| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09028023B2 |
Fluid ejection device and fluid ejection printer with a power amplifier stopping section
A fluid ejection device includes: a modulator adapted to pulse-modulate a drive waveform signal forming a basis of a drive signal of an actuator to obtain a modulated signal; a digital power amplifier circuit adapted to power-amplify the modulated signal to obtain a power-amplified modulated signal; a low pass filter adapted to smooth the power-amplified modulated signal to obtain the drive signal; and a power amplification stopping section operating when holding a voltage of the actuator constant. |
| US09028021B2 |
Ink filling method and inkjet recording apparatus
An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head, a carriage with the recording head mounted thereon, a main tank, a sub-tank configured to be supplied with ink from the main tank via a tube, a supply tube configured to connect the recording head and the sub-tank, a supply unit connected to the supply tube and configured to supply ink from the main tank to the sub-tank, and a control unit configured to control acceleration of the carriage and to control the supply unit, wherein, when an empty volume in the sub-tank is greater than or equal to an ink volume in the main tank, the supply unit is controlled to supply ink to the sub-tank. |
| US09028015B2 |
Method for operation of a braking system for a motor vehicle
Disclosed is a method for operating an electromechanically operable parking brake for motor vehicles with a driving engine furnished with a mechanical gear box, being substantially composed of an operating element, an electronic control unit, to which are sent wheel rotational speed values from wheel rotational speed sensors, at least one unit for generating a brake application force, and brake devices on at least one axle being lockable by the unit, with the electronic control unit actuating the unit after detection of a starting maneuver of the motor vehicle in the sense of a release operation of the parking brake. In order to render a release operation of the parking brake as comfortable as possible after detection of a starting maneuver of the motor vehicle, the method at issued arranges that the electronic control unit (6) actuates the unit (1) in order to reduce the brake application force to an inclination-responsive holding force when a starting maneuver is detected and before the release operation of the parking brake is performed. |
| US09028014B2 |
System and method for providing indication of braking for electric brakes
A system for electrical braking of a vehicle comprises a power bus coupled to a first driver associated with a first electromechanical actuator (EMA). The power bus is also coupled to a second driver associated with a second EMA, and the first EMA and the second EMA are associated with a wheel of the vehicle. The power bus provides braking power to the first EMA via the first driver and to the second EMA via the second driver. A normal braking command interface provides a first braking signal to the first driver and a second braking signal to the second driver. An emergency/park brake interface bypasses the normal braking command interface and sends a first emergency/park braking signal to the first driver and a second emergency/park braking signal to the second driver. A sensor measures a current at a single location of the power bus that is proportional to a braking force exerted on the wheel. |
| US09028010B2 |
Braking control system
Provided is a braking control system including: an internal combustion engine serving as a power source of a vehicle; a brake servo unit operated by a negative pressure supplied thereto; a passage configured to supply an intake negative pressure of the internal combustion engine to the brake servo unit; and a negative pressure pump configured to generate a negative pressure by being driven by power transmitted from a wheel of the vehicle and transmit the generated negative pressure to the brake servo unit, wherein the negative pressure pump is driven so as to supply the negative pressure to the brake servo unit during execution of inertia running in which the internal combustion engine stops and the vehicle runs by inertia. |
| US09028007B2 |
Cooling a ranging arm gear case on a longwall shearer
A longwall shearer or other machine with a gear case for transmitting rotational power from a drive to a driven member. The gear case comprises a drive, a driven member, at least one axle including at least one aperture formed therein to circulate cooling fluid through the axle, and a gear mounted to rotate on the axle and positioned to transmit power from the drive to the driven member. |
| US09028006B2 |
Safety bow assembly and child seat including the same
A safety bow assembly for a child seat comprises: a bow body that has opposite first and second ends; first and second connecting parts that are connected to the child seat, the first connecting part defining an accommodating space and having a side wall; and an engaging lever that is connected movably to the side wall, that is formed with an engaging element facing the accommodating space, and that is movable relative to the side wall between a first position, in which the engaging element is adapted to engage releasably a coupling part of the child seat, and a second position, in which the engaging element is adapted to be disengaged from the coupling part. |
| US09027999B2 |
Control assembly for chair
A control assembly for a chair including a base structure having a first pivot point and a second pivot point spaced from the first pivot point, a seat support structure pivotably coupled to the base structure for rotation about the first pivot point, a back support structure pivotably coupled to the base structure for rotation about the second pivot point, wherein the back support structure is adapted to rotate between a first and second positions, and a control link having a first end coupled to the seat support structure, and a second end coupled to the back support structure, wherein the control link rotates the seat support structure at a slower rate of rotation than a rate of rotation of the back support structure as the back support structure is rotated between the first and second positions. |
| US09027994B2 |
Locking structure for skin terminals of vehicle seat and vehicle seat provided with locking structure
A structure is provided to improve rigidity of a locking structure for skin terminals of a vehicle seat. The locking structure for the skin terminals of the vehicle seat includes a seat frame having a tucking groove on an outer surface, a skin terminal of a skin for covering the seat frame, a holding member fixed to the skin terminal, a carpet terminal surrounded by the holding member, and a cut and bent portion for regulating detachment of the holding member. The skin terminal and the carpet terminal are locked in the tucking groove. The holding member is provided with a projection portion, and the carpet terminal is provided with an engagement member engaged with the projection portion for regulating detachment from the holding member. The projection portion is provided closer to the opening side of the tucking groove than the engagement member. |
| US09027981B2 |
Resin product for vehicle
The present invention provides a resin product for a vehicle, which can be welded, even in a shape having a part curved in a vibration direction, with a sufficient strength by means of vibration welding. A resin product 100 for a vehicle, made by welding a plurality of members 1, 2 by vibration welding is characterized in that: welded parts by vibration welding are arranged to a plurality of different surfaces 11 (11a, 11b, . . . ) discretely provided in a vibration direction Q; and a respective one of the plurality of surfaces 11 is set to fall within a predetermined angle with respect to the vibration direction Q. |
| US09027978B2 |
Emergency vehicle patient transport systems
Emergency vehicle patient transport systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, an emergency vehicle patient transport system includes: a loading passage providing access to an interior of an emergency vehicle; one or more tracks coupled to a floor of the emergency vehicle, a ceiling of the emergency vehicle, a wall of the emergency vehicle or combinations thereof wherein, a travel path is delineated by the one or more tracks; and a chair slidingly engaged with the one or more tracks, and vertically positioned between the floor and the ceiling. The chair locks in one or more set positions. And, the one or more set positions are selected from a group consisting of an airway care position, an extended airway care position, a procedural care position, a responder position, a patient care position, and a patient load position. |
| US09027976B1 |
Multi-purpose tactical pendant hook
A multi-purpose helicopter pendant hook assembly is provided. The pendant hook assembly allows cargo load attachment by a ground crewman from positions either on the load itself or standing on the ground next to the load. In both cases, a stand-off from the helicopter improves safety for the ground crewmen. The hook assembly combines the capability to pick up cargo and personnel, or both, simultaneously. This multi-purpose feature reduces the need for more than one helicopter during recovery operations. The pendant has multiple D-rings for attachment of personnel and has a communications link for ground crew to pilot communications. The hook assembly also has a flange and hook configuration which allows release of the cargo load while retaining the cargo net. |
| US09027975B2 |
Method for replacing a transformer in a wind energy installation
A method of replacing a generator of a wind power installation. The generator is provided in the interior of a pylon of a wind power installation and the pylon has a door opening. An exchanging cross beam is fixed by way of a first fastening point to a crane hook of a mobile crane. A first end of the cross beam is introduced with a second fastening point through the door opening into the pylon. The transformer to be replaced is fixed to the second fastening point of the first end. A compensating weight is fixed at the second fastening point to the second end of the cross beam. The second end of the cross beam is tilted or inclined until the transformer is at the height of the door opening and the crane hook is moved until the transformer to be replaced is outside the door opening. |
| US09027974B1 |
Two handle log and firewood pickup tool
A tool for lifting and carrying wood of a two opposing pointed arm pivoted construction. A drive handle extends from one arm and an offset carrying handle extends from the other arm. Each arm has a curved free end portion terminating in a wood engagement point. The arms are pivoted together at their distal ends with an arm stop extending therebetween preventing the arms from closing completely. The arms respective end engagement points provide for opposing wood end engagement to grip and hold a single log or firewood piece securely therebetween for lifting and carrying until select release by the user. |
| US09027973B2 |
Bumper fastening clip
A bumper fixing clip includes a leg portion engaging with a vehicle body panel; engagement claws engaging with a plurality of engagement holes formed on a bumper side; and an engagement member including a second engagement claw engageable with or retractable from one of the engagement holes formed on the bumper side by operating an operation portion, and fixing the bumper to the vehicle body panel. The engagement member is integrally formed with a fixing clip main body, and includes an approximately rod-like operation portion; the second engagement claw formed in a vicinity of a turning center of the operation portion; and an abutment piece formed on a side opposite to the second engagement claw. Also, the fixing clip main body includes a control portion abutting against the abutment piece of the operation portion, and controlling a moving range of the operation portion so as to reduce a force operating the operation portion, and even if an excessive force is applied, the moving range is controlled so as to prevent a breakage. |
| US09027968B2 |
Aseptic coupling devices
A seal member for an aseptic coupling device includes a cross-sectional area including a first end portion, a middle portion, and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the middle portion being thinner in radial dimension than the first and second end portions. |
| US09027965B2 |
Gas generator
A gas generating system (24) is provided including a gas generant container (34) and an initiator (28). A gas generant composition (32) is placed within the container (34) in ignitable communication with the igniter (28). A molecular sieve (33) is positioned within the housing 17 combined within the gas generant composition (32), or external of the gas generant (32) but in reactive proximity or vapor communication therewith. A seatbelt device (150) and a vehicle occupant restraint system (180) incorporating a gas generating system as described herein are also disclosed. |
| US09027962B1 |
Airbag apparatus
An airbag apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: an airbag main body; at least one vent which is provided at a side of the airbag main body, and operated in an opened state; a shield which shields the vent; and a tether which is connected with the shield, in which when an occupant in a vehicle collides with the airbag main body, the tether is operated so that the shield shields the vent. |
| US09027961B2 |
Air belt and air belt apparatus
An air belt having mesh webbing sufficiently strong and sufficiently expandable in the circumferential direction of a bag-shaped belt and an air belt apparatus including the air belt are provided. An air belt includes a folded member being a bag-shaped belt folded in a band shape and mesh webbing covering the folded member of the bag-shaped belt. The mesh webbing hardly expands in the longitudinal direction of the air belt, and is flexibly expandable in the circumferential direction of the bag-shaped belt. The mesh webbing is made of a raschel-knitted material. The knitted material is arranged such that the extending direction of knot portions of yarn threads and corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the air belt. |
| US09027960B1 |
Front airbag device
A front airbag device in which an airbag module can be detached from a steering wheel with a simpler operation is provided. A front airbag device includes a steering wheel and an airbag module. The airbag module includes a housing. The steering wheel includes a positioning hook and a retaining hook. The housing includes a positioning tab on which the positioning hook is hooked and a rod-shaped elastic body on which the retaining hook is hooked. The positioning tab has an extension portion, and the steering wheel has a window portion which enables the extension portion to be visible from the outside. The positioning tab is tilted whereby the positioning tab is disconnected from the positioning hook and the elastic body can move. |
| US09027958B2 |
Vehicle seat assembly with side air bag and guide panel with spaced forward ends for creating a shearing force
In at least certain embodiments, the vehicle seat assembly comprises a frame, a seat pad, a trim cover extending over at least part of the seat pad with the cover having a release seam, and an air bag assembly including an inflator and an air bag. In accordance with an embodiment, the air bag assembly includes an air bag guide associating the air bag assembly with the release seam, the air bag guide comprising a panel having an intermediate portion that wraps around the air bag assembly, a first end secured to the trim cover on a first side of the release seam and a second end secured to the trim cover on the first side of the release seam spaced a predetermined distance from the first end, the first end having a first width, the second end having a second width and the intermediate portion having a third width, with the sum of the first and second widths being equal to or greater than the third width. |
| US09027957B2 |
Occupant protection apparatus and occupant protection method
A side airbag apparatus includes an airbag that can form a plurality of chambers with a single inflator and protects an occupant from an impact on a side door by deploying the airbag between the occupant and the side door. The chambers of the airbag includes a vehicle sidewall chamber that can be deployed around a shoulder region of the occupant and a compartment chamber that is disposed closer to the inner side of an occupant compartment in the vehicle width direction than the vehicle sidewall chamber and can be deployed around a chest region of the occupant. |
| US09027950B2 |
Anti-rattle hitch assembly
