a first computer language, (b) user input identifying a first name of a first method in a plurality of methods defined in the first software, and (c) user input identifying a location within a second software that is written in a second computer language different from the first computer language. In response, the one or more processors automatically prepare and store at the user-identified location in the second software, a new instruction formatted in a syntax of the second computer language that invokes the first method identified in the first software by the first name. The second software may be initially created with a first instruction to include at least a first additional name (e.g. “main”) used to invoke execution of the second software, and as a parameter thereof a second additional name identifying the first software.
US08966440B2 Custom application creation in multi-tenant systems
Methods and systems are provided for creating custom applications that integrate custom objects in a multi-tenant system. One exemplary method for creating a custom application involves an application server providing a graphical user interface on a client device. The graphical user interface includes a graphical user interface element for receiving an input value for an attribute of the custom application, wherein the application server generates the custom application having the attribute equal to the input value indicated by the graphical user interface element to a client device.
US08966437B2 Method and apparatus of specifying the concrete syntax of graphical modeling languages
A computer based method, system and apparatus specify graphical concrete syntax in a modeling language. The invention system declaratively describes the graphical concrete syntax of a diagram of a subject model. A mapping engine maps between (i) the graphical concrete syntax and (ii) the abstract syntax and corresponding diagram interchange syntax of the subject model. The declarative descriptions define structure of the graphical concrete syntax rather than a rendering (painting) logic of the graphical concrete syntax.
US08966436B2 Systems and methods for providing and customizing a virtual event platform
Systems and methods for customizing the functionalities and content of virtual event platform are disclosed. Content is received from a user using a template. Within the template the user defines and/or implements calls to an application programming interface to access various functionalities existing within the virtual event platform, as well as system variables exposed by the existing virtual event platform. The user uses the API system variables to define the customizations.
US08966435B2 Methods for software mass production
A model-oriented programming method for computer-based software system development and management. The method includes (a) obtaining the program problem specifications, (b) building a model of the software system, (c) segmenting the model into model segments, wherein each of the model segments is assigned to a programmer, (d) writing a code for each of the model segments, wherein the code implements the assigned model segment, (e) running a model-driven dry-run and upon detection of a model error fixing the error and proceeding with step (c), (f) debugging the code by each of the programmers and upon detection of a model error fixing the error and proceeding with step (c), (g) integrating the code corresponding to each of the model segments into a computer-based software system, and upon detection of a model error fixing the error and proceeding with step (c), and (h) delivering the integrated computer-based software to the client.
US08966432B1 Reduction of jitter in an integrated circuit
Reducing jitter in a circuit design includes selecting a plurality of circuit elements of a circuit design clocked using a first clock signal and assigning, using a processor, the plurality of circuit elements to different ones of a plurality of groups according to a balancing criterion. The circuit elements assigned to a first group of the plurality of groups are clocked using the first clock signal. The circuit elements assigned to a second group of the plurality of groups are clocked using a second clock signal different from the first clock signal.
US08966429B2 Bit slice elements utilizing through device routing
A method for the identification and implementation of a logic function includes determining logic gates connected to a control signal that is common among the logic gates of the identified logic function. Standard cells may be created and characterized in order to implement the identified logic function. Creating the standard cell includes aligning respective portions of the logic devices included in the logic gates that are coupled to the control signal. In addition, creating the standard cell may also include routing the control signal using a single layer conductive material uni-directionally to interconnect the logic devices.
US08966424B2 Methods for cell phasing and placement in dynamic array architecture and implementation of the same
A semiconductor chip is defined to include a logic block area having a first chip level in which layout features are placed according to a first virtual grate, and a second chip level in which layout features are placed according to a second virtual grate. A rational spatial relationship exists between the first and second virtual grates. A number of cells are placed within the logic block area. Each of the number of cells is defined according to an appropriate one of a number of cell phases. The appropriate one of the number of cell phases causes layout features in the first and second chip levels of a given placed cell to be aligned with the first and second virtual grates as positioned within the given placed cell.
US08966413B2 System and method for a chip generator
A chip generator according to an embodiment of the present invention codifies designer knowledge and design trade-offs into a template that can be used to create many different chips. Like reconfigurable designs, an embodiment of the present invention fixes the top level system architecture, amortizes software and validation and design costs, and enables a rich system simulation environment for application developers. Meanwhile, below the top level, the developer can “program” the individual inner components of the architecture. Unlike reconfigurable chips, a chip generator according to an embodiment of the present invention, compiles the program to create a customized chip. This compilation process occurs at elaboration time—long before silicon is fabricated. The result is a framework that enables more customization of the generated chip at the architectural level because additional components and logic can be added if the customization process requires it.
US08966412B1 Methods of generating circuit layouts that are to be manufactured using SADP techniques
One method disclosed herein involves, among other things, identifying a plurality of features within an overall pattern layout that cannot be decomposed using the SADP process, wherein at least first and second adjacent features are required to be same-color features, decreasing a spacing between the first and second adjacent features such that the first feature and the second feature become different-color features so as to thereby render the plurality of features decomposable using the SADP process, decomposing the overall pattern layout into a mandrel mask pattern and a block mask pattern, and generating mask data sets corresponding to the mandrel mask pattern and the block mask pattern.
US08966411B2 Standardized topographical arrangements for template regions that orient self-assembly
This disclosure relates generally to systems and methods of providing standardized topographical configurations for template regions. In one embodiment, a set of array arrangements is selected. Arrays of template structures are then formed on at least one substrate. Each of the arrays is arranged in accordance with an array arrangement in the set of array arrangements such that the arrays correspond surjectively onto the set of array arrangements. After the arrays are formed, a self-assembly material is provided on the arrays. Self-assembly patterns formed by self-assembling material as a result of the arrays may be empirically observed and used to map a set of self-assembly pattern arrangements surjectively onto the set of array arrangements. Using this mapping, a combination of the self-assembly pattern arrangements that match a target pattern arrangement can be used to select a combination of array arrangements from the set of array arrangements for a template region.
US08966410B2 Semiconductor structure and method for fabricating semiconductor layout
A method for fabricating a semiconductor layout includes providing a first layout having a plurality of line patterns and a second layout having a plurality of connection patterns, defining at least a first to-be-split pattern overlapping with the connection pattern among the line patterns, splitting the first to-be-split pattern at where the first to-be-split pattern overlapping with the connection pattern, decomposing the first layout to form a third layout and a fourth layout, and outputting the third layout and the further layout to a first mask and a second mask respectively.
US08966408B2 Removable clip with user interface
Various embodiments of removable user interfaces, electronic computing devices, and systems are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a body having a bend and a user interface area, a connector adapted to couple to a corresponding connector on an electronic device, and a plurality of conductive elements. The bend enables the user interface area to wrap around a portion of the electronic device when the connector is coupled to the corresponding connector on the electronic device. In another embodiment, a portable electronic system includes a removable user interface and an electronic computing device having a display surface, where the removable user interface is couplable to the electronic computing device such that the removable user interface is disposed over at least a part of the display surface.
US08966392B2 Event management apparatus, systems, and methods
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to generate a reference statistical model of an operating system, such as a computer system, and display the reference statistical model as a hierarchical, segmented time series event stream graph, along with a graph representing current behavior of the system. The event stream graph may be derived from one or more streams of security events. Additional operations may include receiving requests to display further detail respecting discrepancies between the reference statistical model and the current behavior. Other apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08966389B2 Visual interface for identifying positions of interest within a sequentially ordered information encoding
Embodiments of the present invention provide intuitive, easily used, and efficient visual representation of positions of interest to a user within a sequentially ordered information encoding. In particular, various embodiments of the present invention provide a heat-map-like representation of the relatedness, at each location or position within a sequentially ordered information encoding, of the contents of the information encoding at or near the position to a specified search criterion. The heat-map visual representation allows a user to identify positions of particular interest, with respect to the specified search criterion, and to directly access the information at those positions, allowing the user to avoid time-consuming and inefficient hit-or-miss searching techniques.
US08966386B2 Method for enabling a mobile user equipment to drag and drop data objects between distributed applications
The invention concerns a system and a method for enabling a mobile User Equipment (81) to drag and drop data objects between at least two remote applications (7, 9) or between a local application (2) and a remote application (7, 9), the system including a Drag Source (10), a Drag Target (12), a Drop Source (14), and a Drop Target (16). In the system according to the invention, the Drag Source (10) is configured for negotiating with the Drag Target (12) a transmission protocol (38, 32, 100, 102, 104) for exchanging said data object between said Drop Source (14) and said Drop Target (16).
