Document Document Title
US08997765B2 Device for treating small parts
A device for gently cleaning, sterilizing, and drying large volumes of small parts, having a stationary, preferably spherical treatment container optionally having a cooling device and having a rotating inner basket disposed in the interior thereof. The inner basket is preferably sealed off from the treatment container and driven by a stepper motor or servo motor.
US08997762B2 Automatic wax removing device and automatic wax removing method using same
An automatic wax removing device includes a base, a heating plate, a cooling plate, a first actuator, a second actuator, and an operation plate. The base includes a base plate and a framework. The heating plate is arranged on the base plate. The cooling plate is arranged on the base plate and separated from the heating plate. The first actuator includes a sliding rail and a elongated sliding member on the sliding rail. The sliding rail is fixed on the frame and parallel with the heating plate. The second actuator includes a main body and a rotation shaft arranged on the main body. The main body is slideable along the length of the sliding member. One end of the rotation shaft is connected to the main body. The operation plate is fixed to the other end of the rotation shaft.
US08997760B2 Hair treatment application system comprising an absorbent substrate
The present invention describes a hair treatment application system, comprising at least one or more hair treatment compositions (15) having a viscosity of from 3,000 cPs to 150,000 cPs and a hair treatment application device (1) comprising a first plate (10) and a second plate (20) positionable in a juxtaposed relationship when said hair treatment application device (1) is in a closed state. The hair treatment application device (1) is characterized by having a first zone comprising at least one absorbent substrate (40) on the internal surface (101) of said at least said first plates (10) and a second zone (50) on said internal surface (101) which is free of said absorbent substrate (40). Said at least one absorbent substrate (40) has a median pore radius of from 300 microns to 3,000 micron. The present invention describes also methods of treating the hair with said hair treatment application system (10) and kit comprising said hair treatment application system.
US08997759B2 Applicator with tubular, overmolded core element
The invention relates to a cosmetics applicator having a handle section, an applicator element and a shaft section connecting the applicator element and the handle section, wherein the applicator element includes a core element of a first material and a bristle element which at least partially envelops the core element and includes a second material preferably different from the first material with regard to its hardness and/or flexibility.
US08997758B1 Hair protection, retention, and styling apparatus
A hair protection, retention and styling apparatus has a triangular shape. The left and right base corners comprise hair protection flaps that extend from either side of a rectangular hair retention channel roll. A top hair retention flap extends from the top thereof to form the top corner. A cylindrical style bar is attached near the top of the triangular body. Once a user places her hair on the channel roll, the hair protection flaps are folded in over the hair, thereby containing, retaining, and protecting the hair. The ends of the user's hair are wrapped around the style bar and the top hair retention roll is wrapped over the bar and the hair and bar are rolled approximately to the user's scalp. First and second wrap ties attach near the top of the triangular body and are used to secure the apparatus to the user's head.
US08997753B2 Electronic smoking article
An electronic smoking article comprising an aerosol generator and a mechanical aerosol converter insert having the capacity to improve characteristics of aerosol produced by the aerosol generator, including sensory attributes.
US08997750B1 Immobilization device for radiation therapy treatment
A stabilization bar and a stabilization method for stabilizing patients during radiation therapy treatment.
US08997747B2 Nasal cannula
A nasal cannula arrangement for use as part of systems for delivery respiratory gases to a patient is disclosed. The nasal cannula arrangement includes a manifold part adapted to receive gases from a delivery conduit. The manifold includes one but preferably a pair of prongs extending upward and curving towards the rear of the manifold. The prongs are inserted into the nostrils of the patient and deliver gases to a patient. The prongs have a cut out on the rear side of the prongs. The cut out forms a gases outlet in the prongs and are shaped such that the area of the cut out area is greater than the cross sectional area of the prongs at the entry point to the prongs.
US08997746B2 Medical device tube having a flange with opposing support ears for improved alignment and retention of an inner cannula in an outer cannula
A medical device tube having opposing support ears for improved coupling of an inner cannula to an outer cannula. The medical device tube comprises an outer cannula having opposing support ears on an outer cannula connector flange attached to a proximal end of the outer cannula. The opposing support ears maintain locking ears of the inner cannula in substantially one position. The opposing support ears substantially prevent the locking ears in contact with the outer cannula connector flange from slipping therefrom by, e.g., rotation, axial displacement, torsional shear, etc.
US08997744B2 Adjustable conduit coupling assembly
A conduit coupling assembly for use in connection with a patient interface device. The conduit coupling assembly includes a coupling retention assembly for retaining the conduit coupling in a predetermined position with respect to the user's face, and an adjustment assembly that permits continuous adjustment of a position of the conduit coupling with respect to a user's face. The conduit coupling assembly is continuously adjustable and retainable in an adjusted position and orientation by the adjustment assembly.
US08997739B2 Vent valve apparatus
A vent valve apparatus (10) for use with a system for supplying breathable gas pressurized above atmospheric pressure to a human or animal. The apparatus (10) includes a gas washout vent (15), a vent valve (18) adapted to progressively restrict the flow area of the washout vent (15), and a pressure sensitive vent valve control means (20,22,23). The control means is adapted to progressively cause the vent valve (18) to restrict the flow area of the gas washout vent (15) in response to increases in the pressure of the gas supply, thereby substantially regulating the volumetric flow of gas and/or CO2 gas through the washout vent (15) over a range of gas supply pressures.
US08997738B2 Delivering diluted oxygen to a patient
A device for delivering diluted oxygen to a patient is provided. The device comprises a configurable oxygen delivery unit and multiple orifices in the configurable oxygen delivery unit. Each of the orifices has a size which pertains to a particular oxygen concentration. The configurable oxygen delivery unit is structured to enable selectively altering the oxygen concentration without requiring replacement of any components in a respiratory circuit.
US08997736B2 Interface apparatus identification system and method and differentiating feature therefor
An interface apparatus identification system for a respiration machine such as, for example, a medical ventilator, includes a detection element which is adapted to communicate with the ventilator, a patient interface assembly including a patient interface apparatus for delivering a flow of gas from the ventilator to an airway of a patient, and a differentiating feature which is incorporated into the patient interface assembly. The patient interface apparatus is selected from a predetermined category such as, for example, a specific make or brand. The differentiating feature is detectable by the detection element to distinguish patient interface apparatus that fall within the predetermined category from those that do not. Operation of the respiration machine in conjunction with the patient interface apparatus is dependent upon detection of the differentiating feature by the detection element. An associated identification method is also disclosed.
US08997733B2 Ecological and ergonomic kettle
A kettle includes a water receiving chamber; a water heating chamber; and a water transfer siphon. The water transfer siphon has a siphon inlet aperture in communication with the water receiving chamber, and a siphon outlet aperture in communication with the water heating chamber. The water transfer siphon is preventable from priming with water from the water receiving chamber through a first rotation of the kettle to increase an elevation of a siphon crest of the water transfer siphon relative to a water level within the water receiving chamber, the first rotation occurring in a first direction.
US08997731B2 Gas cooking appliance
The invention relates to a gas burner for a gas cooking appliance with at least one gas hob and/or one gas oven, wherein the gas burner (10) comprises a heat source (18) and an electric ignition system (24), and wherein an electric or electronic control circuit (38) is provided for controlling the electric ignition system (24). According to the invention the gas burner (10) includes a photovoltaic generator (20) for generating the electric power for the electric ignition system (24).
US08997728B2 Double bow system
This invention belongs to the group of projectile throwing instruments working without an explosive or a combustible propelling charge in particular to the group of projectile throwing instruments using strained hard body energy and can be used for the design and construction of a missile throwing weapon using a string—namely a bow and crossbow.
US08997727B1 Projectile shooter toy
A projectile shooter toy has a body with a sidewall forming a space for holding a projectile in a loaded state and a pathway leading away from the space and along which the projectile moves in a forward direction. An actuator is arranged to engage the projectile to move the projectile forward along the pathway. At least two pinching members are spaced forwardly along the pathway from the actuator. The pinching members are separate from, and movable relative to, the actuator and the sidewall, and are configured to exert a force on the projectile as the projectile passes between the at least two pinching members.
US08997720B2 Dual fuel injector with crossover valve
The present disclosure is directed to a fuel circuit of a fuel injector that includes a first channel, a second channel, and a valve. The first channel is configured to receive a first fuel and define a flow path for the first fuel. The second channel is configured to receive a second fuel and define a flow path for the second fuel. The valve is in fluid communication with the first channel and the second channel. The valve is adapted to direct the second fuel to the first channel when a pressure in the first channel reaches a predetermined level.
US08997719B2 Fuel vapor processing apparatus
The present invention includes a fuel vapor processing apparatus including a communication passage connecting between a first space and a second space each containing an adsorption material capable of adsorbing fuel vapor. The communication passage includes a dissipation delaying space capable of delaying dissipation or transmission of the fuel vapor between the first and second spaces. The communication passage further includes throttles positioned to oppose to each other across the dissipation delaying space.
US08997718B2 Fuel injector actuator assemblies and associated methods of use and manufacture
The present disclosure is directed to integrated injector/igniters providing efficient injection, ignition, and complete combustion of various types of fuels. One such injector/igniter can include a body having a base portion opposite a nozzle portion. The base portion receives fuel into the body and the nozzle portion can be positioned adjacent the combustion chamber. The injector further includes a valve carried by the nozzle portion that is movable between a closed position and an open position to inject the fuel into the combustion chamber. An actuator is coupled to the valve and extends longitudinally through the body towards the base portion, and a driver is carried by the body and is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position the driver does not move the actuator and in the second position the driver moves the actuator to move the valve to the open position.
US08997714B2 Method for operating a direct fuel injector
A method, comprising: operating an engine cylinder with fuel from a first injector and not a second injector and activating the second injector in response to a rail pressure increase of a fuel rail, the fuel rail coupled to the second injector. In this way, degradation of the second injector may be reduced by activating the second injector and allowing fuel flow through the second injector to reduce the pressure and temperature of the fuel rail.
US08997713B2 Throttle body configured to provide turbulent air flow to a combustion chamber of an engine, and engine including same
A vehicular air intake is configured to produce a turbulent intake air flow in a cylinder of an engine. The air flow may be provided as a vortex. A throttle valve, for controlling an amount of intake air provided to the engine, has a pivot shaft with an axis which is offset from a center axis of an air intake passage in which the throttle valve is installed, and a throttle plate affixed to the pivot shaft. The pivot axis is offset and spaced away from the central axis of the throttle body such that a first portion of a throttle plate disposed on a first side of the pivot shaft, is larger than a second portion of the throttle plate disposed on a second side of the pivot shaft. This arrangement provides the non-uniform turbulent air flow into the engine.
US08997712B2 Two stroke, opposed-piston engine with engine braking
In a two-stroke opposed-piston engine, a ported cylinder with a pair of opposed pistons is equipped with an engine brake including an engine braking valve that can be opened to release air from the cylinder as the pistons cycle between BDC and TDC positions.
US08997710B2 Fuel injector support constructions for direct injection opposed-piston engines
An opposed-piston internal combustion engine with one or more ported cylinders and uniflow scavenging includes fuel injectors supported at compound angles with respect to the cylinders in order to directly inject spray patterns of fuel in opposing directions through the side walls of the cylinders.
US08997703B2 Internal combustion engine, with a system for variable actuation of the intake valves provided with improved solenoid valves, and solenoid valve for this engine
An internal combustion engine for motor-vehicles, includes a system for variable actuation of the intake valves of the engine having a solenoid valve controllable between a closed condition and an open condition wherein it places a pressurized fluid chamber in communication with an exhaust chamber, with the aim of decoupling the intake valve from the respective tappet and causing the quick closing of the intake valve due to the respective return spring. The solenoid valve has a valve element with a cylindrical body having a first conical surface portion and a second conical surface portion. The conical surface portions are defined by the axially opposite ends of a circumferential groove formed on the valve element. The first conical surface portion cooperates with the valve seat. The other conical surface portion has an outer diameter substantially identical to the diameter of the annular edge defining the valve seat.
US08997700B2 Internal combustion engine with variably timed transmission
Internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder housing component (1) displaying a first series of cylinders (2) and a second series of cylinders (3), some pistons (6,8), two lines of crankshafts suitable for coupling at the same rotation speed through a gear train (14,16) and a variably timed transmission (10), characterized in that the variably timed transmission (10) comprises a system of channels and/or passages linked, directly and/or indirectly, to the internal channel of the coupling shaft in order to feed lubricant to the internal ring (50) extending between the bracket (18) and the sliding tube (17), as well as into one or more of the channels extending between the coupling shaft (12) and a section of the sliding tube (17).
US08997699B2 Linear free piston combustion engine with indirect work extraction via gas linkage
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed toward a linear free piston combustion engine with indirect work extraction via gas linkage, comprising: a cylinder with two opposed free pistons disposed therein that form a combustion section in a center of the cylinder, each free piston comprising a front face facing the combustion section and a back face facing the opposite direction; two opposed extractor pistons disposed in their own cylinders at opposite ends of the free piston cylinder, each extractor piston comprising a front face facing the combustion section and a back face facing the opposite direction; and two gas linkages, each gas linkage comprising a volume sealed between the back face of a free piston and the front face of an extractor piston; wherein each extractor piston is connected to a rotary electromagnetic machine.
US08997697B1 Agricultural security assembly
An agricultural security assembly includes a housing that has a head portion, a body portion and a leg portion. The head portion is movably coupled to the body portion. A sensor is coupled to the housing. The sensor senses movement. A processor is coupled to the housing. The processor is operationally coupled to the sensor. The processor is actuated when the sensor senses movement. A speaker is coupled to the housing. The speaker is operationally coupled to the processor. A motor is coupled to the head portion of the housing. The motor is operationally coupled to the processor. The motor moves the head portion of the housing when the processor is actuated. A power supply is coupled to the housing. The power supply is operationally coupled to the processor.
US08997696B1 Pet deterrent
A deterrent device which discourages pets from climbing on furniture, or stealing food from countertops or tables, is set using a spring release arm connected to a large trip plate. Once the deterrent device is tripped, a large padded arm will swing up and over the trip plate. The force of the padded arm is very low and will not cause damage or pain. The deterrent device can be reset upon tripping and is preferably used to train an animal to avoid certain areas.
US08997695B2 Casting pet toy
A casting pet toy for entertaining a pet comprises an elongate rod, a handle grip at a handle end of the elongate rod and a tip eyelet at a tip end of the elongate rod. The casting pet toy can also include a stretchable cord passing through the tip eyelet. The stretchable cord comprises a fixed end and a free end. The fixed end can be secured to the elongate rod at a location proximate to the handle grip. A pet lure can be attached to the free end of the stretchable cord.
US08997688B2 Ion implant system having grid assembly
An ion implantation system having a grid assembly. The system includes a plasma source configured to provide plasma in a plasma region; a first grid plate having a plurality of apertures configured to allow ions from the plasma region to pass therethrough, wherein the first grid plate is configured to be biased by a power supply; a second grid plate having a plurality of apertures configured to allow the ions to pass therethrough subsequent to the ions passing through the first grid plate, wherein the second grid plate is configured to be biased by a power supply; and a substrate holder configured to support a substrate in a position where the substrate is implanted with the ions subsequent to the ions passing through the second grid plate.
US08997683B2 Indicator device and light-guide member
A light-guide indicator is provided with a base part, and an indicator main body extending along the indicator plate from one end of the base part. One end of a light-guide output shaft provided with a motor is arranged opposite to the other end of the base part, and the other end of the output shaft is arranged opposite to a light source. A back side of the indicator plate is provided with a light-guide member, and the light-guide member is provided with a first recess receiving the other end of the base part and a second recess receiving the one end of the output shaft. A bottom face of the first recess is arranged tapered in such a way that the bottom face approaches the output shaft as approaches rotation axis of the output shaft.
US08997681B2 Automated flag display system
Systems and methods for displaying a marine signaling device are disclosed. A flag coupled to a top section of a telescoping shaft includes a folding arm pivotally coupled to the top section that folds upward to gather the flag into alignment with the telescoping shaft. A housing couples to a boat and supports the shaft in the display configuration and receives the shaft in the storage configuration. As the shaft is retracted, the folding arm contacts an upper surface of the housing and gathers the flag into alignment with the shaft. A motor automatically extends/retracts the shaft based on detected tension on a tow rope mount of the boat or a tow rope coupled to the boat. A tension switch detects tension and activates the motor based on the detected tension. The tension switch may include arms that rotate in response to tension to activate a limit switch.
US08997676B2 Retractable trim vane for amphibious vehicle
A trim vane assembly for amphibious armored vehicles and having a trim vane movable along a generally horizontal path between a deployed position in which the trim vane extends rearward from the vehicle and a stowed position in which the trim vane is positioned beneath the amphibious vehicle. In the retracted position, the trim vane movable is flush against or received within the vehicle bottom such that the trim vane supplements the belly armor. Similarly, the trim vane extends from or overlaps with the bottom of the vehicle when extended into the deployed position to provide continuous bottom face of the vehicle extending from the front of the vehicle to the end of the trim vane. Conventional trim vanes are rotated between a vertical orientation against the rear of the vehicle and a horizontal position extending from the rear of the vehicle reducing viscous drag.
US08997675B2 Paravane increased lift, towing system and method
A method and a marine towing system for towing streamers or sources. The towing system includes a connecting line; a first paravane connected to the connecting line, wherein the connecting line is configured to connect the first paravane to a vessel; a spur line connected to the first paravane and configured to provide a tension to maintain streamers apart from each other; and a second paravane connected to the connecting line, between the first paravane and the vessel. The second paravane is configured to increase an angle (α4) between the connecting line and the spur line.
US08997662B2 Stabilisation of objects
A support mechanism for supporting an object, such as a table, has at least four legs and an interconnection means connecting the legs. Each leg has a beam portion with an inner end and an outer end. The beam portion of each leg is connected to the interconnection means by a respective pivot having a pivot axis located between the inner and outer ends of the beam portion. Each respective pair of adjacent legs has a protrusion fixed to one of the legs of that pair of adjacent legs and extending from that one leg to act on the other leg of that pair of adjacent legs. In use, the outer end of the beam portion of one leg moves in an upwards direction and the outer end of the beam portions of the adjacent legs moves in a downwards direction to accommodate uneven ground surfaces.
US08997660B2 Deployable table assembly
A table assembly is provided. The table assembly includes a lower table portion, and an upper table portion operationally engaging the lower table portion. The upper and lower table portions are slidably movable relative to each other between a generally parallel configuration wherein the lower and upper table portions are vertically stacked and a generally co-planar configuration wherein the lower and upper table portions are generally horizontally aligned.
US08997646B2 Electrode formation system for solar cell and electrode formation method for solar cell
An electrode formation method for a solar cell to form an electrode of a base member, includes a screen printing process and a baking process. The screen printing process includes: mounting a metal mask on a surface of the base member, wherein the metal mask includes a covering portion configured to cover a part of a surface of the base member, opening portions configured to allow parts of the base member to be exposed therefrom, and bridge portions disposed along a direction intersecting with a longitudinal direction of circuit patterns between the opening portions; and supplying a paste to an upper surface of the metal mask by a squeegee head of a cartridge type, while relatively sliding a squeegee on the upper surface of the metal mask such that the squeegee travels relatively to the metal mask. In the baking process, the paste is baked to form the electrode.
US08997645B1 Print pad
A print pad has a nearly spherical tip section having a first radius. A partially spherical first midsection is behind the tip section, the first midsection having a radius less that the radius of the tip section. A frustoconical second midsection is behind the first midsection. A bell shaped third midsection is behind the second midsection, and a frustoconical base is behind the third midsection.
US08997638B2 Steam cooking apparatus
A steam cooking apparatus includes a steam generating unit to generate steam from a supply of water, a steam container to cook food using the steam from the steam generating unit, a steam supply pipe coupled to the steam generating unit in order to supply the steam container with the steam generated by the steam generating unit, a steam pipe coupled to the steam container in order to supply the steam container with the steam passing through the steam supply pipe, and a steam pipe connection tube including a first connection portion coupled with the steam supply pipe and a second connection portion coupled with the steam pipe, the second connection portion coupled with the steam pipe being formed to have a diameter which is expanded toward the steam pipe so as to guide the steam pipe.
US08997630B2 Piston-cylinder assembly having integrated measuring device
A piston-cylinder assembly, in particular for pneumatic, hydraulic or mechatronic systems, includes a cylinder housing and a piston. The piston is coupled to a piston rod and disposed in the cylinder housing such that it can move along a longitudinal axis. A measuring device for detecting piston or piston rod position is provided inside the cylinder housing.
US08997627B2 Thermal engine with an improved valve system
A radial thermal engine with an improved valve system is disclosed herein comprising intake and exhaust port valve assemblies fluidly connected to respective intake and exhaust ports contained within a cylinder head assembly. Each intake and each exhaust port valve assembly comprises at least one rotatable port cover having spaced apart openings which are periodically alignable to the intake and exhaust ports, respectively.
US08997626B2 Electro-hydraulic actuator including a release valve assembly
A manual release valve is provided for a electro-hydraulic actuator of the type including a piston movable in a cylinder and defining a piston side chamber and a rod side chamber, the valve threadedly attached to the housing of the actuator and extending at least partially within the fluid housing conduits, the valve moveable from a closed position fully seated in the housing to an open position for fluidly connecting both the piston side chamber and the rod side chamber to the reservoir, the valve further including a pressure relief portion that is operable when the valve is in the closed position for relieving pressure from at least one of the piston side chamber or the rod side chamber.
US08997625B2 Hydraulic feed-rate control apparatus
A hydraulic feed-rate control apparatus pushes out a fluid by a main piston to a reservoir chamber via feed-rate adjustment mechanisms and flow passages and adjusts a feed rate of a reciprocating body; the adjustment mechanisms comprises first and second throttle valves arranged at front ends of a cylinder and adjusting flow rates of the fluid flowing into the flow passages; the main piston comprises an auxiliary piston integrally moving, and opening and closing the second throttle valve; and the auxiliary piston comprises an outer peripheral portion fitted in the second throttle valve and closed, a concave portion formed between a front portion and rear portion of the outer peripheral portion, a circulation hole formed in an inner peripheral portion of the auxiliary piston, rear-portion escape holes communicating the rear portion and the circulation hole, and concave-portion escape holes communicating the concave portion with the circulation hole.
US08997623B2 Two-piece locking block device
A locking block device (100) provided in the region of a cartridge chamber (121) of a handgun barrel (120) has a locking block (110) for releasably locking the barrel (120) to a breech prior to firing, and has a control member (111) having a control guide (112) for swinging out the barrel (120), after firing, for the purpose of separating the barrel (120) from the breech, and further has a feed ramp (140) formed in the region of a stop member (130) of the locking block (110) for feeding a cartridge, stored in a magazine of the handgun, into the cartridge chamber (121) following ejection of a fired cartridge. A modular design capable of being adapted to meet specific requirements is achieved in that the feed ramp (140) is formed on a ramp member (150) capable of being separated from the locking block (110) and releasably locked to the locking block (110).
US08997619B2 Glass cutting machine, glass cutter, and glass cutting method
A glass cutter is provided which can form, using a wheel, a uniform crack in glass even when a projection or an earlier-formed scribe line is present on the glass. When the wheel is moved on the glass, a fracture layer is formed causing a rib mark to be formed below the fracture layer and a crack to be formed below the rib mark. To cut the glass, the crack is required to be formed uniformly. Applying a force to resist the rotating force of the wheel makes it possible to form a uniform crack even when a projection is present on the glass. This improves glass cutting yield.
US08997614B2 Method and device for separating products
A method and a device for separating food products, including to permit a straight cut at high cycle rates, the food product is conveyed by a conveying device in the direction of transport. The food product is cut through, where a cutting element is moved in the direction of transport and transverse to the direction of transport, wherein the motion of the cutting element transverse to the direction of transport is controlled independently of its motion in the direction of transport and the food product does not rest on the cutting area on the conveying means.
US08997612B2 Mohawk hair cutting guide
A hair cutting guide and method for aiding in creating/trimming a human hair into a Mohawk type hairstyle. The Mohawk guide consists of two side pieces, two adjustable spacers/connectors, and two clips. The bottom edges of the two side pieces are contoured to follow the shape of the human head from the start of the hairline to the nape of the neck.
US08997607B2 Wave gear device and flexible internally toothed gear
In a wave gear device, an annular rigid externally toothed gear is disposed on the inner side of a cup-shaped flexible internally toothed gear. An internal-tooth-formation portion of the flexible internally toothed gear and a pushed portion pushed by a wave generator and flexed ellipsoidally are formed in different positions along the center axis line. The wave generator is disposed on the inner side of the flexible internally toothed gear, the pushed cylindrical portion is pushed from the inner side to the outside along the radial direction thereof by the wave generator, whereby the pushed cylindrical portion is flexed ellipsodially. As the outside diameter dimension of the wave gear device is determined by that of the flexible internally toothed gear, a wave gear device having a small outside diameter dimension can be obtained.
US08997605B2 Pedal assembly with heel/leg point crash shock absorption
A pedal assembly having crash absorption features. The pedal assembly includes a pedal arm having a lower end. A slider bracket is provided connected to the rear surface of the pedal arm. A slider mounted within the slider bracket is connected to a housing of the pedal assembly. The slider bracket includes at least one shear tab breakable by the slider. A crush block is provided mounted within the housing of the pedal assembly. The crush block is further connected to the pedal arm. An absorption block is provided mounted adjacent to and forward of the crush block. In the event of a front end crash, a forward force is applied on the pedal pad. As this happens, the slider moves downwards within the slider bracket thereby breaking the shear tabs and allowing further rotation of the pedal arm.
US08997604B2 Anchoring device for a sheath terminal
An anchoring device including a support member having a slot open out at one edge thereof for receiving a first cylindrical portion of the sheath terminal, a retainer for receiving and retaining a second cylindrical portion of the sheath terminal, and a guide for guiding the retainer as the second cylindrical portion of the sheath terminal is received therein, the guide including guide members that are formed integrally with the support member.
US08997602B2 Position adjustable steering device
When clamped side plates of an upper column bracket (movable bracket) are fastened via clamping side plates of an upper fixed bracket by a fastening shaft in response to a rotating operation of an operating lever, the brackets are locked with each other. A pressing mechanism that includes a pressing member moves in the axial direction of the fastening shaft in accordance with fastening by the fastening shaft, and presses a lower tube (inner tube) through an insertion hole formed in an upper tube (outer tube). The entirety of the axial force of the fastening shaft is used as a retaining force for retaining the posture of a steering column.
US08997600B2 Steering apparatus for an automobile
Construction is achieved wherein the front-end section of an outer column 18a is assembled in the rear-end section of a housing 11a that houses an electric power steering apparatus 10a from below. A block shaped connection and fastening section 36 is provided on the rear-end section of the housing 11a. A pair of slits 37 is formed in portions of the connection and fastening section 36 near the left and right ends, and are open on the bottom end surface and rear end surface of the connection and fastening section 36. At least the front-end section of the outer column 18a has a pair of side plate sections 30 and a bottom plate section 31 that is formed in a U shape that is open at the top. The side plate sections 30 are inserted inside the slits 37 from below. In this state, the connection and fastening section 36 and the front-end section of the outer column 18a are connected and fastened by a bolt 39.
US08997598B2 Control wheel for aeronautics
The invention concerns a control wheel (100) for aeronautics constituted of at least two half-shells (10) assembled one to the other, said half-shells comprising reinforcing ribs (11) on their internal surface, positioning and fixing means (12) and locating holes (13) to allow the passage of electrical wires connecting electrical actuating means (20) to a control unit. The control wheel (100) includes a central opening (15) intended to be connected to a control shaft/hub. The wheel comprises an intermediate guide part (50) disposed between the half-shells (10) and positioned inside the control wheel (100), said part including at least one guide conduit (51) adapted to connect on the one hand a locating hole (13) to the central opening (15) of the control wheel (100).
US08997596B2 Interlocking device in a vehicle transmission
An interlocking device arranged to prevent forbidden order of engagement/disengagement of two tooth clutches in a vehicle transmission is provided and includes a groove arranged in a first of shift rods, and a second and a third groove arranged in a second of shift rods, an interlocking element arranged coplanar with the shift rods, and directed and movable towards the shift rods. The length of the interlocking element is adapted to allow certain combinations and order of engagement/disengagement of the tooth clutches. A piston element partitions the second and third groove. The piston element is movably arranged in a hole in the second shift rod such that the interlocking element can push the piston element down in the hole, allowing the second shift rod to be displaced only one-way when the first shift rod is in an engaged position.
US08997595B2 Transmission for work vehicle
A transmission includes an input shaft, an output shaft and an intermediate shaft, a power transmission mechanism and a control unit. The power transmission mechanism includes a forward travelling lower speed clutch, a forward travelling higher speed clutch, a rearward travelling clutch and a plurality of speed stage switching clutches. The control unit is configured to switch a gear state into a shiftable rearward travelling gear stage by turning off either the forward travelling lower speed clutch or the forward travelling higher speed clutch and by turning on the rearward travelling clutch in executing an operation of switching from forward travelling to rearward travelling, and to switch a gear stage into a shiftable forward travelling gear stage by turning off the rearward travelling clutch and turning on the forward travelling lower speed clutch in executing an operation of switching from rearward travelling to forward travelling.
US08997584B1 Radial mode transducer flow meter
An edge of a piezoelectric disk transducer is biased into an external wall of a flow passage by a spring. The disk is then driven at a radial mode resonant frequency to project acoustic energy into fluid flowing in the passage. This arrangement is compatible with several types of fluid flow sensors such as transit time, Doppler, and vortex shedding flow meters.
US08997582B2 Method and apparatus for determining flow characteristics of a medium in a pipeline
A method and an apparatus for determining at least one flow characteristic of an essentially laminarly flowing, gaseous or liquid medium in a pipeline. Distinguishing features include: that at least one modulation element introduced into, or placed in, the pipeline produces, at least for the case, in which the medium is flowing with a velocity different from zero, a change in density of the medium, at least at times, in the vicinity of the modulation element; that at least one mechanically oscillatable unit introduced into, or placed in, the pipeline and spaced from the modulation element is excited to resonant oscillations; that mechanical oscillations are received by the mechanically oscillatable unit and converted into an electrical, received signal, wherein the received signal is sensitive to the density change; and that the at least one flow characteristic of the medium is determined from the reaction of the received signal of the mechanically oscillatable unit to the density change.
US08997578B2 Methods for determining reactive index for cementitious components, associated compositions, and methods of use
A variety of methods and compositions are included, without limitation, a method of cementing includes providing a settable composition comprising water and a cementitious component having a determined reactive index; and allowing the settable composition to set to form a hardened mass.
US08997574B2 Oblique flaw detection using ultrasonic transducers
Ultrasonic transducers and methods for detecting oblique flaws in cylindrically-shaped objects using pulse-echo testing are provided. By mounting one or more transducers on a rotary tester for testing manufactured objects such as tubes and bars, offsetting each transducer horizontally from its position if it were to emit a beam that is perpendicular to the object's outer surface, and actuating the transducer so as to emit an angled beam, oblique surface flaws and internal flaws may be reliably detected without reducing inspection speed, significantly adding to transducer cross-talk, or requiring significant additional hardware or processing.
US08997572B2 Multi-focus optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy with ultrasonic array detection
A probe for use with an imaging system, including a scanning device configured to receive a first light beam from a light source, a beam-divider configured to split the first light beam into a plurality of second light beams, and a focusing device configured to focus each of the second light beams on respective locations in an object of interest.
US08997571B2 Ultrasonic probe, and photoacoustic-ultrasonic system and inspection object imaging apparatus including the ultrasonic probe
Provided are an ultrasonic probe capable of forming an image without degradation even when the frequency band of a photoacoustic wave and the frequency band of an ultrasonic wave used in ultrasonography are separated from each other, and an inspection object imaging apparatus including the ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic probe includes a first array device capable of transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave; and a second array device capable of receiving a photoacoustic wave. The first array device includes plural electromechanical transducers arranged in a direction perpendicular to a scanning direction, the second array device includes plural electromechanical transducers arranged in a two-dimensional manner, and the first array device and the second array device are provided on the same plane and in the scanning direction.
US08997570B2 High impact resistant acceleration sensor
An acceleration sensor having a high impact resistance to prevent breakage under excessive acceleration, but can stably exert a sensing performance. The acceleration sensor is formed of an SOI substrate of a three-layered structure including a silicon layer (active layer silicon), a silicon oxide layer, and a silicon layer (substrate silicon). The acceleration sensor includes frame parts, a plurality of beam parts, the beam parts projecting inward from the frame part, and a weight part supported by the beam parts. A strain sensing part is provided on each of the beam parts. A width W of each of the beam parts, a length I of each of the beam parts, and an inner frame length L of the frame part satisfy the following relationships of Expressions (1) and (2). 2
US08997567B2 Method of angular measurement by means of a vibrating sensor to which modulated controls are applied
Method of angular measurement by means of a sensor comprising an axisymmetric resonator associated with means for setting the resonator into vibration and with means for detecting an orientation of the vibration with respect to a reference frame of the sensor, comprising the steps of applying a precession control so as to slave an orientation of the vibration to an angular setpoint value and of determining an angular measurement on the basis of the precession control. The method comprises a phase of modulating the angular setpoint value in such a way that the said setpoint value uniformly sweeps an angular span of π radians and that a temporal derivative of the setpoint is deducted from the precession control prior to the determination of the angular measurement.