An anti-rattle hitch (100) includes a tubular insert (102) that is configured to be inserted into a receiver (90). A wedge mechanism comprising a first wedge member (112) and a second wedge member (114) are disposed in the insert, and have slidably engaged angled faces. The second wedge member includes one or more pistons that extend through piston (110) apertures in the insert such that the longitudinal position of the second wedge member is fixed. An adjustment member (120) adjusts the position of the first wedge member, thereby adjusting the piston position which can be biased against the receiver. |
| US09027948B2 |
Brake-equipped wheelchair
Coupling links coupled at one end to terminal ends of the working belt and rotatably coupled at the other end to the conveyance body, the coupling links being configured to rotate when the seat cushion body rotates with a front end portion thereof acting as a pivot and both end portions of the working belt move in an up-and-down direction, and a working link mechanism provided in a manner to operate in interlock with the rotation the coupling link, the working link mechanism being configured to shift a brake member in accordance with a direction of rotation of the coupling link into a state that the brake member is separated from a rear wheel to release braking, or into such a state that the brake member is brought into contact with the rear wheel to apply braking. |
| US09027943B2 |
Scooter handlebar holder
A scooter features a top tube attached to the top portion of a steering column and handlebars having handgrips and stems, with the stems sized to be received within the open ends of the top tube when in a use configuration. A handlebar holder housing covers a top portion of the steering column and a portion of the top tube and includes holding bores sized to receive the handlebar stems when the handlebars are in a storage configuration. The handlebar stems are provided with spring pins that engage use apertures and storage apertures formed in the top tube and housing, respectively, when in the handlebars are in the use and storage configurations. A cord passes through the top tube and is fastened to the handlebars. The handlebar holder housing includes cord slots in communication with the holding bores and receive the cord when the first and second handlebars are in the storage configuration. |
| US09027940B2 |
Work surface opening mechanism
A cart comprising a base, and a work station supported by the base. The work station including a compartment, a work surface disposed above the compartment, and an opening mechanism. The work surface moveable between an open position to provide access to the compartment and a closed position to deny access to the compartment. The work station including a first opening mechanism adapted to concurrently translate and rotate the work surface. Methods of using such carts. |
| US09027939B2 |
Universal ski conversion device for a stroller or bicycle trailer
A ski conversion device for a stroller or a bicycle trailer including: wheel braces for attachment to first and second skis and for receiving the first and second wheels; connecting elements for fixing the wheels to wheel braces; orientation braces for attachment to skis; orientation elements for connecting the stroller or the bicycle trailer to the orientation braces and for fixing an orientation of the stroller or the bicycle trailer with respect to the skis; a rigger element for connecting to a ski and including a runner element; and yokes for connection to the skis, the yokes attachable to a source of energy for propelling the ski conversion device. In a first position, the runner element is locatable between the first and second skis. In a second position, the runner element is locatable beyond the first ski in a direction from the second ski toward the first ski. |
| US09027936B2 |
Gasket
A gasket is provided which is intended to improve its sealing performance by attaining a further stabilization of the posture thereof in a groove. In a gasket (100) in which a protruded part (110), which serves to stabilize the posture of the gasket (100) in a groove (201) by being in contact with an inner wall surface of the groove (201) in a state where the gasket is sandwiched by a head cover (200) and a cylinder head, is continuously formed in a longitudinal direction of the gasket (100), the protruded part (110) is characterized by a stepped structure which includes a first protruded portion (111) with the largest amount of protrusion that is formed along the vicinity of a center of a gasket main body, a second protruded portion (112) with the smallest amount of protrusion that is formed at the side of the head cover (200), and a third protruded portion (113) that is formed at the side of the cylinder head, and has an amount of protrusion which is smaller than that of the first protruded portion (111), and larger than that of the second protruded portion (112). |
| US09027933B2 |
Engine
An engine in which an oil consumption and a leakage of blow-by gas can be stably reduced for a long period of time. The engine includes a first land (3), a first ring groove (4), a second land (5), a second ring groove (6), a third land (7), a third ring groove (8), and a piston skirt (9) formed on a piston peripheral wall (1) in the above-recited order from a side of a piston head (2). A first pressure ring (10) is fitted in the first ring groove (4). A second pressure ring (11) is fitted in the second ring groove (6), an oil ring (12) fitted in the third ring groove (8), and an indentation (13) is formed at the second land (5). |
| US09027932B2 |
Zero emissions reciprocating pump
A sealing system for a pump having a plunger includes a housing having an internal chamber adapted to receive a portion of the plunger. Primary and secondary seals are located within the internal chamber and adapted to sealingly engage the plunger. The primary seal communicates with the fluid being pumped. A barrier fluid chamber contains a barrier fluid in contact with the primary seal and the secondary seal. A pressure referencing device has an inlet port in communication with the pumped fluid and an outlet port providing fluid at a pressure magnitude equal to a peak pressure of the pumped fluid. A pressurizing device is in communication with the fluid at the peak pressure and the barrier fluid to maintain the barrier fluid pressure at a magnitude greater than the peak pressure of the pumped fluid such that the pumped fluid is restricted from leaking past the primary seal. |
| US09027931B2 |
Seal mechanism
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a seal mechanism, including: a plate spring having a main body portion which has a curved shape and a pair of hook portions which are formed by bending the main body portion; and a seal member having a seal surface and a pair of projecting portions which are formed on an opposite side of the seal surface to catch the hook portions. |
| US09027930B2 |
Method and composition for sealing passages
A method of sealing a passage in a body with a sealing composition comprising (a) a major proportion of a latex emulsion or colloid; and (b) a minor proportion of lauric acid or a laurate compound; and (c) at least one further selected additive, ideally a latex coagulation inhibitor, wherein said composition is pumped into said passage where it is set or coagulated to form a seal. Advantageously, the laurate compound is ammonium laurate and coagulation is conveniently induced by adjusting pH of the sealing composition from alkaline to acidic pH range. The method is particularly well suited to sealing in faulty formations or sealing sites and may be used in sealing within salt mines which contain brines. |
| US09027928B2 |
Pumping seal having projections for axially positioning a biasing member
A seal assembly is for sealing between a housing and a rotary shaft includes an annular sealing member coupled with the housing and having inner and outer circumferential surfaces and a plurality of projections extending radially from the outer surface and spaced circumferentially about a central axis. Each projection has first and second axial ends and the plurality of projections define first and second projections. An annular biasing member is disposed about the sealing member outer surface and exerts an inwardly directed force on the sealing member. The biasing member has first and second ends and is arranged on the sealing member with the biasing member first end contacting the second end of each first projection and the biasing member second end contacting the first end of each second projection. As such, the biasing member extends axially and circumferentially between the first and second projections. |
| US09027926B2 |
Sheet conveyance device, and image forming apparatus having the same
A sheet conveyance device includes conveying portion, first sensing portion, second sensing portion, drive control portion, response time calculation portion, and setting time changing portion. First sensing portion is disposed upstream conveying portion in conveyance direction. Second sensing portion is disposed downstream conveying portion in conveyance direction. Drive control portion makes conveying portion stop until a predetermined setting time has elapsed after sensing of the leading end of the sheet-like member in the conveyance direction of the sheet-like member by first sensing portion, to deflect the sheet-like member, and outputs a drive signal that drives the conveying portion when setting time has elapsed. Response time calculation portion calculates response time until conveying portion is driven since drive signal is outputted. Setting time changing portion changes setting time based on response time calculated by response time calculation portion. |
| US09027924B2 |
Information recording device
Provided is an information recording device in which jam processing operation can be easily performed with simple operation when a recording medium such as a card is jammed in a conveyance passage. A card storing section and a medium conveyance passage for conveying a card to an image forming section are arranged in a housing at upper and lower sides and a passage open-close member for removing a card jammed at the image forming section is arranged therebetween. Then, electronic information recording means is incorporated in the passage open-close member and a medium conveyance path which conveys a card toward the electronic information recording means is arranged on a medium introduction passage for feeding a card from the card storing section to the medium conveyance passage. According to the above, a card jammed at the image forming section or the information recording section can be easily removed to the outside of the device by opening the card storing section. |
| US09027919B2 |
Sheet feeding device and image forming apparatus
Provided are a sheet feeding device and an image forming apparatus that are capable of accurately detecting an abnormality of a feeding state without erroneously detecting when a trailing edge of a preceding sheet and a leading edge of a subsequent sheet are fed in an overlaid state. The sheet feeding device includes ultrasonic wave sensors 6 and 7 that detect an overlaid state of a preceding sheet Sa and a subsequent sheet Sb fed from feeding portions 51, 317 to 319 and a controller 1 that continuously performs a detection of the overlaid state of a sheet fed from the feeding portion at a predetermined number of detecting points along a sheet conveying direction at every predetermined time and determines a number of detecting points where detects. Based on the determined number of detecting points, the controller determines that the overlaid state is normal or abnormal. |
| US09027918B2 |
Medium processor having medium storing boxes flexibly loadable in a slot of a medium storage
A medium processor is provided with a medium storage which can house two small storing boxes next to each other and has plural slots into which the two small storing boxes can be detachably loaded. Thus, the two small storing boxes can be loaded in a space equivalent to one conventional bill storing box, and the small storing boxes can be detached for servicing even when there are two small storing boxes loaded in one slot. Thus, various kinds of media can be handled without impairing maintainability. |
| US09027914B2 |
Optical fiber fusion splicer
An optical fiber fusion splicer includes: a windshield cover having a rotating shaft and rotating around the rotating shaft so as to be openable and closable; a cable member wrapping unit coupled and fixed to the windshield cover on the same axis as the rotating shaft of the windshield cover or formed as a portion of the windshield cover, the cable member wrapping unit being rotatable in a normal direction or in a reverse direction around the rotating shaft; a first cable member winding unit that is a rotary pulley, a non-rotary pulley, or a rotary gear; and a closed-loop member including a deformable cable member wound around the cable member wrapping unit and the first cable member winding unit, the closed-loop member constituting a closed loop. |
| US09027913B2 |
Spring clamp
A spring clamp includes a first body which comprises a gripping portion and a clamping portion, a second body which comprises a gripping portion and a clamping portion, a first pivot element which pivotally connects the first body and the second body, and a locking mechanism which comprises at least a pair of friction pair components. The first friction pair component is arranged on the first body, and includes a first friction pair element; and the second friction pair component is arranged on the second body, and includes a second friction pair element. The first and second friction pair elements rub against each other to effect the locking function. The rubbing of the friction pair elements occurs mainly in the plane perpendicular to the first pivot element axis. |
| US09027912B2 |
Vibration damping device
A vibration damping device including: an inner shaft member; a main rubber elastic body fixed to an outer circumference surface of the inner shaft member; and an outer bracket attached to an outer circumference surface of the main rubber elastic body. At least one locking projection formed to an inner circumference surface on a bracket main unit provided to the outer bracket is inserted and locked in a circumference direction in at least one locking groove formed on the outer circumference surface of the main rubber elastic body. The main rubber elastic body is held between axially opposed surfaces of an abutting protruding part formed on one axial end of the bracket main unit and a retaining protruding part formed on a press fit metal fitting press fit and fixed to another axial end of the bracket main unit. |
| US09027907B2 |
Low torque, high flow and tight sealing tube butterfly valve
A butterfly valve including a valve body having a passage, a valve shaft assembly, a valve plate, and a tube that is friction fit inside the passage is provided. The valve shaft assembly includes a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion. The first and second shaft portions are in opposing spaced relation with the valve plate disposed therebetween. The valve plate has a flange such that when the butterfly valve is in the closed position a seal is formed with the tube, which is disposed within the fluid flow passage. The valve plate has lip extending from a portion of the valve plate that is radially outward from the circumference of the tube. The lip acts to reduce flow induced torque experienced while the valve plate is actuated from the closed to the open position. |
| US09027906B2 |
Filler assembly for a valve
A filler assembly is mounted in an axial hole of a cap of a valve. The filler assembly includes at least one first filler and at least one second filler stacked in a longitudinal direction. A valve rod received in the axial hole extends through the at least one first filler and the at least one second filler. At least one of two mutually abutting faces respectively of the at least one first filler and the at least one second filler is at a non-parallel angle to a radial direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. If one of the at least one first filler and the at least one second filler is subjected to a pressing force in the longitudinal direction, at least one of the at least one first filler and the at least one second filler is moved in the radial direction to press against the valve rod. |
| US09027905B2 |
Fluid control valve
A fluid control valve includes an inflow channel for introducing fluid, an outflow channel for discharging the fluid, a valve seat, a valve body for blocking/allowing communication between the inflow channel and the outflow channel in association with a movement thereof into contact with or away from the valve seat, and a solenoid configured to apply a magnetic force to the valve body, the magnetic force being generated in response to supply of electric power to the solenoid. The inflow channel is formed through the core of the solenoid so that the core and the fluid comes into contact with each other in the inflow channel. |