US08966382B1 Managing production and replica copies dynamically
In one aspect, a method includes rendering a user interface enabling a user to dynamically configure a production copy and a replica of the production copy. The user interface further enables a user to dynamically configure a replica of a replica copy. The method also includes receiving a first set of inputs selected by a user using the user interface to configure the production copy, receiving a second set of inputs selected by the user using the user interface to configure the replica copy and configuring a data protection system to replicate the production copy at the replica based on the first and second set of inputs.
US08966378B2 Community interest network
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer program products for providing a community interest network that is developed on a societal relationship platform. In various embodiments, the platform is based on a collection of online, virtualized social communities oriented around interests. Further, in various embodiments, the community interest network includes a directory structure that is hierarchical and is built on a number of interest accounts tied to a specific tier structure (e.g., tier classification).
US08966377B2 Method and apparatus for a virtual desktop
An approach is provided for managing desktop components. A device determines to facilitate access to at least one interface for subscribing to one or more inputs of one or more desktop components, advertising the availability of one or more subscriptions to one or more outputs of the one or more desktop components, publishing the one or more outputs of the one or more desktop components, or a combination thereof. The one or more desktop components generate the one or more outputs based, at least in part, on the one or more inputs.
US08966376B2 Methods and systems for remote desktop session redrawing via HTTP headers
Examples of methods, systems, apparatus, and machine-readable storage media are provided to facilitate access and control of a remote desktop of a remote machine by a web browser at a client device through a transcoding server without installing proprietary plug-ins or protocols on the client device. A transcoding server may translate user input requests from a web browser into input calls compatible with a remote desktop display protocol. The transcoding server may receive remote desktop drawing commands from the remote machine and translate the remote desktop drawing commands into web browser drawing updates compatible with the web browser. A transcoding server may communicate with a web browser via HTTP and communicate with a remote machine via a remote desktop display protocol. A web browser may be an HTML5 browser. A transcoding server may send drawing coordinates to the web browser via an HTTP header and may use long polling.
US08966374B1 Method and apparatus for enabling participants to assume control over a presentation in a remote viewing session
Control of the display computer that is the source of display information on a remote viewing session may be passed between the display participant and one or more of the viewer participants using simplified and intuitive controls rather than a more complicated menu-driven system. In one embodiment, the display participant may elect to provide control to a particular viewer participant or to any viewer participant on the session. When a viewer participant has the ability to control the display computer, the pointer shown to the display participant will be changed to notify the display participant. Likewise, color of the mouse pointer shown to the viewer participant will be changed to allow the viewer participant to know that he has the ability to assume control. Tooltips may be used as well to instruct the participants how to assume control. The color of the mouse pointer is thus determined for each participant individually according to the state of that participant relative to the remote control option of the remote viewing software.
US08966369B2 High quality semi-automatic production of customized rich media video clips
A method and system for the high quality semi-automatic production of customized rich media video clips is disclosed. Media source material, such as text, graphics, pictures, and video clips can be submitted by a customer. A computerized content aggregator utilizing an automated production assistant can locate additional source material by searching available information libraries and databases. The computerized content aggregator may be programmed to organize and assemble the various source materials to create suggested video elements and a suggested voice-over script or recording. A human video producer can then quickly and efficiently create a rich media video clip from the suggested video elements and the voice-over script or recording.
US08966364B2 Image editing apparatus allowing easy edition of page arrangement order on a scrollable preview display of page images
An image editing apparatus allowing easy edition of page arrangement order on the preview display of page images includes a display device having a display screen and a preview display device configured to display image data in a scrollable manner. If any page is selected from the images of preview display, the selected page is displayed as a reduced image at a position different from the preview images. By drag-and-dropping the reduced image to an arrangement of preview images, the selected page moves to the drag-and-dropped position in the image data.
US08966362B2 Method and system for in-document markup in support of information sharing
A system is provided to facilitate content dissemination. During operation, the system allows a user to add a tag to a first document, wherein the tag indicates an operation to be performed on a portion of the document. The system then processes the tag and performs the operation on the document portion based on the tag.
US08966361B2 Providing summary view of documents
As part of a document summary view system, a miniaturized version of a document is provided that presents a summary overview of the document over a user interface, enabling a user to easily read and distinguish the contents of the document. The summary view may preserve a basic format and/or layout of a document and may retain the core elements within the document including headings, bulleted lists, tables, images, and/or the first sentence of each paragraph, and obscure any remaining text and elements.
US08966357B2 User interface for establishing mappings from internal metadata to external metadata
A solution is provided that allows a user to provide an alternate set of metadata for any number of data points within a report, while in a report design environment. They may lay down a grid on the work area and specify the data by placing the relevant dimensional metadata, extracted from the source, in the grid as row headings and column headings. The user may then select either a column or a row from the grid and upon doing so may be provided with a mechanism to define alternate metadata that can describe all data points that are in the column or row in the target system. This allows for a much more user-friendly environment in which to specify metadata mappings between internal sources and external sources.
US08966355B2 Apparatus and method for comparing pairs of binary words
An apparatus for comparing pairs of binary words includes an intermediate value determiner and an error detector. The intermediate value determiner determines an intermediate binary word so that the intermediate binary word is equal to a reference binary word for a first pair of equal or inverted binary words, so that the intermediate binary word is equal to the inverted reference binary word for a second pair of equal or inverted binary words and so that the intermediate binary word is unequal to the reference binary word and the inverted reference binary word for a pair of unequal and uninverted binary words, if the intermediate value determiner works faultlessly. Further, the error detector provides an error signal based on the intermediate binary word so that the error signal indicates whether or not the binary words of a pair of binary words are equal or inverted.
US08966352B2 Memory controller supporting rate-compatible punctured codes and supporting block codes
Apparatus and methods store data in a non-volatile solid state memory device according to a rate-compatible code, such as a rate-compatible convolutional code (RPCC). An example of such a memory device is a flash memory device. Data can initially be block encoded for error correction and detection. The block-coded data can be further convolutionally encoded. Convolutional-coded data can be punctured and stored in the memory device. The puncturing decreases the amount of memory used to store the data. Depending on conditions, the amount of puncturing can vary from no puncturing to a relatively high amount of puncturing to vary the amount of additional error correction provided and memory used. The punctured data can be decoded when data is to be read from the memory device.
US08966350B2 Providing reliability metrics for decoding data in non-volatile storage
A set of reliability metrics is provided for use by an iterative probabilistic decoding process for non-volatile storage. A plurality of sense operations are performed on at least one set of non-volatile storage elements which are programmed to a plurality of programming states. A set of reliability metrics such as logarithmic likelihood ratios is provided based on the sense operations. The set of reliability metrics is can be used by an iterative probabilistic decoding process in determining a programming state of at least one non-volatile storage element based on at least one subsequent sense operation involving the at least one non-volatile storage element. The plurality of sense operations can be performed at different ages (e.g., number of program/erase cycles) of the at least one set of non-volatile storage elements and the set of reliability metrics can be based on an average over the different ages.
US08966340B2 System and method for fault tolerant computing using generic hardware
A dual redundant process controller is provided. The controller comprises a process control application that executes on a first and a second module. When executed by the first module, a first application instance writes a first synchronization information to the second module, reads a second synchronization information from the first module, and, when the second disagrees with the first synchronization information after passage of a time-out interval, performs a resynchronization function; and wherein, when executed by the second module, the second application instance writes the second synchronization information to the first module, reads the first synchronization information from the second module, and, when the first disagrees with the second synchronization information after passage of the time-out interval, performs the resynchronization function. The first application instance calls the synchronization function provided by the multitasking real-time operating system before invoking a set events function provided by a multitasking real-time operating system.
US08966339B1 Decoder supporting multiple code rates and code lengths for data storage systems
Embodiments of decoders supporting multiple code rates and code lengths for data storage systems are disclosed. The decoders can provide for flexible and scalable decoding, particularly when quasi-cyclic low-density parity-check code (QC-LDPC) decoding is used. The decoder can be scaled in size based on, for example, the desired decoding throughput and/or computational cycle duration. In one embodiment, a rotate-left/right shifter is configured to support data having processing units of one of multiple matrix sizes and independently shift portions of the data. In another embodiment, one or more decoding modules are configured to share with one or more other decoding modules an output value from a layer decoding operation. This sharing can facilitate parallel decoding of data by the decoding modules. As a result, decoding speed, efficiency, and system performance can be improved.
US08966338B2 Cyclic redundancy check code generating circuit, semiconductor memory device, and method of driving semiconductor memory device
Disclosed are a semiconductor memory device, and a method of driving the same, and a cyclic redundancy check code generating circuit capable of performing cyclic redundancy check. A semiconductor memory device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a memory cell array, a data processing unit receiving data that is read from the memory cell array and selectively outputting at least some of the data according to ordering information, bit structure information, and burst length information, and a check code generating unit generating a cyclic redundancy check code to detect an error in the data being output, the check code generating unit generating and outputting the cyclic redundancy check code by using the read data, the ordering information, the bit structure information, and the burst length information.