US08997566B2 Yaw rate sensor
A yaw rate sensor is described which includes a drive device, at least one Coriolis element, and a detection device having at least two detection elements which are coupled to one another with the aid of a coupling device, the drive device being connected to the Coriolis element for driving a vibration of the Coriolis element, and an additional coupling device which is connected to the detection device and to the Coriolis element for coupling a deflection in the plane of vibration of the Coriolis element to the detection device in a direction orthogonal to the vibration.
US08997564B2 Integrated motion processing unit (MPU) with MEMS inertial sensing and embedded digital electronics
A module operable to be mounted onto a surface of a board. The module includes a linear accelerometer to provide a first measurement output corresponding to a measurement of linear acceleration in at least one axis, and a first rotation sensor operable to provide a second measurement output corresponding to a measurement of rotation about at least one axis. The accelerometer and the first rotation sensor are formed on a first substrate. The module further includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) to receive both the first measurement output from the linear accelerometer and the second measurement output from the first rotation sensor. The ASIC includes an analog-to-digital converter and is implemented on a second substrate. The first substrate is vertically bonded to the second substrate.
US08997561B2 Tire pressure decrease detection apparatus, method, and computer readable medium therefor
An apparatus for detecting a decrease in tire pressure based on a resonance frequency of a tire installed in a vehicle includes rotation information detection means for detecting rotation information of the tire, resonance frequency estimate means for estimating the resonance frequency of the tire from the rotation information of the tire, and judgment means for judging the decrease in the tire pressure by comparison between the resonance frequency estimated by the resonance frequency estimate means and a reference frequency preliminarily determined by learning at the time of initialization. An effective speed region when the reference frequency is determined at the time of the initialization is a first speed or less. The apparatus further includes effective speed region change means for extending an upper limit of the effective speed region to a second speed which is larger than the first speed at the time of shifting.
US08997550B2 Method and system for correcting for temperature variations in ultrasonic testing systems
A method and system for correcting for temperature variation in ultrasonic testing systems is disclosed. In one embodiment, an offset is determined for correcting a time of flight measurement, wherein the offset is based on the pulse delays at first and second calibration temperatures. In another embodiment, a factor is determined for correcting a time of flight measurement, wherein the factor is based on clock signal errors at first and second calibration temperatures.
US08997549B2 Apparatus and methods for automatically testing a servo gauge in an inventory management system
A method includes initiating a test of a servo gauge by causing the servo gauge to attempt to move a displacer of the servo gauge, where the servo gauge uses a drum to move the displacer in a tank. The method also includes measuring a torque associated with the drum during or after the attempt to move the displacer and identifying a mechanical problem with the servo gauge based on the measured torque. For example, a stuck displacer can be identified when the measured torque exceeds an upper expected value. A lost displacer or a stuck drum can be identified when the measured torque is below a lower expected value.
US08997548B2 Apparatus and method for automatic detection of diaphragm coating or surface contamination for capacitance diaphragm gauges
A system and a method detect contamination of a diaphragm in a capacitance diaphragm gauge wherein a contaminated diaphragm deflects less in the presence of pressure than an uncontaminated diaphragm. The system and method measure a base pressure. A DC voltage is applied between the diaphragm and a fixed electrode to cause the diaphragm to deflect to simulate an effective pressure. The system and method measure a combined pressure caused by the base pressure and the effective pressure. The system and method subtract the base pressure to determine the effective pressure caused by the static diaphragm deflection. If the measured effective pressure is less than an acceptable effective pressure, the system and method determine that the diaphragm is contaminated.
US08997546B2 Method for detecting the failure of a frequency sensor, and circuit for implementing said method
A method of detecting a fault of a frequency sensor having a bias resistor and associated with a rotary member. The following steps are performed while the rotary member is stationary: injecting into the bias resistor of the sensor inverted alternating signals (S1, S2) comprising at least one first alternation (A1) and at least one second alternation (A2), the first alternation being of amplitude greater than the amplitude of the second alternation; and detecting a frequency of an output signal (S″) from the sensor. A measurement circuit implementing the method is also provided.
US08997544B2 Forming device
A forming device for cup-shaped hollow bodies having a machine frame, a drive device, a workpiece rotary table for accommodating hollow bodies and a tool holder for accommodating processing tools, wherein the workpiece rotary table and the tool holder face one another and can be turned about a rotational axis in relation to one another and can be linearly moved in relation to one another along the rotational axis, and wherein the drive device comprises first drive means for providing a rotary step movement and second drive means for providing a cyclical linear movement between workpiece rotary table and tool holder to enable the hollow bodies to be formed by means of the processing tools in a plurality of consecutive processing steps. The second drive means has a stroke adjustment arrangement which is designed for adjusting a working stroke of the cyclical linear movement as a function of a control signal of a control device and/or for continuously variably adjusting the working stroke.
US08997542B2 Manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus for cup-shaped member
A manufacturing method for a cup-shaped member including a corrugated portion includes a drawing step, a preliminary processing step, and a finishing step. In the preliminary processing step, at least preliminary large diameter portions in a preliminary corrugated portion are each formed to have a width larger than the size of each of the large diameter portions of the corrugated portion, thereby reducing an ironing resistance in the manufacturing of the cup-shaped member.
US08997535B2 Latch assembly
A latch assembly is described. The latch assembly includes a casing. The latch assembly provides for the transfer of rotational force to translation plates. The rotational force drives translation plates and extends the translation plates from the latch assembly. A first translation plate is mechanically engaged to the casing. A second translation plate is mechanically engaged to the casing. The latch assembly includes a key assembly including a rotatable cam. A toggle cam is pivotally engaged to the casing via a pivot axle, and rotating the cam contacts the toggle cam to extend or retract both the first translation plate and the second translation plate from the casing.
US08997530B1 Article of footwear including a monofilament knit element with a fusible strand
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. A fusible strand may be knit with the monofilament knit element. Upon heating, the fusible strand can combine and surround the monofilament strand within the monofilament knit element.
US08997526B2 Vacuum degassing apparatus and vacuum degassing method for molten glass
A vacuum degassing apparatus for molten glass is comprised of an uprising pipe, a vacuum degassing vessel, a downfalling pipe, an upstream side pit that supplies molten glass to the uprising pipe, and a downstream side pit that receives molten glass from the downfalling pipe. The vacuum degassing apparatus for molten glass is further comprised of a separating mechanism that separates a part of molten glass moving from the downfalling pipe to the downstream side pit, and a returning pipe that returns separated molten glass to the upstream side pit.
US08997523B2 Method of manufacturing glass molding
In a method of manufacturing a glass molding, a lower mold includes a recess having a bottom portion and a side portion surrounding the bottom portion, and an outer peripheral planar portion surrounding an upper end of the side portion. A crossing angle between the side portion and the outer peripheral planar portion is set at more than or equal to 45 degrees. A dropping volume of the molten glass drop is such that, when dropped onto the lower mold, a volume of the molten glass drop located above the outer peripheral planar portion is 1.5 times to 6.0 times the volume of the molten glass drop filling the recess.
US08997518B2 Scroll compressor and air conditioner including the same
The scroll compressor includes a fixed scroll including a first wrap, an orbiting scroll disposed to have a phase difference with respect to the fixed scroll, the orbiting scroll including a second wrap defining a compression chamber together with the first wrap, a suction part to receive a refrigerant into the compressor chamber, a driving shaft to transmit a rotation force to the orbiting scroll, a first injection part disposed in one position of the fixed scroll to introduce a refrigerant into the compression chamber, and a second injection part disposed in another position of the fixed scroll to introduce a refrigerant into the compression chamber, where the second wrap is disposed on the orbiting scroll such that the first injection part is opened to introduce the second refrigerant before the receipt of the first refrigerant through the suction part is completed during the orbiting of the orbiting scroll.
US08997517B2 Controlled temperature compartment for refrigerator
A storage compartment assembly is located within the interior of a compartment of a refrigerator such as a fresh food compartment of a refrigerator. The storage compartment assembly includes a storage container the temperature of which can be controlled independently of the temperature in the fresh food compartment. At least one of the sides of the storage container can be spaced away from a respective interior side of the refrigerator compartment and a housing located in the space between the side of the storage container and the interior side of the refrigerator compartment. The housing can contain components that are configured to function in the operation of the refrigerator, including the storage compartment assembly. The refrigerator can comprise a bottom-mount refrigerator and the fresh food compartment can be provided with double-doors for closing and opening the interior of the fresh food compartment.
US08997516B2 Apparatus for air conditioning or water production
The apparatus has a cooling arrangement with an expander/compressor system, condenser and evaporator primarily for air conditioning. An external heat source is provided for transfer of heat to the expander housing. For example, this heating medium is an electrical heat source in thermal contact with the outer side of the expander housing. Alternatively, the expander is provided inside an externally heated liquid buffer tank.
US08997508B2 Refrigerating apparatus
An object of the present invention is to keep an appropriate high pressure side pressure in a refrigerant circuit while reducing noises of an operation of a blower in a refrigerating apparatus which obtains a critical pressure on a high pressure side. The refrigerating apparatus in which the refrigerant circuit is constituted of a compressor, a gas cooler, a reducing element and an evaporator to obtain a supercritical pressure on the high pressure side includes a blower which air-cools the gas cooler and a control device which controls this blower. This control device controls a revolution speed of the blower based on an outdoor temperature and an evaporation temperature of a refrigerant in the evaporator.
US08997504B2 Vent ice prevention method
An improved vent ice prevention apparatus including a first conduit, a second conduit, and a third conduit, wherein the second conduit concentrically surrounds the first conduit thereby forming an annular region between the two conduits. The third conduit is in fluid communication with said annular region. The first conduit is configured to receive a cold vent stream, and the third conduit is configured to receive a dry purge stream and introduce the dry purge stream into the annular region in order to prevent ice formation.
US08997498B2 System for use in controlling the operation of power generation systems
A control system is provided. The control system includes at least one sensor that is positioned within a turbine engine and is configured to detect at least one first operating parameter therein. A controller is coupled to the sensor. The controller is configured to receive at least one second operating parameter of the turbine engine. Moreover, the controller is configured to control a flow of a fluid to a rotor assembly within the turbine engine such that at least one of the first operating parameter and the second operating parameter is less than at least one threshold value.
US08997493B2 Auxiliary power unit generator
A generator includes a main cavity and a shaft located in the main cavity. The shaft is configured to be connected to an auxiliary power unit (APU) and rotated by the APU. The generator is configured to generate power based on the rotation of the shaft. A fluid system is configured to receive a fluid from the APU, flow the fluid through the main cavity and return the fluid to the APU through a fluid scavenge channel. A filter is configured to filter the fluid from the main cavity to the fluid scavenge channel and a sensor is configured to detect a characteristic of the fluid at the filter.
US08997492B2 Apparatus and method for reheating turbine steam
The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for reheating turbine steam, comprising a reheater and a condensate collecting tank, into which condensate is guided from the reheater. A subcooler is provided upstream of the reheater in a common housing with the reheater. The subcooler is arranged beneath the reheater and the condensate collecting tank is connected with the subcooler in order to supply condensate from the condensate collecting tank as heating medium.
US08997485B2 Turbine for and exhaust gas turbocharger
In a turbine for an exhaust gas turbocharger of an internal combustion engine comprising a turbine housing part, which has at least two spiral channels with respective inlets through which exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine is directed onto a turbine rotor disposed in the turbine housing part, the turbine housing part is disposed in an accommodating chamber, which is formed by a further housing part of the turbine, and from which accommodating chamber exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine can flow through the channel inlets into the spiral channels.
US08997481B2 Reservoir tank and brake system using the reservoir tank
In a reservoir tank (5) of the present invention, a hydraulic fluid movement deterring wall (26) is disposed integrally with an upper half body (9) and extending toward a radial direction center of a cylindrical upper half body neck section (24) on a curved portion at a boundary between an inner peripheral surface (24a) of the cylindrical upper half body neck section (24) and an inner surface (25a1) of a ceiling portion (25a) of an upper half body trunk section (25) or on the inner peripheral surface (24a) of the upper half body neck section (24). The movement of the hydraulic fluid frontward (toward a hydraulic fluid inlet (10)) in a hydraulic fluid storage chamber 13 at a time when the reservoir tank (5) is tilted frontward is controlled by this hydraulic fluid movement deterring wall (26).
US08997471B2 Hydraulic system having dual manifolds
A hydraulic system for a machine is disclosed. The hydraulic system may include a fluid tank, a first manifold, a valve body, a second manifold, and a plurality of conduits. The first manifold may be operatively attached to the fluid tank and have at least two inlets and at least one outlet in fluid communication with the fluid tank. The number of the at least one outlet may be less than the number of the at least two inlets. The second manifold may be operatively attached to the valve body and have at least one inlet in fluid communication with the valve body and at least two outlets. The number of the at least one inlet may be less than the number of the at least two outlets. The plurality of conduits may fluidly connect the at least two inlets of the first manifold and the at least two outlets of the second manifold.
US08997465B2 Method for purification of exhaust gas from a diesel engine
The invention provides a method for purification of exhaust gas from a diesel engine in a system, which comprises a device for selective catalytic reduction and a diesel particulate filter preferably at least partially covered by a catalytic layer installed downstream of the device for selective catalytic reduction. A device for catalytic oxidation is installed upstream of the device for selective catalytic reduction and/or between the device for selective catalytic reduction and the diesel particulate filter. A device for injection of a controlled amount of reductant is installed inlet of the device for selective catalytic reduction, and a device for injection of a controlled amount of hydrocarbon is installed inlet of the catalytic oxidation.
US08997462B2 Method and apparatus for injecting hydrogen within an engine
An engine system comprising: an exhaust gas system for removing exhaust gas from the engine; a turbocharger comprising a compressor for inducing air towards the engine and a turbine provided along the exhaust gas system and driven by removed exhaust gas for powering the compressor; a hydrogen delivery apparatus adapted to deliver hydrogen to the exhaust gas system such that the hydrogen can combust and expand, thereby increasing the speed of the turbine. The increased speed of the turbine operation decreases turbo lag and increases engine responsiveness.
US08997461B2 Aftertreatment system having two SCR catalysts
A system and method includes an internal combustion engine capable of producing an exhaust stream and an aftertreatment system operationally coupled to the exhaust stream. The aftertreatment system includes an upstream selective reduction catalyst (SCR) component and a downstream SCR component that are positioned in substantially different thermal environments. The upstream and downstream SCR components are sized to fully treat the entire exhaust stream at a low temperature highest NOx conversion condition, and the downstream SCR component is sized to fully treat the entire exhaust stream at a high temperature highest NOx conversion condition.
US08997457B2 Catalyst heating with exhaust back-pressure
Embodiments for controlling an exhaust back-pressure valve are provided. In one example, a method for operating an engine comprises closing an exhaust back-pressure valve in response to a component temperature, and adjusting intake and/or exhaust valve operation in response to closing the exhaust back-pressure valve to reduce cylinder internal exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). In this way, combustion stability may be maintained while the exhaust back-pressure valve is closed.
US08997455B2 Device and method for treating exhaust gas containing particles and motor vehicle having the device and performing the method
A method and a device for treating exhaust gas containing particles, include a particle separator and at least one particle agglomeration device positioned upstream of the particle separator in exhaust gas flow direction. The particle agglomeration device includes at least one apparatus for forming an electrical field and a particle buffer storage device, through which the exhaust gas can flow. The particles are stored on top of each other at the particle buffer storage device in such a way that particle agglomerates are formed, which are removed from the particle buffer storage device again after a short period of time and supplied to the particle separator for conversion. A motor vehicle having the device and performing the method is also provided.
US08997452B2 Systems and methods for regulating fuel and reactive fluid supply in turbine engines
A control system for use with a turbine engine that is configured to operate at a rated power output is provided. The control system includes a computing device that includes a processor that is programmed to calculate an amount of fluid to be supplied for combustion in the turbine engine. The processor is also programmed to designate at least one nozzle of a plurality of nozzles to receive the fluid. Moreover, the control system includes at least one control valve coupled to the computing device. The control valve is configured to receive at least one control parameter from the computing device for use in modulating the amount of the fluid to be channeled to the nozzle such that the rated power output is generated while emission levels are maintained below a predefined emissions threshold level.
US08997442B2 Shipping system for plants or other items
A stackable shipping unit includes a plurality of individual components that may be partially assembled, then packed with items to be shipped. The shipping unit can then be fully assembled, and placed on a pallet. The shipping system may include trays that can be used as either a base or a lid. The unit includes vertical components that are generally U-shaped in plan view, and sized to fit closely within the trays in pairs to form a “H” shape in plan view forming a pair of shipping spaces. Additional U-shaped vertical components can then be assembled to close off the shipping spaces, and a tray can be used as a lid and positioned on top of the vertical components to form an assembled shipping unit.
US08997440B2 Manually-assisted void-fill dunnage dispensing system and method
A packaging system (100) includes a controller (102), an input device (104) in communication with the controller (102) that identifies one or more characteristics of the container, an illustration with indicia representing different degrees of fill for a container; and a manual input device (106) in communication with the controller (102) for inputting an estimated degree of fullness of the packing container having one or more articles to be packed correlated with the indicia in the illustration. The controller (102) provides an output signal indicating a quantity of dunnage to dispense to the container based on the input estimated degree of fullness and the one or more identified characteristics of the container. Then the controller can determine the amount of dunnage that needs to be provided to fill the remaining void in the container, and the controller can signal a dunnage dispenser (110) to dispense the determined amount of dunnage.
US08997438B1 Case packing system having robotic pick and place mechanism and dual dump bins
A robotic case packing system loads articles from one conveyor into containers on another conveyor using a robotic pick and place mechanism and a set of pivoting bins. A controller moves the robotic mechanism in first picking movements to pick and place articles from the conveyor into the first bin. Once the first bin is full, the controller pivots the first bin to allow the articles stacked in the first bin to be loaded into a container held below. While the first bin is pivoting, the controller moves the robotic mechanism to pick and place articles from the conveyor into the second bin. The process repeats with the controller pivoting the second bin during the picking movements used to fill the first bin and vice versa.
US08997432B2 Modular entrance floor system
A modular entrance floor system comprising a plurality of floor sections, the plurality of floor sections being disposed adjacent each other and defining a perimeter of an entrance floor area. Each floor section includes a base plate permanently coupled to a foundation, and a surface plate removably attached to the base plate. The surface plate has at least one drain feature. The plurality of floor sections are configured such that the surface plate of a first floor section is interchangeable with the surface plate of a second floor section, independent of the adjacent floor sections.
US08997431B2 Deck system and components thereof, and methods of assembling and disassembling deck systems and components
Deck systems, deck system components making up the deck systems, and methods of assembling and disassembling deck system components and the deck systems are described herein. A box-frame can be assembled from box-frame segments, angle clips, and fasteners. A box-frame can be supported by posts attached to the box-frame using post brackets and fasteners. Joist assemblies can be assembled using joist segments, joist spacers, and fasteners. Joist assemblies can be positioned within the box-frame. The joist assemblies can be secured to box-frame segments or another joist assembly using roll-lock tabs and roll-lock tab receivers and locking tabs and locking tab retainers that part of extrusions making up the box-frame segments, joist spacers, or joist segments. Deck boards can be secured to the joist assemblies using deck screws or deck clips. The post brackets can accommodate support posts below deck boards and railing posts extending above deck boards.
US08997430B1 Floor panel assembly
A floor panel assembly includes adjacent floor panels connected together along edges thereof with a looking element extending between the edges. The locking element has a first locking surface; a locking portion at one end; a control portion near another end; and a connecting portion connecting the locking portion to the control portion. The connecting portion is slidably accommodated in a channel of one of the panels and pushed towards a first end of the channel when the locking element is moved or deformed from a first position to a second position by the control portion, the front position being when the panels are disconnected and movable relative to each other and the second position being when the panels are fixedly connected to each other.
US08997429B2 Floor panels with edge connectors
Floor covering, including hard floor panels which, at least at the edges of two opposite sides, are provided with coupling parts, cooperating which each other, substantially in the form of a tongue and a groove, wherein the coupling parts are provided with integrated mechanical locking elements which prevent the drifting apart of two coupled floor panels in a direction (R) perpendicular to the related edges and parallel to the underside of the coupled floor panels, and provide a snap-action coupling.
US08997422B1 Building construction formed of prefab concrete forms
Prefab wall, column, ceiling concrete forms are provided. The wall or column concrete forms comprise a metal mesh portion, dented line portions, horizontal cut portions, edge-pole portions, and a foam or light concrete portion. The metal mesh portion is formed with a shape of three-sided vertical mesh frame, the metal mesh portion comprising front net and two side nets. The dented line portions are provided horizontally across a plurality of locations of the metal mesh portion. The horizontal cut portion is provided at an edge of the side nets and being configured to receive rebars. The edge-pole portion is provided vertically along an inner edge of the side nets. The foam or light concrete portion is disposed and hardened with the metal mesh portion and the plurality of dented line portion. The ceiling concrete form includes a base board, pyramidal trusses, and a longitudinal bar.
US08997415B2 Light-conducting component for constructions and buildings and also production process therefor
A light-conducting component, in particular finished concrete part in the form of a masonry brick, for constructions and buildings. The component is produced in a casting mold by casting into at least one casting building material and the optical waveguide is made of a light-conducting building material, e.g. PMMA polymer or glass, which is accessible at at least two positions on the outer surface of the light-conducting component for the input of light and output of light. The optical waveguide is configured as a self-supporting 2D or 3D lattice body composed of rods having a thickness/diameter of greater than 1 mm. The self-supporting 2D or 3D lattice body has approximately the same or an only slightly smaller width (W), or length (L), or base dimensions (W, L), or total external dimensions (W, L, H) than the casting mold itself.
US08997414B2 Water tight seal for corner joints, and associated mouldings
A moulding for sealing a horizontal structure with a finishing layer of a vertical structure at a corner joint. In cross-section, the moulding has a rectangular base portion for insertion into a gap between the horizontal structure and the vertical finishing layer, and a cap portion with an upper lip for sealing against the finishing layer and a lower lip jutting downwardly for sealing against the horizontal structure. Double sided foam tape is applied only to an underside of the rectangular portion of the body. A bead of caulking at an inner face of the upper lip below an upper tip forms a flexible secondary seal of the moulding to the finishing layer of the vertical structure. While providing a secondary seal for maximum water-tightness, the caulking is protected from water exposure by the primary seal provided by the upper lip of the moulding to prevent mold build up.
US08997412B1 Combination marine and stop frame glazed panel
Disclosed is a framed glazed door or wall panel that can be utilized in applications requiring structural rigidity of the panel frame such as pivot doors, hinged doors, or glass folding doors. The panel includes marine glaze vertical frame members and horizontal stop glaze frame members. The vertical frame members and horizontal frame members can be joined by corner lugs inserted the body of the horizontal frame members and captively held in grooves on the surface of the vertical frame members.
US08997401B2 Bi-parting, bi-directional door system
A door system includes two bi-parting, center-opening, bi-directional door panels disposed for counter-rotating swinging movement in a doorway. An operator is coupled to the door panels via a synchronizing system such that the door panels may be selectively opened in either direction relative to the doorway, and closed in the opposite direction, and such that the door panels swing through substantially equal angular distances. The synchronizing system may include a linkage, among other systems, and the operator may include an electro-mechanical operator, a mechanical door closer with spring, or a hybrid of both. A person may effect an emergency breakout by manually using a single-motion, low-force push against one of the door panels to simultaneously open both door panels.
US08997397B2 Method for determining hydration requirements of succulent plants
The present invention provides an improved, quantitative, standardized method of hydrating succulent plants by a plant owner. The method includes calculating the amount of water and watering frequency required, depending on environmental conditions, such as substrate used to grow a plant, relative humidity and temperature, and using a demarcated container for watering the plant, all of which maintains and prolongs the health, vitality, beauty and longevity of the succulent plant.
US08997396B2 Weighted rodent bait stations and related methods
Rodent bait station assemblies and methods for assembly and bundling.
US08997392B1 Dot-sighting device
A dot-sighting device includes a light source, a beam splitter and a reflective element. The light source emits light. The beam splitter includes a surface that reflects at least a portion of a first light component of the light and transmits at least a portion of a second light component. The reflective element reflects at least a portion of the first light component reflected by the surface of the beam splitter toward the beam splitter. The light reflected by the reflective element includes the second light component.
US08997391B2 Firearm sight
A sight for a firearm is provided. The sight is structured to fit within a channel defined within the firearm. In some examples, the channel is defined within the slide of a semi automatic handgun. The sight includes a base that fits within the channel, and a visual index portion extending outward from the base. A removable firearm component blocks an open end of the channel, thereby retaining the sight, when the removable firearm component is installed on the firearm. In some examples, a rear sight may be secured within a channel defined within a slide by a firing pin stop. In other examples, a front sight may be secured within a channel defined within a slide by a barrel bushing. Some examples of the sight may include an adjustment mechanism for moving the visual index portion with respect to the base.
US08997389B2 Picture frame and hanger combination featuring a recessed cord reel
A picture frame and hanger combination features a reel for winding and unwinding of the cord, a locking mechanism to lock the cord in any of a number of partially unwound states of different length, and a frame bordering a picture opening for receiving a picture in a position facing outward from the picture opening to a front side of the frame. The frame has a hollow cavity positioned and sized to accommodate the reel and locking mechanism, which may be combined into a single unit, in positions at least partially recessed in the frame and concealed from the front side thereof. The recessing of the reel into the frame avoids bulky installation on the rear of the frame that may otherwise prevent the frame from lying closely against the wall or other upright surface behind the picture frame.
US08997388B1 Corrugated signage
A corrugated display sign with a former panel secured to a backer panel. The former panel includes a central section opposed by two lateral sections, two support members partially cut away from the central section and maintaining a connection with the central section via at least one fold line, and two or more preformed slits, with one slit positioned adjacent to the support members. The display sign further includes a graphic panel operable to be wrapped around exterior edges of the lateral sections, and having ends secured to the backer panel. The display sign is capable of being erected from a knockdown configuration to an erected configuration by folding the lateral sections away from the central section and wrapping the graphic panel about the lateral sections.
US08997387B2 Light guide plate having diffused light printed dot pattern
The lighting apparatus 10 includes a light guide plate 11 made of a transparent material and having a pair of faces 12a, 12b opposing each other and an end face adjoining the faces, a silkscreen-printed dot pattern 13 used to diffuse light, provided only on the face 12a of the light guide plate 11 and formed with a special ink, and an LED light source 20 disposed so as to face the end face of the light guide plate 11. The face 12a of the light guide plate 11 provided with the silkscreen-printed pattern 13 serves, as it is, as a light-emitting surface.
US08997383B2 Construction-equipment bucket-tooth assembly and bucket provided to same
A bucket tooth assembly is mounted to an adapter provided to a distal end part of a bucket of construction equipment. The bucket assembly includes a bucket tooth and a latching member. The bucket tooth has a cavity for inserting the adapter and a through-hole that is provided to the side face and communicates through to the adapter when the bucket tooth has been mounted to the adapter. The through-hole has a center axis. The latching member is fitted inside the through-hole and having a rotational axis disposed along a direction of the center axis and a bottom part provided to an end on an adapter side in an axial direction. The latching member is rotated to switch between a first state in which the bottom part is held inside the through-hole and a second state in which the bottom part protrudes toward a concave portion on the adapter side.
US08997382B2 Dipper door assembly
A dipper assembly includes a dipper, a dipper door, a closure mechanism, a trip assembly, and a camshaft support assembly. The dipper door is pivotally mounted to the dipper for movement between an open position and a closed position in which the dipper door covers the dipper bottom. The closure mechanism is configured to retain the dipper door in the closed position. The trip assembly is configured to release the dipper door for movement to the open position, and includes a trip arm coupled to a camshaft and also coupled to a trip rope. The camshaft support assembly is configured to receive the camshaft, and includes a bearing block receiving a rotatable bearing member, and a sealing mechanism.
US08997377B2 Clothes treatment apparatus and method for controlling a clothes treatment apparatus
A clothes treatment apparatus and a method for controlling a clothes treatment apparatus are provided. The clothes treatment apparatus may include a drying duct, a first blower fan located in the drying duct that circulates interior air within the drying duct, and a filter located in the drying duct. The method may include sensing clogging of the filter, and switching a flow of air passing through the filter from a first direction to an opposite second direction if clogging of the filter is sensed. The method may further include a washing cycle for washing clothes, and a drying cycle for drying the clothes. An implementation time of the washing cycle may be less than an implementation time of the drying cycle.
US08997376B2 Process for drying material and dryer for use in the process
A process of drying moisture containing material having a tendency to create dust when dried, said process including the steps of providing said material in a heated chamber having a steam containing atmosphere at a temperature above the dewpoint of the steam, recirculating a hot gas including a portion of the steam through said chamber in order to evaporate moisture from the material to a predetermined level of dryness.
US08997375B2 Operating method for laundry equipment including a scent supply module
An operating method for a laundry drier which has a rotatable drum mounted inside a main body, a heater for heating the air flowing into the drum; and a scent supply module for spraying scent into the drum, comprising: a drying step of drying the laundry by supplying hot air heated by the heater; a pre-treating step of tumbling the drum while supplying air with the heater off; and a scent treating step of spraying scent onto the laundry which has passed through the pre-treating step. Since the scent is sprayed on after the pre-treating step, the scent can be effectively deposited on the laundry.
US08997374B2 Drying furnace and drying method
A drying furnace (20) for drying an object (11) by hot air is provided with a heater (36, 38, 43, 45) that applies radiant heat to a hard-heating region (35, 42) having a larger heat capacity than the other region (37, 44) in the object (11) so as to heat the hard-heating region (35, 42) to a temperature approximate to a temperature of the other region (37, 44).
US08997373B1 Skate blade dryer
A skate blade dryer is provided for removing moisture from a skate blade after use to prevent rust, discoloration, pitting, and premature dulling of the skate blade. The dryer includes a housing having an interior, a top, and a front face. A blower is positioned in the interior of the housing. A conduit extends from the housing. The conduit includes a slot configured for receiving a skate blade coupled to a skate boot. The blower has an output port in fluid communication with the conduit for directing air flow through the conduit.
US08997369B2 Fast rotary drive for a handheld micrometer
A micrometer drive configuration for a handheld micrometer comprises: a frame; a spindle; a linear displacement sensor that senses a displacement of the spindle; a threaded spindle drive having a relatively coarse thread pitch, wherein the threaded spindle drive is attached to a spindle drive gear; a planetary drive gear that mates to the spindle drive gear; a ring gear surrounding and mating to the planetary drive gear; and a thimble generally surrounding the spindle drive gear, the planetary drive gear, and the ring gear. The thimble is coupled to drive the spindle drive gear through the planetary drive gear, and the planetary drive gear is sized and mounted such that the spindle drive gear turns faster than the thimble.
US08997367B2 Length measuring instrument
A length measuring instrument that includes a hollow profile section extending in a longitudinal direction, wherein the hollow profile section includes a slot extending in the longitudinal direction and covered by sealing elements. A scale is disposed inside the hollow profile section, wherein the scale includes a measurement graduation which can be scanned by a scanning unit. An end piece is connected to the hollow profile section, wherein the end piece closes the hollow profile section on an end of the hollow profile section, the end piece including an insertion region with which the hollow profile section plunges into the hollow profile section. The length measuring instrument includes a clamping piece that connects the end piece to the hollow profile section, wherein the clamping piece spans the slot and which on two sides of the slot fixes the hollow profile section to the insertion region of the end piece.
US08997366B2 Template for calibrating a machine used to machine an ophthalmic lens, device and method using such a template
A calibration template for calibrating a machining device that has blocking elements for blocking an ophthalmic lens, and machining elements for machining the ophthalmic lens, the template including a fastener portion suitable for being fastened to the blocking elements and a calibration portion arranged around the fastener portion. The calibration portion is made out of a material that is suitable for being machined by the machining elements, and presents firstly a plurality of shape patterns, and secondly a plurality of visual identifiers each visually associated with one of the shape patterns.
US08997365B2 Shaft alignment tools and methods
The present disclosure is directed to a shaft alignment tool including a base, a rotational body mounted on the base for relative rotation with respect to the base, and an alignment meter coupled to the rotational body.
US08997364B2 Marking saw guide
An angle marking saw guide for marking a plank having a front side that includes a planar marking member including a protractor portion extending upwardly from a flat ruled straight edge portion having a straight edge. A planar reference member includes a rectangular portion a triangular portion extending laterally from the rectangular portion. The triangular portion includes a first angled edge and a second angled edge that meets the first angled edge at a vertex. The marking member is pivotally affixed to the reference member with a fastener disposed adjacent to the vertex. A vertical wall portion depends downwardly from the front edge and engages the front side of the plank so as to maintain the reference member in a fixed angular relationship with the front side. A lip surface extends at an angle from the back edge to facilitate lifting of the reference member from the plank.