| US09027901B2 |
Rooftop air conditioning vibration absorption system
A vibration absorption system for a rooftop mounted air handling unit is disclosed herein. The vibration absorption system includes an upper rail. The vibration absorption system also includes a lower rail. The vibration absorption system also includes at least one biasing device disposed between the upper rail and the lower rail. The vibration absorption system also includes a fastener having a head and extending through at least a first portion of the upper rail and at least a first portion of the lower rail to interconnect the upper rail and the lower rail. The vibration absorption system also includes a nut releasably engaged with the fastener. The first portion of the upper rail and the first portion of the lower rail are disposed between the nut and the head. The nut is adjustably positionable along a length of the fastener wherein adjustment of the nut along the length of the fastener varies an extent of compression of the at least one biasing device. A method associated with the system is also disclosed. |
| US09027900B2 |
Universal bipod mount for personal digital assistants
A bipod mount for positioning a PDA device for ease of use by a recumbent person comprises a rigid post with slidably adjustable clamping jaws thereon for engaging upper and lower edges of the PDA device. The rigid post is held in a structure including a pair of friction hubs affixed to upper ends of a pair of arms that can be splayed due to the use of the friction hubs. At the second end of the arms are pivotably mounted foot members. The assembly is collapsible to a small size for storage. |
| US09027899B2 |
Vehicle seat and use of an undulating slide rod element
The invention relates to a vehicle seat comprising a seat part, comprising a back rest part and comprising a linear guide device for translational adjustment of the vehicle seat, in which the linear guide device comprises a guide rail means and a slide rail means which is displaceable with respect thereto, in which a bearing means interacts between the slide rail means and the guide rail means and at least comprises slide rod elements so as to mount the slide rail means with respect to the guide rail means, and in which the slide rod element comprises an elongate undulating base body, the slide rod element having an effective external diameter which is greater, at least when the slide rod element is radially unloaded, than a core external diameter of the elongate undulating base body. |
| US09027891B2 |
Floor protectors for furniture legs and casters and methods of making and using same
To facilitate installation of a floor protector to a furniture leg or a caster for movable objects, shrinkable tubing, for example heat-shrink tubing, is used to secure the floor protector to the leg or caster. A tube of heat-shrink material may have at normal temperatures a predetermined unshrunk cross-sectional size large enough to permit the tube to receive the foot portion or caster circumference and a shrinkage ratio sufficient for the tube to be shrunk to a cross-sectional size that is smaller than the foot portion or caster circumference so that, when the tube is shrunk by application of heat or other suitable means, the tube will conform and be secured to the underlying foot portion or caster. Hot-melt adhesive may be applied to the interior of the floor protector and the heat applied to shrink the tube may melt the adhesive to adhere the floor protector to the foot portion or caster. |
| US09027890B2 |
Translating cable device sealing
An aircraft wing assembly, comprising a wing having a fixed leading edge, a slat mounted for movement between a retracted position and an extended position with respect to the fixed leading edge, and a translating cable device for electrically connecting the slat to the wing and having a strut coupled at one end to the slat, the fixed leading edge having an aperture to accommodate the strut, and a seal assembly for sealing between the strut and the aperture. |
| US09027889B2 |
Modular core structure for dual-manifest spacecraft launch
A spacecraft may include an upper core structure or a lower core structure. The upper core structure may include an upper cylinder for supporting an upper spacecraft of a dual-manifest launch configuration. The lower core structure may include a lower cylinder for supporting a lower spacecraft with the upper cylinder mounted on top of the lower cylinder. The upper cylinder may have an upper cylinder inner diameter that may be substantially similar to the lower cylinder inner diameter. |
| US09027885B2 |
Nitrogen gas system with diverter valve
A nitrogen gas system for an aircraft is provided and operable in warm-up and normal modes. The system includes an air separation module (ASM), a line to transport nitrogen enriched air (NEA) from the ASM to a fuel distribution system and a diverter valve disposed on the line and configured to divert the NEA away from the fuel distribution system during warm-up operations. |
| US09027882B2 |
Airframe of aircraft, panel assembly for aircraft
The present invention prevents misassembly of access doors while reducing stress concentrations. A hole-side convex portion 80 is formed in each opening 12 at one or more locations in a circumferential direction, and a door-side rib 70 is formed on each door body 30. The hole-side convex portions 80 formed in the openings 12A to 12C differ in location in the circumferential direction among the plural openings 12A to 12C. The door-side ribs 70 formed on the respective door bodies 30A to 30C are provided in such locations as not to interfere with the hole-side convex portions 80 provided in the openings 12A to 12C in correct combination with the door bodies 30A to 30C. |
| US09027879B1 |
Modular adaptive configured helicopter
A method and apparatus for a composite helicopter comprising a rotary wing parent vehicle with various modular cabins detachable therefrom to facilitate various configuration aircraft platforms, dual operation and modular economy. |
| US09027878B2 |
Aircraft landing gear including a fairing
An aircraft landing gear including a fairing (12) arranged to be moveable between first and second configurations, wherein in the first configuration the fairing shields an element of the landing gear from an incident airflow, the fairing being arranged to be in the first configuration when the landing gear is deployed but unloaded, and wherein in the second configuration the fairing exposes the landing gear element to the incident airflow, the fairing being arranged to be in the second configuration when the landing gear is deployed and loaded. |
| US09027872B2 |
Free standing dispenser apparatus for rolled sheet material
An apparatus is provided for dispensing a roll of sheet material in severable portions therefrom. The apparatus comprises a housing having a rim portion longitudinally offset from a base portion by a sidewall portion extending therebetween. The base and sidewall portions define a compartment for holding the roll of sheet material, and the sidewall portion includes a longitudinally extended dispensing slot formed therethrough communicating with the compartment. The sidewall portion forms about the dispensing slot at least one tapered edge. A lid is detachably coupled to the rim portion of the housing to enclose the compartment, and includes a bottom surface portion. A pivot structure is formed on at least one of the base and bottom surface portions to pivotally engage an axial end of the roll of sheet material for angular displacement thereon. |
| US09027865B2 |
Webbing winding device
In a webbing winding device, even when a piston moves toward the other side in a movement direction due to a reaction when the piston moves to a maximum movement position, an engagement surface of a hook portion comes into contact with a subject engagement surface of a subject engagement portion, so that the movement of the piston toward the other side in the movement direction is restricted. Accordingly, the piston is prevented from returning to a standby position, and a pawl is prevented from returning to a lock position. For this reason, a state where a rotation of a locking ring in the pull-out direction is maintained. Accordingly, after the piston moves from the standby position to the maximum movement position, the piston is prevented from returning to the standby position, and the force limiter load is prevented from being changed. |
| US09027859B2 |
Gas fuel injection valve
A gas fuel injection valve is provided in which a circular recess is formed in a front end face of a valve plunger, the circular recess being surrounded by an annular land part, which is an outer peripheral part of the front end face, an inner peripheral face of the circular recess is formed in a tapered shape so as to increase in diameter in going from a base of the circular recess toward the annular land part, an annular lip is formed on a seating member, the annular lip being joined from the inner peripheral face through to the annular land part and being seated on a valve seat, and the annular lip is disposed so that an annular ridge line of an apex of the annular lip is positioned, in a projection in the axial direction of the valve plunger, above the inner peripheral face. |
| US09027851B2 |
Insecticide sprayer and rotary spray head assembly
A rotary spray head assembly includes a motor having an output shaft and a housing through which the output shaft at least partially extends. The housing includes an inlet communicable with a source of fluid. The rotary spray head assembly also includes an annular skirt extending from the housing, a passageway through the skirt having a first end in fluid communication with the inlet and a second end, and a hub coupled for co-rotation with the output shaft. The hub includes an annular groove into which the annular skirt at least partially extends, a circumferential interior surface at least partially defining the groove, and an aperture through the circumferential interior surface. Fluid introduced into the annular groove through the second end of the passageway is discharged outwardly through the aperture. |
| US09027842B2 |
Broadcasting independent of network availability using color space encoded image
Embodiments of the present disclosure can include systems, methods, and non-transitory computer program products for using color space encoded images to perform image-based information broadcasting. In certain aspects, the information broadcasting can include using the encoded images to broadcast information to multiple devices within view of the encoded images. Embodiments can also include broadcasting information independent of network availability. In certain aspects, a public display having a camera can register or capture a color space encoded image from a remote device, where the encoded image encodes a request for information from a user. The public display can send the encoded image to be decoded, and receive the decoded request for information. The public display can encode an encoded image representing a response, and display the encoded image representing a response for decoding by the user. |
| US09027835B2 |
Graphical code readers that are configured for glare reduction
A graphical code reader may include means for capturing an image frame in accordance with a rolling shutter technique, and means for changing illumination while the image frame is being captured in order to perform glare correction. The graphical code reader may also include means for detecting characteristics of glare in a previously captured image frame. |
| US09027833B2 |
Commodity information display apparatus and method for displaying commodity information in different forms
In accordance with one embodiment, a commodity information display apparatus comprises an acquisition module and a display control module. The acquisition module acquires a commodity information relating to a commodity recognized through a first method in which a code symbol attached to the commodity is read and commodity information relating to a commodity recognized through a second method in which the commodity is recognized based on an appearance feature of the commodity contained in an image data captured by a camera. The display control module displays the commodity information acquired by the acquisition module on a display in such a manner that a display form of the commodity information of the commodity recognized through the first method is made different from a display form of the commodity information of the commodity recognized through the second method. |
| US09027827B2 |
System and method for providing a personalized shopping experience and personalized pricing of products and services with a portable computing device
A system and method for providing a personalized shopping experience with a portable computing device (“PCD”) are described. The system and method may include checking-in PCD consumers upon entering an establishment of a merchant. The checking-in of the PCD consumer may include verifying credentials for gaining access to a central mobile payment controller and receiving a merchant identifier corresponding to a merchant from a computer communications network. Next, a scan of a machine-readable code associated with at least one of a good and a service may be received. Information associated with the machine-readable code may be retrieved from a database. Subsequently, a personalized price for the at least one good or service may be determined by applying one or more rules. The personalized price may be transmitted over a computer communications network to the portable computing device for display to the PCD consumer. |
| US09027824B2 |
Food containing device
A food containing device is provided. The food containing device may include a cone shaped body having a top end and a bottom end. The bottom end may include the cone tip, and the top end may include the rim. The rim forms an opening that leads into the body. The present invention may include at least one flap attached to and extending radially outward from the cone shaped body. The at least one flap may include at least one opening formed to receive a condiment. |
| US09027820B2 |
Unitized assembly including substructure element integral with fiber metal laminate
A unitized assembly may comprise a fiber metal laminate and at least one additive layer. The fiber metal laminate may have non-metallic plies bonded to metallic plies and may include an innermost metallic ply. The at least one additive layer may be deposited onto the innermost metallic ply by friction stir welding. |
| US09027814B2 |
Holster accommodating different sized portable device cases
A holster for a mobile device case having a first predetermined configuration and a second predetermined configuration. The holster includes a base sized to releasably affix the mobile device case independent of whether the mobile device case is in the first predetermined configuration or the second predetermined configuration. |
| US09027812B2 |
Backpack Frame
A backpack frame is disclosed herein. The backpack frame includes a frame body and an arm coupled to the frame body. The arm has a proximal portion at the one or more points of connection and a distal portion that is extended away from the one or more points of connection. A space between a distal portion of the arm and the frame body is sufficiently sized to receive the head of an antlered animal therethrough when the distal portion of the arm is pivoted away from the frame body. The arm is capable of pivoting at a point of connection between the arm and the frame body. Accordingly, at least in some instances, when the head of an antlered animal is inserted through the space, the arm pivots, locking the head in place and supporting the head and antlers. |
| US09027809B1 |
Platform for transporting or storing goods
A lightweight platform is formed by using plastic, aluminum, or an open spaced metal. The platform consists of a front section, a middle section, and a rear section. The front and rear sections may have side walls of any height. End walls may be attached if desired. The front section is connected to the middle section by hinges located on a top surface of the platform. The middle section is connected to the rear section by hinges located on a bottom surface of the platform. The platform moves from an open position to a closed position and back easily and without the necessity of latches. |
| US09027803B2 |
Friction reducing elements and assemblies for hanging devices