US08966337B2 Powerline communication frames having CRC within header
A method of powerline communications including a first node and at least a second node on a powerline communications (PLC) channel in a PLC network. The first node sends a physical layer (PHY) data frame on the PLC channel including a preamble, a PHY header, a MAC header and a MAC payload. The MAC header includes a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) field (MH-CRC field). The second node receives the data frame, parses the MAC header to reach the MH-CRC field, and performs CRC verification using the MH-CRC field to verify the MAC header. If the CRC verification is successful, (i) the second node parses another portion of the MAC header to identify a destination address of the data frame and (ii) to determine whether the data frame is intended for the second node from the destination address.
US08966334B2 Automatic repeat request (ARQ) protocol employing a first information element indicating whether to perform retransmission of an uplink data packet and a second information element indicates a transport format for the retransmission
A transmission apparatus controls a transport format for retransmission of data packets transmitted uplink to a receiving apparatus via at least one data channel using an automatic repeat request (ARQ) protocol. A transmitter transmits an uplink data packet via the data channel to the receiving apparatus, and a receiver receives a first information element along with a second information element from the receiving apparatus. The first information element indicates whether to perform a retransmission of the uplink data packet at the transmission apparatus, and the second information element indicates a transport format for the retransmission. The transmitter transmits the retransmission from the transmission apparatus to the receiving apparatus according to the transport format indicated in the second information element using a transmission timing based on the ARQ protocol.
US08966333B2 Method and arrangement for retransmission using HARQ
The present invention relates to a method and device for enhancing coverage of a power-limited mobile terminal by sending information relating to a single Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) process from the mobile terminal to a base station using several transmission time intervals.
US08966332B2 Apparatus and method for self-testing a component for signal recovery
A circuit having a component for signal recovery, such as an adaptive equalizer, may be tested in order to ensure that the component operates properly. Unfortunately, external test equipment may be expensive and prone to being damaged. According to an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a circuit including BIST (Built-in Self-Test) circuitry for testing a component for signal recovery with a stress signal that simulates an imperfect signal received over a communication channel. The circuit also has a detector for determining whether the component is operating properly with the stress signal. Thus, no external test equipment is needed for testing the component. In some implementations, the BIST circuitry includes a low-pass filter for filtering a transmit signal into the stress signal. Thus, the amount of circuitry involved in generating the stress signal can be reduced.
US08966331B2 Test circuit of semiconductor memory apparatus and semiconductor memory system including the same
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes a test circuit configured to receive a plurality of sequentially-changing test input patterns, compress the received test input patterns at each clock signal, and output the compressed patterns as variable test data.
US08966329B2 Fast parallel test of SRAM arrays
In general, each parallel test operation on Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cells is a test operation performed on a block of the SRAM cells in parallel, or simultaneously. In one embodiment, the SRAM cells are arranged into multiple rows and multiple columns where the columns are further arranged into one or more column groups. The block of the SRAM cells for each parallel test operation includes SRAM cells in two or more of the rows, SRAM cells in two or more columns in the same column group, or both SRAM cells in two or more rows and SRAM cells in two or more columns in the same column group.
US08966323B2 Monitoring multiple data transfers
Trace circuitry for monitoring a behavior of at least one processor and for generating items of trace data indicative of processing activities of said at least one processor executing a stream of instructions is disclosed. The stream of instructions comprises different types of instructions, each type specifying a different operation, at least one type of instruction comprising a multiple transfer instruction specifying a plurality of data transfers. The trace circuitry is responsive to detection of the at least one processor executing at least one of the multiple transfer instructions and to an indication that at least one of the plurality of data transfers is to be traced: to output for each of the data transfers to be traced a value indicative of a predetermined index value associated with the data transfer, the at least one multiple transfer instruction having predetermined index values associated with each of the plurality of data transfers, such that the predetermined index value provides individual identification of each of the data transfers.
US08966322B2 Automated testing of hot swap scenarios of field replaceable units in a storage system
System and method for automated testing of hot swap scenarios of field replaceable units (FRUs) in a storage system comprises an external automation server that distributes control signals to actuation systems within a number of FRUs. Power for the actuation systems may be provided by the external automation server or by self-contained power supplies with each actuation system. The actuation systems are responsive to the control signals to move the storage devices back-and-forth thereby electrically and physically disconnecting the storage device's mating connector from the backplane connector. This approach provides a high degree of automation while closely emulating customer hot swap scenarios.
US08966317B2 Identifying software responsible for changes in system stability
A computer-implemented method detects a stability change in a computer system, and identifies a first set of at least one capability of the computer system that is affected by the stability change. In response to detecting the stability change, the method identifies a software application that was installed prior to the stability change, and identifies a second set of at least one capability of the computer system that is utilized by the identified software application. The method compares the first and second capability sets to determine a degree of similarity, and compares the time that the stability change was detected to the time that the identified software application was installed to determine a temporal proximity. The method then identifies the likelihood that the identified software application is the cause of the stability change, wherein the identified likelihood is a function of the degree of similarity and the temporal proximity.
US08966313B2 Systems and methods for a shared debug pin
In some examples, a computer system includes a first component associated with a first power domain and a second component associated with a second power domain. The computer system also includes a debug port with a debug port pin shared by a debug operation pin of the first component and a corresponding debug operation pin of the second component. The computer system also includes a switch associated with the debug port pin to selectively isolate the debug operation pin of the first component from leakage current of the corresponding debug operation pin of the second component.
US08966311B2 Maintenance free storage container storage module access
A method begins by a processing module determining failure mode information for a plurality of storage modules of a maintenance-free storage container. The method continues with the processing module managing storage mapping information of data content within the plurality of storage modules based on the failure mode information and receiving a data access request. The method continues with the processing module interpreting the data access request based on the storage mapping information to identify one or more of the plurality of storage modules to produce one or more identified storage modules and generating an in-container data access request based on the data access request and the one or more identified storage modules. The method continues with the processing module sending the in-container data access request to the one or more identified storage modules.
US08966309B2 Distribution of an incrementing count value
Circuitry is disclosed that comprises: at least one element located within the circuitry and configured to hold an increasing count value; an encoder for receiving the increasing count value from a source of the increasing count value and configured to encode the increasing count value into encoded values, the encoded values each indicating an exponential amount to be applied to the count value held in the at least one element; interconnect circuitry for receiving the encoded value and transmitting the encoded value to the at least one element; wherein the at least one element comprises a decoder for decoding the encoded values and for increasing the count value in dependence upon the exponential amount.
US08966307B2 Multiple-speed interface
The present invention provides a security module having a communication interface being capable of operating according to any from a selection from a plurality of predetermined operation modes or communication protocols. The security module further comprises a voltage detector to detect the voltage on the module's power supply connection. Depending on the value of the detected voltage or to which of a plurality of predetermined voltage ranges the detected voltage may be categorized, the security module is made to function according to one from the plurality of predetermined communication protocols. According to an embodiment of the present invention the plurality of communication protocols require that the security module operate at a plurality of different frequencies.
US08966306B2 System and method for operating an electronic device having an HDMI port that is shared between HDMI source function and an HDMI sink function of the electronic device
A system and method for operating an electronic device having a High-Definition Multimedia Interface port that is shared between an HDMI source function and an HDMI sink function of the electronic device utilizes detecting whether an external HDMI device that is attached to the HDMI port is one of an HDMI source and an HDMI sink. If the external HDMI device is detected as being an HDMI source, the HDMI sink function of the electronic device is enabled. If the external HDMI device is detected as being an HDMI sink, the HDMI source function of the electronic device is enabled.
US08966305B2 Managing processor-state transitions
Techniques are disclosed relating to managing power consumption and latencies for entry and exit of idle power states. In one embodiment, a processor includes a processing core configured to operate in a plurality of power states (e.g., C-states) that includes an operating power state and at least one idle power state. The processing core is also configured to operate in a plurality of performance states. The processor further includes a power management unit configured to receive a request from the processing core to enter the at least one idle power state. The power management unit is configured to select a first of the plurality of performance states (e.g., P-states) based on the requested idle power state. In one embodiment, the power management unit is further configured to cause the processing core to transition into the selected first performance state prior to entering the requested idle power state.
US08966304B1 Periodic system wakeup to update state
Methods and apparatus for updating state of computing devices are disclosed. An example method includes automatically scheduling, in a computing device, an update-process trigger. In the example method, occurrence of the update-process trigger causes the computing device to transition from a low power state to a first active power state and perform an update process. The update-process trigger may be scheduled based on one or more heuristics association with a given computing device. The example method further includes initiating, after scheduling the update-process trigger, a transition of the computing device from a second active power state to the low power state. In response to occurrence of the update-process trigger, the example method includes initiating the transition of the computing device from the low power state to the first active power state and performing the update process after the transition from the low power state to the first active power state.