US08997363B2 Target positioning systems and methods
The system includes a rotation disengagement mechanism configured to disengage a rotatable shaft from a powered drive unit such that upon disengagement the powered drive unit is no longer able to rotate the shaft. After disengagement, the rotatable shaft may reengage the powered drive unit at only one rotational position relative to the rotation disengagement mechanism. A target coupled to the shaft is thus always in a known home position. The systems and methods further comprise smart positioning logic that assigns a number designation to four rotational orientations spaced 90° from one another.
US08997362B2 Portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine with optical communications bus
A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine (AACMM) having opposed first and second ends and a plurality of connected arm segments each having at least one position transducer for producing a position signal; an electronic circuit configured to receive the position signals; a first bus for communication with the electronic circuit, wherein at least a portion of the first bus is an optical communication bus configured to transmit light; and a rotary coupler having a first portion and a second portion, the second portion configured to rotate relative to the first portion, the first portion affixed to the first arm segment, the rotary coupler configured to transfer signals on the optical communication bus between the first portion and the second portion.
US08997357B2 Multi-tasking utility tool
A utility tool comprising a body having a first end and a second end positioned on opposite ends of the body; a removable device; as well as a first tool and a second tool configured to be selectively coupled to each other or one of either the first end and second end of the body.
US08997353B2 Apparatus, system, and method for shaping a valve orifice
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for optimizing a valve orifice shape. According to one representative embodiment, a method includes determining a specified relationship between a valve position and an output characteristic, and determining an orifice profile. The method also includes determining a relationship of an orifice area to the output characteristic. Further, the method includes shaping an orifice in a valve based on the orifice profile and the specified relationship between the valve position and the output characteristic. According to the method, the valve should approximately exhibit the specified relationship.
US08997349B2 Manufacturing method for medical equipment for reducing platelet adhesion on a surface in contact with blood
A manufacturing method for medical equipment involves electron beam irradiating a titanium or titanium alloy substrate surface that has at least been machined, whereby platelet adhesion of the surface to be contacted by blood is reduced. The manufacturing method for medical equipment can also use a specific pre-processing method and an electron beam irradiation method to reduce the platelet adhesion of the surface which is to be contacted with blood, to suppress the formation of minute depressions (craters) in the surface, which can occur due to the irradiation by an electron beam.
US08997347B2 Assembling sealant containing twist-on wire connectors
An improved method of making sealant containing twist-on wire connectors from a batch of components, wherein some of the components may be preassembled through automated equipment and at least one or more of the steps performed in the making of a sealant containing twist-on wire connector is performed manually at a station where an operator can simultaneously perform one or more steps to enhance the formation of a twist-on wire connector containing a sealant while at the same time eliminating upfront investments costs for a work station as well as costs for maintenance of a work station.
US08997343B2 Method for manufacturing multilayer printed circuit board
A method for manufacturing multilayer printed circuit board includes step below. A metal substrate is provide, the metal substrate includes a number of substrate unit. A first insulating layer is formed on one surface of the metal substrate. The first insulating layer has a number of first through holes. An electrically conductive circuit is formed in each substrate unit. A second insulating layer is formed on the other surface of the metal substrate. The second insulating layer has a number of second through holes. A first metal cylinder is formed in a first through hole and a second metal cylinder is formed in a second through hole. The number of substrate units are folded and laminated, the connected and aligned first metal cylinder and the second metal cylinder communicates the electrically conductive circuits.
US08997338B2 Component-mounting device, and component-mounting method
A tray feeder includes tray supply mechanisms and arranged in parallel. Each of the tray supply mechanisms has a function of retrieving a tray from a tray housing portion by a tray retrieving unit, and transferring the pallet up to a component pickup position set in the vicinity of a height at the upper end of the tray housing portion. A lock state of a door by a door lock mechanism is released only in a state where the tray retrieving unit is located at the component pickup position and blocks an interior of the tray feeder from a head transfer space in which the mounting head transfers.
US08997337B2 Manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method for an electronic component
A manufacturing apparatus for an electronic component includes a plurality of press members provided with a pair of arm sections extending in one direction intersecting with a direction of the pressing, the plurality of press members contacting a housing of a connector and pressing a plurality of pins held by the housing toward a plurality of holes in a substrate, a drive unit pressing the press members and press-fitting the plurality of pins into the holes in the substrate, a stress measurement unit coupled with the pair of arm sections and adapted to measure a stress generated at the pair of arm sections when the pins are pressed toward the holes in the substrate, and a drive control unit controlling a press force of the drive unit in accordance with a measurement result of the stress measurement unit.
US08997336B2 Air-tight and water-tight electrical bonding device
A bonding device electrically bonds metallic surfaces through serrated metal teeth which embed into each metal surface as a fastener is tightened. A sealing material circumferentially outward and inward from the teeth create an air-tight and water-tight seal around the teeth, protecting the bonding location. The device can have an extended central collar extending axially from the through-hole in the center of the device, which will allow it to be installed in holes, or on a stud without the use of adhesives or other retaining methods.
US08997332B2 Method of forming a power tool
A method for forming an armature for an electric motor includes: securing a lamination stack having slots therein on an armature shaft, securing a commutator on one end of the armature shaft, winding magnet wires in the slots in the lamination stack and securing ends of the magnet wires to the commutator, the magnet wires having armature lead wires that extend from the slots to the commutator; and molding plastic over the magnet wires to encase at least the armature lead wires in plastic. Alternatively and/or additionally, plastic is molded over the magnet wires to retain them in the slots and to support the armature lead wires and prevent them from vibrating when the armature rotates during operation.
US08997330B2 Layered sensor for determining an analyte concentration
An implantable sensor is provide which can be used for determining a concentration of at least one analyte in a medium, in particular a body tissue and/or a body fluid. The implantable sensor has a layered construction with at least one insulating carrier substrate and at least two electrodes which are arranged in at least two different layer planes of the implantable sensor and are electrically isolated from one another by the at least one insulating carrier substrate. The electrodes have electrode areas which face the medium when the sensor has been implanted, and are in contact with the medium over a large area and substantially uniformly, directly or via a generally analyte-permeable membrane layer.
US08997323B1 Tool for removal and replacement of sprinkler heads
A hand manipulatable tool for removing and replacing sprinkler heads threadably connected to an underground watering system employs a straight metal pipe component having outwardly flared portions at both extremities adapted to grip the sprinkler heads. A straight handle rod interactive with the pipe component facilitates unscrewing and lifting of the gripped sprinkler head.
US08997321B2 Method of manufacturing a thin film capacitor having separated dielectric films
A thin film capacitor and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The thin film capacitor includes a metal foil, dielectric layers and internal electrode layers alternately disposed on the metal foil, and a top electrode layer on the topmost layer among the two or more dielectric layers. These layers have peripheries that define an outer profile flaring toward the metal foil as viewed from the stacking direction of the thin film capacitor, and at least one dielectric layer of two or more dielectric layers satisfies a relationship B>A>0 wherein A is a gap of the periphery of the internal electrode layer directly below the dielectric layer protruding from the periphery of the dielectric layer, and B is a gap of the periphery of the dielectric layer protruding from the periphery of the internal electrode layer or the top electrode layer directly above the dielectric layer. The thin film capacitor has a structure free from short-circuiting and reducing debris of broken dielectric material.
US08997320B2 Method for manufacturing acoustic wave device
Provided is a method for manufacturing an acoustic wave device that has an excellent temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) and high accuracy of IDT pattern forming and is capable of resisting high temperature processing of 200 degrees or more. The method for manufacturing an acoustic wave device according to the present invention includes forming an IDT (2) on a principal surface (1a) of a piezoelectric substrate (1), and forming a film by thermal spraying a material (3) having a smaller linear thermal expansion coefficient than the piezoelectric substrate onto an opposite principal surface (1b) of the piezoelectric substrate (1) where the IDT (2) is formed.
US08997319B2 Cremation casket
A cremation casket includes a lid and a base. The base includes a lower member and an upper member. The lower member includes a base panel and at least first and second upstanding side wall panels. The first and second side wall panels are disposed in planes generally perpendicular to a plane in which the base panel is disposed. The upper member includes first and second upstanding side wall panels that are disposed in planes generally parallel to the planes in which the first and second side wall panels of the lower member are disposed. First and second flap panel members are also provided that are movable between the storage position wherein the base has a relatively reduced height and a used position, wherein the base has a relatively enlarged height.
US08997310B2 Vacuum cleaner cyclone with helical cyclone expansion region
A vacuum cleaner dirt collection assembly having a housing, an air inlet and air outlet connected to the housing and a cyclone chamber inside the housing. The cyclone chamber has top and bottom walls, and an outer wall joining the top and bottom walls to form a generally enclosed space. The outer wall has a helical guide channel extending radially outward from the adjacent portion of the outer wall. An inner wall, located inside the enclosed space, has a generally cylindrical or frustroconical surface having one or more openings fluidly connecting the enclosed space to the air outlet. A separator plate is located inside the enclosed space at a location between the top and bottom walls. The separator plate extends towards the outer wall and is spaced from the outer wall by a gap.
US08997307B2 Apparatus for collecting material from a surface
The present invention provides an apparatus for collecting material from a surface. The apparatus comprises a chassis, a holding tank, a material collector and a pumping system. The chassis comprises wheels for relocating the apparatus on the surface. The holding tank is for receiving the material and is operatively coupled with the chassis. The holding tank has a material-entry aperture in a bottom surface. The material collector comprises a suction device, which is operatively coupled with the material-entry aperture. The suction device has an inlet that can be disposed adjacent the surface. The pumping system is operatively connected with the holding tank for depressurizing the holding tank and thereby gathering the material at least partially via suction through the inlet of the suction device and the material-entry aperture in the holding tank.
US08997306B2 Floor cleaning machine
A floor cleaning machine has a housing and a movable hood that covers over vacuum and liquid hoses of the machine that are visible in prior art floor cleaning machines. The vacuum and liquid hoses are each pivotally connected to a wall of the machine housing and are also pivotally connected to a transparent dome provided on the hood. These connections reduce stresses on the hoses when the hood is moved and allow the dome to pivot relative to the hood. The floor cleaning machine also has a pair of slit orifices that eject fan spray patterns of cleaning liquid that are non-coplanar and do not intersect each other. Furthermore, the floor cleaning machine has an oscillating brush assembly that includes a brush that is replaceable without using tools. The brush height can be adjusted via an adjustment member provided on the oscillating portion of the assembly.
US08997304B2 Windscreen wiper device
A windscreen wiper device for cleaning a windshield of a vehicle is provided. The windscreen wiper device includes a longitudinally extending wiper strip and at least one carrier element in engagement with the wiper strip for operatively supporting and biasing the wiper strip into a predetermined configuration. A base is non-removably coupled to the at least one carrier element and has an opening that extends therethrough to provide access to the at least one carrier element through the base. A connection device is removably secured directly to the at least one carrier element through the opening of the base for attachment with a wiper arm.
US08997303B2 Wiper device
Wiper device is disclosed. a wiper device includes a wiper blade tightly contacted to a windshield and configured to wipe a foreign substance and an adaptor connecting the wiper blade to a wiper arm, wherein the adaptor includes a body rotatably connected to the wiper blade about an axle formed in a traverse direction of the wiper blade, and a connector extended in a lengthwise direction of the wiper blade and having one end that is connected to the wiper arm and the other end that is hinge-connected to the body. Since it is possible to adjust the wiper arm and the wiper blade in various angles, the wiper blade can be tightly contacted to the windshield and thus have a superior wiping performance.
US08997300B2 Cushioning toothbrush
Provided is a toothbrush having a handle, a tuft block, multiple lateral cushioning gels and a rear cushioning gel. The handle has a head and a fore linking member protruding from the head. The tuft block has a fore end linked to the fore linking member. A gap is formed between the head and the tuft block. Multiple bristle tufts are planted on the tuft block. The multiple lateral cushioning gels connect the head and the tuft block. The rear cushioning gel connects a rear end of the tuft block and the handle.
US08997291B2 Method of custom fitting an article of footwear and apparatus including a container
A method and apparatus for custom fitting an article of footwear is disclosed. A container holding the article of footwear includes a steaming assembly that allows a customer to subject the article of footwear to steam. The method can include cooling the article of footwear on the customer's foot to custom fit the article of footwear.
US08997290B2 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.
US08997282B2 Bed with a powered width expansion wing
A method for governing care of a person includes determining the importance of a candidate activity (84) relative to the importance of patient sleep continuity (104) and, if the candidate activity is more important than sleep continuity, carrying out the activity or indicating the acceptability of carrying out the activity (106) and, if the candidate activity is not more important than sleep continuity, refraining from carrying out the activity or indicating the unacceptability of carrying out the activity (108). A system for patient care governance comprises a decision engine (80) for determining the importance of the candidate activity relative to the importance of sleep continuity, and a controller (92) responsive to the decision engine for issuing a command to carry out the activity or indicate the acceptability of carrying out the activity (106), refrain from carrying out the activity or indicate the unacceptability of carrying out the activity (108).
US08997280B1 Bed foundation cover and method of fabrication
A foundation or box spring cover for use in conjunction with a box spring comprising four panels configured to fit over edges of the box spring, at least two of the panels being adjacent panels of exposed, continuous, non-stretch fabric, and at least one stretchable panel positioned at a corner of the cover and configured to be oriented at an underside of the box spring. In one aspect the cover includes a hem configured to extend under the edges of the box spring, and where the triangular panel is off-set from the edges of the box spring. The hem is configured to have a concealed edge that operates to catch upon a bottom edge of the foundation to secure the sides of the cover into position so as to withstand a housekeeping action applied to the bedding such as tucking in bedding between a mattress and the foundation. A method of manufacture includes stretching the stretchable panel prior to sewing onto adjacent hems.
US08997279B1 Multi-layer mattress with an air filtration foundation
A mattress including a plurality of layers, each layer extending in a substantially parallel, horizontal direction and being positioned in vertical relation to other layers and each layer further having a perforated or open-cell structure. At least one layer has a gel dispersed within the perforated or open-cell structure of the layer.
US08997277B2 Playards, changing table assemblies, and methods of operating the same
A playard having a floor and an upper frame is disclosed. The upper frame includes a first end supported a first distance above the floor, a second end supported a second distance above the floor, and at least two opposed sides. Each of the opposed sides includes a first rail, a second rail, and a joint joining the first and second rails. The joint is positioned in a first plane when the joint secures the first and second rails in an erected position, the first plane being transversely oriented with respect to the floor.
US08997275B2 Article of furniture having in-built storage facilities
An article of furniture 10 comprises a box frame 12 defining a void 14 and having a first opening 18 and an opposed, second opening 20. A lid arrangement 22 is associated with the first opening 18 of the frame 12 for closing the first opening 18. The article of furniture 10 includes a tub member 24 for closing the second opening 20. The tub member 24 comprises a dished portion 28. The tub member 24 is reversibly connectable to the box frame 12 so that, in a first orientation, at least the dished portion 28 is received within the void 14 of the box frame 12 to form an assembly of reduced volume for transportation or storage purposes and, in a reversed, second orientation, the dished portion 28 of the tub member 24 extends away from the void 14 to form an assembly of increased volume defined by a combination of the void 14 defined by the frame 12 and the dished portion 28 of the tub member 24 in its second orientation.
US08997273B2 Seating unit convertible to bed
A seating unit that includes a foldable bed includes: a base with an internal cavity; a foldable bed that includes a plurality of sections, wherein in a folded position, the bed sections are folded relative to each other and stored within the base cavity, and in an unfolded position, the bed sections are generally horizontally disposed and in serial alignment with each other, with a first bed section being positioned forwardly of the base; a bed folding mechanism that is attached to the base and the bed sections that controls the movement of the bed between the folded and unfolded positions; a foldable leg attached to the first bed section, and a leg folding mechanism attached to the leg and the first bed section configured to extend the leg downwardly from the first bed section when the bed is in the unfolded position, and to fold the leg under the first bed section when the bed is in the folded position, the leg being pivotable about an axis that is parallel with the forward direction.
US08997267B2 Protective garment with separate inner and outer shells
A protective garment comprising a form-fitting, stretchable inner garment for covering part of a body of a wearer, the inner garment including a plurality of cushioning pads attached thereto with portions of the inner garment being free of the cushioning pads, and an outer shell partially overlying the inner garment, the outer shell including a plurality of flexibly interconnected protective pads cooperating with the cushioning pads to protect at least a major part of the portion of the body, the protective pads being more rigid that the cushioning pads, and the outer shell being separable from the inner garment.
US08997265B2 Head guard
A head guard is provided which has a fabric layer and a padding layer. The head guard is stretchable between a relaxed configuration and an expanded configuration. The expanding configuration has a convex shape such that it can conform to a head of a wearer. The head guard can be worn by a wearer in combination with a helmet.
US08997264B2 Male undergarment including supporting structures
A male undergarment, including at least one enclosing panel, a cover panel, disposed substantially at the front of the undergarment, and a separation panel disposed interiorly of the cover panel, wherein the cover panel has a portion thereof selectively attachable to a portion of the undergarment, and a portion, thereof coupled to the at least one enclosing panel, and the separation panel has an opening defined therein.
US09003561B1 Device and method for measuring distribution of atomic resolution deformation
The present invention relates to an atomic resolution deformation distribution measurement device that can measure a deformation rate of an atomic scale with low expense by improving resolution using an AFM system, and the atomic resolution deformation distribution measurement device includes: a laser source generating a laser beam; a first cantilever and a second cantilever provided close to a measurement specimen or a reference specimen to cause deformation by an atomic force; an optical system controlling a light path of the laser beam so as to cause the laser beam to be sequentially reflected to the first cantilever and the second cantilever and locate the first cantilever and the second cantilever to an image point; a measurement unit measuring the laser beam reflected from the second cantilever; and a stage on which a measurement specimen or a reference specimen is located and movable in X, Y, and Z axis directions.
US09003557B1 Content sharing system and method
A method and computing system for defining a group of participants for a videoconference. A first video conferencing image is captured for a first participant of the videoconference, wherein the first participant is included within the group of participants. The first video conferencing image is stored within a first private folder associated with the first participant and a public folder associated with the group of participants. A second video conferencing image is captured for a second participant of the videoconference, wherein the second participant is included within the group of participants. The second video conferencing image is stored within a second private folder associated with the second participant and the public folder associated with the group of participants.
US09003543B2 Providing a security boundary
In order to enable potentially conflicting applications to execute on the same computer, application programming interface (API) calls are intercepted when an application attempts to access a computer system's resources. During a learning mode of operation, a security monitor stores data in a security monitor database identifying which applications are allowed to access the computer system resources. At runtime of an application, the security monitor operates in an enforcement mode and utilizes the contents of the security monitor database to determine if an application is permitted to access system resources. If data associated with the application is located in the security monitor database, the application is allowed to access computer system resources, if data associated with the application is not located in the security monitor database, the application is not allowed to access computer system resources.
US09003542B1 Systems and methods for replacing sensitive information stored within non-secure environments with secure references to the same
A computer-implemented method for replacing sensitive information stored within non-secure environments with secure references to the same may include (1) identifying sensitive information stored within a non-secure environment on a computing device, (2) removing the sensitive information from the non-secure environment, (3) storing the sensitive information within a secure environment, (4) replacing the sensitive information originally stored within the non-secure environment with a reference that identifies the sensitive information stored within the secure environment, (5) identifying a request to access at least a portion of the sensitive information identified in the reference, (6) determining that at least a portion of the request satisfies a data-loss-prevention policy, and then (7) providing access to at least a portion of the sensitive information via the secure environment. Various other systems, methods, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09003533B1 Systems and methods for detecting malware
A computer-implemented method for detecting malware may include 1) identifying a file represented within a file system by a file name, 2) identifying a creation of a hard link to the file that uses an additional file name, 3) updating a database with an association between the file name and the additional file name, 4) identifying a file-closing operation within the file system and determining that the target file name of the file-closing operation was removed from the file system after the file-closing operation, 5) querying the database with the target file name and identifying an existing file name representing the file based on the association, and 6) scanning the existing file name for malware in response to the file-closing operation instead of scanning the target file name because the target file name was removed from the file system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09003532B2 Providing a network-accessible malware analysis
In certain embodiments, a computer-implemented method comprises receiving, via a computer network and from a first computer system, a first malware analysis request. The first malware analysis request comprises a file to be analyzed for malware by a malware analysis system. The method includes initiating a malware analysis by the malware analysis system of the first file for malware. The method includes communicating to the first computer system a response for the first file determined by the malware analysis system to the first computer system. The response comprises an indication of whether the first file comprises malware.
US09003531B2 Comprehensive password management arrangment facilitating security
Computer-implemented process and apparatus for screening data for malware. Received data stored in at least one data store includes at least: (i) a first protected item of data containing contents that are generally inaccessible without specific access credential information, and (ii) specific access credential information corresponding to the first protected item of data. The received data is analyzed to detect any protected items of data therein based on predetermined protected data item identification criteria and to detect any access credential information contained therein based on predetermined access credential identification criteria. In response to a detection of the specific access credential information in the at least one data store, the specific access credential information is stored in the at least one data store in a grouping arrangement with other access credential information. In response to a detection of the first protected item of data, use the specific access credential information is stored in the grouping arrangement to facilitate access to the first protected item of data by a malware screening process to extract its content. The malware screening process is executed to scan the content extracted from the first protected data item to detect a presence of malware.
US09003524B2 System and method for analyzing web content
A system and computer based method are provided for identifying active content in websites on a network. One embodiment includes a computer based method of classifying web content. The method receives content of a web page, and determines a first property associated with the content, the first property including static content. The method executes active content associated with the webpage, and determines a second property associated with the content based at least in part on the executing, the second property including the active content. The method also evaluates a logical expression relating the first property and the second property, and associates the web page with a category based on a result of the evaluation. The evaluation of the logical expression at least in part evaluates whether a constant value matches at least a portion of the content of the web page.
US09003522B1 Spam filtering using scroll detection as a signal
In some embodiments, techniques for electronic messaging may include presenting a message; monitoring an action, wherein the action is associated with scrolling the message; and determining a classification for the message, wherein determining the classification includes evaluating the action.
US09003521B2 Base station for detecting denial-of-service attacks in communication system and method for controlling the same
Provided is a base station for detecting Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks in a communication system and a method for controlling the same. The base station includes a first estimator for estimating, for a predetermined time, a reception rate of data that is received at the base station from a communication network to be transmitted to at least one wireless terminal; a second estimator for estimating, for a predetermined time, a bandwidth allocated for transmission of data to the at least one wireless terminal, based on at least one of feedback information transmitted from the at least one wireless terminal and channel capacity of the base station; and a controller for calculating a ratio of the bandwidth to the reception rate for the at least one wireless terminal, and determining whether there is a DoS attack, using the calculated ratio.
US09003520B2 Securing a storage element for a binary datum, control register and chip card
Securing a storage element for a binary datum, control register and chip card. This element (60) for storing a binary datum (D) inputs a signal representative of said binary datum, said storage to be carried out when an enable signal (ENA) is at a first predetermined level, supplies an output signal (Q) the state whereof represents the datum stored in said storage element (10), and detects an attack aimed at said enable signal (ENA) or at a signal internal to said storage element.
US09003519B2 Verifying transactions using out-of-band devices
The present disclosure relates to verifying transactions using user devices. A client device used to complete a transaction with a server computer. The client device communicates with a user device such as a smart phone, laptop computer, or other computing device. The user device communicates with the client device and a verification server via the out-of-band communication channel. The verification server receives two or more copies of session data associated with the transaction occurring between the client device and the server computer. One copy of the session data is received from the server computer and another copy of the session data is provided by the user device. The two copies of the session data are compared by the verification server or by the user device, and mismatches are reported as suspected malicious software attacks.
US09003512B2 Content protection management system
A content protection management system that enables interoperability with other Content Protection and DRM technologies. A managed security domain provides a simple, consistent and reliable experience to whole-home network subscribers. The architectural concept for the whole-home network includes an underlying control plane with an overlaying content security control plane running a particular DRM technology.
US09003510B2 Computer or microchip with a secure system bios having a separate private network connection to a separate private network
A computer or microchip including a network connection for connection to a public network of computers including the Internet, the network connection being located in a public unit; and an additional and separate network connection for connection to a separate, private network of computers, the additional network connection being located in a protected private unit. An inner hardware-based access barrier or firewall is located between and communicatively connects the protected private unit and the public unit; and the private and public units and the two separate network connections are separated by the inner barrier or firewall. The protected private unit includes at least a first microprocessor and a system BIOS located in flash memory. The public unit includes at least a second or many microprocessors separate from the inner barrier or firewall. The inner barrier or firewall comprises a bus with an on/off switch controlling communication input and output.
US09003509B1 Security for WAP servers
A method and system for improving the security and control of internet/network web application processes, such as web applications. The invention enables validation of requests from web clients before the request reaches a web application server. Incoming web client requests are compared to an application model that may include an allowed navigation path within an underlying web application. Requests inconsistent with the application model are blocked before reaching the application server. The invention may also verify that application state data sent to application servers has not been inappropriately modified. Furthermore, the invention enables application models to be automatically generated by employing, for example, a web crawler to probe target applications. Once a preliminary application model is generated it can be operated in a training mode. An administrator may tune the application model by adding a request that was incorrectly marked as non-compliant to the application model.
US09003492B2 Secure client authentication and service authorization in a shared communication network
Functionality for secure client authentication and service authorization in a shared communication network are disclosed. A managing network device of a communication network causes a securely connected client network device to perform an account authorization process with an accounting network device in parallel with a service matching process with the managing network device and one or more service providers of the communication network. The managing network device executes the service matching process and securely matches the client network device with one of the service providers. The accounting network device executes the account authorizing process with the client network device and provides a service voucher to the managing network device authorizing one or more of the service providers to service the client network device. The managing network device transmits the service voucher to the matched service provider to prompt the matched service provider to service the client network device.
US09003487B2 Methods and apparatus for maintaining permissions for client/server processing in a communication device
A communication device has memory for storing a client application module, a server application module, and an operating system module which are executable by one or more processors. The client application module submits a request and, in response, the server application module causes the request to be processed with use of the operating system module. One or more client process handles of a client stack of the client application module are provided in a current process base of the operating system module. For the request, one or more permission settings associated with the one or more client process handles as well as one or more permission settings associated with the one or more server process handles are checked.
US09003484B2 Method, apparatus, signals and medium for enforcing compliance with a policy on a client computer
A method and system for enforcing compliance with a policy on a client computer in communication with a network is disclosed. The method involves receiving a data transmission from the client computer on the network. The data transmission includes status information associated with the client computer. The data transmission is permitted to continue when the status information meets a criterion.
US09003480B2 Classifying files on a mobile computer device
A client computer extracts contextual information associated with a file that is created. The client computer generates scores for the file by utilizing the contextual information that is extracted. The client computer assigns a value to the file, based on an aggregation of the scores that are generated. The client computer monitors activities on the client computer, wherein the activities trigger an event on the client computer. The client computer determines whether the event is in violation of one or more computer security policies on a server computer, wherein the one or more computer security policies require work-related files to be deleted or encrypted. The client computer classifies the file as personal data or work-related business data. The client computer secures the file, if the file is classified as work-related business data.
US09003474B1 Systems and methods for managing disclosure of protectable information
A method facilitates collaboration between a first agency having an agent and a second agency having an administrator. The method includes in any practical order: (a) receiving a request for search originating with the agent; (b) determining that information controlled by the second agency is within the scope of search; (c) after determining, causing an access request to be sent to the administrator of the second agency; and (d) causing the information to be sent to the agent after receiving a permit from the administrator, wherein the permit comprises indicia of a human-authorization.
US09003473B2 Enhanced television extension
A method may include receiving an enhanced television (ETV) application in a video client over a first data path and executing the ETV application in the video client. In one embodiment, the ETV application may include an enhanced television binary interchange format (EBIF) resource. The method may also include extracting, from the EBIF resource, an identifier of an extension application and requesting the identified extension application. The method may include receiving the extension application, over a second data path different than the first data path and executing the extension application.
US09003471B2 Response timing
A method for transmitting a message in an interactive television system, comprises receiving at a receiver unit a video stream including video data and a timing stream indicative of the timing of the video data; receiving at the receiver unit an instruction from a user to transmit a message from the receiver unit and in response to the instruction forming the message so as to include a timing indication based on current data from the timing stream; and transmitting the message from the receiver unit.
US09003470B2 Interaction modalities for multimedia delivery and presentation
A method and apparatus for displaying received data, analyze the quality of the displayed data formulating a media-parameter suggestion for the encoder to alter the characteristics of data to be sent to the receiver, and sending from the receiver, the formulated suggestion.
US09003469B2 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.
US09003468B2 Automatic performance device
An automatic performance device includes a performance data receiving unit that receives performance data transmitted from a storage device without passing through a moving image distribution server, the storage device configured to store the performance data having a combination of performance information and time information, the time information indicating the time when the performance indicated by the performance information was carried out; a synchronization signal receiving unit that receives a synchronization signal by using an audio signal transmission path for an audio via the moving image distribution server; and a reproducing unit that reproduces the performance information of the performance data in synchronization with a video distributed at the time when the synchronization signal is distributed, at the timing corresponding to the time indicated by the time information and the time indicated by the synchronization signal.
US09003467B2 Supporting functions for quality-assured P2P VoD services
The present invention relates to a method for controlling downloading of video segments or segmented video stream to a subscriber client unit, and a subscriber client unit adapted to perform said method. One object of the invention is to guarantee seamless playback and the optimal server load. Said object is by a method and a subscriber client unit that is controlled by a segment selector (SSA) and a server bandwidth control (SBC) algorithm.
US09003462B2 Content archive model
An archive model can be used for managing networked storage of recorded content, such as network DVR (digital video recorder) content. Content may be initially recorded to an active storage device, with individual duplicate copies recorded for each requesting user, and subsequently archived to an archive storage device. For playback, the content can be reconstituted into the active storage device prior to delivery to the requesting user. Content can be predictively reconstituted in anticipation of user needs, and the reconstitution capacity of the system can be dynamically reallocated for load balancing.
US09003461B2 Streaming interactive video integrated with recorded video segments
A method comprising executing a program on a server of a server center that generates and streams a user page in the form of streaming interactive video on a display of a user computer connected to the server via the Internet, the user page including a plurality of video windows, one or more of the video windows including streaming interactive video as well as simultaneously recorded video segments which are replayable by the user.
US09003455B2 Hospitality media system employing virtual set top boxes
Methods and apparatus are described for providing digital content to televisions or other devices having media playback capabilities over a network infrastructure using virtual set top boxes (VSTBs).
US09003454B2 Registration of a PED with an aircraft IFE system using an aircraft generated registration identifier and associated methods
A communications system for an aircraft includes an aircraft IFE system, and at least one personal electronic device (PED) carried by an aircraft passenger. The IFE system includes an IFE video entertainment source, IFE passenger seat displays, a respective IFE NFC device associated with each of the IFE passenger seat displays, an IFE wireless transceiver, and an IFE controller. The IFE controller is for selectively displaying video from the IFE entertainment source on the IFE passenger seat displays, selectively transmitting a respective registration ID from each IFE NFC device, and communicating via the IFE wireless transceiver. The PED includes a PED NFC device, a PED wireless transceiver, and a PED controller. The PED controller is for communicating with the IFE wireless transceiver via the PED wireless transceiver based upon the PED NFC device receiving the registration ID associated with one of the respective IFE NFC devices when in proximity thereto.
US09003453B2 System and method for sharing event information in a digital television system
Disclosed herein are broadcast receivers and methods for sharing event information. At a sender end, event information for a broadcast is collected after receiving a command from the sender and a message is created that includes the event information. The sender may then select one or more contacts with whom to share the event information. Thereafter, the message and information on the contact is transmitted to a mobile device of the sender over a short range communication link. The message may then be automatically forwarded from the mobile device to the selected recipients. At the recipient end, the message is received from the mobile device of the recipient over a short range communication link and processed to determine if the message is a recommendation message. If so, the contents of the message are extracted and displayed on a television display of the recipient.
US09003451B2 Internet television program guide system
An Internet television program guide system is provided that allows a user at a multimedia system to access information related to television programs over an Internet communications link. The user can view television program guide listings and related video stills and video clips. The user can perform database searches on the program guide listings (e.g., to search for a particular type of television program). The user can set a reminder message for a television program that is transmitted prior to the transmission time of the program. If desired, the user can select an option that directs the multimedia system to tune directly to a television channel for a selected program or to a related television program guide or movie guide service on a television channel. The user can order pay-per-view events using the system.
US09003447B2 System and method for customizing communication in a social television framework
A system and method for customizing communication in a social television framework is described. The method includes retrieving a current context data set corresponding to multiple users, wherein the current context data set includes a user profile component and a media content component. A customized mark set is determined based on an analysis of the current context data set, and at least one of the marks in the customized mark set is sent to a client end device to be experienced by at least one of the users.