A friction reducing element for a hanging device includes a roller configured for positioning on an upper portion of a hook and a tubular elastomeric sleeve stretch-fitted over an outer surface of the roller. The roller is provided with a contoured outer surface and the sleeve is made from a thermoset elastomer such that the friction reducing element facilitates positioning of the hanging device, along a clothing rod. Use of the thermoset elastomer also prevents premature development of areas of deformation on the friction reducing element over time. The friction reducing element may be assembled into an upper portion of a hook for a clothes hanger, or other similar hanging device. |
| US09027801B2 |
Feeder element
An elongate collapsible feeder element for use in metal casting and a feeder system with attached feeder element and feeder sleeve. The feeder element has an A end and an opposite B end measured along the height, and a C end and an opposite D end measured along the length. The A end is for mounting on a mold pattern or swing plate and the opposite B end is for receiving a feeder sleeve. A bore is between the A and B ends defined by a sidewall having a stepped collapsible portion. The feeder element is compressible in use to reduce the distance between the A and B ends. The bore is offset from the centre of the feeder element along the length towards the C end and a second sidewall region is non-planar, contiguous with a third sidewall region and located between the bore axis and the D end. |
| US09027800B2 |
Dispensing assembly
A dispensing assembly for pourable food or drink products, comprising: a receptacle for accommodating a pourable food or drink product, comprising an opening; and a closure means for closing the opening, comprising a closure member, mounted across the opening, having at least one outlet, and a stop member mounted to confront the outlet, the closure member being resiliently deformable, by the pressing action of a user, from a first condition in which the outlet is spaced from the stop member and the food or drink product may be poured through the outlet to a second condition in which the outlet has been moved inwardly to a position in which it is closed off by the stop member. |
| US09027796B1 |
Tool to aid in the caulking process
A flexible and resilient tool for use with a conventional half barrel, parallel frame caulking gun or enclosed “sausage” style caulking gun, aiding the user in finishing and shaping after the caulking material has been applied. One function of the tool is to collect excess caulk from his finger(s) or from various shaping tools and spatulas. Also provided can be cap, rag and sponge holders. Additional embodiments include adaptations to existing prior art disposable caulking cartridges and caulking guns to include components of the disclosed tool. |
| US09027793B2 |
Fitment for a container
A product includes a container including a neck, and a fitment having a portion coupled to the neck of the container via an interference fit. |
| US09027787B2 |
Medicine dispensing device with locking interaction between hatch and dividing wall
A medicine dispensing device includes a shell-like base unit, a shell-like cassette with a number of compartments for storage of medicines which is rotatable relative to the base unit, a unit for rotating the cassette relative to the base unit at predetermined times, a lid firmly connected to the base unit, and an aperture situated in the lid in such a way as to be movable to become central to any desired compartment of the cassette when the cassette is rotated relative to the base unit and the lid. A hatch is provided close to the aperture and can assume a position in which the aperture is closed and a position in which the aperture is exposed. The hatch is pivotable relative to a pivot axis. The hatch has a rear edge which has an extent in the circumferential direction of the device. |
| US09027785B1 |
Tank holding device
A tank holding device, comprising a base plate and a cylinder containment portion. The cylinder containment portion being fixedly coupled to the base plate. There is at least one drain hole which is located at the joining of the cylinder containment portion and the base plate. The drain hole is angled upward and inward. The drain hole forms an outwardly and downwardly draining trough. |
| US09027773B2 |
Divided wooden tank
A wooden water tank for a building has a wooden tank wall, a tank bottom and a wooden dividing wall across the tank defining at least two water compartments. There are attachments between the foregoing parts, and leak preventing connections between parts. Each wall is a sequential series of staves or boards secured together for leak prevention. The staves of the circumferential tank wall extend vertically. The staves of the dividing wall extend horizontally. The staves are all pressed together so that neighboring staves are sealed to each other preventing leakage through the walls. There are hoops and hoop segments around the circumferential wall, and connections to the hoops press the staves of the circumferential wall toward each other for sealing. |
| US09027771B2 |
Beverage and food carrier and dispensing systems therefor
A carrier for carrying at least one beverage container includes a sheet of at least one layer of a polymeric material having an arrangement of at least one aperture for receiving a beverage container, and having a plurality of handle members for grasping by at least one finger or portion of a users hand for carrying the beverage container. A tray configuration is also provided for use with the carrier or in a separate manner, and a dispensing system for use with the carrier is set forth. |
| US09027768B2 |
Prescription bottle storage units and medical organizer cases
A prescription bottle storage unit for holding a plurality of prescription pill bottles includes a holder for holding the plurality of prescription pill bottles in fixed positions spaced-apart around a vertically-extending axis so that outwardly-extending side portions of the plurality of prescription pill bottles are observable. |
| US09027763B2 |
No vault pump filter
A pump filter system for use with a submersible pump assembly including a base cup having an outer peripheral flange and an upwardly extending ring concentrically located within and spaced from the peripheral flange. A self-supporting, substantially uniformly perforated, tubular wall portion having a lower end coupled to the base cup outer peripheral flange and an upper end surrounding a pump discharge conduit connection. A tubular sleeve having a lower end contiguous with an upper portion of the pump body and an upper end projecting above the discharge conduit connection. A tapered coupling having a lower end connected to the perforated tubular wall upper end and an upper end connected to the tubular sleeve upper end, and a seal ring surrounding the discharge conduit connection and the tubular sleeve inner surface. |
| US09027762B2 |
Multi-disc assembly for disc screen
A multi-disc assembly for releasable attachment to the shaft of a disc screen is provided. The multi-disc assembly includes a multi-disc hub of elastomeric material including multiple discs configured for use in the disc screen. The hub has a through bore configured for direct engagement over a shaft of the disc screen. A disc screen comprising the multi-disc assembly and method of using the multi-disc assembly are also provided. |
| US09027759B2 |
Sorting apparatus
A sorting apparatus is described, and which includes a conveyor which transports a produce stream for inspection. A product separation surface is mounted near the distal end of the conveyor, and the produce stream passes over the product separation surface, and is slowed to a speed such that the produce stream falls substantially immediately vertically downwardly. An inspection zone is located downstream relative to the product separation surface. An imaging device is provided, and which images the produce stream passing through the inspection zone; an illumination device is provided for illuminating the produce stream passing through the inspection zone, and an ejector assembly is located downstream of the inspection zone and which removes unwanted solid material in the produce stream having undesirable characteristics. |
| US09027758B2 |
Collapsible sifter
A collapsible sifter having a substantially rigid annular top rim, a substantially rigid annular bottom ring, a flexible annular middle portion having two or more living hinges to collapse the sifter from an open configuration to a collapsed configuration and a removably attachable bottom implement. First and second cooperating elements, associated with the annular bottom ring and the bottom implement, are used to removably attach the bottom implement to the bottom annular ring. |
| US09027757B2 |
Mixture of an amine alkoxylate ester and a quaternary ammonium compound as a collector for minerals containing silicate
The invention relates to the use of a composition of A) at least one quaternary ammonia compound comprising at least one organic radical bonded to the ammonia nitrogen atom and optionally comprising heteroatoms and having 1 to 36 carbon atoms, and B) at least one amine alkoxylate ester of formula (1) or a salt thereof, where A, B are, independently of each other, a C2- through C5-alkylene radical R1, a C8- through C24-alkyl radical or alkenyl radical R2, R3, R4 independent of each other, H, or a C8- through C24-acyl radical, with the stipulation that at least one of the radicals R2, R3 or R4 stands for a C8- through C24-acyl radical, and x, y, z, independently of each other, stand for a whole number from 0 through 50, with the stipulation that x+y+z is a whole number from 1 through 100, in quantities of 10 through 5000 g/tonne of ore as a collector in silicate floation. |
| US09027756B2 |
Structure of inflatable packaging device
A packaging device includes first and second thermoplastic films superposed with each other, wherein predetermined portions of the thermoplastic films are bonded creating a plurality of fluid containers, a plurality of check valves each connected to a corresponding fluid container, a fluid passage in a first direction connected to the check valves, and a second border between an inflated section including the plurality of fluid containers and an uninflated section, wherein the first and second thermoplastic films are folded and two side edges of the films are bonded and a first portion of a first border connecting the inflated section to a second section is folded and an overlapped portion of the first portion is bonded leaving a remaining portion of the first border unbonded wherein the uninflated section forms a loop, and wherein the uninflated section forming the loop is folded into the inflated section to form a lining. |
| US09027749B2 |
Wipes dispenser with self-closing lid
A container for storing wipes that can be dispensed by a consumer includes a container body. The container body includes a bottom wall, a midsection, and a top wall. The container body can define an interior cavity for storing the wipes. The container can further include a dispensing aperture in the container body and a lid. The lid is configured to be opened and closed, providing access to the dispensing aperture when open and hindering access to the dispensing aperture when closed. The lid can be urged to the closed position when the lid is in a first range of positions between the open position and the closed position and can be urged to the open position when the lid is in a second range of positions between the open position and the closed position. |
| US09027744B1 |
Center loading assembly for a conveyor belt
A center loading assembly for a conveyor belt having a carriage support attached to a belt conveyor main frame and having a carriage within the carriage support. The carriage has a center member with side members extending at an angle therefrom, each having an upward extension. The upward extensions have side rollers and conveyor belt covering skirts and keep the conveyor belt centered between the conveyor belt covering skirts. The carriage support has vertical bearings to support the carriage and side bearings to hold the carriage on the vertical bearings. The carriage and conveyor belt covering skirts follow a trough angle of the conveyor belt as the conveyor belt shifts. Material deposited onto the conveyor belt is deflected to the center portion of the conveyor belt by the conveyor belt covering skirts. |
| US09027740B2 |
Transport apparatus with moving trucks
A transport apparatus for transporting goods, wherein a moving truck arrangement having at least two moving truck elements can be displaced along a guide track, wherein great spatial freedom of design of the guide track is made possible. The moving truck arrangement can be moved both in a pulling and in a pushing manner by a drive mechanism and the goods can be transported by the individual moving truck elements. |
| US09027737B2 |
Scrubber layboy
A Layboy machine for the transportation of corrugated boxes including one or more Scrap Separation devices for improved Scrap separation. The Scrap Separation means include a Compliant Scrap Blocker for Loose Scrap, an Opposing Phase Shift Beater for Trapped Scrap and all types of Hanging Chads, a Chad Wall for stripping Lead Edge Trim, Trail Edge Trim and Side Edge Trim Scrap, a Compliant Scrap Blocker-Wedge Roller for harsher scrubbing of the box and motivating Scrap above the Board Line to move to under the Board Line and Side Edge Trim Chad Stripper which is removes Side Edge Trim Chads. The Wheel Assemblies are superior in allowing the proper configuration of the various Scrap Separation Means. The concept of the staggered Wheel Assemblies also leads to reduced Order Setup Time, better board control and reduced Print Damage and Box Size variation out of the Press. |
| US09027734B2 |
Buffer section for a conveying system and conveying system of this type
A buffer section for a conveying system in a high rack warehouse comprises a slide rod inclined relative to the horizontal for sliding conveyance along a conveying path in a conveying direction, which is parallel to a slide rod longitudinal axis, of a plurality of suspended conveyed goods, which are in each case suspended by means of a hook on the slide rod, and a stopper element in the conveying path at the end of at least one portion of the slide rod to stop the conveyed goods with the formation of a group of conveyed goods, wherein the stopper element has a contact face, which can be displaced between a stopper arrangement to stop the conveyed goods and a passing arrangement for allowing the conveyed goods through, for the conveyed goods, and wherein exclusively the stopper element is used to stop the conveyed goods. |
| US09027730B2 |
Microplate handling systems and related computer program products and methods
Systems, computer program products, and methods useful for handling or managing microplates are provided. |
| US09027727B2 |
Coupling system and method for a vehicle
A coupling system and method for a powered component on a vehicle includes a powered component, a rotating member mechanically driven by an engine on the vehicle and a radial coupling between the powered component and the rotating member for mechanically powering the powered component. |
| US09027726B2 |
Torque transmission device
It is an object of the present invention to provide a compact torque transmission device. The torque transmission device includes an input-side member, an output-side member, a clutch and a pressing mechanism. The clutch is configured to transmit or cut torque between the input-side member and the output-side member. The pressing mechanism includes a pressing member for pressing the clutch, and a pressing device. The pressing device is a device for pressing the pressing member, and is disposed on the inner peripheral side of the clutch. |
| US09027723B2 |
Vehicle electric power supply system
The present invention is vehicle electric power supply system (A) that supplies electric power wirelessly to a vehicle (M) that is positioned within an electric power supply area (X). The vehicle electric power supply system (A) has: a power-receiving device (m1) that is provided in the vehicle; a plurality of power-transmitting devices (1a1, 1a2, 1a3, 1b1, 1b2, 1b3, 1c1, 1c2, 1c3) that are provided at mutually different positions within the electric power supply area; a position detecting device (4) that detects the position of the power-receiving device within the electric power supply area; and a control device (4) that, based on detection results from the position detecting device, selects from among the plurality of power-transmitting devices the power-transmitting device that is located in a position that corresponds to the power-receiving device, and then causes power to be supplied wirelessly from the selected power-transmitting device. |
| US09027722B1 |
Movable container system