US08966303B2 Information processing apparatus and method for saving energy in an image processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus includes a receiver configured to receive a packet via a communication line, an operating processor configured to suspend an operation thereof when the information processing apparatus is in an energy saving mode, a first storage configured to store the packet received by the receiver, a determining unit including a table in which different operations of the operating processor are recorded in association with different patterns of packets and configured to determine whether to restart the operating processor when the information processing apparatus is in the energy saving mode based on a pattern of the packet stored in the first storage and the patterns of the packets in association with the operations of the operating processor recorded in the table, and a power manager configured to supply power to the operating processor based on a result determined by the determining unit to restart the operating processor.
US08966302B2 Method for power management of data buses in electronic devices
Provided are systems and methods for execution by a core of a peripheral component to provide power management for a data bus in a electronic device, such as a mobile electronic device. One method comprises determining whether a device in the peripheral component is inactive, transmitting a request for deactivation of at least one data channel to the device, receiving a command to deactivate the at least one data channel, determining whether any remaining devices in the peripheral component are active, and placing the peripheral component in a first low power mode wherein the core remains active in order to monitor a data bus clock.
US08966301B2 Method and apparatus for thermal sensitivity based dynamic power control of a processor
A method and system provides dynamic power control based on thermal sensitivity of a processor system. The method and system includes a circuit that reduces the clock frequency for the processor system in response to thermal characteristics satisfying a pre-determined threshold that allows maximal thermal temperature limit utilization without substantially degrading processor performance.
US08966291B2 Method and apparatus for reducing dynamic power within system-on-a-chip routing resources
A method for saving power in transmission of data across buses. By knowing the power characteristics of a bus and characteristics of data to be transmitted across the bus, the data can be encoded in such a fashion as to conserve system power over transmitting the same data in an unencoded format across the bus. The encoding method may be selected before transmission of the data across the bus, and may change depending on the data to be transmitted across the bus.
US08966290B2 Wireless communication terminal and control method thereof
In a wireless communication terminal 103 that is supplied with power through an external device connection terminal to be power-supplied from a PC (electronic apparatus) 101 and performs a processing according to a schedule, a power supply state of the PC and a power consumption state in the wireless communication terminal are compared with each other, and when the comparison result exceeds a prescribed threshold value, the schedule is changed to control such that the comparison result does not exceed the threshold value.
US08966288B2 System and method for providing encryption in storage operations in a storage network, such as for use by application service providers that provide data storage services
In accordance with embodiments of the invention, a method is provided for performing a storage operation in a pipeline storage system in which one or more data streams containing data to be stored are written into data chunks. The method includes generating an encryption key associated with a first archive file to be stored when encryption is requested for the storage operation, encrypting the archive data from the data stream using the encryption key to create an encrypted data chunk when a data stream containing the archive file is processed in the pipeline storage system, storing the encrypted data chunk on a storage medium, and storing the encryption key in a manner accessible during a restore operation of the encrypted data chunk.
US08966287B2 Systems and methods for secure third-party data storage
A computer-implemented method for secure third-party data storage may include 1) identifying, at a server-side computing device, a request from a client system to access an encrypted file stored under a user account, 2) identifying, in response to the request, an asymmetric key pair designated for the user account that includes an encryption key and a decryption key that has been encrypted with a client-side key, 3) receiving, from the client system, the client-side key, 4) decrypting the decryption key with the client-side key, and 5) using the decryption key to access an unencrypted version of the encrypted file. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08966282B2 Cryptographic support instructions
A data processing system 2 includes a single instruction multiple data register file 12 and single instruction multiple processing circuitry 14. The single instruction multiple data processing circuitry 14 supports execution of cryptographic processing instructions for performing parts of a hash algorithm. The operands are stored within the single instruction multiple data register file 12. The cryptographic support instructions do not follow normal lane-based processing and generate output operands in which the different portions of the output operand depend upon multiple different elements within the input operand.
US08966277B2 Method for authenticating an encryption of biometric data
A method authenticates an encryption of a probe vector of biometric data based on an encryption of an enrollment vector of the biometric data using consistency of discriminative elements of the biometric data. The method determines an encryption of a first distance between discriminative elements of an enrollment vector stored at a server and a probe vector presented for an authentication. The method also determines an encryption of a second distance between discriminative elements of a first consistency vector stored at the server and a second consistency vector presented for the authentication. Next, the biometric data is authenticated based on encryptions of the first and the second distances.
US08966276B2 System and method providing disconnected authentication
In a system for disconnected authentication, verification records corresponding to given authentication token outputs over a predetermined period of time, sequence of events, and/or set of challenges are downloaded to a verifier. The records include encrypted or hashed information for the given authentication token outputs. In one embodiment using time intervals, for each time interval, token output data, a salt value, and a pepper value, are hashed and compared with the verification record for the time interval. After a successful comparison, a user can access the computer. A PIN value can also be provided as an input the hash function. A portion of the hash function output can be used as a key to decrypt an encrypted (Windows) password, or other sensitive information.
US08966275B2 Method for authenticating a portable data carrier
A method for authenticating a portable data carrier (10) to a terminal device by the following steps: In the data carrier (10) a public session key (PKSession) is derived (S5) from a public key individual to the data carrier (PKi) which has in its turn been derived (TS32; S1) from a public group key (PK). Further, a secret session key (SKSession) is derived (S4) from a secret key individual to the data carrier (SKi) which has in turn been derived (TS31) from a secret group key (SK). Subsequently, a secret communication key (KK) is agreed on (S7) between the data carrier (10) and the terminal device. Finally, the terminal verifies (S8) the public session key (PKSession) of the data carrier (10).
US08966271B2 Data card verification system
To verify a pair of correspondents in an electronic transaction, each of the correspondents utilizes respective parts of first and second signature schemes. The first signature scheme is computationally more difficult in signing than verifying and the second signature scheme is computationally more difficult in verifying than signing. The first correspondent signs information according to the first signature scheme, the second correspondent verifies the first signature received from the first correspondent, using the first signature scheme. The second correspondent then signs information according to the second signature scheme and the first correspondent verifies the second signature received from the second correspondent, according to the second signature algorithm. The method thereby allows one of the correspondents in participate with relatively little computing power while maintaining security of the transaction.
US08966267B1 Secure session capability using public-key cryptography without access to the private key
A server establishes a secure session with a client device where a private key used in the handshake when establishing the secure session is stored in a different server. During the handshake procedure, the server proxies messages to/from the different server including a set of signed cryptographic parameters signed using the private key on the different server. The different server generates the master secret, and generates and transmits the session keys to the server that are to be used in the secure session for encrypting and decrypting communication between the client device and the server.
US08966263B2 System and method of network equipment remote access authentication in a communications network
A system and method are provided for key-based network equipment remote access authentication. A remote client machine and a piece of network equipment perform client-server authentication while the network equipment employs an access validation server to perform access validation for key-based authentication.
US08966258B2 Method for securely downloading from distributed download sources
The present invention deals with a method for securely downloading from distributed download sources. The greatest possible download security with a simultaneously minimized server load is achieved in this case. The object of the present invention was to provide an improved download method which also allows simple servers, without the possibility of setting up a secure connection, to be used as download servers and allows the total CPU load on the servers involved to be minimized, wherein the data transmission security can be kept the same, in comparison with a download from a single server, via a secure connection. This object is achieved by the method according to the invention for securely downloading from distributed download sources according to the main claim with the aid of a secure database server, a secure main server and 1 to n non-secure download servers, wherein the non-secure download servers newly encrypt the symmetrically encrypted download packets at predefined intervals of time independently of the secure main server.
US08966256B2 Transmitting a document
A method of transmitting a document from a computing device to a printing device using a document server comprising, at the server, receiving user credentials from a user of an authorized computing device, receiving encrypted data defining the document from the authorized computing device, receiving information indicating the intended recipients of the data, receiving user credentials from an authorized printing device, and delivering the encrypted data to an authorized recipient.
US08966252B2 Private entity authentication for pervasive computing environments
A method is provided for authenticating an entity having a plurality of keys in a digital form residing on a claimant computing device. The method comprises: generating a first code word by applying a hash function to a first key residing on the claimant computing device; encoding the first code word into an array of bits having a Bloom filter format; generating a second code word by applying a hash function to a second key residing on the claimant computing device; encoding the second code word into the array of bits; and broadcasting an authentication message having the array of bits therein from the claimant computing device.