US09003446B2 Display screen changeover apparatus, display screen changeover method, display screen changeover program and computer readable recording medium storing a display screen changeover program
A display screen changeover apparatus changes a screen display when displaying HTML contents on a display screen of a television receiver. A contents analysis part analyzes display setting information with respect to the television receiver based on address information given to the HTML contents. A display setting part sets a display of the HTML contents with respect to the display screen based on a result of analysis obtained by the contents analysis part.
US09003443B2 Systems, methods and articles to provide content in networked environment
Content delivery system may include a metadata tunnel system component which is responsive to defined subaudible tones in programming, for instance programming provided for a broadcast. An action may be based on a characteristic or aspect of the subaudible tone, for instance frequency and/or duration. The metadata tunnel system may selectively generate or provide modified or new metadata to downstream components (e.g., injector system, encoder). The metadata tunnel system may provide metadata that causes a content provider identifier that identifies a content provider to appear in an alternative feed of programming (e.g., streaming programming) at points downstream of a broadcaster, for instance at end user media players. The metadata tunnel system may provide metadata that inhibits an injector system from injecting (e.g., inserting, substituting) new content into the alternative feed of programming created from portions of broadcast programming.
US09003442B2 Shared local government channel
A method, performed by a computer device, may include receiving content from a first local government entity; associating a virtual channel identifier with the received content; and transmitting the received content and the virtual channel identifier on a shared local government channel, wherein the shared local government channel includes content received from a second local government entity.
US09003439B2 System and method for internet TV and broadcast advertisements
A system and method for providing targeted advertising messages to a user, in particular users viewing Internal TV or broadcast programs. Advertising data files from one or more advertising entities are stored in a centralized location, such as a server or similar platform. Data relating to the user is acquired from the user's device settings and/or identification, so that a targeted advertising message may be selected from one of the stored advertising data files. The content data is transmitted to the user, the data having a cue for insertion of the selected targeted advertising message prior to or after the content file has been transferred.
US09003437B2 Method and apparatus for utilizing a broadcasting channel
A method and computer readable medium for encoding data onto a channel broadcasting a program are disclosed. For example, the method selects a channel that is being used to broadcast a program, generates data having characteristics in accordance with an error burst signature and transmits the data on the channel that is being used to broadcast the program.
US09003430B2 Dynamic transfer of selected business process instance state
Business processes that may be affected by events, conditions or circumstances that were unforeseen or undefined at modeling time (referred to as unforeseen events) are modeled and/or executed. Responsive to an indication of such an event during process execution, a transfer is performed from the process, in which selected data is stored and the process is terminated. The selected data may then be used by a target process. The target process may be, for instance, a new version of the same process, the same process or a different process. The target process may or may not have existed at the time the process was deployed.
US09003429B2 System and method of enabling additional functions or services of device by use of transparent gateway or proxy
A system, apparatus, or method for enabling an application developer to access the events, data and functionality of a device, such as a mobile phone, without being limited by the API provided by the device manufacturer. In some embodiments, the present invention utilizes a transparent gateway as a proxy that is inserted into the device stack to enable an application developer to access features and functions of the device beyond those exposed by the manufacturer provided API. For example, the transparent gateway may be inserted into the wireless stack of a mobile phone, in between the Bluetooth stack and the device's API. The transparent gateway may be installed in the mobile phone via an over the air provisioning or another suitable method.
US09003427B2 Methods for managing authority designation of graphical user interfaces
According to one aspect, a graphics management system receives a first message from a first process for granting one or more rights to a second process for accessing a GUI element owned by the first process. In response, the graphics management system transmits a second message to the second process, the second message offering the one or more rights to the second process. The graphics management system receives a third message from the second process indicating an acceptance of the offer. Thereafter, the graphics management system restricts access of the GUI element by the second process based on the one or more rights accepted by the second process.
US09003426B2 Physical key secure peripheral interconnection
A multi-display device can interface with two or more different types of docking stations. The device can determine the type of dock and change the pin outs for a connector to interface with that dock. Once docked, the device can determine a charge status for the device and the dock to present the status to the user. Further, the dock can enter one of several modes, including a call receipt mode and an entertainment mode. The modes allow for expanded functionality for the device while docked. Two particular docks, the laptop dock and the smart dock, provide special functionality with the device.
US09003417B2 Processor with resource usage counters for per-thread accounting
Processor time accounting is enhanced by per-thread internal resource usage counter circuits that account for usage of processor core resources to the threads that use them. Relative resource use can be determined by detecting events such as instruction dispatches for multiple threads active within the processor, which may include idle threads that are still occupying processor resources. The values of the resource usage counters are used periodically to determine relative usage of the processor core by the multiple threads. If all of the events are for a single thread during a given period, the processor time is allocated to the single thread. If no events occur in the given period, then the processor time can be equally allocated among threads. If multiple threads are generating events, a fractional resource usage can be determined for each thread and the counters may be updated in accordance with their fractional usage.
US09003413B1 Thread synchronization by transitioning threads to spin lock and sleep state
A method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for synchronizing a main thread and a slave thread executing on a processor system are disclosed. For example, the method includes the following elements: transitioning the slave thread from a sleep state to a spin-lock state in response to a wake-up message from the main thread; transitioning the slave thread out of the spin-lock state to process a first work unit from the main thread; determining, at the main thread, an elapsed time period until receipt of a second work unit for the slave thread; transitioning the slave thread to the spin-lock state if the elapsed time period satisfies a threshold time period; and transitioning the slave thread to the sleep state if the elapsed time period does not satisfy the threshold time period.
US09003412B1 Performing identified repeatable computations in a changing computing environment
A physical computer system includes a processor and a memory configured to store instructions executable by the processor to implement a virtualization module, which in turn implements virtual machine(s) that execute an operating system distinct from any underlying operating system executed by the physical computer system. In response to a client request to initially perform a repeatable computation, the virtualization module instructs that the virtual machine(s) archive an original initial state of the repeatable computation, initially perform the repeatable computation, and archive an original terminal state of the repeatable computation. In response to a client request to repeat the repeatable computation, the virtualization module instructs that the virtual machine(s) be initialized according to configuration information indicated by the archived original initial state of the repeatable computation, and that the one or more virtual machines perform the repeatable computation to generate a new terminal state of the repeatable computation.
US09003408B2 Providing virtual machine services by isolated virtual machines
The present disclosure includes methods and systems for providing virtual machine services. A number of embodiments can include a user VM with a virtual workstation, a number of service modules that can provide a number of services without communicating with the user VM and/or the virtual workstation, a communication channel that allows the number of service modules to communicate with each other, a computing device, and a manager. A number of embodiments can also include a virtual machine monitor to enforce an isolation policy within the system.
US09003407B2 Dynamically provisioning virtual machines
Virtual machines are managed on the basis of data obtained from a management information database of a network switch having a plurality of Ethernet links coupled to compute nodes running a plurality of virtual machines. A management entity, such as a provisioning manager, determines the amount of network bandwidth being utilized through each of the Ethernet links. Accordingly, an additional virtual machine may be provisioned to the compute node that is coupled to an Ethernet link identified as having the greatest amount of unutilized network bandwidth.
US09003405B1 Synchronization of virtual machine-based desktop environments
Systems, methods, and computer program products to synchronize software processes in a virtual machine environment are described herein. In one embodiment, a computer-based system comprises at least one processor, first logic instructions stored in a tangible computer readable medium which, when executed by the at least one processor, configure the at least one processor to define at least a first virtual machine and a second virtual machine, both of which execute on the at least one processor, and second logic instructions stored in a tangible computer readable medium which, when executed by the at least one processor, configure the at least one processor to synchronize execution of operations on the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine.
US09003404B2 Determining hardware functionality in a cloud computing environment
A device provides, to hardware associated with the device, a first request for hardware information, the first request being provided at a first time and via a virtual machine associated with the device. The device also receives, from the hardware and via the virtual machine, first hardware information based on the first request, and provides, to the hardware, a second request for hardware information, the second request being provided at a second time and via the virtual machine. The device further receives, from the hardware and via the virtual machine, second hardware information based on the second request, and calculates functionality of the hardware based on the first hardware information, the second hardware information, the first time, and the second time.
US09003396B2 File manager integration of uninstallation feature
Embodiments of the invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to file removal from a file system and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and apparatus for file system integration of an un-installation feature. In one embodiment of the invention, an integrated un-installation data processing system can include file associations manager logic coupled to a file system and enabled determine and store file ownership and access data for every file in the file system in a uniform way. For instance, the file associations manager logic can be included as part of the file system and the file ownership and access data can include both an indication of a source application for each file and also an indication of applications accessing each file.
US09003389B2 Generating an encoded package profile based on executing host processes
Embodiments relate to generating an encoded package profile based on executing host processes. A physical or virtual client machine can host a set of installed software packages, including operating system, application, and/or other software. A package manager tracks the set of installed packages and updates available for the installed set. The package manager and/or other logic can identify currently executing processes on the client, and determine which package(s) corresponding to that set of executing processes are hosted on the client. The package manager can generate a report to a package server and/or other remote management platform to perform management operations on the client, such as, for example, to terminate executing processes on a target client to permit package update processes to take place. Other network management actions, such as inventorying or grouping virtual machines in a cloud or other network, can likewise be performed.
US09003388B2 Information processing apparatus and update process support system
An information processing apparatus includes a storage unit that stores reboot necessity information for respective versions of programs that are install targets of an electronic device, the reboot necessity information indicating whether the electronic device needs to be rebooted when a first program of a first version installed in the electronic device is updated to a second program of a second version; an extracting unit that extracts difference information indicating a difference between the first program and the second program in response to a request to acquire the second program, the request specifying the first version of the first program; a determining unit that determines whether the electronic device needs to be rebooted when the second program is installed, based on the difference between the first version and the second version indicated in the difference information and the reboot necessity information; and a responding unit that returns a determination result.
US09003387B2 Automated deployment of computer-specific software updates
A software update system automatically deploys software updates, approved by a provider of a process control system, to computer hosts that execute the process control system. The software update system includes a client application that generates a request for software updates applicable to the computer hosts and initiates automatic deployment of the software update to the host, and a server application that provides software update data to the client application in response to the request.
US09003386B2 Fallback system for software upgrade
A computer system includes a processor, an application layer, and a data layer. The application layer includes a primary application layer, and at times of system upgrade or configuration change, a fallback application layer. The data layer includes a first layer that is not affected by a software upgrade or a configuration change, a second data layer that is modified by the software upgrade or the configuration change, and a third data layer that is available to users during the upgrade. The system, and in particular the fallback application layer and the third data layer, allow the system to be available to users during the software upgrade or system configuration change.
US09003382B2 Efficient just-in-time compilation
Systems and methods for just-in-time (JIT) code compilation by a computer system. An example method may comprise identifying a defined pattern in a byte stream, evaluating a conditional expression associated with the pattern, and compiling the byte stream into a native code, while excluding, in view of the evaluating, a portion of byte stream associated with the pattern.
US09003381B2 Context-specific optimized code
A computing device comprising a JIT compiler, an application, and a JavaScript Engine. The computing device is adapted to receive at least one identified portion of a JavaScript source code, replace original context specific reference values in the JavaScript with one or more placeholders, and generate a first JIT copy of the code. The computing device is adapted to create a description of the original context specific reference values having one or more requirements, store the description, access runtime information related to the original context specific reference values, compare the runtime information to the stored description, obtain new context-specific reference values, replace/update the placeholders with the new context-specific reference values, generate a second JIT copy of the at least one identified portion of the JavaScript source code comprising the new context-specific reference values, and execute the second JIT copy in the new execution context.
US09003378B2 Client-side application script error processing
Systems, methods, and computer readable media for collecting run-time error information for an executing script through the use of a double code-injection technique are described. A first native code injection into a user's client-side application (e.g., a browser application) is made. The second injection is thereafter made by the user's client-side application itself (when the first injected program code is executed) into the application's associated scripting engine and only when a script error has been detected. The second injected program code or scripts collect detailed run-time script error information within the context of the application's scripting engine. The second injected program code can then return the collected error information to the user application's context where it may be provided to a debug tool or recorded for later review (by the first injected program code).
US09003375B2 Optional logging of debug activities in a real time instruction tracing log
In accordance with embodiments disclosed herein, there are provided methods, systems, mechanisms, techniques, and apparatuses for implementing optional logging of debug activities in a real time instruction tracing log. For example, in one embodiment, such means may include an integrated circuit having means for initiating instruction tracing for instructions of a traced application, mode, or code region, as the instructions are executed by the integrated circuit; means for generating a plurality of packets to a debug log describing the instruction tracing; means for initiating an alternative mode of execution within the integrated circuit; and means for suppressing indication of entering the alternative mode of execution. Additional and alternative means may be implemented for selectively causing an integrated circuit to operate in accordance with an invisible trace mode or a visible trace mode upon transition to the alternative mode of execution.
US09003374B2 Systems and methods for continuous data replication
Systems and methods for intelligent data replication are provided, which may include the identification and use of consistency points in application data, such that one or more replication volumes may be created using an “application aware” replication process that allows the system to intelligently replicate data or other information (e.g., metadata) relating to a particular process, application or specified set of data.
US09003373B2 Identification of performance bottlenecks
Embodiments are directed to identifying, by an apparatus comprising a processing device, a pattern in a graph that has a support value greater than a threshold, wherein: the graph comprises a plurality of weighted nodes coupled to one another by one or more weighted edges, and each of the plurality of nodes is associated with at least one weighted attribute.
US09003371B2 Recursive method call representation in a plot view of method execution performance
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for graphically representing recursive method calls in a plot view. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for graphically representing recursive method calls in a plot view includes tracing entry and exit points for method calls in an executing computer program subject to performance testing in a performance test application executing in memory of a computer. The method further includes plotting a duration of execution for each of the method calls in a visual plot according to the traced entry and exit points. Finally, the method includes visually displaying a recursive relationship between selected ones of the method calls in the visual plot in response to determining a recursive relationship from the traced entry and exit points.
US09003370B2 Application modification portion searching device and application modification portion searching method
There are provided: a test executing section which generates a plurality of logs when executing a coverage test for an application based on an inputted parameter; and a result processing section which generates a point candidate report based on the plurality of logs. The plurality of logs respectively indicate a call stack of a method designating the parameter as an argument among a plurality of methods called during execution of the coverage test. The call stack indicates a location on the application, in which a call of the method is defined. The point candidate report indicates a candidate for a point in the application, for which a modification is necessary when a dispatch of process is executed based on the parameter.
US09003368B2 Program for test case generation based on use case diagram and method for test case generation using the same
In the program for generating a test case based on a use case diagram and the method for generating a test case using the same according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, since a use case specification specifying a procedure or method scenario performed in a use case diagram is used to complement insufficient information of a use case diagram used to extract a test case, a layer, although he is not a specialist or an expert, can easily generate a certain level of a test case to effectively perform a test. Thus, requirements can be verified in advance by generating a test case from a use case program, reducing the costs for a system development.
US09003365B1 Rapid presentations of versions
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for the rapid presentations of versions. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a document that includes multiple versions of source code of a computer program, each version comprising lines, each distinct line represented once in the document and identifying every version in which the line appears. The method includes presenting a user interface that enables a user to select one of the versions. The method includes receiving a selection of a first version of the source code. The method includes extracting the content of the first version from the document based solely on the content in the document and without receiving additional information from the server system. The method also includes displaying the distinct lines that identify the first version and not displaying the distinct lines that do not identify the first version.
US09003361B2 Generating a restful web service software development kit client
A computer system receives user input indicating uniform resource identifiers (URIs) for a RESTful web service. The computer system identifies a programming language for a RESTful web service software development kit (SDK) client and creates methods for the URIs using programming code format of the identified programming language. The computer system creates the RESTful web service SDK client using the methods.
US09003358B2 Method of taking a computer architecture respresentation and generating manufacturing methods capable of manufacturing a computer systems contained in a specification
Techniques and a system for creating a vendor independent computer language and compiling the language into an architecture specification language allowing for taking a source data stream (file, WSDL, XML) and passing thru a language parser, populating a storage medium with a plurality of technical inputs and vendor technical specifications for generic technologies and probable technologies required for desired architectures generated by the language parser, and optimizing the inputs and creating relationships between technologies and groups of technologies and storing results in the storage medium.
US09003355B2 Decentralized workflow management system
Systems, methods and computer program products are disclosed that provide a decentralized workflow management system based on an enterprise componentized workflow application (ECWA). In some embodiments, the system includes self-contained components configured for process management, each component including a processor, a memory, and a set of instructions stored in the memory. The loosely-coupled components, with encapsulation, are plug-in configurable, JMX controlled, and throttle and safety enabled. Each component receives a responsibility injection and a capability injection, defining roles and abilities for the components, in order to accomplish business processes. The components define independently-deployed system nodes connected via communication conduits. The ECWA components provide an environment for decentralized workflow management that extends the BPMN model. The system unifies flow-oriented modeling and context-oriented architecture. As a result, the ECWA is appropriate for complex environments, such as artificial intelligence, due to its flexibility, high processing efficiency, and unifying development cycles.
US09003348B2 Placing transistors in proximity to through-silicon vias
Roughly described, the invention involves ways to characterize, take account of, or take advantage of stresses introduced by TSV's near transistors. The physical relationship between the TSV and nearby transistors can be taken into account when characterizing a circuit. A layout derived without knowledge of the physical relationships between TSV and nearby transistors, can be modified to do so. A macrocell can include both a TSV and nearby transistors, and a simulation model for the macrocell which takes into account physical relationships between the transistors and the TSV. A macrocell can include both a TSV and nearby transistors, one of the transistors being rotated relative to others. An IC can also include a transistor in such proximity to a TSV as to change the carrier mobility in the channel by more than the limit previously thought to define an exclusion zone.
US09003345B2 Systems and methods for tuning technology files
A method generally comprises arranging a plurality of layer combinations into a plurality of groups such that each of the layer combinations is assigned to at least one group. A shifting analysis is performed on a plurality of benchmark circuits for each of the groups. At least one tuning vector value is calculated based, at least in part, on a plurality of criteria vectors of the benchmark circuits. A shift is applied on each of the groups by the tuning vector value and a technology file, such as a 2.5 dimensional RC techfile, is regenerated.
US09003344B2 Generating pattern-based estimated RC data with analysis of route information
A method and apparatus for improving physical synthesis of a circuit design is described. In one exemplary embodiment, preliminary routing information of nets in the circuit design is analyzed. The preliminary routing information includes track assignment information. Timing-critical nets are identified based on statistical distribution of the preliminary routing information of the nets. The identified timing-critical nets are assigned to a set of routing layers and removed from future net pattern matching. The remaining nets are clustered into multiple net patterns based on their physical attributes. The scaling factor for each net pattern is updated based on the scaling factor standard deviation and net length of the net pattern. Nets that are outside multiple standard deviations of a net pattern are assigned to routing layers. The scaling factors of the net patterns and the layer assignments are applied to the next phase of placement-based optimizations.
US09003342B1 Lumped aggressor model for signal integrity timing analysis
A lumped aggressor model is used to simulate multiple aggressor nets acting on a victim net. By lumping the aggressor nets together into a single input port, a single voltage excitation may be applied to the input port to simulate the model during static timing analysis. However, a record of each individual aggressor net and several associated attributes for each aggressor net is maintained such that the individual lumped aggressor nets may still be modeled as separate contributions to the attack on the victim net.
US09003335B2 Mobile terminal and method for providing user interface thereof
The present disclosure relates to a mobile terminal capable of displaying a plurality of objects on a wallpaper, and a method for providing a user interface thereof. The mobile terminal includes a display unit to display a plurality of objects on a wallpaper, a sensing unit to detect a touch input on the display unit, and a controller to control the plurality of objects to be invisible in response to the touch input such that portions of the wallpaper obscured by the plurality of objects are visible.
US09003327B2 Proactive user interface
A system may include a computing device configured to provide a proactive user interface, the proactive user interface configured to selectively propose suggested actions when a user of the computing device is determined to be in a passive mode. The computing device may include a proactive user interface module configured to: wait for at least one event, determine whether trigger criteria are met based on the at least one event, and when the trigger criteria are met, propose a suggested action to the user based on the at least one event.
US09003326B2 Indicating input focus by showing focus transitions
A GUI conveys the location of input focus to a user by a dynamic focus indicator that displays the path followed by input focus during a transition from one GUI component to another. A focus indicator is displayed at a first location having input focus. In response to the location of input focus shifting from the first location to a second location, a path is indicated from the first location to the second location and the focus indicator is displayed at the second location. The location of input focus may shift due to an input from the user, a request from an application associated with the GUI, or a timing event. The path is indicated by presenting an animation routine in which the focus indicator appears to traverse the path.
US09003318B2 Method and apparatus for providing graphical interfaces for declarative specifications
Example embodiments are directed towards graphical user interfaces for declarative specification languages that express the logic of a computation without describing its control flow. These user interfaces are based on a visual representation of specifications where geometric proximity may be the sole determinant of the resulting configuration. Modularity is improved as each proximal grouping is functionally independent of others. Moreover, a system that executes such specifications may treat groupings independently and execute them in parallel.
US09003317B2 Method of sorting articles for treatment according to a cycle of operation implemented by an appliance
A method of sorting articles for subsequent treatment in an appliance. The method may sort the articles on a mobile device and the sorted articles may be treated according to a cycle of operation implemented by the appliance.
US09003316B2 Entering technical formulas
The claimed subject matter provides a method for entering technical formulas. The method includes receiving a sequence of inputs on a computing device. The sequence of inputs specifies the technical formula. The method also includes displaying the technical formula in response to receiving the sequence of inputs. Additionally, the method includes determining an alternate sequence of inputs that specify the technical formula. The alternate sequence of inputs may be input to the computing device to display the technical formula. The method further includes displaying the alternate sequence.
US09003313B1 System and method for modifying a user interface
A system and method for determining whether a user interface is properly injected on an electronic device are provided. Web site data for a web site is accessed, additional code are injected into the accessed web site data and the web site based on the injected additional code is provided for display. An actual image of a user interface corresponding to the displayed web site is obtained. An expected image of the user interface in which the additional code is properly injected into the web site is received. The expected image of the user interface with the actual image of the user interface are compared. In a case where the expected image of the user interface and the actual image of the user interface do not match, an error message is generated and notification of the error message is provided to the electronic device.
US09003311B2 Activating applications in unified desktop
Embodiments provide for a handheld device with a unified desktop for integrating the functionality of the handheld device with a larger computer system. When connected to a peripheral display and/or a display of the larger computer system, the handheld device provides a unified desktop displayed across the screen(s) of the handheld device and the peripheral display. The unified desktop unifies the functionality provided by the larger computer system and the handheld functionality, e.g., communication applications (e.g., phone, SMS, MMS). A user can seamlessly interact with applications, e.g., open, move, close, receive notifications, on the unified desktop whether the applications are displayed on the screens of the handheld device, or the peripheral display of the larger computer system.
US09003309B1 Method and apparatus for customizing content displayed on a display device
A computer implemented method and apparatus for customizing web page display by receiving a web page comprising content for display upon a display device and receiving a transformation file comprising information associated with transforming an object within the content with regard to at least one of position, scale or rotation. Based upon the information in the transformation file, the object is transformed with regard to at least one of position, scale or rotation, while not transforming content that is not part of the object. The web page is displayed having the object transformed in accordance with the transformation file.
US09003308B2 Interactive placement ordering
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, in which syndication spaces for a webpage are identified, each syndication space defining a location on the webpage in which one or more content items are displayed at a client device, and each syndication space is associated with one or more attributes. One or more of the attributes are selectively displayed on the webpage at the client device.
US09003306B2 Doodle-in-chat-context
Solutions for providing integrated media services, e.g., in the context of communications services offered through a user supersystem configured as an interactive graphical communications hub. For example, interactions with a messaging interface may provide access to media creation functionality, including doodle functionality, in the context of the messaging and/or in the context of other media. In one implementation, the communications interface allows a user to doodle in the context of an image file (e.g., a photo) while in the context of a chat application.
US09003305B2 Folding and unfolding images in a user interface
In one embodiment, presenting a folded version of an image in a user interface (UI), the folded version of the image being included in a UI component of the user interface; and in response to a user pinching the folded version of the image with two fingers, simulating and presenting an effect of the folded version of the image being lifted off and floating above the UI component.
US09003304B2 Method and apparatus for moving an avatar in a virtual universe
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for moving an avatar. A computer renders a first viewport in a computer display. The first viewport may comprise a first tab, a first coordinate, and a first attitude. A first object is rendered based on the first coordinate and the first attitude in a region. The computer renders a second tab. The computer receives a user selection corresponding to the second tab. Next, the computer renders a second viewport comprising a second coordinate and a second attitude. The computer renders the second object in a computer display from a perspective distinct from the first viewport. In addition, the computer registers the avatar as associated with the second coordinate and second attitude in the virtual universe, wherein the first tab is a visual indication of movement history.
US09003302B1 Anonymous sidebar method and system
A method and system for providing anonymous sidebars between participants in a existing conference session such as a push-to-talk session for instance. Each applicable participant in the session has a private handle that represents the participant but that does not reveal the true identity of the participant. Further, the conference server hosting the session maintains or has access to mapping data that correlates each participant's private handle with a participant identifier that is sufficient to allow the conference server to engage in network communication with the participant. The server provides each participant with a list of other participant's private handles, and a given participant can then initiate a sidebar by sending a sidebar-initiation request designating one or more private handles selected from the list. Using its mapping data, the server then identifies the corresponding participants and sets up the anonymous sidebar.
US09003298B2 Web page application controls
A web page behavior control (WPBC) menu is provided on a rendered web page for enabling a user to perform actions on a portion of the web page content such as customizing, editing, sharing, analyzing, exporting, and/or annotating the content. The user may automatically activate the menu by performing a unique gesture on the rendered web page and/or by selecting a portion of the web page content. The WPBC menu may provide a list of applications which may be selected for modifying and managing the portion of selected web page content. The application may provide full functionality for managing the web page content in a separate user interface and/or directly on the rendered web page. Furthermore, manipulation of data presentation on the rendered web page such as table properties of a spreadsheet may be enabled through natural gestures.
US09003297B2 Integrated enterprise software and social network system user interfaces utilizing cloud computing infrastructures and single secure portal access
A software-based method and system to provide a secure user interface on multiple and diverse electronic computing devices with a customized and secure dashboard feature. The systems and methods simultaneously integrate internally generated software utilities of an enterprise with externally accessed software operating in a ‘cloud computing’ environment. The systems and methods can be used in management and operations that use computer based software, data management, creative processes and communication systems. The systems and methods reduce the requirement for additional programming to integrate or interchange equivalent and independently developed software for use within an enterprise. The systems and methods permit social network communications between members of an enterprise and an external community. The security features of the user interface portal permit collaborations between parties in an external community and enterprise members that can develop new processes that remain proprietary to the enterprise and parties of an external community.
US09003296B2 Browser renderable toolbar
A method of creating a browser renderable toolbar or helper application, and a network architecture therefore. The browser renderable toolbar obviates the need for separately-installed software while still permitting a user to take advantage of the functionality provided by a traditional toolbar.
US09003295B2 User interface driven access control system and method
Display regions for representations of results of transformations applied to access control settings for a resource appear integrated with a familiar representation of the resource, e.g. word processor, or Web browser. A number of functions modify layout and transformations, and those functions are available for invocation, e.g. through mouse gestures or key combinations. Users are graphically represented by displays comprising photographic likenesses. Groups can be shown as individual users. Giving someone access to a resource can be as easy as dragging that person's likeness. Access log information can be shown together with access control settings. Reviewing the subset of resources available to a user is made easier. Overflow indicators replace scroll bars. Macros effect snapshots of volatile sets of users. Sections within documents can be omitted automatically if a user lacks authorization. Access control settings for one resource can be linked to be dependent on settings for other resources.
US09003293B2 Online image and text-based project creation, editing, and order fulfillment service
A project network service includes a server connected to the network, the server having access to least one processor and at least one data repository, the server including a non-transitory physical medium and software running from the non-transitory physical medium, the software providing a first function establishing a client-server connection between the server and at least one user-operated computing appliance, a second function registering at least one individual to use the service, a third function initiating and maintaining an active data session between one or more users through a graphics user interface (GUI), a fourth function accepting data input and asset contributions from the one or more users, a fifth function recording and applying the input, a sixth function facilitating a transaction for at least one project created through the GUI, and a seventh function orchestrating and managing production and delivery of the project to the one or more users.
US09003289B2 Automatic detection of suggested video edits
Systems and methods are provided herein relating to video classification. A trained classifier can analyze a video for suggested edits. A plurality of features of the video can be analyzed based that determines whether the video is a good candidate for various type of editing. The suggested edits can be performed automatically or with the authorization of a user who submitted the video. The user can review the edited video and either approve or reject the edits. Using an automated process to suggest and perform video edits can improve the quality of videos within a video data store.
US09003287B2 Interaction between 3D animation and corresponding script
Interaction between a 3D animation and a corresponding script includes: displaying a user interface that includes at least a 3D animation area and a script area, the 3D animation area including (i) a 3D view area for creating and playing a 3D animation and (ii) a timeline area for visualizing actions by one or more 3D animation characters, the script area comprising one or more objects representing lines from a script having one or more script characters; receiving a first user input corresponding to a user selecting at least one of the objects from the script area for assignment to a location in the timeline area; generating a timeline object at the location in response to the first user input, the timeline object corresponding to the selected object; and associating audio data with the generated timeline object, the audio data corresponding to a line represented by the selected object.
US09003284B2 Information search apparatus and system
According to one embodiment, an information search apparatus includes a generation unit, a selection unit, a search unit and a display unit. The generation unit generates recognition candidate character strings based on shapes of strokes and combinations of the shapes. The selection unit calculates reliability values for the recognition candidate character strings and selects search keys from the recognition candidate character strings. The search unit searches a database for second character strings including the search keys, and obtains one or more result character strings indicating search results of each of the search keys. The display displays the one or more result character strings corresponding to each of the search keys distinctively.
US09003283B2 Copying text using parameters displayed on a clipboard
A method for text editing is provided. The method includes steps: displaying a text file on a touch display screen; displaying a clipboard alongside of the displayed text file; determining selected text in response to a text selection touch operation; generating parameters representative of the selected text in response to the text selection touch operation; copying the parameters to the clipboard and displaying the parameters on the displayed clipboard in response to a use's first loading operation; finding the text in the text file according to the selected parameters displayed on the displayed clipboard in response to a user's parameter selection operation; and copying the found text from the text file to an intended location in response to a user's second loading operation. A related text editing system is also provided.
US09003280B2 Displaying still and moving images of a constant size or images that occupy a specified percentage of a screen across different size display screens
Advertisers specify the size of an ad in pixels or in physical units such as inches or millimeters. The physical square area of an ad specified in pixels will change as the physical size of the television screen or computer display screen varies. The number of pixels of an ad specified in inches or millimeters will also change as the physical size of the television screen or computer display screen varies. The present invention manages the issue of keeping the physical area size of an image constant across television display screens regardless of the physical size of the screen.
US09003279B2 Form layout method and system
A form layout system includes a form layout tool that provides a flexible way to lay out forms on a web page. The form layout tool configures a web configuration file with the location of form layout styles, and uses the form layout styles, a number of columns, a number of fields, and a “size” of each field to include in the component of a page layout to create a page layout for a target application. The form layout tool generates a revised application page with the created page layout by applying the form layout style to the created page layout.
US09003274B2 Scheduling start-up and shut-down of mainframe applications using topographical relationships
The illustrative embodiments provide for a system and recordable type medium for representing actions in a data processing system. A table is generated. The table comprises a plurality of rows and columns. Ones of the columns represent corresponding ones of computer applications that can start or stop in parallel with each other in a data processing system. Ones of the rows represent corresponding ones of sequences of actions within a corresponding column. Additionally, the table represents a definition of relationships among memory address spaces, wherein the table represents when each particular address space is started or stopped during one of a start-up process, a recovery process, and a shut-down process. The resulting table is stored.
US09003271B2 Error detecting device and method of a dual controller system
An error detecting device of a dual controller system is provided. The first controller receives a sensing data from a sensor to calculate and generate a first data and outputs a final data if an error is not detected by comparing the first data with a second data transmitted from a second controller. The CAN transceiver receives the final data from the first controller and transmits the final data through a CAN bus. The second controller receives the sensing data from the sensor to calculate and generate a second data and transmits to the first controller an interrupt signal which prevents an output of the final data if an error is detected by comparing the second data with the final data fed back from the CAN transceiver. Accordingly, output transmission to the vehicle is controlled and the stability and reliability of the output data is increased.
US09003265B2 Method for processing a non-volatile memory, in particular a memory of the EEPROM type, for the storage then the extraction of information, and corresponding memory device
Method for processing a non-volatile memory designed to store words containing data bits and control bits allowing an error correction with an error correction code, the method comprising the storage of information in the memory plane comprising an operation for writing in the memory plane at least one digital word modified with respect to at least one initial digital word not having any erroneous bit, said at least one modified digital word containing a bit having a modified value with respect to the value of this bit in said at least one initial digital word, the other bits of the modified digital word having values identical to those of these same bits in the initial digital word, the position of the modified bit in said at least one modified digital word defining the value of the digital information.