A movable, e.g., wheeled, container, system, such as an article of luggage, cooler or other wheeled container, can include a container body with an openable lid. The system can include one or more wheels secured to the container body and a handle that extends from the container body. The system can include one or more strap mechanisms attached to the interior of the container body. Each strap mechanism can provide a retractable strap to extend from the container body. Each strap can be extended over an item to be secured to an exterior surface of the container body. An extended end of each strap can be secured to a fastening device located on an exterior surface of the container body. The wheels may be driven by motors that can be controlled by a user. A movable container system can be releasably attached to one or more other movable container systems. |
| US09027712B2 |
Adaptable platform for loading and unloading railway cars
An apparatus that provides selectively deployable worker access with fall protection to at least a portion of the top of a container disposed above the ground. A gangway and its associated fall protection cage are selectively deployable from an elevated platform over the top of the container. The gangway and its associated cage are slidably connected to the platform via a track carried along the side of the platform. |
| US09027708B2 |
Aircraft turbojet engine nacelle air intake maintenance trolley
This maintenance trolley (17) for the air intake (9) of the nacelle of an aircraft turbojet engine is notable in that it comprises a base (19) and a platform (23) cantilever-mounted on this base (19) and designed to enter said air intake (9) without contact therewith. |
| US09027707B2 |
Convertible safety harness
An upper body harness portion for converting a seat-style harness to a full body harness. The upper body harness portion includes a front lower component, a rear lower component, and an upper torso component having elongated first, second and third webbings. The ends of the first and second webbings are detachably securable to opposite sides of the front and rear or side portions of the seat-style harness waist belt, respectively. The third webbing forms a closed loop which, when worn, extends over a wearer's shoulders on opposite sides of the wearer's head. First and second connectors are slidably connected to the third webbing, with the first connector also being slidably connected to the first webbing adjacent the front of a wearer and the second connector being slidably connected to the second webbing adjacent the back of a wearer. |
| US09027706B2 |
Enhanced, lightweight acoustic scrim barrier
An enhanced, lightweight acoustic absorber is provided. The acoustic absorber is bounded by the at least one scrim layer without need for additional layers, such as melt-blown or nonwoven layers. The at least one scrim layer includes at least one non-planar, folded scrim layer bonded to itself or another scrim layer to form a plurality of air spaces between folded portions of the at least one scrim layer. The at least one scrim layer establishes a thickness of the acoustic absorber extending across opposite exposed sides of the acoustic absorber. |
| US09027702B2 |
Synthetic jet muffler
A synthetic jet muffler includes an exit end, a propagation path for conducting a first sound wave emitted by a synthetic jet generator to the exit end, and a shroud for conducting a second sound wave emitted from the synthetic jet generator in a direction opposite to the first sound wave to the exit end, wherein the shroud is disposed so that the first and second sound waves travel different distances to effect noise cancellation at the exit end. |
| US09027701B2 |
Protective enclosure for enhancing sound from an electronic device
A protective enclosure for an electronic device can include a waveguide to direct and enhance sound waves emanating from a speaker of an electronic device when installed in the protective enclosure. The waveguide can include a first end and a second end. The first end of the waveguide can be located proximate the speaker of the electronic device. The waveguide can increase in cross-sectional area between the first end and the second end. |
| US09027700B2 |
Bonding structure of diaphragm for microspeaker
The present invention relates to an assembly structure of a diaphragm for a microspeaker. The present invention discloses a bonding structure of a diaphragm for a microspeaker, the boding structure comprising: a suspension including a central portion, an outer peripheral portion, and a connecting portion connecting the central portion and the outer peripheral portion; and a side diaphragm including an inner peripheral portion and an outer peripheral portion, which are attached to the central portion and outer peripheral portion of the suspension, respectively, and a dome portion, which projects between the inner peripheral portion and the outer peripheral portion, wherein the suspension and the side diaphragm are attached by thermal compression. |
| US09027697B2 |
Construction machine
On the right front side of a revolving frame (5) constituting an upper revolving structure (3), an operating oil tank (11) and a fuel tank (12) are arranged. On the front side of this operating oil tank (11) and the fuel tank (12), an equipment accommodating case (13) forming an accommodating space (13A) inside is provided. In the accommodating space (13A) in the equipment accommodating case (13), a control valve unit (20) for controlling supply/discharge of the operating oil and a urea water tank (24) storing urea water for removing nitrogen oxides contained in an exhaust gas of the engine (8) are arranged together. |
| US09027688B2 |
Reducing agent tank and work vehicle
A reducing agent tank includes a tank body storing reducing agent and a cylindrical gauge member visually indicating a storage amount of the reducing agent inside the tank body. The gauge member is in communication with an inside of the tank body. The tank body has a replenishment port to replenish the reducing agent. The gauge member is provided on a first wall surface of a plurality of wall surfaces defining the tank body. The gauge member is provided in a slanted manner relative to a bottom plate of the tank body. The replenishing port and the gauge member are disposed in a row along a direction that extends along the first wall surface as seen in a plan view. |
| US09027684B2 |
Vehicular battery mounting structure
A vehicular battery mounting structure (10) includes a floor panel (14), a battery frame (30) arranged below the floor panel (14), and a bracket (40) provided on both left and right sides of a vehicle, interposed between the floor panel (14) and the battery frame (30). The bracket (40) includes a bottom wall portion (42), an inside flange portion (48) that is on an inside in a vehicle width direction, and an outside flange portion (50) that is on an outside in the vehicle width direction. A shape of the bracket is a generally hat-shape opening upward in the sectional view taken along the vehicle width direction. The battery frame (30) is indirectly or directly fixed to the bottom wall portion (42). The inside and outside flange portions (48, 50) are joined to the floor panel (14) such that a joint strength between the outside flange portion (50) and the floor panel (14) is greater than a joint strength between the inside flange portion (48) and the floor panel (14). |
| US09027680B2 |
Hybrid vehicle and control method thereof
In a hybrid vehicle, a target rotational speed and a target torque or a target operation point of an engine are set to a predetermined optimal efficiency rotational speed and a predetermined optimal efficiency torque that enable the engine to be operated efficiently when the engine is operated while a state of charge of the battery is equal to or more than a control-center state of charge after a start of a driving of the vehicle. Then, the engine and motors are controlled so that the engine is operated at the target operation point and a torque equivalent to a torque demand is output to a ring gear shaft or an axle. |
| US09027677B2 |
Electric tracklaying gear and use thereof for a self-propelled working machine
The present invention relates to an electric tracklaying gear and the use thereof for a self-propelled working machine, preferably for a construction or earth-moving machine or a surface mining machine such as Surface Miner, which includes an endlessly circulating track chain which can be driven by a crawler drive that is arranged inside the path of circulation of the track chain. It is proposed to associate a cooling device with a closed fluid cooling circuit to the electric motor of the crawler drive arranged in the interior of the path of circulation of the track chain. Due to the high thermal capacity of a suitable cooling fluid such as oil or water-glycol mixture small volumetric flow rates in the fluid cooling circuit and hence small conduit cross-sections are sufficient. On the other hand, due to the closed formation of the fluid cooling circuit any dust input into the crawler drive and also any generation of dust by exhaust air can be avoided. |
| US09027676B2 |
Construction machine
A construction machine includes: a lower propelling body; and an upper slewing body which is slewably mounted on the lower propelling body. The upper slewing body includes: an engine room provided with an intake opening and a discharge opening; a duct provided in the engine room so as to communicate with the discharge opening; and an exhaust gas pipe which guides exhaust gas discharged from the engine into the duct. The discharge opening and an outlet of the duct are open downward from the engine room. A portion on a distal end side of the exhaust gas pipe is inserted into the duct. The duct and the exhaust gas pipe are configured to cause the exhaust gas to be mixed with cooled air in the duct and cause the mixture of the exhaust gas and the cooled air to be discharged downward from the discharge opening. |
| US09027674B2 |
Custom shaped blank
A blank may include a tang section, a base section, and an angled section with a recess. The tang section may have an outer surface with an outer diameter. The base section may have an outer surface with a diameter greater than the outer diameter of the tang section. The angled section may lie between the tang section and the base section and may have an outer surface that transitions in diameter from the outer diameter of the tang section to the outer diameter of the base section. The recess in the angled section may be shaped to engage a tip of a former. |
| US09027673B2 |
Universal drilling and completion system
Methods and apparatus are described to drill and complete wellbores. Such wellbores include extended reach horizontal wellbores, for example in shales, deep subsea extended reach wellbores, and multilateral wellbores. Specifically, the invention provides simple threaded subassemblies that are added to existing threaded tubular drilling and completion equipment which are used to dramatically increase the lateral reach using that existing on-site equipment. These subassemblies extract power from downward flowing clean mud, or other fluids, in an annulus to provide additional force or torque on tubular elements within the wellbore, while maintaining circulation, to extend the lateral reach of the drilling equipment and completion equipment. These added elements include combinations of The Leaky Seal™, a Cross-Over, The Force Sub™ and The Torque Sub™. The use of such additional simple elements allow lighter drilling equipment to be used to reach a given lateral distance, therefore reducing drilling costs. |
| US09027667B2 |
Structure for gunpowder charge in combined fracturing perforation device
This invention provides a structure for gunpowder charge for charging gunpowders of different rates in combined fracturing perforation devices. The structure for gunpowder charge is convenient to mount and transport. In one embodiment, said structure for gunpowder charge comprises an inner gunpowder box located between adjacent perforating charges in the charge frame of a perforation device, and an outer gunpowder box attached to the outer wall of the charge frame, wherein said outer gunpowder box comprises one or two box units (2 or 4) with at least one claw at the inner side of said box unit, said claw can be locked into a groove or installation hole of the charge frame, and wherein said inner gunpowder box and said outer gunpowder box are charged with gunpowders of different burning rates. |
| US09027666B2 |
Machine tool, in particular handheld machine tool
A power tool, in particular a hand-held power tool, preferably embodied as a cordless screwdriver, is equipped with a torque limiting unit in which the release torque is settable by way of a locking brace that is equipped with a spring brace for locking elements that abut axially against parts of a planetary drive, in particular the ring gear thereof or the planet carrier thereof as a last gear stage, the spring elements of the spring brace and the locking elements being located with a radial offset from one another. |
| US09027661B2 |
Foam chamber having a closable testing outlet
A foam chamber of a fire suppressant system having a closable testing outlet is disclosed. The foam chamber can operate in a testing mode and an operation mode. The invention has an inlet conduit for accepting a fire suppressant fluid attached to an expansion conduit. An expansion enclosure having two closable outlets is also attached to the inlet conduit and surrounds the expansion conduit. One outlet empties into the expansion enclosure. The other outlet extends through the wall of the expansion enclosure and empties outside of the expansion enclosure. Both of the closable outlets can be fitted with either an unbreakable seal or a frangible seal. If the foam chamber is configured for normal operation, the unbreakable seal is placed on the outlet that extends through the wall of the expansion enclosure and a frangible seal is placed on the outlet that empties into the expansion enclosure. |
| US09027660B2 |
Shipping cap for fire protection sprinkler
A shipping cap for a sprinkler includes a main body having a hollow annular wall portion having a closed upper end. A first pair of side legs extend laterally and axially from a first side of the cylindrical wall portion and a second pair of side legs extend laterally from a second side of the cylindrical wall portion. A first side curtain extends from one of the first pair of side legs and one of the second pair of side legs and a second side curtain extends from the other of the first pair of side legs and the other of the second pair of side legs. |
| US09027654B2 |
Valve with shuttle
A valve for use in a flow management system comprising a valve including a body, a shuttle, and a seat closure, a rotatable shaft passing through the body and the seat closure, the rotatable shaft for operating a mechanical pump, and, translation of the seat closure along the rotatable shaft operable to mate the seat closure with a seat of the shuttle. |
| US09027652B2 |
Method for conveying balls downhole using a ball carrier medium
A method is provided for safely delivering actuators such as balls from a ball injector to a downhole tool in a wellbore. A structure or carrier medium, such as a slug of gel or foam, is introduced to a bore of injector and the ball is injected into the bore for support by the carrier medium. A displacement fluid, such as fracturing fluid, is pumped into the wellbore to drive the carrier medium and ball. Each slug and ball can be retrieved at a ball catcher at the wellhead. |
| US09027649B2 |
Rotating and reciprocating swivel apparatus and method
What is provided is a method and apparatus wherein a swivel can be detachably connected to an annular blowout preventer thereby separating the drilling fluid or mud into upper and lower sections and allowing the fluid to be displaced in two stages, such as while the drill string is being rotated and/or reciprocated. In one embodiment the sleeve or housing can be rotatably and sealably connected to a mandrel. The swivel can be incorporated into a drill or well string and enabling string sections both above and below the sleeve to be rotated in relation to the sleeve. In one embodiment the drill or well string does not move in a longitudinal direction relative to the swivel. In one embodiment, the drill or well string does move longitudinally relative to the sleeve or housing of the swivel. |
| US09027643B2 |
Method of removing cutters