US08966242B1 Systems and methods for empowering IP practitioners
A browser application has at least two web browser objects for browsing Private PAIR while hiding multi-page navigation from a user. The browser application is configured to automatically download XML data from Private PAIR, and generate one or more reports therefrom, including a Daily Updates report, a Cross Checker report, and a Docket Listing report. The browser application is preferably configured to selectively provide limited access to Private PAIR by restricting user navigation to programmatic navigation.
US08966234B1 Pluggable module subcomponent reset
Techniques are provided for resetting a microprocessor-based subcomponent of a pluggable module. Specifically, a host device connected to the pluggable module determines that the microprocessor-based subcomponent needs to be reset. The host device resets the microprocessor-based subcomponent without the need for a module level reset of the pluggable module.
US08966221B2 Translating translation requests having associated priorities
A lookup operation is performed in a translation look aside buffer based on a first translation request as current translation request, wherein a respective absolute address is returned to a corresponding requestor for the first translation request as translation result in case of a hit. A translation engine is activated to perform at least one translation table fetch in case the current translation request does not hit an entry in the translation look aside buffer, wherein the translation engine is idle waiting for the at least one translation table fetch to return data, reporting the idle state of the translation engine as lookup under miss condition and accepting a currently pending translation request as second translation request, wherein a lookup under miss sequence is performed in the translation look aside buffer based on said second translation request.
US08966210B2 Zone group connectivity indicator
A method for allocating storage space is provided. The method includes receiving an assignment of an interconnect bay port to a zone group, wherein the interconnect bay port corresponds to a switch that operatively couples a storage controller to the zone group. The method also includes sending a command to the switch to determine whether the storage controller is operatively coupled to the interconnect bay port. The method also includes generating a display that indicates whether the storage controller is operatively coupled to the interconnect bay port.
US08966208B2 Semiconductor memory device with plural memory die and controller die
A semiconductor memory device including a plurality of memory die and a controller die. The controller die is connected to an internal control bus. The controller die is configured to provide to a selected one of the memory die an internal read command responsive to an external read command. The selected memory die is configured to provide read data to the controller in response to the internal read command; wherein latency between receipt by the controller die of the external read command and receipt of the read data from the selected memory die differs for at least two of the memory die when selected as the selected memory die.
US08966205B1 System data management using garbage collection and hybrid self mapping
A data storage system is disclosed that utilizes garbage collection and hybrid self-mapping for managing system data. In one embodiment, a system data region having an amount of valid system data that is below a threshold is freed. Write amplification associated with managing and storing system data can be reduced at least in part because only valid system data can be copied during garbage collection of the selected region. Mapping information associating system data with physical locations in non-volatile storage where system data is stored can be generated, which can reduce system data reconstruction time during start-up of the data storage system. Increase in efficiency and reduction in startup and initialization time can be attained.
US08966198B1 Providing snapshots of virtual storage devices
In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include receiving, at a computer system, a request to create a snapshot of a virtual storage device, wherein the virtual storage device virtually stores data at virtual addresses, the data being physically stored at a plurality of physical storage locations that are managed by an underlying storage system associated with virtual storage device; the methods can further include identifying, by the computer system, one or more regions of the virtual storage device that have been written to since a previous snapshot of the virtual storage device was created; the methods can additionally include generating a unique identifier for the requested snapshot; and creating the requested snapshot using the identified one more regions and the unique identifier.
US08966195B2 Direct memory access and super page swapping optimizations for a memory blade
A system and method is illustrated for identifying an Input/Output (I/O) driver module, using a hypervisor, to receive a read command to read a virtual memory page from a remote memory location. Further, the system and method includes reading the remote virtual memory page, using the I/O driver module, into a memory buffer managed by the I/O driver module. Additionally, the system and method includes storing the virtual memory page in the memory buffer to a persistent storage device. The system and method also includes identifying a remote super page, using a hypervisor, the remote super page including a remote sub page. Additionally, the system and method includes identifying a local super page, using the hypervisor, the local super page including a local sub page. Further, the system and method includes swapping the local sub page for the remote sub page, using the hypervisor, the swapping occurring over a network.
US08966193B2 Addressing, command protocol, and electrical interface for non-volatile memories utilized in recording usage counts sensor
Electrical interfaces, addressing schemes, and command protocols allow for communications with memory modules in computing devices such as imaging and printing devices. Memory modules may be assigned an address through a set of discrete voltages. One, multiple, or all of the memory modules may be addressed with a single command, which may be an increment counter command, a write command, a punch out bit field, or a cryptographic command. The commands may be transmitted using a broadcast scheme or a split transaction scheme. The status of the memory modules may be determined by sampling a single signal that may be at a low, high, or intermediate voltage level.
US08966191B2 Logical interface for contextual storage
A storage layer presents logical address space of a non-volatile storage device. The storage layer maintains logical interfaces to the non-volatile storage device, which may include arbitrary, any-to-any mappings between logical identifiers and storage resources. Data may be stored on the non-volatile storage device in a contextual format, which includes persistent metadata that defines the logical interface of the data. The storage layer may modify the logical interface of data that is stored in the contextual format. The modified logical interface may be inconsistent with the existing contextual format of the data on the non-volatile storage media. The storage layer may provide access to the data in the inconsistent contextual format through the modified logical interface. The contextual format of the data may be updated to be consistent with the modified logical interface in a write out-of-place storage operation.
US08966190B1 System and method for assigning control of a logical unit number
A method, computer program product, and computing system for receiving a first write request from a first host concerning a logical unit number (“LUN”). Exclusive control of the LUN is assigned to the first host. A write operation is performed on the LUN in response to the first write request. A second write request is received from a second host concerning the LUN. A second portion of the LUN that was exclusively controlled by the first host is reassigned so that the second portion of the LUN is exclusively controlled by the second host.
US08966189B2 Managing integrity of shared data in a manner permitting delayed updates
To provide delayed updating of shared data, a concept of dualistic sequence information is introduced. In the concept, if during local modification of data, a modification to the data is published by another user, a local deviation is created, and when the modification is published, it is associated with an unambiguous sequence reference and the local deviation.
US08966186B2 Cache memory prefetching
According to exemplary embodiments, a computer program product, system, and method for prefetching in memory include determining a missed access request for a first line in a first cache level and accessing an entry in a prefetch table, wherein the entry corresponds to a memory block, wherein the entry includes segments of the memory block. Further, the embodiment includes determining a demand segment of the segments in the entry, the demand segment corresponding to a segment of the memory block that includes the first line, reading a first field in the demand segment to determine if a second line in the demand segment is spatially related with respect to accesses of the demand segment and reading a second field in the demand segment to determine if a second segment in the entry is temporally related to the demand segment.
US08966185B2 Cache memory prefetching
According to exemplary embodiments, a computer program product, system, and method for prefetching in memory include determining a missed access request for a first line in a first cache level and accessing an entry in a prefetch table, wherein the entry corresponds to a memory block, wherein the entry includes segments of the memory block. Further, the embodiment includes determining a demand segment of the segments in the entry, the demand segment corresponding to a segment of the memory block that includes the first line, reading a first field in the demand segment to determine if a second line in the demand segment is spatially related with respect to accesses of the demand segment and reading a second field in the demand segment to determine if a second segment in the entry is temporally related to the demand segment.
US08966183B2 Opportunistic cache replacement policy
A cache management system employs a replacement policy in a manner that manages concurrent accesses to cache. The cache management system comprises a cache, a replacement policy storage for storing replacement statuses of cache lines of the cache, and an update module. The update module, comprising access filtering and a concurrent update handling, determines how updates to the replacement policy storage are handled. In a multi-threaded compute environment, a concurrent access to shared cache causes a selective update to the replacement policy storage.
US08966181B2 Memory hierarchy with non-volatile filter and victim caches
Various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to an apparatus and method for non-volatile caching of data in a memory hierarchy of a data storage device. In accordance with some embodiments, a pipeline memory structure is provided to store data for use by a controller. The pipeline has a plurality of hierarchical cache levels each with an associated non-volatile filter cache and a non-volatile victim cache. Data retrieved from each cache level are respectively promoted to the associated non-volatile filter cache. Data replaced in each cache level are respectively demoted to the associated non-volatile victim cache.
US08966180B2 Scatter-gather intelligent memory architecture for unstructured streaming data on multiprocessor systems
A scatter/gather technique optimizes unstructured streaming memory accesses, providing off-chip bandwidth efficiency by accessing only useful data at a fine granularity, and off-loading memory access overhead by supporting address calculation, data shuffling, and format conversion.
US08966172B2 Processor agnostic data storage in a PCIE based shared storage enviroment
Disclosed are a system, a method and/or an apparatus of processor agnostic data storage in a PCIE based shared storage environment. In one aspect, a method includes processing a storage based request received at an adapter circuit of a controller device associated with a disk array to direct the storage based request to at least one of a processor of the disk array and a plurality of storage devices of the disk array. The method also includes routing, through an interface circuit of the controller device, the data request in the other format compatible with the storage device directly to at least one storage device of the plurality of storage devices of the disk array coupled to the controller device agnostic to a processor of the disk array to store a data associated with the data request based on a mapping table.