US09003264B1 Systems, methods, and devices for multi-dimensional flash RAID data protection
A method for recovering corrupted data stored in persistent memory provides protection against, at least, loss of a single block, loss of a single page, as well as a high number of random retention errors. In some implementations, each data element in a quadrant of the persistent memory is protected by a row check word and a diagonal check word. Each row check word includes a value resulting from a mathematical operation performed on a respective row set comprising a set of data elements and each diagonal check word in the quadrant includes a value resulting from a mathematical operation performed on a respective diagonal set comprising a set of data elements distributed over the banks, blocks and pages in the quadrant so that failure of any one page, block or die in the quadrant does not result in the loss of any data in the quadrant.
US09003263B2 Encoder and decoder generation by state-splitting of directed graph
A method of generating a hardware encoder includes generating a first directed graph characterizing a constraint set for a constrained system, identifying a scaling factor for an approximate eigenvector for the first directed graph, applying the scaling factor to the approximate eigenvector for the first directed graph to yield a scaled approximate eigenvector, partitioning arcs between each pair of states in the first directed graph, performing a state splitting operation on the first directed graph according to the partitioning of the arcs to yield a second directed graph, and generating the hardware encoder based on the second directed graph.
US09003253B2 Method for testing data packet signal transceiver using coordinated transmitted data packet signal power
A method for testing a data packet signal transceiver device under test (DUT) that minimizes time lost due to waiting for respective power levels of data packets transmitted by the DUT to settle at the desired nominal value for transmit signal testing. In accordance with exemplary embodiments, signals transmitted by the DUT during receive signal testing, e.g., as acknowledgement data packets, are transmitted at the nominal value for transmit signal testing, thereby allowing sufficient time for individual data packet signal power levels to settle and remain consistent at the nominal value by the time receive signal testing is completed and transmit signal testing is to begin.
US09003252B1 Method and system for memory test and repair
Aspects of the disclosure provide an integrated circuit (IC) chip. The IC chip includes a memory module that includes one or more memory blocks. Each memory block includes a memory array having a first memory portion and a redundant memory portion, a failed memory indicator that, in response to a memory test, is configured to provide an indication of a failed memory portion in the first memory portion, and a wrapper circuit that, in response to the indication of the failed memory portion, is configured to repair the memory array by using the redundant portion instead of the failed memory portion.
US09003249B2 IC test circuitry with tri-state buffer, comparator, and scan cell
A test controller applies test stimulus signals to the input pads of plural die on a wafer in parallel. The test controller also applies encoded test response signals to the output pads of the plural die in parallel. The encoded test response signals are decoded on the die and compared to core test response signals produced from applying the test stimulus signals to core circuits on the die. The comparison produces pass/fail signals that are loaded in to scan cells of an IEEE 1149.1 scan path. The pass/fail signals then may be scanned out of the die to determine the results of the test.
US09003247B2 Remapping data with pointer
Embodiments herein relate to a method for remapping data. In an embodiment, it is determined if a first memory block is faulty. A pointer is stored to the first memory block and a pointer flag of the first memory block is set when the first memory block is faulty. Data previously stored at the first memory block is written to a second memory block, where the pointer points to a location of the second memory block.
US09003246B2 Functional memory array testing with a transaction-level test engine
A memory subsystem includes a test engine coupled to a memory controller that can provide memory access transactions to the memory controller, bypassing a memory address decoder. The test engine hardware is configurable for different tests. The test engine identifies a range of addresses through which to iterate a test sequence in response to receiving a software instruction indicating a test to perform. For each iteration of the test, the test engine, via the selected hardware, generates a memory access transaction, selects an address from the range, and sends the transaction to the memory controller. The memory controller schedules memory device commands in response to the transaction, which causes the memory device to execute operations to carry out the transaction.
US09003241B2 Reporting errors on serial interfaces to application layers for flexible error handling approach selection
A method is performed in a requester device that is coupled with a responder device by a serial interface. The method is one of selecting an approach to handle an error in a request-response communication between the requester and responder devices over the serial interface. The method includes transmitting a request packet, of the request-response communication, over the serial interface, based on a request from an application that is executing on a logical processor. The method includes reporting the error in the request-response communication to an application-layer module. The method includes selecting an error handling approach, of a plurality of error handling approaches, which is to be used to handle the error, with the application-layer module.
US09003240B2 Blackbox memory monitoring with a calling context memory map and semantic extraction
A computer implemented method provides efficient monitoring and analysis of a program's memory objects in the operation stage. The invention can visualize and analyze a monitored program's data status with improved semantic information without requiring source code at runtime. The invention can provide higher quality of system management, performance debugging, and root-cause error analysis of enterprise software in the production stage.
US09003239B2 Monitoring and resolving deadlocks, contention, runaway CPU and other virtual machine production issues
Resolving virtual machine (VM) issues, by executing VM and operating system (OS) diagnostic monitors, including, monitoring a set of VM and OS health status metrics of a system at a first level, analyzing data of the monitored health status metrics to determine that an instability has occurred when the data exceeds defined bounds for the health status metrics, responding to the instability by monitoring additional VM and OS health status metrics, whereby a level of monitoring of the system is increased from the first level to a second level, greater than the first level, identifying the instability, repairing the system by taking corrective action based on the identified instability; and removing at least one of the set of monitoring and profiling tools to reduce the level of monitoring to a third level once the instability has been resolved, wherein the third level is less than the second level.
US09003235B2 Indicating coverage of web application testing
Testing a system under test includes intercepting, within a proxy system, a request from a client system sent to the system under test. The request is analyzed within the proxy system and sent to the system under test. Within the proxy system, a response from the system under test sent to the client system is intercepted. The response is instrumented creating a modified response indicating test coverage according to the request. The modified response is sent to the client system.
US09003230B2 Method and apparatus for cause analysis involving configuration changes
A technique determines which configuration change(s) caused an application invocation failure of a computer application without the need for a knowledge database. To determine which configuration change is the most likely cause, the cause analysis program checks other computers that have experienced the same configuration changes. The cause analysis program checks and counts the application invocation results before and after each configuration change is done. If the same configuration changes are found in the other computers, the program checks whether each configuration change caused or cured the same problem in that computer. The program counts the similar cases for all of the computers. Subsequently, the program calculates the ratio of those instances involving a change from success to failure and the ratio of those instances involving a change from failure to success out of all instances for each configuration change.
US09003218B2 Power shifting in multicore platforms by varying SMT levels
Power consumption in a microprocessor platform is managed by setting a peak power level for power consumed by a multi-core microprocessor platform executing multi-threaded applications. The multi-core microprocessor platform contains a plurality of physical cores, and each physical core is configurable into a plurality of logical cores. A simultaneous multithreading level in at least one physical core is adjusted by changing the number of logical cores on that physical core in response to a power consumption level of the multi-core microprocessor platform exceeding the peak power level. Performance and power data based on simultaneous multi-threading levels are used in selecting the physical core to be adjusted.
US09003217B2 Semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus
When a bus stop request control unit issues a module-specific bus stop request signal, a bus stop control unit coupled to a bus slave determines a module that serves as a bus master of the bus slave and on which the bus slave is dependent, for example, on the basis of information in a dependence setting register. The bus stop control unit then outputs a prior bus stop request signal to the module on which the bus slave is dependent, so as to stop use of a bus of the module. Upon receipt of a module-specific bus stop completion signal indicating that processing of stop of the bus of the module on which the bus slave is dependent is complete, the bus stop control unit outputs a module-specific bus stop request signal to the module which serves as a bus slave and whose bus is to be stopped.
US09003216B2 Power regulation of power grid via datacenter
One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for regulating an amount of power on a power grid using a datacenter. This allows demand to be more closely brought into alignment with supply. For example, when supply exceeds demand by a predetermined level, the datacenter may increase consumption, causing demand to increase, and when demand exceeds supply and/or comes within a predetermined threshold of supply, the datacenter may decrease consumption, causing demand to decrease. In this way, the datacenter can be utilized as a regulatory tool on the grid. It may be appreciated that given the technology used by and/or operations performed by datacenters, datacenters are uniquely situated to achieve these ends as compared to other (large) energy consumers, such as manufacturing facilities that cannot shift around and/or shut-down operations swiftly.
US09003214B2 Circuit, system and method for selectively turning off internal clock drivers
The present invention includes a circuit, system and method for selectively turning off internal clock drivers to reduce operating current. The present invention may be used to reduce power consumption by reducing operating current in a memory device. Operating current may be reduced by turning off internal clock drivers that deliver a clock signal during selected periods of time. According to an embodiment of clock control circuitry of the present invention, an internal clock is disabled if a no operation command is detected during periods of time when no read or write burst operation is taking place. Methods, memory devices and computer systems including the clock control circuitry and its functionality are also disclosed.
US09003213B2 Battery discharging method
A battery discharging method for a computer system is disclosed. The battery discharging method is to detect a first detection value relative to a first status of a battery of the computer system and a second detection value relative to a second status of the battery, then to determine a clock adjustment parameter according to the first detection value and the second detection value, and at last to adjust an operation clock rate of a processor of the computer system according to the clock adjustment parameter. Therein, the statuses of the battery can be discharging temperature, discharging current, discharging voltage, residual capacity, or other statuses of the battery. Therefore, the invention can adjust the operation clock rate of the processor under the consideration to the statuses of the battery, so as to extend the discharging period of the battery and utilize the stored energy in the battery efficiently.
US09003212B2 Information processing device, non-transitory, computer readable storage medium, and method of controlling information processing device
An information processing device has a storage unit configured to store correlation information in which a control rule for an operating frequency of a central processing unit of the information processing device is correlated with a combination of a state change of a first element of the information processing device, and a state of a second element of the information processing device which is different from the first element, a detecting unit configured to detect the state change of the first element, a determining unit configured to determine the state of the second element in the event that state change of the first element has been detected by the detecting unit, a searching unit configured to search for, a control rule corresponding to a combination of the state change and the state, and a control unit configured to control the operating frequency of the central processing unit.
US09003208B2 I/O co-processor coupled hybrid computing device
An apparatus and method provide power to perform functions on a computing device. In one example, the apparatus contains multiple processors that may operate at different power levels to consume different amounts of power. Also, any of the multiple processors may perform different functions. For example, one processor may be a low power processor that may control or operate at least one peripheral device to perform a low capacity function. Control may also switch from the low power processor to a high capacity processor. In one example, the high capacity processor controls the low power processor and further controls the at least one peripheral device through the lower power processor.
US09003206B2 Managing communication and control of power components
Systems and methods are disclosed for managing a communication and control of power components. The system includes a parallel bus and plural peripheral devices. Each peripheral device is connected to the parallel bus. The system also includes a control module that is connected to the parallel bus, the control module including memory that stores control data and telemetry data associated with each peripheral device, and an interface that controls access to addressable locations in memory over the parallel bus.
US09003200B1 Avoiding encryption of certain blocks in a deduplication vault
Avoiding encryption of certain blocks in a deduplication vault. In one example embodiment, a method of avoiding encryption of certain blocks during a backup of a source storage into a deduplication vault storage may include analyzing each allocated plain text block stored in a source storage at a point in time to determine if the allocated plain text block is already stored in the deduplication vault storage. If the allocated plain text block is not stored in the deduplication vault storage, the block may be encrypted and the encrypted block may be analyzed to determine if the encrypted block is already stored in the deduplication vault storage. If neither the allocated plain text block nor the encrypted block is already stored in the deduplication vault storage, the encrypted block may be stored in the deduplication vault storage.
US09003197B2 Methods, apparatus and system for authenticating a programmable hardware device and for authenticating commands received in the programmable hardware device from a secure processor
A method, device and system for authenticating a programmable hardware device, such as a programmable hardware chip, and a command received by the programmable hardware device. A secure processor or other trusted source authenticates the programmable hardware chip by verifying, with the secure processor's own verification key, a random number sent to the programmable hardware chip and encrypted using a verification key embedded within the programmable hardware chip, since the nature of the encryption is such that only the original logic function that includes the verification key can encrypt the data correctly. A command received by the programmable hardware chip is authenticated by verifying that a command authentication token received by the programmable hardware chip is generated using the correct command authentication key and consequently verifying that the command is received from the secure processor, as only the party who has the command authentication key can encrypt the data correctly.
US09003196B2 System and method for authorizing access to access-controlled environments
Systems and methods are provided for authorizing a user to access an access-controlled environment. The system includes a system server platform that communicates with fixed PC's, servers and mobile devices (e.g., smartphones) operated by users. The systems and methods described herein enable a series of operations whereby a user attempting to access an access-controlled environment is prompted to biometrically authenticate using the user's preregistered mobile device. Biometric authentication can include capturing images of the user's biometric features, encoding the features as a biometric identifier, comparing the biometric identifier to a previously generated biometric identifier and determining liveness. In addition, the authentication system can further authorize the user and electronically grant access to the access-controlled environment. In this manner the secure authentication system can, based on biometric authentication, authorize a user's access to devices, online services, physical locations or any networked environment that require user authorization.
US09003194B2 Systems and methods for data compression and decompression
By way of example only, in various embodiments, the present system and system is designed to reduce the size of data on a computer through compression, to improve hash, message digest, and checksum technology and their application to information and data storage, to improve uniqueness by using mutual exclusion in hash and checksum tests, to improve checksum tests providing better computer security, to create an XML compression format and to move binary compression formats to XML or other markup language, to utilize variable length hashes and message digests, and to create an XML based checksum that can be used to verify the integrity of files.
US09003193B2 Electronic apparatus for delegation management and delegation management methods thereof
A major management apparatus, an authorized management apparatus, an electronic apparatus for delegation management, and delegation management methods thereof are provided. The major management apparatus generates a first and a second delegation deployment messages and respectively transmits them to the authorized management apparatus and the electronic apparatus. The authorized management apparatus encrypts an original authorized operation message into an authorized operation message by an authorization key included in the first delegation deployment message and transmits the authorized operation message to the electronic apparatus. The original authorized operation message includes an operation task message and a right level. The electronic apparatus decrypts the authorized operation message into the original authorized operation message by the authorization key included in the second delegation deployment message and performs an operation according to the operation task message and the right level.
US09003186B2 HTTP authentication and authorization management
Systems, methods and apparatus for a distributed security that provides authentication and authorization management. The system can include an epoch manager that is used to generate authentication and authorization data that remain valid only for an epoch. The epoch manager can generate an epoch key pair that can be used to encrypt and decrypt the authentication and authorization data during the epoch that the key is valid. The epoch manager can also associate the contents of the data with the epoch in which it was created, so that at decrypting the epoch that the data was generated in can be identified.
US09003185B2 Client computer, remote control system, and remote control method
A client computer that is connectable to a host computer by a network, includes a communication part to communicate with the host computer; a user input part; a system part to perform a function depending on an application; and a controller to control the system part to be put into a locking state to stop performing operations input by a user from the user input part if a locking signal is received from the host computer through the communication part, and to control the communication part to unlock the locking state if an unlocking signal is received from the host computer through the communication part.
US09003178B2 Method of checking and protecting data and identity especially within processes using information and communication technologies
A method of checking and protecting data and identities within a communication or computing process between at least one author and at least one recipient comprises at least: a step of allocation by an anonymization authority of one and the same stamp forming a cryptonymic marking, to one or to several different authors and to their objects; a step of inserting said stamp into the communication or computing protocol associated with the data stream, by means of a stamp system, the protocol containing the identity of said author or of said object of the author or authors, and each author being able moreover to simultaneously have a plurality of different cryptonyms; a step of reading, at at least one recipient, of said protocol by means of a reading system able to detect the presence of said stamp.
US09003177B2 Data security for digital data storage
A computing system includes data encryption in the data path between a data source and data storage devices. The data storage devices may be local or they may be network resident. The data encryption may utilize a key which is derived at least in part from an identification code stored in a non-volatile memory. The key may also be derived at least in part from user input to the computer. In a LAN embodiment, public encryption keys may be automatically transferred to a network server for file encryption prior to file transfer to a client system.
US09003175B2 System and method for accelerated boot performance
Systems, methods and products are described that provide accelerated boot performance. One aspect includes initiating a booting process of a user operating system of a computer system; identifying a non-critical hardware device set for start up according to the user operating system; excluding the non-critical hardware device; and completing the booting process to provide the user operating system without starting an excluded non-critical hardware device. Other embodiments are described.
US09003169B2 Systems and methods for indirect register access using status-checking and status-setting instructions
The present invention broadly contemplates braids and fibers, high-level programming constructs which facilitate the creation of programs that are partially ordered, to address the continuing trend of ever-increasing processor speeds and attendant increases in memory latencies. These partial orders can be used to respond adaptively to memory latencies. It is shown how these constructs can be effectively supported with simple and inexpensive instruction set and micro-architectural extensions.
US09003164B2 Providing hardware support for shared virtual memory between local and remote physical memory
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a memory management unit (MMU) having entries to store virtual address to physical address translations, where each entry includes a location indicator to indicate whether a memory location for the corresponding entry is present in a local or remote memory. In this way, a common virtual memory space can be shared between the two memories, which may be separated by one or more non-coherent links. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09003163B2 Combining a remote TLB lookup and a subsequent cache miss into a single coherence operation
The disclosed embodiments provide techniques for reducing address-translation latency and the serialization latency of combined TLB and data cache misses in a coherent shared-memory system. For instance, the last-level TLB structures of two or more multiprocessor nodes can be configured to act together as either a distributed shared last-level TLB or a directory-based shared last-level TLB. Such TLB-sharing techniques increase the total amount of useful translations that are cached by the system, thereby reducing the number of page-table walks and improving performance. Furthermore, a coherent shared-memory system with a shared last-level TLB can be further configured to fuse TLB and cache misses such that some of the latency of data coherence operations is overlapped with address translation and data cache access latencies, thereby further improving the performance of memory operations.
US09003157B1 Techniques for dynamic data storage configuration in accordance with an allocation policy
Described are techniques for partitioning storage of a data storage system. A plurality of storage groups is selected. Each of the plurality of storage groups includes one or more devices and is associated with an allocation policy including a first threshold specifying one of a minimum or a maximum amount of storage of a first of a plurality of storage tiers. Workload data for the plurality of storage groups is analyzed. Storage of a plurality of storage tiers is partitioned for use by the plurality of storage groups in accordance with criteria. The criteria includes workloads of the plurality of storage groups and the allocation policy associated with each of the plurality of storage groups.
US09003151B2 Methods and systems for data cleanup using physical image of files on storage devices
Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for optimizing selection of files for deletion from one or more data storage devices to free up a predetermined amount of space in the one or more data storage devices. A method includes analyzing an effective space occupied by each file of a plurality of files in the one or more data storage devices, identifying, from the plurality of files, one or more data blocks making up a file to free up the predetermined amount of space based on the analysis of the effective space of each file of the plurality of files, selecting one or more of the plurality of files as one or more candidate files for deletion, based on the identified one or more data blocks, and deleting the one or more candidate files for deletion from the one or more data storage devices.
US09003145B2 Management server and data migration method
Computer system comprising a first primary storage apparatus and a first secondary storage apparatus and a second primary storage apparatus and a second secondary storage apparatus, a first virtual volume of the second primary storage apparatus is externally connected to a first primary volume of the first primary storage apparatus, a total cache-through mode is configured as a cache mode in a case where a read command is supplied by the first host apparatus, unique information for the first primary volume is configured for the first virtual volume, a path to the first primary volume is switched from the first host apparatus to a path via the first virtual volume, and a second primary volume in the second primary storage apparatus is configured to form a copy pair with a second secondary volume in the second secondary storage apparatus.
US09003141B2 Enhanced software application platform
A system includes information for generating a first appliance based on first appliance information, information for generating a second appliance based on second appliance information, and information for configuring communication between the first appliance and the second appliance. The system further includes at least one processor configured to generate a first volume by copying the first appliance information using a first set of parameters associated with an environment in which the first volume is situated, and generate a second volume by copying the second appliance information using a second set of parameters associated with an environment in which the second volume is situated. The system also includes at least one processor configured to initiate a first appliance instance by executing code from the first volume using information in the third volume, and initiate a second appliance instance by executing code in the second volume using information in a fourth volume.
US09003140B2 Storage system, storage control apparatus, and storage control method
A storage system including first storage devices constituting a first logical storage area, second storage devices constituting a second logical storage area; and a storage control apparatus. The storage control apparatus manages the first and second logical storage areas so that the data stored in the first and second logical storage areas have redundancy, and parity data for the data stored in the second logical storage area are stored in parity storage areas arranged in part of the second storage devices. When part of the first storage devices constituting part of the first logical storage area fail, the storage control apparatus generates part of the data stored, before the failure, in the part of the first storage devices, and stores the generated part of the data in at least part of the second parity storage areas in the second logical storage area.
US09003139B1 Systems and methods for recovering virtual machines after disaster scenarios
A computer-implemented method for recovering virtual machines after disaster scenarios may include (1) identifying a request to restore a virtual machine disk backup image to a virtual machine disk, (2) in response to the request, identifying a block map of the virtual machine disk backup image, the block map identifying at least one allocated block as allocated on the virtual machine disk and at least one unused block as unused on the virtual machine disk, and then (3) restoring the allocated block from the virtual machine disk backup image to the virtual machine disk upon determining that the block map identifies the allocated block as allocated, but skipping restoration of the unused block from the virtual machine disk backup image to the virtual machine disk due to determining that the block map identifies the unused block as unused. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09003137B2 Interface systems and methods for accessing stored data
A modular data and storage management system. The system includes a time variance interface that provides for storage into a storage media of data that is received over time. The time variance interface of the modular data and storage management system provides for retrieval, from the storage media, of an indication of the data corresponding to a user specified date. The retrieved indication of the data provides a user with an option to access specific information relative to the data, such as content of files that are included in the data.
US09003135B2 Efficient allocation and reclamation of thin-provisioned storage
Embodiments of the inventions relate to granular management of data storage blocks in a data storage system. In one aspect, status values are employed to track “used”, “free”, and “claimed free” storage blocks. A storage block having stored data is identified as used, a storage block available to store data is identified as free, and a storage block having previously stored data removed that has not been reclaimed is identified as claimed free. These values are maintained on a map to track each data block within the data storage system. Available claimed free data blocks are prioritized for data block allocation over available free data blocks for efficient storage, including enabling efficient reclamation of data blocks and minimizing data movement needed for reclamation-oriented de-fragmentation.
US09003132B2 Data processing apparatus and image processing apparatus
A data processing apparatus may include a plurality of buffer units that stores data, a data write control unit that writes input data to any one of the plurality of buffer units by exclusively controlling the plurality of buffer units, and a data read control unit that reads data to be output from any one of the plurality of buffer units by exclusively controlling the plurality of buffer units. The data write control unit may output a data write completion signal indicating that the writing of the data is completed when the writing of the input data is completed. The data read control unit may output a data read completion signal indicating that the reading of the data is completed when the reading of the data to be output is completed.
US09003128B2 Cache system and processing apparatus
According to an embodiment, in a cache system, the sequence storage stores sequence data in association with each piece of data to be stored in the volatile cache memory in accordance with the number of pieces of data stored in the nonvolatile cache memory that have been unused for a longer period of time than the data stored in the volatile cache memory or the number of pieces of data stored in the nonvolatile cache memory that have been unused for a shorter period of time than the data stored in the volatile cache memory. The controller causes the first piece of data to be stored in the nonvolatile cache memory in a case where it can be determined that the first piece of data has been unused for a shorter period of time than any piece of the data stored in the nonvolatile cache memory.
US09003127B2 Storing data in a system memory for a subsequent cache flush
Embodiments relate to storing data to a system memory. An aspect includes accessing successive entries of a cache directory having a plurality of directory entries by a stepper engine, where access to the cache directory is given a lower priority than other cache operations. It is determined that a specific directory entry in the cache directory has a change line state that indicates it is modified. A store operation is performed to send a copy of the specific corresponding cache entry to the system memory as part of a cache management function. The specific directory entry is updated to indicate that the change line state is unmodified.
US09003125B2 Cache coherency protocol for allowing parallel data fetches and eviction to the same addressable index
A technique for cache coherency is provided. A cache controller selects a first set from multiple sets in a congruence class based on a cache miss for a first transaction, and places a lock on the entire congruence class in which the lock prevents other transactions from accessing the congruence class. The cache controller designates in a cache directory the first set with a marked bit indicating that the first transaction is working on the first set, and the marked bit for the first set prevents the other transactions from accessing the first set within the congruence class. The cache controller removes the lock on the congruence class based on the marked bit being designated for the first set, and resets the marked bit for the first set to an unmarked bit based on the first transaction completing work on the first set in the congruence class.
US09003118B2 Systems and methods for non-volatile cache control
In some embodiments, a method for controlling a cache having a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory during a power up sequence is provided. The method includes receiving, at a controller configured to control the cache and a storage device associated with the cache, a signal indicating whether the non-volatile memory includes dirty data copied from the volatile memory to the non-volatile memory during a power down sequence, the dirty data including data that has not been stored in the storage device. In response to the received signal, the dirty data is restored from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory, and flushed from the volatile memory to the storage device.
US09003117B2 Hierarchical systems and methods for performing storage operations in a computer network
A system for performing storage operations using hierarchically configured storage operation cells. The system includes a first storage manager component and a first storage operation cell. The first storage operation cell has a second storage manager component directed to performing storage operations in the first storage operation cell. Moreover, the first storage manager component is programmed to instruct the second storage manager regarding performance of storage operations in the first storage operation cell.
US09003114B2 Methods and apparatus for cut-through cache management for a mirrored virtual volume of a virtualized storage system
Methods and apparatus for cut-through cache memory management in write command processing on a mirrored virtual volume of a virtualized storage system, the virtual volume comprising a plurality of physical storage devices coupled with the storage system. Features and aspects hereof within the storage system provide for receipt of a write command and associated write data from an attached host. Using a cut-through cache technique, the write data is stored in a cache memory and transmitted to a first of the plurality of storage devices as the write data is stored in the cache memory thus eliminating one read-back of the write data for transfer to a first physical storage device. Following receipt of the write data and storage in the cache memory, the write data is transmitted from the cache memory to the other physical storage devices.
US09003112B2 System, method and a non-transitory computer readable medium for read throtling
A method for managing read requests, the method may include receiving from a requesting entity a read request for reading an information unit stored in a storage system; determining by a control entity of the storage system whether the information unit is cached in a cache memory of the storage system and whether at least a predetermined number of disk drives of the storage system are currently overloaded; introducing a delay to a response to the read request thereby increasing a time difference between a time of the receiving of the read request and a time of a provision of the information unit to the requesting entity, if it is determined that the information unit is not cached in the cache memory and that the at least predetermined number of disk drives of the storage system are currently overloaded; and providing the information unit to the requesting entity.
US09003109B1 System and method for distributed computing in non-volatile memory
A system and method are disclosed for incorporating mathematical and/or logical functionality within a memory system (such as a solid state drive (SSD)). The mathematical and/or logical functionality may comprise an arithmetic logic unit (ALU). The ALU may be resident in one or both of flash memory chips or the SSD controller. When resident in the flash memory chips, a single ALU or multiple ALUs may be used. For example, a single ALU may be assigned to one, some, or each block of flash memory within the flash memory chip. As another example, an ALU may be assigned to a sub-block construct, such as to each bit line in the block. Having ALUs resident in the SSD enables more processing to be performed within the SSD and reduces the need to transmit data outside of the SSD for processing.
US09003104B2 Systems and methods for a file-level cache
A multi-level cache comprises a plurality of cache levels, each configured to cache I/O request data pertaining to I/O requests of a different respective type and/or granularity. The multi-level cache may comprise a file-level cache that is configured to cache I/O request data at a file-level of granularity. A file-level cache policy may comprise file selection criteria to distinguish cacheable files from non-cacheable files. The file-level cache may monitor I/O requests within a storage stage, and may service I/O requests from a cache device.
US09003103B2 Nonvolatile media dirty region tracking
A storage set (e.g., an array of hard disk drives) may experience a failure, such as a loss of power, a software crash, or a disconnection of a storage device, while writes to the storage set are in progress. Recover from the failure may involve scanning the storage set to detect and correct inconsistencies (e.g., comparing mirrors of a data set or testing checksums). However, lacking information about the locations of pending writes to the storage set during the failure, this “cleaning” process may involve scanning the entire storage set, resulting in protracted recovery processes. Presented herein are techniques for tracking writes to the storage set by apportioning the storage set into regions of a region size (e.g., one gigabyte), and storing on the nonvolatile storage medium descriptors of “dirty” regions comprising in-progress writes. The post-failure recovery process may then be limited to the regions identified as dirty.
US09003100B2 Reference frequency setting method, memory controller, and flash memory storage apparatus
A reference frequency setting method of a flash memory storage apparatus is provided. The flash memory storage apparatus includes a flash memory module, a storage unit, and an oscillator circuit without a crystal. The reference frequency setting method includes following steps. Whether a setting code is stored in the flash memory module or the storage unit is determined, wherein the setting code includes information of a reference frequency. If the setting code is stored in the flash memory module, the setting code is read to allow the oscillator circuit to generate the reference frequency according to the setting code. A memory controller and a flash memory storage apparatus using the reference frequency setting method are also provided.
US09003089B2 Synchronous serial data-exchange system
A serial interface comprises a clock line, a request line, a ready line, a master-to-slave data line, and a slave-to-master data line. A master device transmits a clock signal to a slave device over the clock line. In a first transaction, the master device sends a master transmission request signal to the slave device over the request line; in response, the slave device sends a slave transmission accept signal over the ready line, which causes the master device to transmit binary data to the slave device over the master-to-slave data line. In a second transaction, the slave device sends a slave transmission request signal over the ready line; in response, the master device sends a master transmission accept signal over the request line, which causes the slave device to transmit binary data to the master device over the slave-to-master data line. In at least one of the transactions, the master and slave devices transmit binary data at the same time as each other.
US09003086B1 Dynamic distribution of replicated data
A system and method for data storage. The method can include: identifying, by a computer processor, a cluster map representing a set of storage resources; for each storage resource of the set of storage resources: traversing, by the computer processor, the cluster map to map the storage resource to a candidate resource set including at least one other storage resource of the set of storage resources; identifying a first data object associated with a storage request; identifying a first candidate resource set based on the first data object; and selecting a first final resource set based at least on the first candidate resource set, where the first data object is sent to storage resources of the first final resource set for storage.
US09003085B2 Aircraft communication system comprising an aircraft terminal and a portable resource
An aircraft communication system including an aircraft terminal connected to at least one input/output unit. The system includes a portable resource connected to the aircraft terminal via a network connection. The at least one input/output unit is configured to interact with the unit formed by the aircraft terminal and the portable resource.
US09003082B2 Information processing apparatus, arithmetic device, and information transferring method
An information processing apparatus including a plurality of nodes. The each of the nodes comprises a processor, a storage device, and a storing unit that stores therein multiple pointer sets in each of which a write pointer indicating an address used when data received from another node is stored in the storage device is associated with a read pointer indicating an address used when the data is read from the storage device. The each of the nodes comprises a notifying unit that notifies a node corresponding to a transmission source of the data of a pointer identifier that indicates a pointer set. The each of the nodes comprises a retaining unit that retains the received data in the storage device in accordance with an address indicated by a write pointer in a pointer set indicated by the pointer identifier.
US09003081B2 Computer system and control method thereof
The present invention is a clustered storage system with which, even when access to the processor of another controller is sent from the processor of one controller, the processor of the second controller is able to prioritize processing of this access so that I/O processing is also prevented from being delayed. With the storage system of the present invention, the first processor of the first controller transmits request information which is to be processed by the second processor of the second controller to the second processor by differentiating between request information for which processing is to be prioritized by the second processor and request information for which processing is not to be prioritized, and the second processor acquires the request information by differentiating between request information for which processing is to be prioritized and request information for which processing is not to be prioritized.
US09003075B2 Transmission device and transmission method
A transmission device includes a temporary storage unit that is provided for each port receiving input data, stores the data temporarily, and outputs the temporarily stored data in response to a read enable signal, a storage unit that performs time-division multiplexing on the data output from the temporary storage unit in response to the read enable signal and stores the data, a flow monitoring unit that monitors a data flow for each of the ports, and a control unit that selects a temporary storage unit that is a read enable target from the temporary storage units corresponding to the ports to which the data is input, by a weighted round robin system in accordance with the data flow for each of the ports, and outputs the read enable signal to the selected temporary storage unit.
US09003070B2 System and method for distributing user interface device configurations
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system having a controller to collect a plurality of User Interface (UI) device configurations, receive a request from a computing device to download one or more of the plurality of UI device configurations, and transmit to the computing device the one or more UI device configurations requested to configure one or more UI devices of the computing device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09003063B2 Systems, methods, and apparatus for estimating power time of use
Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems, methods, and apparatus for estimating power time of use. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for synchronizing local system time with a network clock for estimating power time of use. The method includes storing power usage data and initial time stamps, wherein the initial time stamps are derived from one or more of a local clock or broadcast network time; receiving data comprising network time; adjusting the local system time with a PID loop, wherein the PID loop adjusts the local system time based at least in part on a difference between the local clock and the received network time; storing, with the power usage data and initial time stamps, an indicator when the difference is greater than a predetermined value; and determining synchronization when the difference is less than or equal to a predetermined value.