A method for enhanced degradation of a cutting structure on a drill shoe is provided. The cutting structure may be degraded at an accelerated rate after achieving a desired objective. Degradation of the cutting structures on the drill shoe may facilitate the eventual drill out of the drill shoe. In one embodiment, a method of degrading the cutting structure includes operating the drill shoe using a reduced flow rate of drilling fluid. In another embodiment, a method of degrading the cutting structure includes operating the drill shoe at an increased rotary speed. In yet another embodiment, a method of degrading the cutting structure includes operating the drill shoe with an increased weight on bit. In yet another embodiment, a method of degrading the cutting structure includes any combination of one or more of the enhanced degradation methods described herein. |
| US09027642B2 |
Dual-purpose steam injection and production tool
A dual-purpose tool can be used for steam injection and production in a wellbore. A mandrel deploys in the wellbore to communicate steam in a steam injection operation and to communicate production fluid from the wellbore during production operations. A distributor on the mandrel has nozzles for injecting steam into the wellbore and has production valves for producing fluids from the wellbore. A screen can be used to screen production fluids as they are produced through the production valves. The nozzles can also allows produced fluids to flow into the mandrel, or backflow valves can be used to restrict flow of produced fluids through the nozzles while permitting the flow of steam out of the nozzles. |
| US09027641B2 |
Method of fracturing multiple zones within a well using propellant pre-fracturing
A method of fracturing multiple zones within a wellbore formed in a subterranean formation is carried out by forming flow-through passages in two or more zones within the wellbore that are spaced apart from each other along the wellbore. The flow-through passages are arranged into clusters, where the directions of all flow-through passages, which belong to the same cluster, are aligned within a single plane (cluster plane). At least one cluster of flow-through passages is formed in each zone. The clusters within each zone have characteristics different from those of other zones provided by orienting the cluster planes at different angles relative to principal in-situ stresses and by placing them into different locations along the wellbore in each of the two or more zones. A propellant pre-fracturing treatment is then performed in the two or more zones to create initial fractures (pre-fractures) in each of the two or more zones. The fracturing fluid in the fracturing treatment is provided at a pressure that is above the pre-fracture propagation pressure of one of the two or more zones to facilitate fracturing of said one of the two or more zones. The pressure of the fracturing fluid is below the pre-fracture propagation pressure of any other non-treated zones of the two or more zones. The isolating of the treated zone is then performed. The fracturing process is then repeated for at least one or more non-treated zones of the two or more zones. |
| US09027640B2 |
Method for signalling a downhole device in a well
A method and apparatus for controlling the operation of a well involves locating a pressure monitoring device downhole and arranging it to be operative: to monitor a characteristic pressure profile of a well during a certain time span controlled by a downhole clock associated with the device; to monitor the temperature downhole in the region of the clock; to calibrate a time reading of the downhole clock with reference to the monitored temperature to correct for drift between the clock time and real time resulting from the downhole elevated temperature; and to respond and generate a triggering output when a significant deviation to the pressure profile is introduced into the well as a control signal to the monitoring device, by comparing two separate pressure profiles within the time span, the device only generating the triggering output when the same pressure profile is monitored twice within the time span. |
| US09027638B2 |
Cyclic steam stimulation using RF
A method of producing hydrocarbons from a well. The method begins by injecting steam into a well. The bitumen in the formation is then heated with the injected steam, followed by ceasing the injection of steam into the well and then by soaking the bitumen with the injected steam and collecting the heated oil. Steam that has condensed is revaporized by directing RF/MW radiation to the steam allowing for more bitumen to be produced without injecting more steam. In addition, some of the steam could become superheated, wherein the temperature of the superheated steam is greater than the temperature of the steam. The bitumen is heated by the revaporized steam and the superheated steam, followed by soaking the bitumen with the revaporized steam and the superheated steam. Hydrocarbons are then produced from the well. |
| US09027631B2 |
Metal alloy injection molding overflows
Metal alloy injection molding techniques are described. In one or more implementations, these techniques may also include adjustment of injection pressure, configuration of runners, and/or use of vacuum pressure, and so on to encourage flow of the metal alloy through a mold. Techniques are also described that utilize protrusions to counteract thermal expansion and subsequent contraction of the metal alloy upon cooling. Further, techniques are described in which a radius of edges of a feature is configured to encourage flow and reduce voids. A variety of other techniques are also described herein. |
| US09027626B2 |
Window edge space filler and window covering
A window opening space filler for use with a window having a window opening of predetermined opening width surrounded by a window frame, to adjust the predetermined opening width to fit a window covering having a predetermined covering width, less than the opening width, and having an attachment member for attachment to the widow frame, and, a filler member separate from the attachment member and attachable to the attachment member and extending across the window opening, so that a user can reduce the width of a window opening down each side edge make the window covering fit the reduced width window opening. |
| US09027625B2 |
Device for preloading a rewind mechanism
The present invention concerns a device (1) for preloading of a rewind mechanism (2) for a fabric (4) arranged on an elongated tube (3) or the like of a roller blind, a projector screen or the like. The rewind mechanism (2) is arranged to be essentially inserted into said tube (3) and includes a spring (10), that is tensioned when the fabric (4) is rolled out and relieved when the fabric (4) is rolled up onto the tube (3). The device (1) includes an outer mounting element (5), that is arranged to be attached to the tube (3), and an inner mounting element (6), that is arranged to be attached to an outer bracket (not shown), said mounting elements (5, 6) being rotatingly arranged in relation to each other about a longitudinal axis of said tube (3). A spring element (7) is arranged between said mounting elements (5, 6) and includes a sleeve (11), in which said spring (10) is arranged. The sleeve (11) has an inner diameter that is smaller than the outer diameter of the spring (10) in an untensioned condition, wherein said spring (10) is arranged inside the sleeve (11) by being inserted therein in a pretensioned condition. |
| US09027622B2 |
Method of building carcass band and stitcher apparatus
A stitcher apparatus for pressing a carcass ply sheet from its outer periphery as to be pressure-bonded onto a rubber sheet member after that the carcass ply sheet is pasted onto the rubber sheet member wound around a building drum, the stitcher apparatus including: a ring-shaped frame; and a plurality of pressure-bond rollers. |
| US09027619B2 |
Split ply tires and bead area monocomponents
An intermediate article of manufacture formed as a first stage bead area subassembly for a split ply pneumatic tire carcass is disclosed. The bead area subassembly has an annular bead core; a bead apex; a ply strip; and preferably a sidewall affixed to the ply strip. The subassembly is formed into a disk-shaped bead area monocomponent. The ply strip is wrapped about the bead core and the apex to form a ply turnup and both the ply strip and the ply turnup extend radially outwardly from the bead core. The bead area subassembly when formed into the disk-shaped bead area monocomponent is placed on an annular holder device. The combination of the bead area monocomponent on the holder device can be stacked for storage and latter assembly into a split ply carcass. Preferably, the ply turnup can be oriented extending inside or axially inward of the bead core on final assembly to form a split ply tire having axially inside turnups. In the preferred embodiment the ply strip is reinforced by radially extending ply cords. |
| US09027618B2 |
Mounted assemblies for aircraft, wheels and tires
A mounted assembly of a wheel and a tire. The tire inflation pressure is greater than 9 bar, and a relative deflection of the tire greater than 30%. The rim comprises a drop-center functionality and is of monobloc type. A carcass reinforcement includes a circumferential alignment of carcass reinforcement elements anchored in the beads by a stack of circumferentially oriented reinforcement elements, and by an anchoring rubber mix having an elasticity modulus of less than 30 MPa at 10% deformation. |
| US09027617B2 |
Pneumatic tire
An object of the present invention is to provide a pneumatic tire of which rolling resistance is reduced without impairing wear resistance. Specifically, the pneumatic tire of the present invention comprises: a tread portion; a pair of side wall portions; a pair of bead portions; a carcass constituted of at least one carcass ply extending in a toroidal shape between bead cores in the respective bead portions; a belt disposed on the outer peripheral side of a crown region of the carcass and formed by at least one inclined belt layer made of cords extending to be inclined with respect to the equatorial plane of the tire; and a tread rubber disposed on the radially outer side of the belt, wherein a ratio of BD/BW satisfies the following formula: (0.062×tire aspect ratio−0.01) |
| US09027613B2 |
Heavy duty tire
A heavy duty tire comprises a tread portion provided with tread blocks each provided in the ground contact surface thereof with a single zigzag sipe. A ratio A/B of a block length (A) which is the circumferential length of the block measured along a straight line passing through the centroid of the ground contact surface to a maximum block width (B) which is the axial distance between the axial extreme ends of the ground contact surface is 0.8 to 1.7. The zigzag sipe is disposed within a central region which is defined as extending from the centroid of the ground contact surface towards each side in the tire circumferential direction by 25% of the block length (A). The zigzag sipe is composed of a pair of major straight segments extending axially inwardly from both sides of in the tire axial direction of the block, and a minor straight segment extending between the inner ends of the respective major straight segments, so that the circumferential distance between the circumferential extreme ends of the sipe is in a range of from 10 to 35% of the block length (A). |
| US09027611B2 |
Multi-purpose tire
A tire has a circumferential tread, the tread including shoulder tread regions configured for off-road performance separated by and interlocking with a center tread region configured for on-road performance. The shoulder tread regions are defined by a repeating pattern of two or more distinct shoulder tread elements and the center tread region is defined by a repeating pattern of two or more distinct center tread elements. The shoulder tread elements each have a ground contacting surface area greater than a ground contacting surface area of the center tread elements. The center tread elements extend at a relatively greater angle of inclination with respect to an equatorial centerplane of the tire and the shoulder tread elements extend at a relatively lesser angle of inclination with respect to the centerplane. The center tread elements and the shoulder tread elements are irregular and asymmetrical about a longitudinal central axis and a transverse central axis and, together, total five or more (three in the center tread region and two in the shoulder tread region) tread blocks of mutually distinctive geometric shape. |
| US09027609B2 |
Argon gas level controller
A controlled environment enclosure is disclosed. The enclosure has a tank with a lid, wherein the lid and tank are capable of creating a sealed enclosure. The enclosure also has a fluid filling inlet for introduction of a filling fluid into the tank, a fluid sensor for detecting a fluid other than the filling fluid, and a controller connected to the fluid sensor and the fluid filling inlet for selectively allowing the filling of the enclosure by the filling fluid through the fluid filling inlet. |
| US09027608B2 |
Vehicle-carried air compressor device
A vehicle-carried air compressor device includes a case installed with an air compressor therein, a tire repairing container containing a liquid adhesive, and a flexible linking tube. An air inlet coupler of the tire repairing container is connected with an air outlet manifold of the air compressor. An end of the flexible linking tube is coupled to an adhesive outlet coupler of the tire repairing container, and the other end of the flexible linking tube is provided with a protection adapter for coupling to a tire nipple. Before the protection adapter is connected with the tire nipple, the other end of the flexible linking tube is closed by the protection adapter, so that the liquid adhesive in the tire repairing container will not shoot out suddenly because of improper handling. |
| US09027607B2 |
Pre-sressed insulated tubing
The present invention relates to a pre-stressed insulated tubing, including an inner tube (3) and an outer tube (2) nested outside of the inner tube (3), and a closed ring cavity is formed between the inner tube (3) and the outer tube (2), wherein an insulated casing (4) is arranged in the closed ring cavity. The pre-stressed insulated tubing of the present invention features high vacuum degree, high thermal insulation level and long working life, and the insulated casing is reusable for cost saving. |
| US09027606B2 |
Underwater conduit for fluid transport
A pipe for underwater transportation of fluid is indicated which includes a pressure-tight metal inner pipe for conducting the fluid, wherein for its stabilization in radial direction at least one profiled metal strand and for stabilizing in the axial direction at least one tension-proof strand are wound around the inner pipe. The inner pipe (1) is a metal pipe which is corrugated transversely of its longitudinal direction and which for stabilization in the radial direction is surrounded by at least one first radial reinforcement (3) which is composed of a profiled helically extending profile strip whose windings are placed closely next to each other or engage each other and are hooked together. Arranged around the first radial reinforcement (3) is arranged a metal pipe corrugated transversely of its longitudinal direction as the outer pipe (5); at least two layers of tension-proof strands (7, 8) are wound around the outer pipe (5), preferably with oppositely directed pitch. |
| US09027604B2 |
Sealing means, kit and method for sealing of hollow hoses of flexible material
The present invention relates to sealing means made of a plastically deformable material for mechanical sealing of hollow hoses (2) of elastic material by means of an appliance having at least two jaws, at least one of which is movable towards and away from the other and which, when moving towards each other, crimp the sealing means against the hose (2) for contamination-tight sealing of the same, the sealing means (20) comprises at least one sealing member (4, 4′; 44, 44′; 64, 64′; 74, 74′; 84), which has two opposite ends and an opening (40, 40′) that extends between said ends to allow the at least one sealing member to be slipped onto the hose (2) to be sealed.The present invention also relates to a kit comprising a sealing means and an appliance for sealing of hollow hoses and to a method for mechanical sealing of hollow hoses. |
| US09027598B2 |
Steplessly adjustable hydraulic insert valve
A steplessly adjustable hydraulic insert valve has a housing defining a radial direction and an end side in an installation direction. An inflow connector on the end side is connectable to a pressure medium source. First and second working connectors and a return connector are arranged in the radial direction. The return connector is connectable to a pressure medium tank. The housing has an axial bore and an actuator guided movably therein. The actuator can be held in an axial center position by at least one spring and is adjustable steplessly axially out of the center position by controllable actuation. At least one of the working connectors is fluidically connectable to the return connector by axial adjustment of the actuator. The actuator has a radial widened portion with first and second control edges for steplessly opening and/or closing first and second radial openings, respectively, of the return connector. |