US08966167B1 Content search system having multiple pipelines
A content addressable memory (CAM)-based search engine is disclosed that reduces power consumption during a plurality of different search operations concurrently performed in a plurality of device pipelines by selectively applying one of a number of different power reduction techniques for each pipeline in response to configuration data indicating the type of search operation that is being performed in the pipeline.
US08966166B2 Information processing apparatus and information processing method
There is provided with an information processing apparatus comprising a DRAM, a memory controller configured to access the DRAM, and a bus master configured to send, to the memory controller, an access request to the DRAM, the bus master comprises a transmission unit configured to transmit, to the memory controller, using a signal indicating a type of burst access which is requested of the memory controller by the bus master, an instruction to designate that an auto-precharge operation is not to be performed after accessing the first address, and an instruction to designate that an auto-precharge operation is to be performed after accessing the first address.
US08966165B2 Translation layer in a solid state storage device
Solid state storage devices and methods for flash translation layers are disclosed. In one such translation layer, a sector indication is translated to a memory location by a parallel unit look-up table is populated by memory device enumeration at initialization. Each table entry is comprised of communication channel, chip enable, logical unit, and plane for each operating memory device found. When the sector indication is received, a modulo function operates on entries of the look-up table in order to determine the memory location associated with the sector indication.
US08966161B2 Memory storage device and restoring method thereof
A memory storage device and a repairing method thereof are provided. The memory storage device has a rewritable non-volatile memory module having multiple physical units. The physical units include at least one backup physical unit which is configured to be accessed only by a specific command set and stored with at least one customized data. The method includes receiving a specific read command from a host system for reading the backup physical unit and transmitting the customized data therein to the host system when the memory storage device is capable of receiving and processing commands from the host system, the specific read command belongs to the specific command set; and writing the customized data from the host system into a corresponding physical unit to restore the memory storage device to a factory setting when receiving the writing command from the host system for writing the customized data.
US08966159B2 Flash storage device and data writing method thereof
A flash storage device comprises a flash memory and a controller. The flash memory comprises a plurality of blocks comprising a plurality of ordinary pages and a plurality of reserved pages. The controller receives a current write command and write data from a host, determines a mother block and an FAT block corresponding to the write command, divides data of the mother block and data of the FAT block into a plurality of original data segments and a plurality of updating data segments, integrates the original data segments with the updating data segments to obtain integrated data segments, writes the integrated data segments to an integrated block respectively in a plurality of processing periods of a plurality of subsequent write commands, and writes the subsequent write data to the reserved pages of a plurality of subsequent blocks.
US08966158B2 Data protection technique that protects illicit copying of data maintained in data storage
A data protection program for protecting data to be processed by an application, and a computer including volatile storage means and nonvolatile storage means performs a volatile file unpack function of writing, to the nonvolatile storage means, data corresponding to a data file to be read or written by the application so that the data is associated with the data file; and a volatile file repackage function of outputting the data file corresponding to the data written to the volatile storage means.
US08966157B2 Data management method, memory controller and memory storage apparatus
A data management method, a memory controller and a memory storage apparatus are provided. The method includes grouping a plurality of physical units of a rewritable non-volatile memory module into at least a data area and a free area. The method also includes configuring a plurality of logical units for mapping a part of the physical units. The method further includes receiving at least two pieces of update data, which are corresponding to different logical pages of the logical units. The method further includes getting a physical unit from the physical units. The method further includes writing the at least two pieces of update data into the same one physical page of the gotten physical unit. Accordingly, the use efficiency of the physical units could be improved.
US08966155B1 System and method for implementing a high performance data storage system
A method, apparatus, and computer program product for implementing a high-performance data storage device using block-access memory devices are disclosed. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a storage device includes a block-access memory device configured to stored data in one or more physical sector addresses and a random-access memory device storing a logical-to-physical (L2P) sector address translation data structure. Also, the storage device includes a device manager, coupled to both the block-access memory device and the random-access memory. The device manager is configured to determine a physical sector address in the block-access memory device, in response to a data access request, wherein the data access request includes a logical sector address by mapping the logical sector address to a physical sector address using the L2P sector address translation data structure.
US08966153B2 Semiconductor memory device and information data processing apparatus including the same
A semiconductor memory device includes a plural number of data input/output pins, a plural number of banks, in each of which a plural number of the information data is stored, a selector and a control circuit. In a first access mode, the control circuit simultaneously accesses the multiple banks in response to a single read-out command or to a single write-in command from outside. In the first access mode, the selector coordinates a plurality of data input/output pins with the multiple banks in a predetermined relationship.
US08966147B2 Lock leasing method for solving deadlock
A method for resolving deadlock in a multi-threaded computing system using a novel lock lease is disclosed. A first thread leases a lock held by the first thread to a second thread different from the first thread. The leasing transfers control of the lock to the second thread while the first thread retains ownership of the lock. To lease the lock: (1) the second thread applies for the lease from the first thread; (2) the first thread grants the lease; (3) the first thread waits for the second thread to complete a task; (4) the second thread terminates the lease; (5) the first thread confirms termination of the lease. The first thread receives control of the lock back from the second thread after the second thread has finished using resources controlled by the lock. The second thread also can sublease the lock to a third thread.
US08966145B2 Data conversion apparatus and method
A data processing apparatus may include: a data conversion unit configured to designate one-transfer data as one transfer unit and designate a predetermined number of transfer units as one conversion unit when a plurality of input data sequentially input is converted into transfer data of which the number of bits is the same as that of a data bus having a predetermined number of bits, and the transfer data is sequentially transferred, and arrange the input data in the transfer data within the conversion unit. The data conversion unit may include: a data generation unit, a first data arrangement change unit, and a first data selection unit configured to sequentially select the changed data in which the position of the input data is changed by the first data arrangement change unit and output the selected changed data as the transfer data in the data conversion unit.
US08966143B2 Method for controlling storages and storage control apparatus
A method, executed by a computer, for controlling storages includes obtaining time elapsed since data to be moved in a source storage in three or more storages whose performance for response to an access request is different is accessed in accordance with the access request, identifying, from the storages, a destination storage that meets condition under which the data to be moved in the source storage is moved, based on the obtained elapsed time by referring to a storage unit that stores the condition under which data is moved to each of the storages, and moving the data to be moved in the source storage to the identified destination storage.
US08966138B2 Communication between a host device and an accessory using multiple-endpoint identification
Techniques for facilitating communication between a portable media device (PMD) and an accessory via multiple communication paths. The accessory has a unique accessory identifier that it can send to the PMD upon establishing a connection via each communication path. The PMD can determine whether the same accessory is connected via multiple communication paths based on the accessory identifier received via each communication path. The PMD can route information to the accessory and control routing of information from the accessory based on the set of communication paths that are currently connected and can dynamically change the routing as communication paths are connected and disconnected.
US08966135B2 Methods of providing access to I/O devices
A method of providing one or more computing devices with access to a plurality of resources. The plurality of resources are provided by at least one physical device. The method comprises, at a first control element receiving a data packet transmitted by one of said one or more computing devices, and determining whether said data packet comprises a command including a first logical identifier identifying one of said resources. If it is determined that said data packet comprises a command including a first logical identifier a second logical identifier is obtained, the second logical identifier being associated with said first logical identifier and identifying said one of said resources. A request including said second logical identifier is transmitted to a second control element, the second control element being arranged to identify a physical device associated with said second logical identifier and to forward said request to the identified physical device.
US08966133B2 Determining a mapping mode for a DMA data transfer
According to embodiments of the invention, methods, computer readable storage medium, and a computer system for determining a mapping mode for a DMA data transfer are disclosed. The method may include receiving a request for a DMA data transfer within a computer system. The method may also include determining a mapping mode for the DMA data transfer based on available system profile data in response to receiving the request. The method may also include mapping the memory using the determined mapping mode.
US08966132B2 Determining a mapping mode for a DMA data transfer
According to embodiments of the invention, methods, computer readable storage medium, and a computer system for determining a mapping mode for a DMA data transfer are disclosed. The method may include receiving a request for a DMA data transfer within a computer system. The method may also include determining a mapping mode for the DMA data transfer based on available system profile data in response to receiving the request. The method may also include mapping the memory using the determined mapping mode.