US09003062B1 Framework for exchanging large B2B transactional in-order messages using distributed file system (DFS) and associated method
Certain example embodiments relate to a framework that helps address dynamic scalability and in-order processing of payloads, e.g., pertaining to B2B and/or other transactions. A receiver and/or sender is/are able to dynamically and/or statically provide an executable to an intermediary entity (e.g., a central payload processor or CPP) to process and/or otherwise transform payloads, en-route. This arrangement advantageously provides a very efficient way of delivering ordered content, especially when the content is extremely large. Cloud processing and/or storage facilities may be implemented in certain example instances, parallel sending and/or receiving may be provided, etc., in addressing issues relating to how to send large amounts of data over large distances to possibly multiple recipients.
US09003051B2 Content server media stream management
Mechanisms are provided to manage media stream transmissions at a content server. A content server detects that a user on a device such as a mobile device has stopped playing a live media stream. The content server maintains information associating the user with the media stream and time information. When the content server detects that a user wishes to resume playing a media stream, the user can continue viewing the media stream from where stoppage occurred. In many instances, the content server stores many hours of live media stream data and allows a user to select a particular starting point.
US09003050B2 Distributed and scalable content streaming architecture
A distributed and scalable content streaming architecture includes a plurality of controllers and a plurality of servers. The controllers are operable to establish Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) sessions with individual devices. A controller selects a server to provide a requested media stream to a device. The server may be selected based on its proximity to the device, bandwidth availability, or latency characteristics. The server transmits the media stream using a Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP) and/or a Real-Time Control Protocol (RTCP). A controller can manage a number of sessions many times greater than the number of streams a server can provide, so a controller typically has access to multiple servers. Additional servers can be added to a system without disrupting system operation.
US09003046B2 Network access method, terminal device, server, and communication system
A network access method, a terminal device, a server, and a communication system are provided. The method includes: querying corresponding parameters of connection according to a service type; and accessing a network by using the queried parameters of connection. Compared with the prior art in which the network is accessed by attempting to access one by one, the technical solution directly acquires correct parameters of connection for accessing the network without establishing a large number of redundant connection attempts, thereby greatly improving network access efficiency, reducing access time, decreasing a system load and network burden, and improving user experience.
US09003043B1 Techniques for client and server communication
Described are techniques for facilitating communications between a client and a server. A first communication connection is opened between the client and server and remains open for a duration of a session. In response to receiving a client request, a second communication connection is opened. The client request is sent over the second communication connection to the server. A first response is sent to said client over the second communication connection. The second communication connection is closed. The client request is serviced and a data portion indicating a status is sent to the client over the first communication connection. The data portion is included in a second response sent from the server to the client over the first communication connection. If there are other client requests received by the server and processed during the session, additional data portions for the other client requests are included in the second response.
US09003042B2 P2P file transmission system and method
The present disclosure is related to a P2P file transmission system and method, the system according to the present disclosure may include a P2P node managing system managing users connected to the system, and managing P2P file transmissions between the users; and a relay server relaying the file transmitted to the file receiver from the file sender when the P2P file transmission by the direct connection between the file sender and the file receiver fails. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the present disclosure provides more stable file transmissions under an unstable environment for the P2P file transmission such as NAT and the P2P file transmission system may be applied to various network places.
US09003038B1 Systems and methods for bandwidth scavenging among a plurality of applications in a network
Applications executed out of router memory may acquire additional bandwidth that is not being used by other applications, in order to speed up network traffic. Scavenging may occur up to a point where current congestion is detected, at which point any scavenged bandwidth is relinquished and the application returns to its prescribed limit. After current congestion is mitigated, scavenging may occur up to a limit below the point where congestion was detected. After a predetermined interval, additional scavenging may occur beyond this limit until a preset bandwidth limit is reached.
US09003037B2 Dynamic allocation of physical computing resources amongst virtual machines
Techniques for resource allocation are described. Some embodiments provide a resource allocation manager configured to dynamically allocate physical computing resources amongst multiple virtual machines hosted on a physical computing system. The resource allocation manager receives information about the importance of activities that can occur on the multiple virtual machines. Activities may include or be based on virtual machine states, virtual desktop states, business activities or processes performed by users, or the like. Then, the resource allocation manager determines that an activity is occurring on one of the virtual machines. In response, the resource allocation manager reallocates physical computing resources of the physical computing system that are assigned or available to the one virtual machine, based on the occurring activity and its corresponding importance. The resource allocation manager continually and dynamically reallocates physical computing resources assigned to corresponding virtual machines, in order to match resource allocation to activity importance.
US09003034B2 Method for operating a local area data network
A method for operating a local area data network with a plurality of network nodes is disclosed, wherein the network nodes send requests to the data network using request values and each of the network nodes has an associated explicit identifier from a key space. A plurality of network nodes respectively has an associated one or more table entries in a value table distributed over the network nodes. In this case each table entry includes a request value having data associated with the key space and with the request value, the network node being responsible for a request value whose identifier is less than or equal to the request value. For the plurality of network nodes, the frequency with which requests for the request values associated with a respective network node are sent to the respective network node is respectively monitored. If it occurs that the frequency of the requests for one or more request values to a respective network node exceeds a predetermined threshold value then at least the table entry or entries for this or these request values are assigned to at least one other network node which is situated in a request path for the request.
US09003033B2 IP session-based regulation and billing
Among other things, there are disclosed structures, systems and methods for monitoring and regulating access by consumers to computer network bandwidth, particularly with regard to peer-to-peer file sharing. A router (in certain embodiments, a core router) is programmed with a predetermined number of open or open and active internet protocol (IP) sessions a particular computer is allowed. Requests to open sessions that do not exceed that number are permitted. Requests to open sessions that exceed that number may be rejected, or an offer obtain additional session(s), perhaps with additional payment, may be made.
US09003027B2 Discovery of storage area network devices for a virtual machine
A computer-implemented method for discovering a plurality of storage area network (SAN) devices for a virtual machine. At a SAN device of the plurality of SAN devices, physically adjacent SAN devices connected to the SAN device are discovered. The physically adjacent SAN devices connected to the SAN device are registered at a name server.
US09003025B2 User identification using multifaceted footprints
A method for identifying an unknown user according to a plurality of facets of user activity in a plurality of contexts includes receiving a plurality of priors for the facets with respect to the contexts, receiving a plurality of footprints of known users, aggregating the footprints of the users to determine an ensemble prior, receiving a plurality of network traces relevant to an unknown user in a computer environment, matching the network traces against each of the footprints to determine a plurality of matches, aggregating the matches using the ensemble prior according to the facets and the contexts, and outputting a probable user identity for the unknown user.
US09003023B2 Systems and methods for interactive analytics of internet traffic
A computer implemented method, a cloud system, and a log system provide interactive analytics providing various intuitive mechanisms for interaction with data visualizations of Internet traffic, email, etc. The methods and systems utilize a cloud based monitoring system where all traffic from an organization may be monitored in a location and platform independent manner. The methods and systems include context-aware drilldown with progressively applied filtering and grouping while maintaining workflow history such that a user can go back to any point in the flow and proceed down a new path of investigation.
US09003020B2 Data integrity for communication with coequal subscribers
A communication device for a subscriber in a communication network of coequal subscribers, which communication device has a communication unit and a control unit. The received messages are checked for rule compliance. If a message does not comply with a particular rule, a disconnection signal is sent to the transmitter of the message.
US09003019B1 Methods and systems for utilization tracking and notification of cloud resources
Through an online process, a user in an organization may request a reservation of some of the organization's cloud computing resources. Usage of the allocated resources is monitored. If usage falls below a configurable threshold level, an alert may be generated to provide notification of inefficient resource use. The allocated resources or a portion of the allocated resources may be reclaimed so that the resource can be made available to other users in the organization.
US09003014B2 Modular cloud dynamic application assignment
An illustrative embodiment includes a method for use with a computing system comprising a first computer coupled to one or more additional computers, wherein each of the one or more additional computers manages a respective set of one or more virtualized computing resources, and wherein the first computer manages the one or more additional computers. The method includes the steps of determining an assignment of at least one application to at least one of: (i) the first computer; and (ii) at least one of the one or more additional computers; and responsive to a detected condition, changing the assignment of the at least one application to the at least one of: (i) the first computer; and (ii) the at least one of the one or more additional computers.
US09003012B2 System and method for tracking user identity and/or activity across multiple websites
A method of tracking a user and the user's activities on a telecommunications network. The method includes receiving a notification from a first web server that the user has accessed a first webpage on a first website, wherein the notification is received via a user tracking server operated by a tracking coordinator, setting a session cookie including a user tracking ID on the user's computer and/or web browser to track the user's activities on the network and storing tracking data for the user in a database associated with the user tracking server, receiving an indication from a second web server that the user has accessed a second webpage on a second website, wherein the second webpage comprises a confirmation webpage that includes transaction data for the user, retrieving the user tracking ID from the session cookie and associating the user tracking ID retrieved from the cookie with the transaction data obtained from the second webpage, and reporting the user tracking data to the first web server.
US09003011B2 Remote management system and method for service objects
A remote management system is able to remotely manage service objects (311) in a bundle (301). The remote management system thereto contains a management platform (302) in a customer device where the bundle (301) is installed, a remote management server (304) somewhere in the network, and a management agent (303) able to expose the service object representation (312) of the service objects (311) via a remote management protocol (307) to the remote management server (304). The remote management system in addition is foreseen with a proxy bundle (305) with a generic interface to populate and export a generic service object representation (351) of the service objects (311) towards the management agent (303).
US09003009B2 Methods for transporting digital media
A networked system is provided for transporting digital media packets, such as audio and video. The network includes network devices interconnected to send and receive packets. Each network device can receive and transmit media signals from media devices. A master clock generates a system time signal that the network devices use, together with a network time protocol to generate a local clock signal synchronized to the system time signal for both rate and offset. The local clock signal governs both the rate and offset of the received or transmitted media signals. The system, which can be implemented using conventional network equipment enables media signals to be transported to meet quality and timing requirements for high quality audio and video reproduction.
US09003008B2 Domain name system, information processing method and apparatus of domain name system
Embodiments of the present invention provide a domain name system as well as an information processing method and apparatus of the domain name system. The information processing method includes: receiving a domain name system query request sent by a recursive server, where the domain name system query request includes identifier information of a terminal device that sends the query request; resolving the received domain name system query request to obtain the identifier information of the terminal device; and exercising query control according to the identifier information of the terminal device. In the domain name system as well as the information processing method and apparatus of the domain name system, the domain name system query request carries the identifier information of the terminal device that sends the query request, and therefore, effective control is exercised on the information query actions of the terminal device in the domain name system.
US09003007B2 Administration of virtual machine affinity in a data center
Administration of virtual machine affinity in a data center, where the data center includes a plurality of virtual machines (‘VMs’), each VM being a module of automated computing machinery installed upon a computer in the data center and characterized by a Universally Unique Identifier (‘UUID’), at least two of the VMs having an affinity requirement to be installed on separate computers, the data center further including a data center administration server operably coupled to the VMs, including communicating, by at least one of the VMs having an affinity requirement to the data center administration server, the UUIDs of the VMs having an affinity requirement; and moving by the data center administration server the VMs having an affinity requirement to separate computers in the data center.
US09003006B2 Intercloud application virtualization
A method and a system for providing an application to be executed on a plurality of computer systems. The method includes: providing an interface for each computer system, wherein the interface includes at least one application container; and migrating a script of the application into each of the plurality of the computer systems through the corresponding interface, wherein for each interface, the script is executable in the at least one application container of the interface.
US09003005B2 Monitoring apparatus, monitoring system, and information setting method
A monitoring apparatus includes a storage and a processor. The storage stores collecting apparatus information for identifying one of a plurality of collecting apparatuses collecting status information of a network. The processor acquires status information of the network from a network apparatus connected to the network. The processor acquires, from a database, collecting apparatus information for identifying each of the plurality of collecting apparatuses. The processor acquires, based on the acquired collecting apparatus information, load information indicating a load on each of the plurality of collecting apparatuses. The processor selects, based on the acquired load information, one collecting apparatus among the plurality of collecting apparatuses, to which the monitoring apparatus transmits the acquired status information. The processor stores collecting apparatus information for identifying the selected collecting apparatus in the storage. The processor notifies the selected collecting apparatus of monitoring apparatus information for identifying the monitoring apparatus.
US09003004B2 Group-based control method and apparatus for MTC devices in mobile communication system
A group-based control method and a group-based control apparatus for Machine Type Communication (MTC) devices in a mobile communication system are provided. The method includes sending, when an attach request from an MTC device is received by a Mobility Management Entity (MME), an attach report to a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), starting, upon reception of the attach report by the HSS, a timer lasting for a preset time duration, counting the number of MTC devices requesting attachment and the number of already attached MTC devices during the preset time duration, determining, upon expiration of the timer, by the HSS, an Access Point Name-Aggregate Maximum Bit Rate (APN-AMBR) in consideration of a sum of the counted number of MTC devices requesting attachment during the preset time duration and the counted number of already attached MTC devices, and sending, by the HSS, the determined APN-ABMR to the MME.
US09002998B2 Apparatus and method for adaptive multimedia reception and transmission in communication environments
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for configuration of adaptive integrated circuitry, to provide one or more operating modes or other functionality in a communication device, such as a cellular telephone, a GSM telephone, another type of mobile telephone or mobile station, or any other type of media communication device, including video, voice or radio, or other forms of multimedia. The adaptive integrated circuitry is configured and reconfigured for multiple tasks, such as channel acquisition, voice transmission, or multimedia and other data processing. In the preferred embodiment, the configuration and reconfiguration occurs to adaptively optimize the performance of the particular activity over time, such as to increase the speed of channel acquisition, increase throughput rates, increase perceived voice and media quality, and decrease the rate of dropped communication sessions.
US09002993B2 Dynamic configuration of a client-server relationship
A network client may retrieve a unique ID for the network client and a first server identifier from within the network client. The network client may send the unique ID to a first server identified by the first server identifier. The first server may look up a second server identifier using the unique ID as a key in a database query and return the second server identifier to the network client. The network client may send data to a second server identified by the second server identifier.
US09002990B1 Fast cache purge in content delivery network
Processing a purge request is disclosed. The purge request is received. An availability state for each content distribution node in a group of content distribution nodes is tracked. Based on the purge request, one or more purge instructions are generated for one or more available state content distribution nodes of the group. Based on the purge request, one or more queued purge instructions are queued for one or more unavailable state content distribution nodes of the group. It is determined that the one or more available state content distribution nodes of the group have completed processing the one or more purge instructions generated for the one or more available state content distribution nodes. Based at least in part on the queuing of the one or more queued purge instructions for the one or more unavailable state nodes, an indication that the purge request has been completed is authorized.
US09002989B2 Method and system for providing watermark to subscribers
A method for providing watermark to subscribers is provided. The method comprises observing a request for a first content from a subscriber, determining if the subscriber can receive a watermark, generating a second content comprising the watermark if the subscriber can receive a watermark, causing the subscriber to fetch the first content, and causing the subscriber to fetch the second content comprising the watermark overlaying the first content.
US09002988B2 Systems, methods and apparatuses for providing applications style functionality to a user
Systems configured to provide applications style functionality to at least one user, the systems comprising: at least one user device that includes at least one receiver for receiving data comprising a series of linked states plus additional data associated with each state, the additional data comprising, storage instructions and display instructions; and at least one decoder to decode the received data and cache each state and its corresponding display instructions in accordance with the storage instructions. The systems may also comprise: at least one server configured to communicate with the at least one user device that includes a processor for interpreting the execution of an application or rendering of a state and expressing it as a series of states through which the at least one user device may navigate to create the appearance of executing an application or browsing web content.
US09002984B2 Direct domain software and file access computer system
Systems and methods of the present invention allow for a portal website further comprising an online community, storage areas, additional software, email access, etc. accessible via a direct access domain or links which manipulate a domain name to allow a registrant to access a remote computer or server in a hosting provider's data center.
US09002983B2 System, method and computer program product for selectively caching domain name system information on a network gateway
A system, method and computer program product is provided for selectively caching domain name system (DNS) information on a network gateway. A CPE attached to the network gateway executes an application that searches files in CPE memory to identify frequently accessed domain names. The domain names are used to generate DNS queries that are transmitted by a network gateway to an IP network for resolution. DNS responses are received from the IP network and parsed to extract each resolved domain name and corresponding IP address, which are then stored in a cache on the network gateway. The cache is then used to resolve DNS queries generated by application programs running on the attached CPE.
US09002979B2 Sports timing system (STS) event and participant announcement communication system (EPACS) and method
Systems and methods for communicating real-time sporting event and participant announcement information received from a sport timing system (STS). The system comprising an announcement interface system having a processor, a memory, a first data interface communicating over the a stateless packet data communication network with the sport timing system, and a second interface communicating with an announcement system. The first data interface receives a multicast datagram ANNC message including an identification of the sport timing system and participant data including a participant identifier for uniquely identifying each participant in the sporting event and participant timing data. The announcement interface system formats the received portion of the participant data into an announcement system message and transmitting the announcement system message including the participant data, the participant identifier and participant timing data.
US09002978B2 Content delivery prediction and feedback systems
A content delivery network aggregator system is disclosed. A user requesting content from a content provider has his or her DNS request forwarded to a CDN selector. The CDN selector intelligently selects an optimal CDN from amongst a number of partner CDNs to provide the requested content. The CDN selector selects one of the plurality of content delivery networks for providing content to a user based upon an analysis of a plurality of performance variables for each of the plurality of content delivery networks.
US09002974B1 Script server for efficiently providing multimedia services in a multimedia system
A method, system, and medium are provided for efficiently providing multimedia services from a multimedia system. A script server is included with the multimedia system to host common scripts for invoking media-related functions from media servers. When an application server within the multimedia system runs an application and determines a media-related function is required, a script for the required media-related function is accessed from the script server. The script is run to invoke the media-related function from a media server.
US09002969B2 Distributed multimedia server system, multimedia information distribution method, and computer product
A distributed multimedia server system includes a buffer server module, a storage server module, and an intercluster connection network. Based on memory information on a buffer memory of the storage server module that stores divided multimedia information, the buffer server module obtains the divided multimedia information from the buffer memory using remote direct memory access. The storage server module reads the divided multimedia information requested from the buffer server module from a storage device, and stores the divided multimedia information in the buffer memory.
US09002966B2 Methods and systems for selecting and implementing digital personas across applications and services
A persona determination approach can be utilized to apply digital personas across multiple communications domains. A service gateway can determine whether to transfer a request for communications services to a Persona Determination Mechanism (PDM). The PDM can select a digital persona based on available information and transmit the digital persona to the service gateway. The service gateway can process the communications services based on the selected digital persona or based on the determination not to transfer the request. In some methods, the service gateway can forward the processed request to one or more network elements for further processing. Related systems are also disclosed.
US09002963B2 System, method and computer program for recipient controlled communications
A communication system is provided in which users associate handling data identifying how messages are to be processed with contact data. Handling data for the identified contacts in the contact data is then dispatched to those contacts. Subsequently when messages are dispatched from the locations identified by the contact data a sender of a message selects handling data to be associated with a message being dispatched. Upon receipt of a message associated with handling data the message is then processed in the manner identified by the handling data.
US09002962B2 Saving message attachments to an online content management system
The disclosed embodiments relate a messaging system, such as an email system, a text-messaging system or an instant-messaging system, that enables a user to save a message attachment to an online content management system (for example, to their Dropbox™). The system receives a call from a messaging system associated with the user to save a message attachment to the online content management system, wherein the call includes a link to the message attachment. In response to the call, the system commences downloading the message attachment to the online content management system. While the message attachment is downloading, the system provides a selection interface to enable the user to select a destination for the message attachment within the online content management system. After the user selects the destination and after the message attachment finishes downloading, the system saves the message attachment to the selected destination in the online content management system.
US09002961B1 System and method for socially connecting individuals based on psychometrics, zodiac, and astrology
The presently disclosed technology is directed towards a method of opening communication channels between a first and second person based on suggestions to the people related to MBTI, Chinese zodiac, and western astrology. Suggesting a match, in embodiments of the disclosed technology, is based on matches of all three categories or matches which are weighting two of three of the categories higher than the third.
US09002960B2 Location estimation of social network users
Various embodiments relate to estimating the location of social network users. In one embodiment, a plurality of social media messages generated by a given user is received. A plurality of location features is extracted from the social media messages. Each of the location features is processed with at least one classifier from an ensemble of classifiers. A location classification is generated by each of the classifiers for each of the social media messages. Each classification comprises a location and a weight associated with that location. One of the locations is selected from the location classifications as the location of the given user based on a combination of the weights of the location classifications.
US09002957B2 Profile message communications
A first user device receives user profile data from a user of the first user device, generates a user profile based on the user profile data, receives profile availability data from the user of the first user device, and designates a user profile availability status based on the profile availability data. A second user device receives target profile data from a user of the second user device, generates a profile message based on the target profile data, and communicates the profile message. The first user device receives the profile message, determines whether the target profile data corresponds to the user profile data of the first user device, generates a user alert when the target profile data corresponds to the user profile data, and enables the user of the first user device to respond to the profile message via a dynamic dashboard.
US09002956B1 Self-regulating social news feed
A system and method for self-regulating social news feeds includes a user interface module, data storage, a loudness controller, a quality engine, and an output or news feed module. The user interface module is adapted to receive input from the user including a loudness value associated with a particular message. The loudness value is associated with an originally generated message or a response (reply) to an existing message. The messages and their associated loudness values are provided to the loudness controller. The loudness controller sorts the messages in order of loudness. The loudness values are also modified based upon input from the quality engine. The quality engine modifies the loudness values based upon a quality rating associated with the user. The output of the loudness controller is provided for presentation to the user via the output or news feed module. The present disclosure also describes a number of methods including a method for posting a message with loudness points, a method for replying with loudness points, a method for modifying the point value for message, and a method for modifying a point total of the user.
US09002955B2 Carrier-grade Peer-to-Peer (P2P) network, system and method
A computing network, including: a plurality of peer computing devices including code, which when executed by a peer computing device causes the executing peer computing device to cooperate with at least one other of the peer computing devices; at least one server including code, which when executed by the at least one server locates at least one of the peer computing devices; and at least one mediator including code, which when executed by the at least on mediator collects charging information from at least some of the peer computing devices; wherein, the peer computing devices, at least one sever and at least one mediator are communicatively coupled via an at least carrier-grade telecommunications network being suitable for enhancing cooperation among the cooperating ones of the peer computing devices relative to best-efforts communications among the cooperating ones of the peer computing devices.
US09002952B2 Messaging system, a messenger server, a method and a computer program product
The present invention relates to a method for a messaging system, a messaging system, a messenger server and a computer program product. The messaging system comprises a messenger server, a sending client and at least one receiving client, and a data transfer network formed therein between. A message comprising at least a link to web content is created and sent from the sending client to at least one receiving client. The messaging system is configured to determine whether the said at least one receiving client has already received the message, and if not, to deliver an identification referring to the message to said at least one receiving client, and said at least one receiving client is configured to retrieve the message on the basis of the identification from the messenger server, whereby the messaging system is configured to automatically display the content in the message.
US09002950B2 Method and system to file relayed e-mails
A method and a system to file relayed e-mails is provided. The method includes receiving an e-mail, the e-mail including addressing information in an e-mail header and an the e-mail body. The e-mail is parsed to obtain the addressing information from the e-mail header and the e-mail body, after which the addressing information is extracted from the parsed e-mail. This formation is stored and used to generate a participant list, which is provided to the user. The user relies on this participant list to file e-mails in e-mail folders associated with a participant that the user selects from the participant list. The participant list is presented to a user to enable the user to select a participant from the participant list.
US09002946B2 Dual modeling environment in which commands are executed concurrently and independently on both a light weight version of a proxy module on a client and a precise version of the proxy module on a server
A method, apparatus, system, article of manufacture, and computer readable storage medium enable a dual modeling environment. A client application is created that has proxy modules. Each of the proxy modules is a light weight version of a corresponding precise module in a server application. Commands are executed in the client application to produce client output data. The same commands are transmitted to the server application that is executed concurrently with and independent from the client application and produces server output data. The client output data is synchronized with the server output data.
US09002942B2 Processing content spoilers
The disclosure includes a system and method for processing content spoilers. The system includes a controller, a progress module, a determination module, a warning module and a presentation module. The controller receives activity data describing an activity performed by a first user and content data published by a second user. The progress module determines a first progress stage for a subject associated with the activity based at least in part on the activity data. The determination module determines whether the content data includes a spoiler for the first user based at least in part on the first progress stage. Responsive to the determination that the content data includes the spoiler, the warning module obscures the content data published by the second user from the first user and generates a spoiler warning. The presentation module provides the spoiler warning to the first user.
US09002941B2 Determining recommended recipients of a communication
Embodiments of the invention include a method for determining recommended recipients of a communication. The method may include determining one or more attributes for one or more members of a first group. The method may also include receiving a first list of one or more recipients to receive a communication from a sender, wherein the recipients and the sender have a relationship based on the attributes. The method may also include determining a second list of one or more recipients to receive the communication, wherein the recipients of the second list are determined by whether the attributes of the first list recipients, the sender, and the first group members comply with a set of communication rules.
US09002934B1 Metasearch engine for ordering at least one travel related item returned in combined search results and database results using at least one unstructured query and at least one structured query on multiple unique hosts and at least one database query on at least one database
A process for metasearching, comprising: receiving a request from a client device by a metasearch engine to send at least one search query to a plurality of unique hosts, the request associated with at least one travel related item that may be ordered; transforming the request into at least one unstructured query, at least one structured query, and at least one database query; sending each, respectively, to at least one unstructured data host, at least one structured data host, and at least one storage device comprising at least one database; receiving and combining search results from the plurality of unique hosts and at least one database result from the storage device; incorporating the combined results into a response; communicating the response from the metasearch engine to the client device; receiving another request from the client device for placing an order for the at least one item; processing the order.
US09002933B1 User interaction-based data sharing via cloud-based remote servers
Methods, apparatus and systems for sharing data based on user interactions. User interactions with data, such as creating a file, opening a file, or modifying a file, are monitored by a user computing device. When the user interactions satisfy a data-interaction condition defined by a set of rules, information associated with the user interaction is communicated to a remote server for subsequent sharing with the user or another recipient. The information associated with the user interaction may include data, metadata, and or contextual data.
US09002930B1 Activity distribution between multiple devices
A first application, operating on a first client device, may perform a task. As part of performing the task, the first application may generate a message that includes a command, data, and a list of client devices suitable for invoking the command. The first client device may determine whether the first client device is in the list. If the first client device is in the list, the first client device may transmit the message to a local application on the first client device, to further perform the task by invoking the command on the data. If the first client device is not in the list, the first client device may select a second client device from the list, and transmit, via a server device, the message to the second client device.
US09002926B2 Methods for suggesting domain names from a geographic location data
Systems and methods of the present invention provide for displaying, suggesting and registering available domain names on a client computer based on selected geographical locations from online mapping service software or a geo-location software. Any combination of an online mapping software and a domain name registration software may receive a selection of one or more geographical locations within a displayed geographical area. Alternatively, a location of a client computer may be detected using the geo-location software. One or more available domain names may be parsed for keywords related to the selected geographical area, and one or more available domain names may be suggested based on the selected keywords.
US09002922B2 Question server to facilitate communication between participants
Systems and methods are provided for facilitating contact or communication between users or participants. A profile matching process is performed to match a user profile of a first user to a user profile of a second user. A number of questions to ask the second user are automatically selected. In addition, an answer to one or more of the questions may be suggested to the second user. The questions and any suggested answers are then sent to the second user at an associated user device. A reward to be revealed to the second user in response to answering the questions may also be provided. A summary of the answers given by the second user may be provided to the first user. In response, the first user may choose to share his or her full or partial user profile, contact information, or the like with the second user.
US09002921B2 Method for network coding packets in content-centric networking based networks
A network node, comprising a data store comprising a content object, wherein the content object comprises multiple content chunks, a receiver configured to receive a request from a requesting network node for at least one chunk of the content object, a transmitter configured to transmit data, and a processor coupled to the receiver, the transmitter, and the data store, wherein the processor is configured to encode the content using the multiple content chunks and to instruct the transmitter to transmit the encoded content and an encoding indicator to the requesting network node, wherein the encoding indicator provides the requesting network node with an encoding mechanism that the requesting network node uses to decode the encoded content in the payload into the multiple content chunks after the requesting network node receives a number of packets comprising the encoded content equal to the number of content chunks that comprise the content object.
US09002915B1 Circuits for shifting bussed data
A circuit for shifting bussed data includes a first column of shift blocks, a compare block, and a second column of multiplexer blocks. The first column shifts the bussed data by a number of bits specified by first bits of a shift control input. The compare block determines the value of a second bit of the shift control input and creates an output reflecting that value. The second column has a control input coupled to the output of the compare block, shifts the data by one byte when the second bit of the shift control input has a first value, and does not shift the data when the second bit has a second value. The shift, compare, and multiplexer blocks can be substantially similar logic blocks programmable to perform any of these functions, can include N-bit data inputs and outputs, and can operate on the bussed data as an N-bit bus.
US09002912B2 Managing global cache coherency in a distributed shared caching for clustered file systems
Systems. Methods, and Computer Program Products are provided for managing a global cache coherency in a distributed shared caching for a clustered file systems (CFS). The CFS manages access permissions to an entire space of data segments by using the DSM module. In response to receiving a request to access one of the data segments, a calculation operation is performed for obtaining most recent contents of one of the data segments. The calculation operation performs one of providing the most recent contents via communication with a remote DSM module which obtains the one of the data segments from an associated external cache memory, instructing by the DSM module to read from storage the one of the data segments, and determining that any existing contents of the one of the data segments in the local external cache are the most recent contents.
US09002910B2 Systems and methods of information backup
A system for backing up and restoring information, includes at least one computer system including information to be backed up and restored, a storage device for receiving at least part of the information to be backed up and for storing and backing up the information. A controller includes a scheduling system for allowing a user to input into a job queue, a master job indicating one or more portions of the information of the at least one computer system to be backed up or restored, and a job control system that splits the master job into a plurality of smaller jobs and inputs the plurality of smaller jobs into the job queue.
US09002897B2 Aspected interfaces and methods for synchronized containers and other data structures
The subject disclosure is directed towards an object (e.g., an aspected vector, queue, map, stack and so forth) container having an exclusive interface, a shared-read-only interface and a shared-write (and read) interface to a common set of data. Use cases during runtime determine the appropriate interface to use. No locking is needed with methods of the exclusive interface or the read-only interface. The shared-write interface is configured to have only concurrency safe methods. Also described is blocking the use of other interfaces while one interface is in use, and the use of reference counter tracking to know when no concurrent readers and/or writers remain, to allow transitioning to use a different interface.
US09002895B2 Systems and methods for providing modular configurable creative units for delivery via intext advertising
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for creating, via a development tool, a unit type for display on a web page in response to a keyword on the web page. A development tool may identify a unit type template for creating a unit type. The unit type may comprise a tooltip for augmenting a keyword on a web page. A user may select, via the development tool, a media block component to add to the unit type. The user may place the media block component on a layout of the unit type. The development tool may generate script code to define the layout of the unit type as a set of cells and rows within a predetermined sized container. The media block component may be placed in a cell and a row of the set of cells and rows. The script code may provide execution direction for rendering media of the media block component while displaying the unit type.
US09002894B2 Objective and subjective ranking of comments
A system may receive a request for comments associated with a particular document, identify a comment associated with the particular document, generate an objective score for the comment that is independent of a user associated with the request, identify the user associated with the request, generate a subjective score for the comment based on parameters associated with the identified user, generate a combined score for the comment by combining the objective score and the subjective score, and provide the comment, ranked based on the combined score, to the user for presentation with the particular document.
US09002889B2 System and method for social data mining that learns from a dynamic taxonomy
A system, method and article of manufacture that selects at least keyword from a taxonomy of a publication system; used the at least one keyword for performing data mining of a social network to detect conversations relating to products; compared elements of the conversations with functions of the publication system; and responsive to comparing, uses the elements of the conversation to change the taxonomy or the offering of products on the publication system. The conversations comprise posts relating to a product, the functions of the publication system comprise searches relating to the product, and changing the taxonomy comprises adding a category to the taxonomy.
US09002886B2 Methods and apparatus to search datasets
Methods and apparatus to search datasets are disclosed. Example methods include in response to a search request including first and second logically related criteria, determining a first number of records in a database satisfying the first criterion and a second number of records in the database satisfying the second criterion; when the first number is less than the second number, selecting the first criterion as a basis for generating a subset of the records of the database; when the second number is less than the first number, selecting the second criterion as the basis for the identification of the subset of the records of the database; and searching the subset of the records.