| US09027597B2 |
Operating device
An operating device includes: an operating portion provided in a casing so as to be swingable; hydraulic pilot valves and configured to operate by causing the operating portion to swing; and damper portions configured to generate resistance force with respect to a swing operation of the operating portion when the operating portion is caused to swing. Each of the damper portions is configured to generate friction torque in such a manner that a plurality of swing friction plates configured to swing in accordance with the operating portion is pressed by a pressing spring in a direction perpendicular to a swing direction of the operating portion against a plurality of fixed friction plates configured to be prevented from swinging. |
| US09027593B2 |
Check valve
The invention relates to a check valve for blocking a fluid-carrying line in case of reversal of the flow direction, containing a valve housing defining a flow path and having two connecting pieces and a valve seat therebetween, and a flap module mounted in the valve housing and containing a shut-off body interacting with the valve seat, a bearing device for pivotably supporting the shut-off body such that the latter is movable between an open position and a closed position, and a lever extending between the shut-off body and the bearing device and being connected to the shut-off body and the bearing device. For easier manufacturing, the invention proposes that a part of the flap module is formed by at least one sheet-metal shaped part. |
| US09027583B2 |
Low shock strength inlet
A supersonic inlet having a cowl lip configured to capture the conic shock and exhibit a zero or substantially zero cowl angle is disclosed herein. The inlet may be configured to employ a relaxed isentropic compression surface and an internal bypass. The nacelle bypass may prevent flow distortions, introduced by the capture of the conic shock, from reaching the turbomachinery, thereby allowing the cowl angle to be reduced to zero or substantially zero. Such a cowl angle may reduce the inlet's contribution to the overall sonic boom signature for a supersonic aircraft while allowing for an increase in engine pressure recovery and a subsequent improvement in generated thrust by the engine. |
| US09027582B2 |
Flush adaptor for use with a valve fitment assembly for cleaning of the assembly
A flush adaptor for use with a valve fitment assembly for dispensing liquids from a container; wherein the flush adaptor comprises an outer ring-collar; a flange with an edge molded to the bottom of the outer ring-collar; an interior ring-collar adjacent to the outer ring-collar; a ridge molded in the interior ring-collar; a seat molded onto the interior ring-collar and a pin molded into the interior ring-collar which keeps the valve in an open position; and a hollow tube molded into the adaptor to allow the flow of liquid through the adaptor and into the fitment assembly; whereby the flush adaptor allows for cleaning of the assembly and any tubes connected thereto. |
| US09027581B2 |
Pneumatic controlled slam shut valve
Systems and methods provide pneumatic control of a slam shut valve system. |
| US09027579B2 |
Surface cleaning head
A surface cleaning head is provided comprising a dome-shaped, downwardly open housing, in which at least one spray arm is mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation, wherein the spray arm bears at a distance from the axis of rotation a nozzle which can be acted upon with cleaning fluid subject to pressure and revolves around the axis of rotation together with the spray arm, and comprising a protective disk which covers the at least one spray arm towards the open underside of the housing and defines a ring-shaped fluid passage for a stream of fluid to pass through, said fluid passage being penetrated by retaining bars, wherein the at least one spray arm is rotatable relative to the protective disk. The retaining bars are arranged so as to be distributed unevenly in circumferential direction. |
| US09027577B2 |
Nozzle and a substrate processing apparatus including the same
A nozzle of a nozzle device includes an arm pipe that extends in a horizontal direction and a downstream pipe formed so as to curve downward from one end of the arm pipe. In the nozzle, a metallic pipe is provided inside a second resin pipe. Moreover, a first resin pipe is provided inside the metallic pipe. A boss is attached to the tip of the metallic pipe between the first resin pipe and the second resin pipe. At the tip of the nozzle, an outer peripheral surface of the first resin pipe, an end surface of the second resin pipe and an end surface of the boss are welded by welding resin. In this way, the metallic pipe is reliably coated with the first resin pipe, the second resin pipe, the boss and the welding resin. |
| US09027571B2 |
Tool for separating a hair bundle
The present invention relates to a tool (1) for separating a hair bundle (11) comprising a number of hair strands appropriate for receiving a hair treatment composition (15) for creating a hair bundle effect. The hair bundle (11) is received into a through hole (10) via a slit (50). The dimensions of the through hole (10) dictate the appropriate size of a hair bundle (11). In one aspect of the present invention, the tool (1) is substantially flat in order to prevent spillages of hair treatment composition (15) onto the scalp. A gripping layer (70) may extend upon at least a portion of the tool (1) for aiding the grip of the tool (1) to the hair bundle (11). |
| US09027567B2 |
Oral pouch product with multi-layered pouch wrapper
An oral pouch product includes a dual layer pouch wrapper and an inner botanical filling material contained within the pouch wrapper. The pouch wrapper includes an inner web, an outer web and a coating, such as a water soluble flavorant containing coating therebetween. |
| US09027566B2 |
Apparatuses, systems, and associated methods for forming porous masses for smoke filter
A system for producing porous masses may include a mold cavity disposed along the material path, at least one hopper before at least a portion of the mold cavity for feeding a matrix material to the material path, a heat source in thermal communication with at least a first portion of the material path, and a cutter disposed along the material path after the first portion of the material path. |
| US09027565B2 |
Inline vapor cooling and filtering apparatus
A vapor inhalation device includes a first body portion defining a first chamber and a second body portion defining a second chamber provided at least partially within the first chamber, where the second body portion has at least one aperture placing the second chamber in fluid communication with the first chamber. An intake conduit defines a first air passageway from an exterior of the first body portion to within the second chamber. An output conduit has a proximal end located within the first chamber, a distal end opposite the proximal end and located at the exterior of the first body portion, is physically coupled to the first body portion at a location different from the proximal end of the output conduit, and defines a second air passageway extending from within the first chamber to the exterior of the body portion. |
| US09027564B2 |
Method for treating a lung
An embodiment of the invention includes a method for decreasing resistance to airflow within a bronchial tree of a subject. The method may include the step of moving an intraluminal device along a lumen of an airway of a bronchial tree, where the intraluminal device includes an expandable member and an energy emitter. The method also may include damaging nerves along the airway using the intraluminal device without destroying an inner surface of an airway wall disposed radially between the intraluminal device and the nerves. |
| US09027558B2 |
Headgear connection assembly for a respiratory mask assembly
A respiratory mask assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a frame and at least one locking clip. The frame has a main body and a side frame member provided on each lateral side of the main body, at least one of the side frame members including a locking clip receiver assembly. The at least one locking clip has a main body providing a front portion adapted to be removably coupled with the at least one locking clip receiver assembly and a rear portion adapted to be removably coupled to a headgear assembly. The rear portion includes a cross bar that forms an opening through which a strap of the headgear assembly can pass and be removably coupled with the cross bar, and the front portion includes at least one resiliently flexible spring arm that is flexible within the plane of the main body. |
| US09027556B2 |
Mask system
A cushion module provided to a frame module for delivery of a supply of gas at positive pressure to be delivered to a patient's airways, the cushion module comprising a main body and a cushion, the main body defining a breathing chamber and having an exterior surface adapted to directly engage with a surface of the frame module, wherein the main body and the cushion together comprise a co-molded, integrated component, the main body comprising a molded polycarbonate material adapted to directly contact the frame module and the cushion comprises a molded silicone material adapted to interface with patient's face, and wherein the molded polycarbonate material of the main body is a more rigid material than the molded silicone material of the cushion. |
| US09027554B2 |
Respirator having foam shaping layer with recessed regions surrounding air passageways
A filtering face mask 10 that has a harness 14 and a mask body 12. The mask body 12 includes a filtering structure 18 and a cup-shaped shaping layer 20 where the latter comprises a closed cell foam layer that has a plurality of fluid permeable openings 22 located in it. The openings 22 are surrounded by recessed regions 31. The filtering structure 18 does not make substantial contact with the shaping layer 20 at the recessed regions. The shaping layer 20 makes contact with the wearer's face at the mask body perimeter 19 when the respirator is being worn. The use of a foam shaping layer that has openings surrounded by recessed regions provides sufficient structural integrity or stiffness to prevent mask body collapse during respirator use while also exhibiting a low pressure drop and rapid fluid distribution of air within the mask to allow for low breathing resistance and extended wearer comfort. |
| US09027551B2 |
Dry powder inhalers that inhibit agglomeration, related devices and methods
Inhalers with fins that deagglomerate dry powder using inspiratory effort of a user of an inhaler. The inhaler fins, at least in steady state conditions, are configured to generate dry powder and airflow patterns having turbulence with flow vortices, some of which may have a vortex having an axis of rotation that extends in an inspiratory flow direction while others may have a vortex that is substantially orthogonal to the inspiratory flow direction in an inspiratory airflow path, as an amount of dry powder travels through the inhaler to thereby deagglomerate the dry powder without trapping undue amounts of the dry powder during inhalation. |
| US09027545B2 |
Solar collector positioning apparatus
A solar collector positioning apparatus including a base structure and an intermediate frame connected to the base structure by at least two base support legs. The base support legs have a hinged connection to the base structure and a hinged connection to the intermediate frame, thereby constraining the movement of the intermediate frame to a plane substantially orthogonal to a plane occupied by the base structure. A solar collector support frame is connected to the intermediate frame by at least two intermediate support legs. The intermediate support legs have a hinged connection to the solar collector support frame and a hinged connection to the intermediate frame, thereby constraining the movement of the solar collector support frame to a plane substantially orthogonal to a plane occupied by the intermediate frame. |
| US09027544B2 |
Protective grill for an infrared heater
A protective grill is provided for a portable infrared heater which reduces the possibility of a person from coming into contact with the radiation disk of the heater. The protective grill of this invention may be selectively detachably secured to the wheeled frame of a heater wherein the radiation disk thereof is positioned at one side of the wheeled frame or which may be selectively secured to the wheeled frame of the heater wherein the radiation disk of the heater is positioned at one end of the heater. |
| US09027541B2 |
Toy launcher for launching projectiles and methods thereof
According to an exemplary embodiment, a toy dart launcher comprises a housing defining an interior recess and a launch assembly. The launch assembly is at least partially disposed within the interior recess and comprises: a projectile feed, a slidable frame, and a launch mechanism. The projectile feed is rotatably disposed within the interior recess and comprises a plurality of receiving chambers each adapted to receive one or more projectiles. The slidable frame has at least one engagement finger rotatably disposed thereon, and is movable with respect to the projectile feed so that the at least one engagement finger can engage and move at least one projectile through at least one receiving chamber. The launch mechanism is disposed rearwardly of the projectile feed and is configured to create a pressure differential about the at least one projectile so that the at least one projectile can be launched from the housing. |
| US09027540B2 |
Bowstring release
A bowstring release having a removable safety pin that when engaged, allows for training. The safety pin physically preventing the release mechanism from fully releasing, while allowing enough movement to provide a tactile response that the release has been activated. |
| US09027536B2 |
Crankcase ventilation and vacuum generation
Methods and systems are provided for generating vacuum from crankcase ventilation flow. During both directions of gas flow between an engine intake manifold and a crankcase, gases are directed through one or more aspirators to produce vacuum. The drawn vacuum may then be used to operate various engine vacuum actuators. |
| US09027534B2 |
Dual fuel engine and strategy to avoid atmospheric venting
A compression ignition dual fuel engine supplies natural gas fuel and liquid diesel fuel to each engine cylinder from a common fuel injector. Each fuel injector is fluidly connected to both a liquid fuel common rail and a gaseous fuel common rail. The engine includes a surplus gas system for capturing surplus gas, such as evaporated gas from the gaseous fuel supply and pressure control system, or left over pressurized natural gas produced by engine shut down. Rather than being vented to atmosphere, the surplus gas can be burned in the engine when operating conditions present burn opportunities. |
| US09027533B2 |
Method and system for fuel system control
Methods and systems are provided for controlling a fuel system in a hybrid vehicle. Before canister purging is stopped by closing a purge valve, a canister vent valve is closed to hold fuel tank vacuum. Then, during a subsequent canister purge, the purge valve is opened before opening the vent valve, allowing canister purge to initiate under fuel tank vacuum conditions. |
| US09027532B2 |
Method and system for fuel vapor control
Methods and systems are provided for generating sufficient vacuum to enable a leak detection routine. While a fuel tank pressure is within mechanical limits, fuel vapors are purged from a canister to an engine with an isolation valve open to generate a desired level of vacuum in the fuel tank. Thereafter, the fuel tank is isolated and leak detection is performed concurrent to the purging. |
| US09027530B2 |
Method of evaluating a fuel injector
A method of calibration of at least one fuel injector for a fuel burner in an exhaust gas treatment system for an internal combustion engine is provided. The method is adapted for an exhaust gas system having the fuel burner mounted upstream of a diesel particle filter (DPF). The method of calibration is performed during an idle speed of the combustion engine, this to assure a constant temperature of the burner during the calibration. Hence, the method is started when a first steady tempera tore is registered in the fuel burner, wherein the at least one fuel injector, is operated with a first pulse width. A first temperature of an exhaust gas is registered directly downstream of the fuel burner. After this first temperature is registered, the pulse width, of the fuel injector changed into a second pulse width, which is different from the first pulse width. |