US08966118B2 Unauthenticated redirection requests with protection
A redirection object may be obtained, based on a current request of a current requestor. The redirection object request may be associated with a response to a previous request for a redirection to a destination network location, the previous request associated with a previous requestor. A current transmission origination location associated with a current requestor transmission of the current request may be determined. It may be determined whether the current transmission origination location includes a similarity to a previous transmission origination location associated with a previous transmission of the previous request, based on identification information included in the redirection object. It may be determined whether to initiate a redirect operation of the current requestor to the destination network location, based on a result of the determining of the similarity between the current transmission origination location and the previous transmission origination location.
US08966117B1 System for discovering routers in a communication path of a supervisory control and data acquisition system
A supervisory control and data acquisition system for controlling data acquisition, wherein the system can include an enterprise server. The enterprise server can include an online configurable communication server software, a configurable server interface, a configurable protocol interface, and a configurable connection interface. The system can discover at least one router in a communication path between a communication server and at least one remote device being monitored and controlled with the supervisory control and data acquisition system and calculate latencies incurred by each hop of at least one tracer packet deployed by the communication server, to determine bandwidth restrictions.
US08966116B2 Managing streamed communication
Methods, apparatus and systems are disclosed for managing streamed communication (such as video, audio, or audio-visual communication) between client devices and remote devices via a digital data communication network in situations where the data communication network comprises one or more routers operable to receive streamed data from one or more client devices and/or from one or more other routers, and to forward such streamed data to one or more remote devices and/or to one or more other routers such as to enable the client device and potentially-varying subsets of the one or more remote devices to participate in a communication session.
US08966112B1 Network protocol proxy
A network proxy can be provided as a layer between an application layer protocol (such as the Remote Desktop Protocol) and a transport layer protocol (such as TCP). The network proxy can intercept communications between the application layer protocol and the transport layer protocol. The network proxy can transmit communications on multiple connections, without the application layer or transport layer protocols being aware of the parallelization.
US08966111B2 Methods and apparatus for service planning and analysis
Methods and apparatus for service planning and analysis. In an aspect, a method is provided for scheduling a presentation for delivery over a distribution network. The method comprises generating a contact window that comprises a selected time duration, performing an allocation cycle to allocate the presentation to the contact window, determining whether the presentation can be allocated, adjusting the selected time duration of the contact window if the presentation cannot be allocated, and repeating said performing, determining and adjusting until the presentation can be allocated.
US08966110B2 Dynamic bandwidth throttling
An approximation of the bandwidth of the narrowest link in a network is determined by watching how fast data gets to the other end and then back again. The rate of data transmission is limited according to this approximation. Dynamic capacity of the link, i.e. the amount of data that can be in-flight at the same time, neglecting any buffers, is also tracked. The technique looks at how much data is in-flight and, if there is more data in flight than the dynamic capacity of the network, the data transmission rate is slowed down.
US08966109B2 Systems, methods and computer-readable media for configuring receiver latency
The present disclosure is related to transmitting and receiving media channels, such as audio and video channels. These channels may be transmitted as packets from one or more transmitting devices to one or more receiving devices for playout. Certain embodiments of the present disclosure include systems, methods, and computer-readable media for determining latency of a data network for synchronized playout of received signals. Additionally, certain embodiments of the present disclosure include a systems, methods, and computer-readable media for synchronizing playout among devices connected to a data network.
US08966105B2 Sending secure media streams
A method and apparatus for sending a first secured media stream having a payload via an intermediate node. The intermediate node receives from a sender the first secured media stream. An end-to-end context identifier and a hop-by-hop context identifier are determined for the first secured media stream, where the hop-by-hop context identifier relates to the intermediate node and the end-to-end identifier relates to the sender. A second secured media stream is generated, which includes at least the payload of the first secured media stream and the context identifiers to identify the first secured media stream. The second secured media stream is sent to a receiving node, and the context identifiers are also sent to the receiving node. The context identifiers are usable by the receiving node to recover the first secured media stream.
US08966103B2 Methods and system for processing time-based content
A method of processing time-based content includes streaming the time-based content to a receiving device in a normal mode, evaluating a numerical difference between a program clock reference timestamp and a decode timestamp in the content at a transition out of said normal mode, streaming the content to the receiving device in a trick play mode, and altering the content during the trick play mode such that a numerical difference between the timestamps at a transition back into the normal mode is substantially equal to the numerical difference between the timestamps at the transition out of said normal mode.
US08966102B2 Interactive property communication system
Disclosed herein, among other things, are apparatus and methods for interactive property communication. In various embodiments, an interactive property communication system includes two or more property communication nodes (PCNs) each adapted for coupling to an electrical service. PCNs include a radio transceiver for communications with a broker service adapted for controlling communications with one or more PCNs.
US08966100B1 System, device, and method for distributing access control information in a communication system
A system, device, and method for distributing access control information in a communication system uses a reliable multicast mechanism for distributing access control information by a main server to multiple access control devices. A dedicated multicast group is established for distributing the access control information, and each access control device joins the dedicated multicast group. A reliable multicast mechanism is used to distribute the access control information to the multicast group members. Each access la control device obtains the access control information using the reliable multicast mechanism, and stores the access control information in a database for later use in making receiver access control decisions.
US08966097B1 Fractional redundant distribution of media content
A method and system for a client device to download media content directly from a group of other client devices which play a role of edge servers placed by a content service provider. According to some embodiments, an end user can use his/her client device to stream or download media content from the source client devices selected based on the geographic locality, network topology, etc. The fractions of data corresponding to a portion of media content are stored on the source client devices such that only a subset of the fractions of data are needed to recreate the corresponding portion. That is, by using the first received of the minimum number of fractions to reconstruct each portion of media content, the system does not need to wait for the slowest fractions to arrive, which contributes in reducing latency.
US08966096B2 Device-pairing by reading an address provided in device-readable form
A system is described for allowing a user, operating a trusted device, to remotely log into a server via a potentially untrustworthy client. A first secure connection is established between the client and the server. A second secure connection is established between the device and the server through the client. The user then remotely logs into the server over the second secure connection using the device. The second secure connection is tunneled within the first secure connection, preventing the untrustworthy client from discovering personal information associated with the user. According to one feature, prior to forming the second secure connection, the user establishes a pairing relationship with the client by reading an address of the client using a reading mechanism. According to another feature, the device can receive marketing information in the course of a transaction.
US08966095B2 Negotiate multi-stream continuous presence
Described are embodiments for allowing the negotiation of a continuous presence layout. Specifically, in embodiments, an offer is generated by a client that includes attributes for displaying continuous presence video information. The attributes include, in some embodiments, one or more window identifiers, one or more bandwidth limit identifiers, one or more group numbers, and/or one or more ranks. The offer is sent to a server which transmits an answer to the offer. Once the attributes for the continuous presence layout has been negotiated, the server uses the attributes to format video content sent to the client.
US08966092B2 System and method for information sharing using near proximity communication
Source data stored on a source device may be shared with one or more devices. Sharing the source data may include facilitating receiving, at a first device, a first token associated with the source data, from a second device, using a near proximity communication (NPC) protocol. The NPC protocol may support generation of the first token based on detection of presence of the first device within five feet of the second device. The first token may be encoded for NPC communication and may be non-public. The first token may be based on the source data and the receipt of the first token may be based on the detection. The first token may be decoded and communicated, based on a first communication protocol, to a third device to download the source data using the decoded first token. The second device may be an NPC-enabled device.
US08966090B2 Method, apparatus and computer program product for providing an indication of device to device communication availability
An apparatus for providing an indication of device to device communication capability may include a processor and a memory storing executable instructions. In response to execution of the instructions by the processor, the apparatus may perform at least receiving an indication with respect to status of an application or a request by the application, determining availability of a device to device connection associated with peer communication, and providing a notification to the application indicative of the availability of the device to device connection to the peer. A corresponding method and computer program product are also provided.
US08966088B2 Detecting relayed communications
Methods, apparatus and computer readable code for determining whether a potential relay device is a relay device are provided herein. In some embodiments, first and second information elements are received from a potential relay device, which is an original source of the second information element. In order to determine whether the potential relay device is a relay device, it is determined whether a feature of an original source of the first information element and a feature of the potential relay device are features unlikely to relate to a single device, wherein a positive result of the determining is indicative that the potential relay device is a relay device. In an exemplary embodiment, a disclosed system includes an information element receiver and a feature incompatibility analyzer. Optionally, the disclosed system includes a feature discovery module, a parameter obtainer and a feature database.
US08966087B2 Load characteristic estimation system, load characteristic estimation method, and program
A load characteristic estimation system includes: a program input unit into which a program that runs on a prescribed computer system is inputted; a program feature information acquisition unit that obtains features from the inputted program; and a load characteristic estimation unit that estimates a load characteristic of the inputted program by reading load characteristic information of another program having a feature similar to the inputted program, from a load characteristic recording unit that records a load characteristic produced in the prescribed computer system when the other program was run on the computer system in the past.