US09002884B2 Database manager and method and computer program for managing a database
A database manager comprises: a detector detecting a connection of an external database which comprises media files, a database file system comprising a media identifier comprising a file or directory path name and an identification on the location of the media file on the external database, and metadata for each of the media files; a database synchronizer reading and storing, as a first step, part of the database file system and, as a second step, part of the metadata when the at least a portion of the database file system is read; and a search request processor processing a search request for a media file in parallel with the second step, wherein the search request processor provides a search result based on the media identifier from the database file system, even when the metadata for the media file is not yet read and stored in the second step.
US09002883B1 Providing aggregated starting point information
Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for providing aggregated starting point information. One example method includes identifying a location associated with an entity, identifying, from navigation information query logs, starting points for navigation information that includes an ending point in a predefined vicinity of the location associated with the entity, aggregating information associated with the starting points, and providing aggregated starting point information to the entity.
US09002882B2 Distributed architecture for paperwork imaging
The present invention provides a method and system for storage of data files, comprising notifying at least one local reference storage about storing and/or deleting a data file on a central data repository, depositing a reference element on the at least one local reference storage after notifying, requesting a deposited reference element from the local reference storage for demanding a data file contained in the central data repository, retrieving the demanded data file on submitting the reference element to the central data repository.
US09002880B2 Apparatus for searching for information within space of interest
An apparatus for searching for a space object SOI. The apparatus includes a Space Of Interest (SOI) data base (DB) including a plurality of space object SOIs and relationship objects, a search input unit configured to receive at least one of the plurality of space object SOIs and a search word from a user, a relationship display unit configured to output at least one relationship object with respect to the received at least one space object SOI, a relationship selection unit configured to receive a selection for a portion of the output relationship objects from the user, a search processing unit configured to perform searching on the SOI DB based on the selected relationship object, the received space object SOI, and a search word, and a search output unit configured to output a searching result for the searching. The relationship object indicates a relationship, which has been previously defined on the SOI DB, between the received space object SOI and a space object SOI related to the received space object SOI among the plurality of space object SOIs.
US09002877B2 Quick font match
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a font match technology, and in particular relate to a technology for performing font match with attribute values of a font. A method for font matching may include generating a two-dimensional link matrix based on available fonts and attribute values of the available fonts, receiving a font match query, and determining a font matching the received font match query from the available fonts by using the two-dimensional link matrix. Font matching may be implemented automatically, quickly, and accurately, without the need of manually randomly trying each font of a plurality of available fonts. Meanwhile, this method is independent from text processing software and may be called by any arbitrary text processing software (application). Moreover, this method allows the user to flexibly configure selection of the font attributes so as to perform font match more efficiently.
US09002876B2 Interpreted computer language to analyze business object data with defined relations
The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods including receiving a source code at a parser, the source code comprising a statement, the statement comprising a dynamic character string including one or more relation names, each of the one or more relation names defining a relation between business objects, processing the statement using one or more processors to access at least one business object, the at least one business object being stored in machine-readable memory, the at least one business object corresponding to at least one of the one or more relation names, and having business object data associated therewith, and generating an output based on the business object data.
US09002873B1 Pipeline query interface
Embodiments relate to a user interface for building queries. The user may select a source or sources to be queried, and establish any number of desirable and undesirable criteria to filter the source or sources. The result set may be named with an identifier. Additional queries may be built that use previous queries as sources. The interface for building queries may be used in conjunction with electronic discovery software or document review software to filter relevant documents.
US09002864B1 Cross-platform conversion of encoded mobile app store links
A mobile computing device that runs a first mobile operating system scans and decodes an encoded link to a specific page in an app distribution site for a second mobile operating system. The mobile computing device can convert the link into a format usable by the first mobile operating system, and use the converted link to access and display the specific page. Rather than display the page in the app distribution site for the second mobile operating system, one or more links to corresponding apps in the format of the first mobile operating system can be located and displayed. To do so, the decoded link is used to glean relevant search terms, which are used to search an app distribution site for the first mobile operating system. The search results are displayed to the user.
US09002860B1 Associating summaries with pointers in persistent data structures
Methods for organizing and retrieving data values in a persistent data structure are provided. Data values are grouped into data blocks and pointers are obtained for each data block. In addition, one or more summaries, related to a properties of the data block, are created and associated with the data block's pointer. The summaries allow for a more efficient retrieval of data values from the data structure by preventing unnecessary retrieval calls to persistent storage when the summaries do not match query criteria.
US09002858B1 Methods, systems, and media for generating and prioritizing relevant content in real-time data systems
In accordance with various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, methods, systems, and media for generating and prioritizing relevant content in real-time data systems are provided. In some embodiments, a method for recommending content for publishing is provided, the method comprising: receiving content from one or more content sources; determining one or more term entities associated with the content; calculating a score of the one or more terms based on a frequency, a recency, and a density at which the one or more term entities appear in one or more real-time information sources; and recommending a content item for publication to at least one of the one or more real-time information sources based on the score, wherein the content item comprises at least a portion of the received content.
US09002857B2 Methods for searching with semantic similarity scores in one or more ontologies
A method assigns importance ranks to documents within repositories or databases, such as any database of documents such as books or other printed material, electronic documentation, and pages within the world-wide web. The method uses a corpus of indexed documents that has been annotated to the terms of one or more ontologies in order to assign a semantic similarity score to queries based on terms taken from the ontologies. A statistical model is used to test the significance of matches between query terms and documents or categories. The method results in an acceleration of over 10,000-fold for realistic queries and ontologies, and makes it practicable to calculate P-values dynamically or to keep database annotations and the related P-value distributions up to date by frequent recalculation.
US09002851B2 Accessing stored electronic resources
A method for configuring a computer system to provide access to stored electronic resources may be described. The method can include determining a topic framework between stored electronic resources and topic names by determining topic names for topic framework by generating topic names based on names assigned to storage sets and generating topic names based on attributes of resources. Further forming associations between resources and topic names by associating resources with topic names generated based a storage set and associating resources having attributes with topic names generated based on attributes of the resources. Also, storing the framework to provide structure so resources can be accessed using the topic names and using the topic framework to present a group of stored resources associated with topic names so that the group of resources can be selected for access.
US09002850B2 Balancing caching load in a peer-to-peer based network file system
Systems and techniques relating to network file systems for balancing caching load in peer-to-peer based network file systems are described. In one aspect, a method includes maintaining, by a cluster containing two or more computer systems, information about files cached at a network that includes three or more computer systems configured to cache data associated with a file server system. The method also includes receiving, from one of the computer systems of the network, a request to identify at least one computer system of the network that caches a specified file. Further, the method includes identifying, by the cluster in response to the received request, one or more computer systems of the network that cache the specified file based on the maintained information. Furthermore, the method includes providing, by the cluster to the requesting computer system, information referencing at least the identified one or more computer systems of the network.
US09002848B1 Automatic incremental labeling of document clusters
Methods and systems for use in labeling documents within a cluster are provided. One example method includes assembling a set of documents including a first plurality of previously clustered documents and a second plurality of documents. Each of the first plurality of previously clustered documents has at least one label identifying a topic to which content of the document relates. The method includes partitioning documents from the set of documents into multiple clusters, determining if a dominant topic exists within one of the multiple clusters, determining a metric value for one of the multiple clusters based on the number of documents within the one of the multiple clusters having a label identifying the determined dominant topic, and labeling at least documents from the second plurality of documents within the one of the multiple clusters with the label identifying the dominant topic when the metric value exceeds a predetermined threshold.
US09002841B2 Feed validator
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for generating feed schemas and validating feeds are provided. A user interface may be provided that displays the schema in one pane, while providing drop-down menus for defining new schema nodes in a separate pane. An interface for validating the schema may show the feed as it will be displayed on a webpage utilizing the feed.
US09002839B1 Personalizing content for users
Systems and methods are provided for creating personalized programs. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided. According to the method, content is assembled into a personalized program. The method includes maintaining, in a storage device, transaction history information and preference information for a user. The method selects a plurality of content components based on at least one of the transaction history information and the preference information. The method then determines a sequence of the selected content components and assembles the selected content components according to the sequence as the personalized program.
US09002838B2 Distributed capture system for use with a legacy enterprise content management system
A distributed capture system is disclosed which enables digital content to be captured in various formats and interfaced with a plurality ECM) platforms which enables the distributed capture system to be seamlessly integrated with a customer's legacy ECM system. The system is configured to receive various financial records that are normally created at a financial institution, such as loan applications and customer signature cards, in various formats, such as Microsoft Word, PDF, and Printer Control Language (PCL). The financial records are directed to a virtual printer and converted to a TIFF format. The print stream associated with the text embedded in the TIFF image of the financial record is captured and compared with document classification template. The document classification template allows the document to be automatically classified and indexed. Documents are then sent to the ECM interface. The ECM interface allows financial records that are normally created at the financial institution to be converted to electronic form and stored in the financial institution's legacy ECM. By eliminating the need to purchase a new ECM, the need to convert existing data to the format of the legacy ECM is obviated.
US09002833B2 Identifying web pages of the world wide web relevant to a first file based on a relationship tag
Methods and systems for providing related web pages are disclosed. One method includes identifying a plurality of web pages, wherein the plurality of web pages each have a relationship with the first file, wherein the world wide web provides a platform for sharing web pages, and wherein each web page includes a document or information resource that is suitable for the world wide web and is accessible through a web browser. The method further includes generating a list of inquiries based on the plurality of web pages, providing, the list of inquiries to at least one author of the first file, receiving from the at least one author at least one response to the list of inquiries, selecting a subset of the plurality of web pages based on the at least one response, and storing information related to the selected subset of the plurality of web pages.
US09002832B1 Classifying sites as low quality sites
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for enhancing search results. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a resource quality score for each of a plurality of resources linking to a site/ Each of the resources is assigned to one of a plurality of resource quality groups, each resource quality group being associated with a range of resource quality scores, each resource being assigned to the resource quality group associated with the range encompassing the resource quality score for the resource. The number of resources in each resources quality group is counted. A link quality score is determined for the site using the number of resources in each resource quality group. If the link quality score is below a threshold link quality score, the site is classified as a low quality site.
US09002831B1 Query image search
In general, in one aspect, a method includes receiving, by one or more processors, a query image, obtaining, by the one or more processors, search results responsive to the query image, each search result identifying a corresponding web page containing an image that is determined to be responsive to the query image, the search results being ordered in a first arrangement, obtaining, by the one or more processors, text labels associated with the query image, and generating, by the one or more processors a second arrangement of the search results by ordering the search results based on a presence in the respective corresponding web pages of one or more of the text labels associated with the query image. This and other implementations of this aspect can include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products.
US09002827B2 Database query table substitution
The subject mater herein relates to requesting data from a database and, more particularly, to database query table substitution. Various embodiments provide systems, methods, and software to evaluate requests for data from a database and make table substitutions in the request to reduce a number of tables queried. Some embodiments include receiving a data request including data from two or more database table columns and building a list of all database tables specified in the data request. Some such embodiments further include, for each column in the data request, identifying each table from the list of all tables within which the column is present and identifying a least number of one or more tables that together include all of the columns of the data request. The data request may then be modified by changing the table of one or more of the columns in the received data requests.
US09002823B2 Elastic complex event processing
Systems and methods according to embodiments provide elasticity for complex event processing (CEP) systems. Embodiments may comprise at least the following three components: (1) incremental query optimization, (2) operator placement, and (3) cost explanation. Incremental query optimization allows avoiding simultaneous computation of identical results by performing operator-level query reuse and subsumption. Using automatic operator placement, a centralized CEP engine can be transformed into a distributed one by dynamically distributing and adjusting the execution according to unpredictable changes in data and query load. Cost explanation functionality can provide end users with near real-time insight into the monetary cost of the whole system, down to operator level granularity. Combination of these components allows a CEP system to be scaled up and down.
US09002822B2 Cost monitoring and cost-driven optimization of complex event processing system
A cost monitoring system can monitor a cost of queries executing in a complex event processing system, running on top of a pay-as-you-go cloud infrastructure. Certain embodiments may employ a generic, cloud-platform independent cost model, multi-query optimization, cost calculation, and/or operator placement techniques, in order to monitor and explain query cost down to an operator level. Certain embodiments may monitor costs in near real-time, as they are created. Embodiments may function independent of an underlying complex event processing system and the underlying cloud platform. Embodiments can optimize a work plan of the cloud-based system so as to minimize cost for the end user, matching the cost model of the underlying cloud platform.
US09002819B2 Web crawler scheduler that utilizes sitemaps from websites
Systems and methods for scheduling documents for crawling are disclosed. In some implementations, a method includes obtaining sitemap information for a plurality of websites; and analyzing the sitemap information to identify a website, in the plurality of websites. The website has sitemap information that is at least potentially out of date. The method also includes updating the sitemap information for the identified website by downloading updated sitemap information for the identified website; and scheduling documents for crawling in accordance with the updated sitemap information for the identified website.
US09002814B2 Location based authorization of financial card transactions systems and methods
Systems, methods, and software for identifying location based rules related to a network connected device are described. A network connected device may transmit a set of data identifying the location of the device and an identifier unique to the device to a server. The server may also receive an action request, wherein the action request is associated with the identifier. The server may select a rule in a database to address the action request, the rule applicable to the identifier and location of the device. Various embodiments related to financial card transactions, access to financial information, emergency services contact, and electronic message filtering are also addressed.
US09002812B2 Checksum and hashing operations resilient to malicious input data
A resilient hashing system leverages a fast, non-cryptographic hash/checksum function that has good diffusion properties while remaining reasonably efficient on modern central processing units (CPUs). The hash function uses random secret data so that hash keys for particular data are difficult to predict. Due to its internal structure, well-chosen random secret data is difficult for an attacker to counter without having access to the direct output of the hash function. At every stage of the block function, there are at least two operations that can be performed in parallel, increasing performance on modern superscalar CPUs. Thus, the resilient hashing system provides a hash table and checksum that can be used in Internet-facing or other vulnerable sources of input data to manage performance in the face of malicious attacks.
US09002809B2 Method and apparatus for generating a data repository
A computer system for generating a data repository comprising engineering, service, and lifecycle rules related to domain specific objects used by engineering, service and lifecycle software tools, may include for each engineering, service, and lifecycle software tool a software plugin adapted to generate rules arising while interacting with the respective engineering, service, and lifecycle tool, and to store the generated rules in said data repository of said computer system.
US09002801B2 Systems and/or methods for distributed data archiving amongst a plurality of networked computing devices
Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to system and/or methods that pair a data extractor with a data accumulator, wherein these components may be located on any one or more computers in a network system. This distributed peer extract-accumulate approach is advantageous in that it reduces (and sometimes completely eliminates) the need for a “funnel” approach to data archiving, wherein all data is moved or backed up through a central computer or central computer system. In certain example embodiments, recall-accumulate, search, verify, and/or other archive-related activities may be performed in a similar peer-based and/or distributed manner. Certain example embodiments may in addition or in the alternative incorporate techniques for verifying the integrity of data in an archive system, and/or techniques for restoring/importing data from a non-consumable form.
US09002799B2 Systems and methods for resynchronizing information
Methods and systems for synchronizing data files in a storage network between a first and a second storage device is provided. The method includes storing first data files associated with the first storage device to a storage medium, whereby the first data files include first data records. The storage medium may then be transferred to the second storage device. The first data files from the storage medium may be loaded onto the second storage device. The second data records from the first storage device may be received, and the first and second data records are compared. The first data files at the second storage device may be updated based on the comparison of the first and second data records.
US09002797B2 Data mining systems and methods for heterogeneous data sources
Systems and methods integrate disparate backup devices with a unified interface. In certain examples, a management console manages data from various backup devices, while retaining such data in its native format. The management console can display a hierarchical view the client devices and/or their data and can further provide utilities for processing the various data formats. A data structure including fields for storing both metadata common to the client device data and value-added metadata can be used to mine or process the data of the disparate client devices. The unified single platform and interface reduces the need for multiple data management products and/or customized data utilities for each individual client device and provides a single pane of glass view into data management operations. Integrating the various types of storage formats and media allows a user to retain existing storage infrastructures and further facilitates scaling to meet long-term management needs.
US09002792B2 Confirming data consistency in a data storage environment
A method for confirming replicated data at a data site, including utilizing a hash function, computing a first hash value based on first data at a first data site and utilizing the same hash function, computing a second hash value based on second data at a second data site, wherein the first data had previously been replicated from the first data site to the second data site as the second data. The method also includes comparing the first and second hash values to determine whether the second data is a valid replication of the first data. In additional embodiments, the first data may be modified based on seed data prior to computing the first hash value and the second data may be modified based on the same seed data prior to computing the second hash value. The process can be repeated to increase reliability of the results.
US09002785B2 Stubbing systems and methods in a data replication environment
Stubbing systems and methods are provided for intelligent data management in a replication environment, such as by reducing the space occupied by replication data on a destination system. In certain examples, stub files or like objects replace migrated, de-duplicated or otherwise copied data that has been moved from the destination system to secondary storage. Access is further provided to the replication data in a manner that is transparent to the user and/or without substantially impacting the base replication process. In order to distinguish stub files representing migrated replication data from replicated stub files, priority tags or like identifiers can be used. Thus, when accessing a stub file on the destination system, such as to modify replication data or perform a restore process, the tagged stub files can be used to recall archived data prior to performing the requested operation so that an accurate copy of the source data is generated.
US09002783B2 Web page customization based on expertise level of a user
A Web site, through the use of a Rules Engine, determines an expertise level of a User for one or more topics on a Web page. The Rules Engine may analyze User related data, such as the search term used by the User to find the Web site, the past products purchased by the User, the path through the Web site taken by the User, the usage history by the User on the Web site, the demographics of the User and/or the self declared expertise level of the User, to determine an expertise level of the User for the topics on the Web page. A Display Engine may customize a Web page based on the expertise levels of a User so that topics on the Web page are presented in a manner most appropriate for the User. An Email Engine may be used to customize emails to the User so that topics in the email are presented in manner most appropriate for the User. A Support Entity Engine may also be used to route an incoming support inquiries from a User to an appropriate technical support person for the User.
US09002780B2 Method and apparatus for loading data into an alternate evaluator for directory operations
A method for loading data into an alternate evaluator for evaluating directory service operations includes loading data into a list of entries. Loading data into a list of normalized values and associated pointers. Loading data into a list of indexes and associated pointers.
US09002778B2 Designing aggregates based on access patterns in dimensions
In various embodiments, methods define an analysis window for a dimensional model in accordance with a window template and a starting point. One or more aggregate definitions are produced based on the analysis window. In another embodiment, the dimensional model comprises a time dimension, and the window template is associated with the time dimension. In yet another embodiment, the starting point is changed to a new starting point, and a new analysis window is defined using the new starting point.
US09002777B1 Systems and methods for handling data
A method for handling files to timely provide reports concerning the files is disclosed. The method may include crawling (or enumerating) the files, to figure out how many files/data are to be processed and/or how much processing work is to be performed. The method may also include processing the files in batches. Identification information (e.g., filenames, file paths, and/or object identifiers) pertaining to the files may be sent to one or more queues for batch processing of the files. The method may further include generating a report after processing of a batch among the batches is completed. The report may be generated before subsequent processing of a subsequent batch is completed.
US09002772B2 Scalable rule-based processing system with trigger rules and rule evaluator
A system, method and computer program product for scalable, rule-based processing, including an automaton builder for constructing automatons corresponding to trigger rules and word lists that are employed by the trigger rules, and a rule evaluator for evaluating any of the trigger rules with respect to an input document by selecting any of the automatons to evaluate a given one of the trigger rules, parsing the input document using the selected automatons, determining whether conditions of the given trigger rule are met, and identifying any actions that are associated with the given trigger rule.
US09002770B2 Editing and compiling business rules
A component in a graph-based computation having data processing components connected by linking elements representing data flows is updated by receiving a rule specification, generating a transform for transforming data based on the rule specification, associating the transform with a component in the graph-based computation, and in response to determining that a new rule specification has been received or an existing rule specification has been edited, updating the transform associated with the component in the graph-based computation according to the new or edited rule specification. A computation is tested by receiving a rule specification including a set of rule cases, receiving a set of test cases, each test case containing a value for one or more of the potential inputs, and for each test case, identifying one of the rule cases that will generate an output given the input values of the test case.
US09002769B2 Method and system for supporting a clinical diagnosis
A method and system for supporting a clinical diagnosis is provided, the method including the steps of representing a patient by a plurality of initial symptoms, the symptoms including characteristics of the patient; determining, by querying and reasoning in a disease-symptom knowledge model, at least one likely disease for each of the plurality of initial symptoms; mapping the plurality of initial symptoms onto a set of said likely diseases; determining for each disease of said set of likely diseases a plurality of associated symptoms, the associated symptoms being associated to a respective disease of said set of likely diseases in said disease-symptom knowledge model; categorizing each of the plurality of associated symptoms into disjoint categories by mapping associated symptoms with initial symptoms; and representing likely diseases in the context of said categories of associated symptoms.
US09002768B2 Human-computer interface system
A human-computer interface system which includes a computer, the computer includes a central processing unit, a first memory, a second memory, at least one storage device, a system hub, an input/output adapter for connecting the at least one storage device to the system hub, an operating system installed onto the at least one storage device, applications software installed onto the at least one storage device, a communication network, the computer being connected to the communication network, a means for inputting and detecting data and commands generated by a user, a plurality of output converters, and a means for allowing the computer to develop and express the computer's emotional states.
US09002767B2 System and method for managing electrified parking space utilization
The present disclosure provides systems and methods directed to managing parking space utilization and, more particularly, to maintaining a usage record and controlling access to on-street and other public charging spaces for electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and other vehicle types, such as high efficiency fuel powered vehicles, for which preferential parking may be desirable.
US09002761B2 Method and system for automatically adapting end user power usage
A system, method and apparatus for automatically adapting power grid usage by controlling internal and/or external power-related assets of one or more users in response to power regulation and/or frequency regulation functions in a manner beneficial to both the power grid itself and the users of the power grid.
US09002760B2 Neural system of adaptive behavior
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for generating neural adaptive behavior, which may be based on neuromodulator-mediated meta-plasticity and/or gain control. In this manner, flexible associations between sensory cues and motor actions are generated, which enable an agent to efficiently gather rewards in a changing environment. One example method generally includes receiving one or more input stimuli; processing the received input stimuli to generate an output signal, wherein the processing is modulated with a first neuromodulation signal generated by a gain control unit; controlling the gain control unit to switch between at least two different neural activity modes, wherein at least one of a level or timing of the first neuromodulation signal generated by the gain control unit is determined based on the neural activity modes; and sending the output signal to an output unit.
US09002758B2 Ranking for inductive synthesis of string transformations
Ranking technique embodiments are presented that use statistical and machine learning techniques to learn the desired ranking function for use in inductive program synthesis for the domain of string transformations. This generally involves automatically creating a training dataset of positive and negative examples from a given set of training tasks, each including multiple input-output examples. From the training dataset, a ranking function is learned that assigns an expression in a program in the domain specific language to a likelihood measure. This ranking function is then used to compute likelihoods of learnt programs from a very small number of input-output examples for a new task.
US09002755B2 System and method for culture mapping
Systems and methods for culture mapping and intelligence include software tools to collect, analyze, and categorize data based on behavior archetypes to produce information visualizations from the data. In one embodiment, a user query relative to a topic of interest may include a word, a combination of words, or a set of words for a particular field, such as a byline or hashtag of an online or networked community. One or more data sources, which may include social media and other websites are selected by the user or the system and a list of accounts ordered by one or more selected criteria, such as frequency of occurrence of the query words, for example, is produced. One or more weighting factors may then be associated with each account. A matrix is generated with accounts positioned to illustrate the account relative to behavior attributes along selected continuums.
US09002753B2 Method and apparatus for providing a personal value for an individual
A method and apparatus for generating a personal value for a user are disclosed. For example, the method collects data associated with the user, wherein the data that is collected comprises social connection data, enhances the data that is collected, receives a request, and generates a response to the request by using a personal value for the user, where the personal value is generated from the data that is enhanced.
US09002752B2 Tangible social network
A tangible social network system comprises at least two interactive physical objects adapted for communicatively linking with each other, a visualization application for providing a visual representation of a user's tangible social network, and an object communication frame. An interactive physical object comprises a controller for forming a communicatively linked relationship with another interactive physical object and for receiving and responding to commands and data received from a linked object, and an audio or visual response subsystem. An object communication frame comprises a housing adapted to receive interactive physical objects, a communications subsystem for managing communications with installed objects and with interactive physical objects communicatively linked with installed objects, a controller, and a power subsystem for powering installed objects. The frame or objects may interact with a visualization application, comprising subsystems for receiving information about the user's tangible social network and deriving a representation of it, and a graphical user interface for providing the visual representation to the user.
US09002750B1 Methods and systems for secure user authentication
For secure user authentication using a one-time password (OTP) application is pre-stored on a device for generating a OTP value responsive to entry of a valid PIN, no part of the PIN is stored on the device and pre-storing on a server the PIN and a valid shared secret for the user. Upon receiving entry a purported PIN, a purported shared secret is dynamically synthesized on the device by the OTP application based on the purported PIN of the user and a purported OTP value is generated based on the purported shared secret. When entry of the purported OTP value is received by the server in an attempt to log on the server from another device, the server cryptographically calculates a purported shared secret based on the purported OTP value, and log on to the server from the other device is allowed if the calculated purported shared secret corresponds to the pre-stored shared secret.
US09002745B2 Secure media distribution in a wager gaming system
Novel wager gaming systems, machines, and methods for ensuring that wager game code on a game disc executes on an authorized wager gaming machine are described. To prevent an unauthorized copy of a wager game disc or other storage medium is not able to execute on a gaming machine, the machine checks whether an authorization code has been previously written to the disc. If the disc does not have a code, the gaming machine generates a first segment of an authorization code which is used, along with other data, by a game provider to generate a final authorization code. This is done after the game provider verifies that the machine operator has permission, such as a license, to execute that game code contained on that specific disc. The final authorization code is transmitted to the gaming machine, equipped with a writeable optical disc drive, where it is written or “burned” onto the game disc. At this stage the game disc is tied to or associated with the gaming machine and can execute on that machine.
US09002738B2 Billing management system and billing management method
A billing management system includes an image forming device that forms an image, a reading device that reads identification information from an information recording medium that stores the identification information identifying a user of the image forming device, a billing condition management device that manages, in an associated state, the identification information and a billing condition, and a billing information transmitting unit that references the identification information and the billing condition, managed by the billing condition management device, and transmits billing information in accordance with the billing condition corresponding to the identification information read by the reading device.
US09002735B2 Online buyback system
An online buyback system is provided, including: a database storing product sale information including product identification information, product specification, product sale price, and product, sale date; a buyback request information receiving unit receiving buyback request information including product identification information from a computer of a buyback requester accessing a network; a sale checking unit referring to the product sale information stored in the database to check whether or not a product corresponding to the product identification information contained in the buyback request information has been sold; and a buyback processing unit processing such that the product corresponding to the product identification information is collected from the buyback requester when the product is determined to have been sold, and a buyback price of the product is paid to the buyback requester based on a time interval from the product sale date to buyback request date.
US09002730B2 Method and system for generating location based purchase incentives based on predicted route of travel
Providing a purchase incentive to a mobile device based for example the user's location, predicted route of travel, and prior transactions. A tracking server computer determines a number of locations of a mobile device as it travels along a route and an associated timeframe when it is at each of the locations. The tracking server computer records the locations and associated timeframes in a location log and analyzes the location log to predict a subsequent location and associated timeframe that the mobile device will be at that location. The tracking server computer then determines a merchant proximate to the predicted subsequent location of the mobile device and generates a purchase incentive for use at the merchant and delivers the purchase incentive to the mobile device. In the alternative, the incentive may be generated by a merchant computer or the mobile device.
US09002729B2 System and method for determining sets of online advertisement treatments using confidences
A system for experimentation includes an experiment engine which can define an experiment relating to various treatments for a set of content elements. The experiment engine conducts the experiment by delivering treatments to control groups over the network. The selection of the treatments to deliver is optimized to provide treatments having a greater likelihood of satisfying an objective of the experiment.
US09002728B2 Systems and methods for campaign offers and rewards with offer serving engine based on digitized receipt data
A campaign offers and rewards system includes an offer serving engine, and an analytics engine with data intelligence. The analytics engine compares information about similar goods or services sold by different entities, manufacturers or service providers to create product and service categories. A redemption engine is included.
US09002717B2 Method and apparatus for audio communication of information
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a controller configured to obtain information associated with media content, to generate a first group of tones representative of the information associated with the media content, and to generate a media stream comprising the media content and the first group of tones; and a communication interface configured to transmit the media stream to a media device whereby the media device presents the media content and a sequence of tones, where the sequence of tones is generated based at least in part on the first group of tones, where the first group of tones comprises high frequency tones and low frequency tones, and where one of the high and low frequency tones represents a binary one and the other of the high and low frequency tones represents a binary zero. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09002708B2 Speech recognition system and method based on word-level candidate generation
A speech recognition system and method based on word-level candidate generation are provided. The speech recognition system may include a speech recognition result verifying unit to verify a word sequence and a candidate word for at least one word included in the word sequence when the word sequence and the candidate word are provided as a result of speech recognition. A word sequence displaying unit may display the word sequence in which the at least one word is visually distinguishable from other words of the word sequence. The word sequence displaying unit may display the word sequence by replacing the at least one word with the candidate word when the at least one word is selected by a user.
US09002702B2 Confidence level assignment to information from audio transcriptions
Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for automatically assigning a confidence level to information extracted from a transcription of a voice recording. Specifically, in a typical embodiment, an axiom is extracted from a source associated with the text of the transcription. A confidence level of the source is determined. A confidence level is assigned to the axiom based on the confidence level of the source.
US09002697B2 Message translations
Systems for translating text messages in an instant messaging system comprise a translation engine for translating text messages into a preferred language of a recipient of the text messages. The systems are preferably configured to send and receive the text messages and to determine whether the text messages that are received in a source language are in the preferred language of the recipients so that the text messages are displayed in the preferred language of the recipients of the text messages. Other systems and methods are also provided.
US09002691B2 Systems and methods for analyzing equipment failures and maintenance schedules
A computer implemented method may be used for analyzing equipment failures and maintenance schedules. An equipment maintenance system generates a model of equipment and components of each piece of equipment. In one embodiment, the model is a tree representation. The equipment maintenance system may then determine estimated failure information for each component based on a selected statistical model. The equipment maintenance system may also generate a maintenance schedule based on the determined estimated failure information for each component of the equipment. In one embodiment, the equipment maintenance system displays the equipment maintenance information.
US09002690B2 Method and system for providing information from a patient-specific model of blood flow
Embodiments include a system for providing blood flow information for a patient. The system may include at least one computer system including a touchscreen. The at least one computer system may be configured to display, on the touchscreen, a three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of an anatomical structure of the patient based on patient-specific data. The at least one computer system may also be configured to receive a first input relating to a first location on the touchscreen indicated by at least one pointing object controlled by a user, and the first location on the touchscreen may indicate a first location on the displayed three-dimensional model. The at least one computer system may be further configured to display first information on the touchscreen, and the first information may indicate a blood flow characteristic at the first location.
US09002685B2 Computer simulation of electromagnetic fields
A method and system is provided for solving for electromagnetic fields by approximating an electromagnetic function as a sum of basis functions multiplied by coefficients to be determined. The set of equations used to determine the coefficients results from taking derivatives of the action integral with respect to the coefficients (and/or other parameters) and setting the derivative equal to zero, thereby extremizing the action integral.
US09002684B2 Apparatus and method for processing a process simulation database of a process
A process simulation database includes process simulation data of a plurality of process simulations based on a different variation of a plurality of process parameters. For each process parameter, for an initial number of different process parameter values, process simulation data of a process simulation are included in the process simulation database. A process parameter classifier calculates a linearity indicator for a varied process parameter based on an analysis of the process simulation database with respect to a linearity of an influence of a variation of at least the varied process parameter on the process simulation data in the process simulation database. Further, a process simulation data processor changes the initial number of different process parameter values of the varied process parameter, for which process simulation data of a process simulation are included in the process simulation database, based on the calculated linearity indicator, to obtain a processed process simulation database.
US09002683B2 Method for determining the cut quality of a laser cutting process using a simulation program
The application relates to a method for determining the cut quality of a laser cutting process, said quality being assessed on the basis of the formation of solidification ridges along the cut face and/or burr formation on the lower edge of the cut face. In said method, a virtual laser cutting machine in a simulation program can be virtually operated with a set of values P0 from a parameter space P.; In a step a), the parameter set P0 is entered in the virtual cutting machine (103), then in step b), a cut is made in the virtual workpiece by calculating, from partial differential equations with initial and boundary values, the progression of the melt film thickness over time and the position of the melt front at the apex of the cutting front according to the depth of the cut and the time, and then in step c), the spatial distribution of the ridge amplitude on the cut face is specified by projecting the progression of the absorption front onto the cut face and/or a spatial distribution of the burr is calculated from the progression of the melt film thickness over time and the discharge speed on the lower edge of the cut face, and in step d), a virtual cut quality is provided (104) for further analysis.