US08966084B2 Virtual machine load balancing
A method for load balancing virtual machines includes accessing current consumption data and historical consumption data for a first virtual machine running on a host hardware platform, wherein the host hardware platform is coupled to a network and accessing specification and utilization information for networked hardware platforms published on the network by each networked hardware platform, wherein the networked hardware platforms each include a hardware platform configured to run virtual machines. The method also includes selecting a target platform from the networked hardware platforms to receive the first virtual machine based on the published specification and utilization information for the networked hardware platforms and consumption data for the first virtual machine, wherein the first virtual machine will operate on the target platform in a condition that is not over-constrained.
US08966081B1 Method for device security in a heterogeneous storage network environment
An automated, policy-based system and method provides information security at various levels in the network, including at the baseline inventory, device, network frame, and command level. This approach improves over the conventional distributed security model by centralizing security in one multi-level management structure. Embodiments of the present invention may also provide a scheme for mapping vendor-unique opcodes to access rights.
US08966070B1 System and method of reducing network latency
Aspects of the invention provide systems and methods for reducing latency in TCP connections. A client computer may send a request for information to a server computer using TCP. In response, the server may transmit the information to the client device according to default TCP connection assumptions. The server may re-configure the TCP connection based on various network statistics identified by the characteristics of the exchange between the server and the client. The server may periodically provide the network statistics concerning the speed of the network connection between the server and the client to the client. This information may be stored in cache memory by the client device for later use. For example, the next time the client device requests information from the server, the server may request the cached network statistics. The server may use this information to determine how information should be transmitted to the client.
US08966069B2 System, method and program for detecting anomalous events in a utility network
A communication device detects whether anomalous events occur with respect to at least one node in a utility network. The communication device has recorded therein threshold operating information and situational operating information. The threshold operating information includes data indicative of configured acceptable operating parameters of nodes in the network based on respective locational information of the nodes. The situational information includes data indicative of configured operation data expected to be received from nodes in the network during a predetermined time period, based on a condition and/or event occurring during the time period. The communication device receives operation data from nodes in the network, and determines whether the operation data from a node constitutes an anomalous event based on a comparison of the received operation data with (i) the threshold operating information defined for the node and (ii) the situational information. The communication device outputs notification of any determined anomalous event.
US08966063B2 Operating a sleep management service
The claimed subject matter provides a method for operating a sleep management service. The method include identifying a set of guardians based on a local state for each of a plurality of compute nodes. The method also includes sending a wake request to all sleeping compute nodes in the identified set. The method further includes sending a request to become a guardian to all compute nodes in the identified set. Additionally, the method includes stopping a current guardian from being a guardian if the current guardian is less suitable than a threshold number of current guardians.
US08966059B2 Cached data detection
A service assigns session identifiers to usage sessions of a program on a computing device, and maintains records in a log of received page requests and associated session identifiers, as well as received cached data detection requests and associated session identifiers. This log can be used to determine how many usage sessions existed over a particular amount of time, and how many of the usage sessions used data from a local cache rather than from the service. The service also returns, in response to a received cached data detection request, a response including an indication that the response is from the service. The program can determine that the response was received from the service if the indication is included in the response, and that the response was received from a local cache of the computing device if the indication is not included in the response.
US08966043B2 Frequency capping of content across multiple devices
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, and including a method for delivering content. The method comprises identifying impressions of content to a user accessing resources using different requesting sources. The method further comprises storing impression data for the identified impressions in association with the user and requesting source. The method further comprises storing requesting source characteristic information with the impression data and identifying parameters that require limits on a number of impressions that are to occur in a time period and type of requesting source. The method further comprises receiving a request for content from a particular requesting source associated with the user, and determining when impressions available for that type of requesting source have been satisfied, and when not, enabling delivery of a content item associated with a campaign to the requesting source responsive to the received request.
US08966042B2 Differentiating bookmarks in content access lists shared among multiple content player devices
A content player accesses content via a content access list shared by a network of players. The content is stored by one or more of the players. One or more of the players may be thin clients that can access content stored by other players but cannot themselves store content. The content access list lists available stored content. The content player associates a bookmark with the content and includes identification information that identifies the requestor related to generation of the bookmark. When the content player presents the content access list, bookmarks associated with content included in list are also be along with the identification information. In some implementations, the requestor related to generation of the respective bookmark may be the content player that generated the bookmark, the specific user that entered input that prompted generation of the bookmark, and/or a combination thereof.
US08966034B1 Managing subscriptions for an out-of-network mobile device
Methods are disclosed for managing the subscription of a mobile device to various applications that are accessible by the mobile device. A registration message is received at a home network indicating that the mobile device is currently registered with a foreign network. Applications that are accessible to the mobile device are identified. A subscribe message is sent to an application associated with the foreign network, such that the home network and the foreign network have an established relationship that allows a subscription manager to manage the subscription of the application on behalf of the mobile device.
US08966032B2 System and method for propagating personal identification information to communication devices
A system and method for propagating identification information among a communication device and a server, through an agent installed on the device. Such process optionally and preferably comprises synchronization between the server and the device, through the agent, such that one or both of the agent and the server may optionally “push” or “pull” information.
US08966031B2 Method for addressing management object in management tree and associated device management system
A method for addressing a management object in a management tree of a device management (DM) client and an associated DM system are disclosed to solve the issues encountered in the relative universal resource identifier (URI) addressing of the OMA DM protocol. The method comprises receiving a relative URI including a first part from a DM server, and identifying a root node of the management object according to the first part. The first part comprises a URI parameter for specifying a root node of a sub-tree of the management tree for finding the management object, a management object identifier, and a plurality of attribute conditions for specifying values of a plurality of leaf nodes directly under the root node of the management object.
US08966029B2 Network control system for configuring middleboxes
Some embodiments provide a method for configuring a logical middlebox in a hosting system that includes a set of nodes. The logical middlebox is part of a logical network that includes a set of logical forwarding elements that connect a set of end machines. The method receives a set of configuration data for the logical middlebox. The method uses a stored set of tables describing physical locations of the end machines to identify a set of nodes at which to implement the logical middlebox. The method provides the logical middlebox configuration for distribution to the identified nodes.
US08966028B2 Virtual placeholder configuration for distributed input/output modules
A modular distributed I/O system for an industrial automation network that allows one or more modules of an island to be omitted without requiring reconfiguration of the system by maintaining a consistent I/O image representation of the distributed I/O network for various physical distributed I/O configurations, and managing reconfiguration changes using Virtual Placeholder objects.
US08966021B1 Composable machine image
A computer system image is executed on a computing node over a network. A system specification file transmitted over the network specifies the computer system image by specifying components of the computer system image. The components include an operating system and at least one resource. The system specification file also contains a signature associated with the resource. A resource is determined to be authorized to be incorporated into the computer system image by verifying the signature. A computer system image can then be formed based on the components specified by the system specification file and executed locally.
US08966019B2 Application server for mainframe computer systems
A method, apparatus, and computer program product for running software on an adapter. In response to a connection of a hardware interface for the adapter with a current host computer, a processor unit in the adapter determines whether a set of protocols for communicating with the current host computer to access resources is present on the adapter. In response to the set of protocols being absent on the adapter, the processor unit obtains the set of protocols from the current host computer. The processor unit identifies a set of available resources in the current host computer for use by the adapter using the set of protocols. The processor unit runs software stored on a set of storage devices in the adapter using the set of available resources identified for use by the adapter.
US08966018B2 Automated network device configuration and network deployment
Automatically configuring network device, network system architecture, and method for configuring one or a plurality of devices on a network. Device and network system architectures and methods for automatically self-initiating and configuring one, a plurality, or hundreds of wired or wireless network devices. Autoconfiguring wireless Local Area Network switch and access point devices connected to the switch. Method for accessing remote server by a device to acquire device configuration information. Method for deploying a network including at least one network device at a facility without the participation of a person having knowledge of networks or network devices at the facility. Computer program and computer program product.
US08966014B2 Parallel streaming
Embodiments of the present invention set forth techniques for a content player to stream a media file using multiple network connections. To stream the media file, the content player downloads metadata associated with a requested media file, establishes a network connection with multiple content servers (or multiple network connections with a single content server or both) and begins requesting portions of the media file. In response, the requested portions are transmitted to the content player. The content player may employ a predictive multi-connection scheduling approach to determine which network connection to use in downloading a given chunk.
US08966013B2 Unified device management method and system
A unified device management method and system for unified management of a fixed and mobile device includes a command execution controller which receives a device management command, sends a query message to the device, receives a response message transmitted by the device, creates a command execution policy based on the settings contained in the response message, and executes the device management command according to a policy, the device which generates and sends the response message to the command execution controller according to user inputs, and a remote access server which connects the device and the command execution controller by using a remote access protocol.