US09002678B1 Unified approach to detection and isolation of parametric faults using a kalman filter residual-based approach
A unified method to detection and isolation of parametric faults in a physical system resulting from variations in the parameters of its constituting subsystems, termed herein as diagnostic parameters, uses Kalman filter residuals. Rather than using the feature vector made of the coefficients of the numerator and denominator of the system transfer function, which is known to be a non-linear function of the diagnostic parameter variations, the method first shows and then exploits, for fault detection purposes, the fact that the Kalman filter residual is a multi-linear function of the deviations in the diagnostic parameters, i.e. the residual is separately linear in each parameter. A fault is then isolated using a Bayesian multiple composite hypotheses testing approach. A reliable map relating the diagnostic parameters to the residual is obtained off-line using fault emulators. The unified fault detection and isolation method is successfully evaluated on both simulated data as well as on real data obtained from a benchmarked laboratory-scale coupled-tank system used to exemplify an industrial two-tank process.
US09002676B2 Game apparatus and storage medium storing game program
A gravity direction calculating apparatus for calculating a direction of gravity with respect to an input device, including: an obtaining logic unit for successively obtaining acceleration data output from a multi-axis acceleration sensor included in the input device; a period detecting logic unit for detecting a period from start to end of movement of the input device, as a movement period, based on the obtained acceleration data; and a gravity direction calculating logic unit for calculating a sum of one or more acceleration vectors corresponding to one or more pieces of acceleration data obtained during the movement period, a direction determined by a vector indicated by the sum being the gravity direction, wherein the acceleration vector is a vector whose components are acceleration values with respect to a plurality of axes of acceleration values with respect to axes indicated by the acceleration data.
US09002674B2 Temperature measurement apparatus, method of measuring temperature profile, recording medium and heat treatment apparatus
A temperature measurement apparatus for measuring a temperature profile of a substrate mounted on a rotating table, including a radiation temperature measurement unit configured to measure the temperature of plural temperature measurement areas on a surface of the rotating table in a radius direction of the rotating table by scanning the surface of the rotating table in the radius direction; a temperature map generating unit that specifies the address of the temperature measurement area based on the number of the temperature measurement areas measured by the radiation temperature measurement unit for each of the scanning operations in the radius direction of the rotating table, and the rotating speed of the rotating table, and stores the temperature in correspondence with the corresponding address in a storing unit; and a temperature data display processing unit that displays a temperature profile of the rotating table.
US09002672B2 Method and system for time synchronization of phase of signals from respective measurement devices
According to the invention, a time synchronization of phase between measurement devices that do not share a same clock for their respective sampling of the signals is carried out by a time tagging of samples of the signals in time blocks followed by an adjustment of the phase values of components of interest of the signals in the regrouped time blocks so that the values refer to common time references between the measurement devices. The tagging is carried out with a synchronization signal available to the measurement devices, completed with count values provided by a counter operated by a reference clock for each measurement device.
US09002670B2 Smartgrid energy-usage-data storage and presentation systems, devices, protocol, and processes including a storage distribution process
This disclosure relates to systems, devices, protocols, and processes for retrieving, accessing, and presenting information of energy usage using a distributed storage process and distributed logical services to provide a user with real-time energy usage information and visualization.
US09002668B2 Discovering an equipment power connection relationship
A method, system, and computer usable program product for discovering an equipment power connection relationship between an equipment and an electrical power outlet. A workload executing on the equipment is monitored for a period resulting in monitoring data. The Metering data associated with a first power outlet in a plurality of power outlets is searched, the metering data representing electrical power drawn from a power outlet over the period. A determination is made whether the monitoring data matches with the metering data associated with the first power outlet. If a match is determined, a relationship is identified between the equipment and the first power outlet, whereby the first power outlet is known to supply electrical power to the equipment.
US09002664B2 Flow counter
A flow counter capable of correctly checking an operating state of the flow counter and leakage and correctly indicating a total amount of flow by allowing the rotation of a pointer to be learned accurately in the form of numerical data. In this flow counter (1), rotation of a flow detection driving gear (5) is transmitted to a flow indication section (4) composed of a plurality of digit wheels (4a1 to 4a8) by a main gear train section (2). The rotation of the flow detection driving gear (5) is also transmitted to a first pointer (6) by a branch gear section (3) branched from the main gear train section (2). The first pointer (6) indicates the operating state of the flow detection driving gear (5). The flow indication section (4) indicates a total amount of flow. A rotation detection member, which is a component of a rotation sensor, is integrally rotatably mounted on a rotating shaft of the first pointer (6). An amount of rotation of the rotating shaft is electrically detected by a rotation sensor.
US09002662B2 Torque calculation method, calculation device, and calculation program for four-point contact ball bearing
The method for calculating rotational torque between inner and outer rings of a four point contact ball bearing assembly includes an individual torque calculation step for calculating the rotational torque for each of rolling elements and a total sum calculation step for determining the rotational torque. In the individual torque calculation step, data on a contact condition representative of the extent of approximation to the two point contact state or four point contact state is used. For the contact condition data, the four point contact ratio Cf, which is the ratio of surface pressure of one of respective maximum contact pressures P1 and P2 between two partial raceways in an inner ring or outer ring, which one is higher than the other of the maximum contact pressures P1 and P2, relative to a surface pressure of the other of the maximum contact pressures, is used.
US09002661B2 Automated tire inspections utilizing fluorescing nano-particles
Methods and systems are provided for monitoring a structural health of an object. A state of fluorescence of at least one particle associated with the object is identified, and a structural health parameter associated with the object is determined based on the identified state of fluorescence of the at least one particle.
US09002656B2 Automated total body albumin analyzer
A computer-based method for automatically determining total body albumin of a living being based on the calculated intravascular albumin, the calculated observed ratio of amount of albumin in the intravascular system to amount of albumin in the extravascular system at the first time, and the baseline of expected ratio of amount of albumin in the intravascular system to amount of albumin in the extravascular system at the first time.
US09002654B2 Multi-analyte analysis of saliva biomarkers as predictors of periodontal and pre-implant disease
The present invention relates to methods of measuring biomarkers to determine the probability of a periodontal and/or peri-implant disease. More specifically, the invention provides a panel of biomarkers that, when used in combination, can allow determination of the probability of a periodontal and/or peri-implant disease state with extremely high accuracy.
US09002652B1 Methods for identifying and using organ-specific proteins in blood
The present invention relates generally to methods for identifying organ-specific secreted proteins and for identifying organ-specific molecular blood fingerprints therefrom. As such, the present invention provides compositions comprising such proteins, detection reagents for detecting such proteins, and panels, and arrays for determining organ-specific molecular blood fingerprints.
US09002649B2 Efficient inversion systems and methods for directionally-sensitive resistivity logging tools
Various resistivity logging tools, systems, and methods are disclosed. At least some tool embodiments include transmit and receive antennas that measure the electromagnetic response of the formation, at least one of which is tilted to provide a directional sensitivity. A processor converts the response (measured as a function of the tool's rotation angle) into a set of inversion parameters, which are then used to estimate the anisotropic properties of the formation. The set of inversion parameters includes at least one parameter based on an antipodal sum of the response signal, and may further include parameters based on an antipodal difference and an average of the signal response. Antipodal sum and difference values at different rotational orientations can be included in the set of inversion parameters, and they may be normalized to reduce environmental effects. Some tool embodiments collect the relevant formation measurements using parallel or perpendicular tilted antennas.
US09002644B2 Methods and devices for providing guaranteed quality of service
In methods and devices for providing a guaranteed quality of service to a subscriber of a service in a cellular radio system, a start position and an end position are received along with a required quality of service, QoS. Cell site positions are associated with possible user geographical/street paths that will take the subscriber from the start position to the end position and search for paths that will guarantee the required QoS. Based on the search the path that best satisfies the entered input criteria is selected and output to the subscriber.
US09002641B2 Navigation system configured to integrate motion sensing device inputs
A navigation system can comprise a microprocessor, a memory, a navigational signal receiver configured to receive a radio signal from at least one external system, a motion sensing device, and a navigation program executable by the microprocessor. The navigational signal receiver can be communicatively coupled to the microprocessor via a communication port. The navigation program can be configured to receive messages from the navigational signal receiver by communicating to the driver of the communication port. The communication port driver can adjust the current position based on the data returned by the motion sensing device.
US09002639B2 Method for performing map matching in user terminal
A method for performing a map matching in a user terminal includes determining a space where the user terminal is located using positioning data that is measured at predetermined time intervals, searching one or more links that are located within a range of a preset distance from the space as a candidate link, selecting one of the candidate links which best meets at least one suitability criterion of at least two suitability criteria including distance suitability and space suitability, and carrying out the map matching with respect to the selected one candidate link.
US09002636B2 Contextual traffic or transit alerts
A computing system is described that can provide a user with alerts based on traffic information related to the user's expected travel route. In some embodiments, a user can be alerted if a traffic delay exists on the user's expected travel route. In other embodiments, a user can be alerted when their usual bus or train is delayed. In further embodiments, a user can be alerted when traffic on an expected route to the user's next event location might impact the user's ability to arrive at that location on time.
US09002630B2 Road shape estimation apparatus
A road shape estimation apparatus, mounted to a vehicle, for estimating a shape of a road on which the vehicle runs, includes: an object detection section for detecting, as a plurality of detected points, a position of a stationary object which is around the vehicle; a starting point determination section for determining a starting point by selecting from among the plurality of detected points, based on a positional relationship between the vehicle and each of the plurality of detected points; a detected point connection section for sequentially connecting between the starting point and one of the detected points that is a point to be connected, so as to start from the starting point, and for thus grouping detected points; and a road shape estimation section for estimating, as a shape of the road, a shape of a connection line obtained by grouping the detected points.
US09002626B2 Vehicular navigation control interface
Systems and methods for providing a vehicular navigation control interface are included in the present disclosure. Some embodiments include a navigation system and a vehicle with a vehicle control module (VCM), a navigation control module (NCM), and a navigation control interface, where the VCM receives a manual command from an operator to implement a manual control function. In some embodiments the NCM receives an automatic command from the navigation system to implement an automatic control function via the VCM and the navigation control interface directly connects the VCM and the NCM to facilitate communication between the VCM and NCM for implementing automatic mode and for reporting implementation of a manual mode.
US09002622B2 Device and method for controlling fuel injection in an engine depending on the exhaust gas partial recirculation rate
A device for controlling fuel injection in an internal combustion engine of an automobile, the internal combustion engine being connected at an inlet thereof to a fresh air intake pipe and at an outlet thereof to an exhaust gas discharge pipe including a catalytic converter, an exhaust gas partial recirculation circuit connecting the discharge pipe to the fresh air intake pipe. The device includes a mechanism determining the amount of unburned fuel in the exhaust gases, a mechanism determining the amount of fresh air taken into the internal combustion engine, and an electronic controller determining the amount of fuel to be injected depending on signals received of the determined amount of unburned fuel and the determined amount of fresh air taken in.
US09002611B2 Vehicular brake hydraulic pressure control apparatus
Pitching is reduced even when strong braking operation is performed during low speed running. A vehicular brake hydraulic pressure control apparatus includes control section that performs pitching reducing control for reducing occurrence of pitching by controlling each control valve unit to switch brake hydraulic pressure between pressure increasing state, pressure decreasing state, and holding state. The control section performs pitching reducing control based on weight distribution ratio between front wheels and rear wheels during deceleration, and includes distribution ratio calculating section for calculating the weight distribution ratio from deceleration of vehicle, vehicle speed calculating section for calculating vehicle speed, and determining section for determining whether or not to perform pitching reducing control, wherein the determining section determines to perform pitching reducing control if conditions are satisfied, the conditions including at least that the calculated vehicle speed is lower than a predetermined speed and that braking operation is being operated.
US09002610B2 Relay valve control arrangement to provide variable response timing on full applications
A brake system and related components including a metering device are configured to regulate a control signal received from a brake control device such that a control valve delays the supply of a level of requested braking pressure for a prescribed amount of time. The metering device can be an inversion valve and orificed check valve in a control circuit adapted to allow relatively unrestricted flow until a threshold pressure is reached, after which pressure the inversion valve closes and the flow is metered through an orifice. This has the effect of allowing rapid brake actuation to a first level, and then slowing further application of the brake until full requested braking is achieved. An electronic control unit can also be configured to regulate a control signal to delay development of the requested brake pressure.
US09002609B2 Vehicle brake control system
A vehicle brake control system includes a regenerative braking control component, a frictional braking control component, a calculating component and a controlling component. The regenerative braking control component controls a regenerative braking device to provide a regenerative braking torque. The frictional braking control component controls a frictional braking device to provide a frictional braking torque. The calculating component calculates a regenerative braking torque filter processing value based on a fluctuation frequency of the regenerative braking torque. The controlling component, during a first condition, operates a motorized power assist control device based on the regenerative braking torque filter processing value, instead of the regenerative braking torque, to moderate the frictional braking torque, such that the regenerative braking torque and the moderated frictional braking torque provide a target braking torque based on a braking operation.
US09002605B2 Control method for vehicle with DCT
Slipping of a clutch can be minimized with a method of controlling the clutch different, depending on the current traveling status of the vehicle, when reaccelerating the vehicle with both clutches open before stopping the vehicle with a dual clutch transmission (DCT). The method can improve the sense of shifting by optimizing the inclination of an engine speed.
US09002601B2 Shift control apparatus of continuously variable transmission
In a shift control apparatus of a continuously variable transmission (CVT) configured to steplessly vary a torque, the control apparatus employs an acceleration intention determination section for determining the presence or absence of a driver's acceleration intention, a shift mode setting section for setting a shift-control mode from a normal mode to an acceleration mode in the presence of the driver's acceleration intention, a shift speed setting section for setting a shift speed based on a target transmission ratio and a vehicle speed, and a shift control section for controlling a shift of the CVT. Also provided is a shift speed correction section for correcting the shift speed for an initial downshift in the acceleration mode to a shift speed slower than the shift speed set by the shift speed setting section, only when a demanded degree of the driver's acceleration intention is small.
US09002598B2 Method for determining characteristics of an automatic transmission
A method of determining a fill current value of at least one frictionally engaging shift element of an automatic transmission. The automatic transmission includes a hydrodynamic converter at which a speed ratio arises and an output shaft. In a control sequence, with a stationary output shaft, the speed ratio is influenced by changing a control current, and the fill current value is determined from the progression of the speed ratio arising during the control sequence, in conjunction with the progression of the control current.
US09002594B2 Agricultural working machine having at least one control unit
An agricultural working machine has a one control/regulating unit designed to adjust and monitor working parameters, quality parameters or both of the agricultural working machine that influence a harvesting process. The adjusting and monitoring are carried out in an automatable manner by the control/regulating unit using stored families of characteristics. The agricultural working machine also has at least one display device for depicting setpoint values and actual values of the working parameters, quality parameters or both. The control/regulating unit actuates defined measurement points in the stored families of characteristics and the specifically actuated measurement points are located in the boundary regions of the family of characteristics or outside the active working region of the particular family of characteristics.
US09002591B2 Harvester spout control system and method
A control system and method is provided for controlling the operational configuration of a spout of a harvester being used to perform unload on the go operations with an associated transport vehicle. The velocities of the harvester and transport vehicle and the lateral and longitudinal distances between the harvester and transport vehicle are used to predict future lateral and longitudinal distances between the harvester and transport vehicle. A control signal is issued to a harvester spout control system if either of the predicted lateral distance or longitudinal distance is outside of an associated acceptable range. The harvester spout control system then either shuts off the spout or changes the orientation of the spout in response to the control signal.
US09002590B2 Engine control device and engine control method
A first target engine speed N1 and a high-speed control area F1 are set according to a command value commanded by a command unit. A second target engine speed N2 and a high-speed control area F2 defined on a low-speed side are set according to the first target engine speed N1. A pump displacement D and an engine torque T of a variable displacement hydraulic pump are detected so that a target engine speed N corresponding to each of the detected pump displacement and engine torque is detected according to a preset relationship between a the pump displacement D and the target engine speed N and a preset relationship between the engine torque T and the target engine speed N during an engine control at the high-speed control area F2. The drive of the engine is controlled so that the engine is driven at the target engine speed N.
US09002588B2 Dump vehicle overturn preventing device
A dump vehicle overturn preventing device includes: a loaded weight estimation unit which estimates loaded weight on the body; a vehicle rotation moment calculation unit which calculates a vehicle rotation moment Mb caused by movement of the dump vehicle's load upon discharging of the load; a reference moment calculation unit which determines a reference moment Ms not greater than an overturn threshold moment MI which is the minimum value of a rotation moment required to lift the front wheels off the ground; a judgment unit which judges whether or not the vehicle rotation moment Mb has exceeded the reference moment Ms; and a display device which notifies the driver that there is a probability of an overturn of the vehicle when the vehicle rotation moment Mb is judged to have exceeded the reference moment Ms.
US09002582B2 Multi-sonic sensor
A multi-sonic sensor having a housing, a removable clamp member, a sonic sensor array, and a magnetically connected temperature bail that operates in three modes—a running average, an outlier average, and a string line steering mode.
US09002578B2 Vehicle control system
A vehicle control system configured to judge a vehicle behavior or a driving preference of a driver based on acceleration of the vehicle including at least longitudinal acceleration. An acceleration value used in the judgment is obtained on the basis of a weighted detection value of the actual longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle, and a weighted parameter which is varied by an operation to increase a driving force of the vehicle executed by the driver. A weight on the parameter is reduced in case a weight on the detection value of the longitudinal acceleration is increased, and the weight on the parameter is increased in case the weight on the detection value of the longitudinal acceleration is reduced.
US09002574B2 Mobile integration platform (MIP) integrated handset application proxy (HAP)
Systems, software and methods are disclosed for using a mobile phone (1640) in conjunction with a head unit (1620) of a vehicle. The user interface of a user application program (1644) executing on the mobile phone is extended to utilize a generic display screen (2104) of the head unit, so that custom or per application development of head unit software can be avoided. Preferably, a handset application proxy (HAP) software application (1642) is installed and executable in the mobile phone; and a head unit proxy (HUP) software component (1630) is executable on the head unit. The HAP and the HUP communicate messages (1814, 1824) between the head unit and the mobile phone. Preferably, the HAP (1700) includes a scripting language component (1710) associated with the user application (Nomadic Appn), and having a template message translator component (1712).
US09002571B1 Automated preflight walk around tool
A system for completing a walk around inspection of an aircraft is provided. The system may include a processor, a memory, and a user interface. The user interface also includes a user input system and a user output system. The user interface is configured for presenting a graphical checklist for a walk around inspection of an aircraft. The system also includes a communications device. The communications device is configured for communicating with an Onboard Maintenance System for the aircraft. The system, including the processor, memory, user interface and communications device, can be used to perform the inspection of the aircraft and provide a compliance record for the inspection.
US09002568B2 Method for conditioning one or more aspects of a vehicle
A method for conditioning one or more aspects of a vehicle, where a user may customize their vehicle by providing desired departure times and conditioning preferences so that the vehicle automatically wakes up, performs the requested conditioning, and is ready for operation by the requested departure time. Some examples of potential conditioning events include activating: a heated or cooled seat, a heated steering wheel, a heated engine block, a heated mirror, a cabin heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, a heating or cooling element for a battery pack, a heating or cooling element for a battery charger, and a heating or cooling element for a fuel cell, to name a few.
US09002567B2 Course-based place searching
Course-based place searching systems and methods are described. In an embodiment, a system for performing a course-based place search may include a navigation device, a processing device, and a display. The navigation device may be configured to track a location and a course of the vehicle. The processing device may be communicatively coupled to the navigation device and may be configured to request places from a resource based at least in part on the location of the vehicle and the search criterion and to return a first one or more places received from the resource to an occupant of the vehicle. The first one or more places may be based at least in part on the course of the vehicle. The display may be communicatively coupled to the processing device. The first one or more places may be displayed on the display.
US09002561B2 Drive control apparatus and drive control method for hybrid vehicles and hybrid vehicle
A hybrid vehicle, a drive control apparatus, and a drive control method to prevent overcharging a battery, and providing an output drive force depending on a driver's request. The drive control apparatus for hybrid vehicles outputs generated power at an internal combustion engine and a motor generator through a power transmission mechanism to drive axles, and includes an output shaft fixing mechanism which fixes an internal combustion engine output shaft to disable rotation. A request drive force setter sets a request drive force depending on a driver's request. A controller executes a control based on a detected battery stored energy level to operate irrespective of a magnitude of the request drive force to stop the internal combustion engine, uses the shaft fixing mechanism to fix the output shaft, and provides travel using generated power from the motor generator.
US09002559B2 Method and apparatus for controlling a multi-mode powertrain system
A method for operating a powertrain system to transfer torque among an engine, torque machines, and a driveline in response to an output torque request includes executing a selection scheme to evaluate operating in a plurality of candidate powertrain states including a pseudo-electric vehicle (EV) range responsive to the output torque request. A respective minimum cost for operating the powertrain system in each of the candidate powertrain states including the pseudo-EV range is determined. A preferred powertrain state is selected, and is one of the candidate powertrain states including the pseudo-EV range associated with a minimum of the respective minimum costs. The powertrain system is controlled in the preferred powertrain state responsive to the output torque request.
US09002558B2 Abnormality diagnosis apparatus for power control system
After turning a main relay to a full off-state and turning a charger relay to a full off-state or a half off-state only one of a positive-side switch and a negative-side switch is turned of voltage application processing is performed to control a bidirectional DC-DC converter to apply an output voltage of an accessory battery to a power cable after boosting. After the voltage application processing, check processing is performed to check whether a short-circuit is present in the charger relay by comparing a terminal voltage of a first capacitor and a terminal voltage of a second capacitor. After the check processing, discharge processing is performed to control the DC-DC converter to discharge at least the first capacitor.
US09002554B2 Smart phone app-based remote vehicle diagnostic system and method
Provided is a remote vehicle diagnostic system which utilizes a smart phone as a centralized communication hub between a vehicle and several remote resources. The system includes a program downloadable onto the smart phone to program the phone to perform desired functionality. The smart phone app may allow the smart phone to operate in a diagnostic mode and an emergency mode. In the diagnostic mode, the smart phone may relay vehicle data from the vehicle to a remote diagnostic center. The smart phone may also query the user to obtain symptomatic diagnostic information, which may be uploaded to the remote diagnostic center. In the emergency mode, the smart phone may be configured to upload critical information to a remote diagnostic center, or an emergency response center. The emergency mode may be triggered automatically in response to the vehicle being in an accident, or by user actuation.
US09002553B2 Engine starting control device for hybrid vehicle
Upon starting an internal combustion engine for a hybrid vehicle, when the motor revolution speed, transmitted to an engagement device, is equal to or lower than the idle revolution speed of the internal combustion engine, if an engagement ratio is less than 1, the lower the engagement ratio is, the larger the engagement capacity is set, and if the engagement ratio is 1 or more, the engagement capacity is set to 0, wherein the engagement ratio is defined by a ratio of the internal combustion engine revolution speed with respect to the motor revolution speed. When the motor revolution speed is greater than the idle revolution speed, if an idle revolution ratio is less than 1, the lower the idle revolution ratio is, the larger the engagement capacity is set, and if the idle revolution ratio is 1 or more, the engagement capacity is set to 0.
US09002552B2 Compact electric range extender for an electric vehicle
An electric vehicle includes a transmission, motor, rechargeable energy storage system (RESS), auxiliary power unit (APU), and a controller. The APU has a pair of rings, at least one of which rotates with respect to the other. One ring is coaxial with and radially within the other. Ring rotation generates current in windings. A gear element is in driving connection with the rotatable ring. The APU includes an engine disposed radially within the inner ring, and a power takeoff mechanism coupled to the gear element. The controller energizes the APU to rotate a ring. A method includes positioning the APU in a vehicle body compartment, affixing an outer ring of windings to a compartment wall, and positioning a rotatable inner ring having permanent magnets radially within and coaxial with the outer ring. The engine is positioned radially within the inner ring. A power takeoff mechanism connects to the inner ring.
US09002551B2 Method and device for operating a hybrid vehicle and computer program product and vehicle
A hybrid vehicle includes a combustion engine, an electric motor, and a drive train that is optionally connectible to the electric motor or the combustion engine. An operating mode of the hybrid vehicle is determined automatically as a function of a setpoint torque and an operating state of the hybrid vehicle, the operating mode specifying whether the combustion engine, the electric motor, or the combustion engine and the electric motor is/are used as the drive mechanism of the hybrid vehicle. The operating mode is determined at least such that an efficiency of the drive train including the drive mechanism selected in accordance with the determined operating mode is at a maximum. Depending on the determined operating mode, the combustion engine and/or the electric motor is/are coupled automatically to the drive train for operating the hybrid vehicle.
US09002543B2 Situation aftermath management system and method
A system and method for assisting flight crew recovery in the aftermath of an unexpected event is provided. A processor is used to detect that an unexpected event has occurred in an aircraft and, in response to detecting that the unexpected event has occurred, state data are stored in memory. The processor is also used to detect that the unexpected event has been resolved and, in response to detecting that the unexpected event has been resolved, the processor retrieves the state data from the memory, generates an aftermath plan that includes prompts to guide the flight crew to complete the aftermath plan, and continuously updates the aftermath plan until the aftermath plan is completed.
US09002542B2 Method and device for detecting piloting conflicts between the crew and the autopilot of an aircraft
A method for detecting piloting conflicts between the crew and the autopilot of an aircraft. According to the method, an automatic trajectory is programmed by checking whether the actual values of navigation parameters converge on said corresponding desired values within a predetermined convergence period; in the case where at least one of the actual values does not converge, within the convergence period, on the corresponding desired value, a predictive calculation is carried out, at consecutive future moments, of the value of at least one particular parameter selected amongst the navigation parameters; and in the case where the predicted value of the particular parameter is higher than a corresponding predefined threshold, an alarm is emitted for the crew of the aircraft to notify them about a piloting conflict being able to jeopardize the flight safety of the aircraft. A device for implementing the method. An aircraft including the device.
US09002528B1 Systems and methods for detecting and resolving sump pump failures
A method and system detects and resolves impending failures in a sump pump. The method and system may measure the current water level in a sump basin, which houses the sump pump. The current water level may be determined by a water level sensor placed slightly above the high water level mark in the sump basin. If the current water level is above the high water level mark, the method and system may activate a mechanical shaker that produces vibrations to physically shake the sump pump. If the current water level is below the high water level mark, the method and system may analyze a motor of the sump pump to determine if the run time of the motor exceeds a certain length of time. When the run time is determined to exceed the certain length of time, the method and system may send an alarm to notify a user.
US09002527B2 Valve positioner with current allocating device
A coil of an electro-pneumatic converting portion is connected in parallel with a constant voltage circuit. An electric current regulating portion is provided in a supply line for an electric current to the coil. The regulating value for the electric current in this electric current regulating portion is controlled by an instruction from a CPU. The CPU detects, as a present supply electric current, an actual value for the supply electric current from a higher-level system, and evaluates whether or not there is, in the present supply electric current, a surplus electric current that can be directed to the electro-pneumatic converting portion. The supply electric current can be in excess of 4 mA and is the surplus electric current, and if there is a surplus electric current, then a command is sent to the electric current regulating portion so as to allocate that surplus electric current to the coil.
US09002526B2 Intelligent controller for an environmental control system
The current application is directed to intelligent controllers that continuously, periodically, or intermittently monitor progress towards one or more control goals under one or more constraints in order to achieve control that satisfies potentially conflicting goals. An intelligent controller may alter aspects of control, dynamically, while the control is being carried out, in order to ensure that goals are obtained and a balance is achieved between potentially conflicting goals. The intelligent controller uses various types of information to determine an initial control strategy as well as to dynamically adjust the control strategy as the control is being carried out.
US09002524B2 System and method for establishing local control of a space conditioning load during a direct load control event
A system for establishing local control of a space conditioning load includes a switch for controlling a flow of energy for a space conditioning load. Control logic is operatively coupled to the switch, for receiving control parameters associated with a direct load control event from a utility provider. The control logic may also measure room temperature based on received temperature signals and determine if a room temperature is greater a comfort temperature range. The control logic may eliminate operation of a direct load control program if the room temperature is greater than or equal to the comfort temperature range. The control logic may log and signal back to the utility provider that the comfort temperature range is exceeded. The control logic may then restore local control of the switch and initiate a temperature setback control to a thermostat for the remainder of the control period.
US09002523B2 HVAC controller with diagnostic alerts
An HVAC controller that monitors the performance of an HVAC system during its operating by comparing a monitored parameter value (e.g. delta T) to a pre-determined limit stored in the HVAC controller memory in order to determine if a performance limit has been violated. In some cases, the HVAC controller may display on a display of the HVAC controller a user alert for at least some of the detected violations. In some instances, the HVAC controller may display or otherwise provide a user alert only after a pre-determined number of performance violations are detected by the HVAC controller. Alternatively, or in addition, the HVAC controller may accept one or more conditions that indicate when a user alert for a detected violation is not to be displayed on the display of the HVAC controller.
US09002522B2 Logical groupings of intelligent building fixtures
Methods, apparatuses and systems of building control, are disclosed. One system includes a plurality of building fixtures and at least one sensor interfaced with at least one of the plurality of building fixtures. Further, each building fixture includes a communication port and a controller. For this embodiment, each controller is configured to independently control at least one of an environmental load or a security device, either receive or help designate the building fixture as belonging to a logical group of building fixtures, and share at least one of sensor or state information with other building fixtures within the logical group of building fixtures, through the communication port.
US09002520B2 User interface device of remote control system for robot device and method using the same
A user interface device of a remote control system for a robot and a method using the same are provided. The user interface device includes: a radio frequency (RF) unit for receiving, from a remote control robot, camera data and at least one sensor data detecting a distance; a display unit having a main screen and at least one auxiliary screen; and a controller having an environment evaluation module for determining whether the received camera data are in a normal condition, and having a screen display mode change module for displaying, if the received camera data are in a normal condition, the camera data on the main screen and displaying, if the received camera data are in an abnormal condition, the sensor data on the main screen.
US09002515B2 Monitoring of a medical device
The present embodiments relate to a monitoring system for a medical device, wherein the medical device comprises a robot and an image recording part which can be moved by the robot. Provision is made for a radiation source which is attached to the medical device, and for a radiation receiver which is situated remotely from the medical device and is for receiving radiation that is emitted from the radiation source. A comparison entity compares the point of impact of radiation on the radiation receiver with one or more predetermined points of impact of radiation on the radiation receiver. The invention further relates to a corresponding method for monitoring a medical device.
US09002511B1 Methods and systems for obstacle detection using structured light
An obstacle detector for a mobile robot while the robot is in motion is disclosed. The detector preferably includes at least one light source configured to project pulsed light in the path of the robot; a visual sensor for capturing a plurality of images of light reflected from the path of the robot; a processing unit configured to extract the reflections from the images; and an obstacle detection unit configured to detect an obstacle in the path of the robot based on the extracted reflections. In the preferred embodiment, the reflections of the projected light are extracted by subtracting pairs of images in which each pair includes a first image captured with the at least one light source on and a second image captured with the at least one light source off, and then combining images of two or more extracted reflections to suppress the background.
US09002507B2 Apparatus for the automated detection and removal of workpieces
An apparatus for the automated detection and removal of workpieces comprising an object recognition device for detecting the workpieces and a gripper for picking the workpieces; and a gripper for picking the workpieces; and a control for evaluating the data of the object recognition device, for track planning and for controlling the gripper, wherein the object recognition device is arranged at a travel arrangement by which it can be traveled from a position of rest into at least one measuring position and back.
US09002492B2 Methods and apparatuses for utilizing adaptive predictive algorithms and determining when to use the adaptive predictive algorithms for virtual metrology
Described herein are methods, apparatuses, and systems for determining adaptive predictive algorithms for virtual metrology. In some embodiments, a computer implemented method identifies a plurality of predictive algorithms. The method determines when to use one or more of the plurality of predictive algorithms to predict one or more virtual metrology variables in a manufacturing facility.
US09002485B2 Method, apparatus, and computer program product for performance analytics determining play models and outputting events based on real-time data for proximity and movement of objects
Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media are disclosed for providing analytics using real time data on movement and proximity of tagged objects for determining play models and outputting events. In one embodiment, a method is provided for determining play data that at least includes correlating at least one tag to a participant; receiving blink data transmitted by the at least one tag; and determining tag location data based on the blink data. The method further includes receiving participant role data; comparing the tag location data to participant dynamics/kinetics models based at least in part on the participant role data; determining participant location data based on the comparing the tag location data to the participant dynamics/kinetics models. The method further includes receiving field data; comparing the participant location data to formation models based at least in part on the participant role data and the field data; and determining formation data based on the comparing the participant location data to the formation models. The method further includes comparing the formation data and participant location data to play models; and determining play data based on the comparing the formation data and participant location data to the play models.