| US09027529B2 |
Piston positioned for reciprocal movement in a combustion engine cylinder
A piston is arranged for reciprocal movement in a combustion engine cylinder. Protrusions are or a ridge is arranged half way between flame plume impingement areas in a plane perpendicular to the reciprocal movement and protrude to the combustion chamber having a smooth form adapted for preserving kinetic energy in a flame plume. The protrusion or ridge includes a left side flank, a top section and a right side flank, and a transition section between each of the side flanks and the top section, the transition section including a deflection edge in order to minimize flow losses. |
| US09027528B2 |
Rotary internal combustion engine
A rotary engine having a main block with a cylindrical cavity, a rotor having at least one divisor having at least one ring for rotably engaging a main axis. The divisors having an edge slidably abutting the internal surface of the cylindrical cavity. The rotor having at least one bearing for engaging the cams of the main axis. The rotor having at least one transversal fissure having a trapezoidal profile and a transversal cylindrical opening. The transversal cylindrical opening having at least one pivoted sliding guide for movably holding the divisors at an angle of 90 degrees between the edge the divisors relative to the internal surface of the cylindrical cavity during a complete 360-degree turn of the rotor. The rotor having a planetary gear interfering with a stationary satellite gear of the main axis and having a diameter wider than diameter of the stationary satellite gear. |
| US09027524B2 |
Spark plug for internal combustion engine and method of manufacturing the same
A spark plug capable of preventing a separation of a noble metal tip and capable of extending a service-life of the spark plug. |
| US09027507B1 |
Apparatus for internally restoring a pipe
A method of internally restoring a pipe preferably includes the steps of isolating a leaking pipe from a system of pipes; drying an interior of a leaking pipe; measuring the airflow through the leak; cleaning the interior of the leaking pipe; presealing a leak with a leak sealing media, measuring the leak flow rate after the pre-sealing; applying an internal protective coating process; and pressure testing the leaking pipe for leaks. The pipe restoration method preferably uses a control box, a media injection system, an air compressor and a coating dispensing system at an inlet of the leaking pipe. The pipe restoration method preferably uses a coating overflow receiver, a muffler and a dust collector at an exit of the leaking pipe. After the treatments, the leaking pipe becomes a restored pipe. The restored pipe is pressure tested for leaks at a working pressure rating of the pipe. |
| US09027505B2 |
Apparatus and method for coloring electrical wire
The present invention is to provide an apparatus for coloring an electrical wire to improve a visibility and design of the electrical wire. The apparatus includes a coloring device for ejecting a liquid coloring material to an outer surface of the electrical wire and a sliding device for moving relatively the coloring device in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the electrical wire so as to color each whole outer surface of a plurality of coloring regions thereof responsive to a belt-shaped design pattern. |
| US09027503B2 |
Multi-purpose collar attachment for fire hydrants
A multi-purpose reflective collar for attachment to a fire hydrant that increases the visibility of the hydrant to motorists and others, and that indicates the hydrant's flow rate, water source and pressure rating to firefighters and other first responders through the use of color coded reflective tape webs that can be removably attached to the collar. The multi-purpose reflective collar of the present invention is adjustable to accommodate fire hydrants of different shapes and sizes, and is useful in increasing safety and the efficiency of firefighting procedures. |
| US09027500B2 |
Folding bimini
A foldable bimini for a boat that is rigid and bi-directionally stable in an erected orientation, the bimini including a rigid arch-shaped frame fixedly mountable onto the boat having a disengageable bimini mount; and a foldable bimini support, including a rigid arch member pivotally mounted to the rigid arch shaped frame and at least one rigid leg pivotally mounted to the rigid arch member and releasably connectable to the frame. |
| US09027499B1 |
Self-supporting boat cover
A kit for supporting a flexible material boat cover has a cover of flexible sheet material having a plurality of substantially parallel lateral channels formed on a bottom surface. A plurality of adjustable cross-straps are provided equal in number to the plurality of lateral channels. Each cross-strap has a pocket that is formed at each end thereof. A plurality of resilient cross-poles are provided equal in number to the plurality of lateral channels and each having a length greater than the cross-strap. |
| US09027498B2 |
Boat or ship body of aluminum-based material
A watercraft body includes a hull made of an aluminum-based material and a separately fabricated superstructure that is mounted on the hull via adjoining flange plates. To fabricate the hull, frame elements are spot-welded onto the inner surface of initially-flat hull plates or plank elements, which are then curved according to the required hull contour and assembled onto the flange plate. The frame elements are screwed together via gusset plates and transverse beams to form transverse frames, and then longitudinal seams between plank elements are continuously welded from the outside. Additionally, the longitudinal seams may be welded from the inside, for example by temporarily removing gusset plates to allow continuous access to the longitudinal seams. Additionally, stand-offs may form a spacing gap between the frame elements and the plank elements, and an adhesive may fill this spacing gap to adhesively bond the framework to the hull plating. |
| US09027494B2 |
Jet boat including articulating keel
A jet boat including a hull including a keel extending in a fore and aft direction of the jet boat, at least one jet propulsion nozzle mounted to a rear of the hull, and an articulating keel attached at the rear of the hull, the articulating keel arranged to pivot about a pivot axis extending vertically or substantially vertically. A bottom surface of the articulating keel does not extend below a bottom surface of the keel when the articulating keel is parallel or substantially parallel to the fore and aft direction of the jet boat. |
| US09027485B2 |
Obstacle deflector of railcar
An obstacle deflector provided at a front portion of an underframe of a carbody of a railcar includes an obstacle deflecting plate configured to protect the carbody from an obstacle on a railway track when the railcar is traveling. The obstacle deflecting plate includes a main plate portion provided to receive the obstacle by a surface thereof and having a curved shape that is convex toward a front side in a traveling direction in plan view and a sub plate portion projecting toward a rear side from the main plate portion and is continuously provided along the main plate portion so as to extend from a convex, curved front end portion of the main plate portion toward a pair of left and right side portions of the main plate portion, the left and right side portions being located at the rear side in the traveling direction. |
| US09027484B2 |
Front-arrangement for a vehicle, in particular for a rail vehicle, comprising a screen cleaning device
A front arrangement for a rail vehicle comprising a crash element with a forward facing crash surface, and a windshield washer device which, in turn, comprises a drive device and a front window wiper device drivable by said drive device. The crash element includes at least one impact absorbing element. The windshield washer device is fastened to the crash element for the vehicle, and is movable relative to a support of the front arrangement and thus, movable relative to the load-bearing construction of the vehicle so as to move backward during the occurrence of the impact forces and to enable absorption of the acting impact energy by the impact absorbing element. |
| US09027482B2 |
Vehicle vibration suppression device
There is provided an economical vehicle vibration suppression device capable of efficiently reducing a vortex with a smaller number of devices and controlling the speed of movement in a vehicle longitudinal direction of the vortex.The vehicle vibration suppression device includes a pair of ducts, a pressure control device, and a control unit. The ducts, below a floor surface of a vehicle body, are mounted adjacent to at least a pair of bogies on which the vehicle body is mounted. The ducts are arranged in a direction perpendicular to a traveling direction of the vehicle body and mounted so as to penetrate through both side surfaces of the vehicle body. The pressure control device is mounted within each of the ducts and has openings, one of the openings serving as an intake port and the other opening serving as a discharge port. The pressure control device generates a pressure difference in each of the ducts. The control unit controls start and stop of suction performed by the pressure control device while determining a side surface of the vehicle to be subjected to the suction by the pressure control device on the basis of current distance information of the railway vehicle during currently traveling. The control unit suppresses vibration by driving the pressure control device and sucking a vortex caused by turbulence of air flow generated at a portion of the bogie when the railway vehicle passes through the tunnel. |
| US09027479B2 |
Method and apparatus for orienting magnetic flakes
The invention relates to a method of aligning magnetic flakes, which includes: coating a substrate with a carrier having the flakes dispersed therein, moving the substrate in a magnetic field so as to align the flakes along force lines of the magnetic field in the absence of an effect from a solidifying means, and at least partially solidifying the carrier using a solidifying means while further moving the substrate in the magnetic field so as to secure the magnetic flakes in the carrier while the magnetic field maintains alignment of the magnetic flakes. An apparatus is provided, which has a belt for moving a substrate along a magnet assembly for aligning magnetic flakes. The apparatus also includes a solidifying means, such as a UV- or e-beam source, and a cover above a portion of the magnet assembly for protecting the flakes from the effect of the solidifying means. |
| US09027476B2 |
Laser-engraveable flexographic printing precursors and methods of imaging
A laser-engraveable flexographic printing precursor or patternable element comprises a laser-engraveable layer having two orthogonal dimensions. This laser-engraveable layer comprises one or more elastomeric resins and non-metallic fibers that are oriented in the laser-engraveable layer predominantly in one of its two orthogonal dimensions. The non-metallic fibers have an average length of at least 0.1 mm and an average diameter of at least 1 μm. The oriented non-metallic fibers reduce curl and shrinkage in the precursor and improve print quality and press life. |
| US09027474B2 |
Marking device for golf balls
A marking device for golf balls comprises a seat, an arch-shaped retainer, and a bottom plate. The seat defines a central recess and defines a bottom opening that communicates with the central recess. The seat is provided with an anti-slip pad within the central recess. Also, the seat is provided with upper positioning means and lower positioning means. The arch-shaped retainer is provided with retainer positioning means corresponding to the upper positioning means of the seat. The bottom plate is provided with plate positioning means corresponding to the lower positioning means of the seat. Therefore, the arch-shaped retainer and the bottom plate can be properly positioned on the seat. Furthermore, the arch-shaped retainer defines a central slit and the bottom plate defines a plurality of hollowed-out symbols. As such, the marking device can mark a line or symbol on a golf ball conveniently. |
| US09027471B2 |
Food-drying device and related drive mechanism
The current invention discloses a food-drying device that includes a container, a drying assembly having a plurality of bores, and a drive mechanism. The drying assembly is disposed in the container and is capable of being rotated relative to the container. The drive mechanism rotates the drying assembly relative to the container. The drive mechanism includes a reciprocating handle movable between a first position and a second position along a linear direction, and a conversion mechanism for converting reciprocating movement of the reciprocating handle to rotary motion of the drying assembly from force supplied by a user to actuate the reciprocating handle moving from the first position to the second position, and from force supplied by the user to actuate the reciprocating handle moving from the second position to the first position. |
| US09027469B2 |
Method for controlling a cooking process
In a method for controlling a cooking process of a cooking item contained in a cooking container, the sound of the cooking process is detected by means of at least one acoustic sensor and the course of the sound is directly analyzed for determining of a temperature and in particular the boiling point of the cooking item. |
| US09027468B2 |
Pressure cooker fitted with an information window
The invention relates to a domestic cooking pot (1) comprising means of controlling (7) at least part of its operation, wherein said control means (7) have a mobile mounting between a plurality of positions, wherein said pot (1) is characterized in that it is further fitted with an information window (8) and at least an indicator (10) that is representative of one of the positions of the control means (7), and in that the window (8), the indicator (10) and the control means (7) work together so that said indicator (10) appears in the window (8) when the control means (7) are in the corresponding position. |
| US09027464B1 |
Two-piece electric coffee maker
The two-piece electric coffee maker includes a Dallah (a traditional Arabian coffee pot for making Arabian coffee) and an electric stove. The coffee pot has a temperature sensor that extends from the base of the coffee pot handle into the pot. The base of the handle also has an electrical connector extending downward from the handle. The electric stove has a housing, a ceramic heating element or plate, a display console, and a mating electrical connector facing upward so that the connectors engage each other when the pot is placed on the heating element. An electronic control unit in the stove housing regulates boiling water for the coffee, reducing the heat after the water has started to boil, annunciating an alarm signal when the temperature of the water is suitable to add coffee grounds to the pot, and monitors brewing time for the coffee. |
| US09027458B2 |
Floating floor assembly for armored vehicles
A floating floor assembly for an armored vehicle mounted to the sides of the vehicle to suspend the floor above the belly armor of the vehicle rather than being directly supported by the belly armor. The floating floor reduces the amount of energy that is transferred by the floating floor from the belly plate and further reduces the risk that any deformation of the belly armor from the explosion will cascade to the floating floor causing the floor to buckle or fragment into secondary shrapnel. |
| US09027455B1 |
Slurry line charge mine clearance system and method
A mine clearing system and method remotely deploys line hose from a remotely controlled two-wheeled vehicle. The wheels are connected together via a central hub shaft. Individual battery operated hub motors on each wheel communicate to a central controller inside the hub shaft. The power source for the motors is contained within the hub shaft, with battery recharge ports located on the hub shaft. The line hose is wrapped around the central hub shaft. An operator uses a remote control console in communication with the central controller to independently control each wheel of the vehicle. A camera can hang from a hub shaft bearing on the outside of one wheel so as to be gravitationally stabilized during vehicle movement. The camera can broadcast signals to a display at the remote control console. Explosive slurry is pumped into the line hose and detonated. |
| US09027453B2 |
Blast treatment method and blast treatment device
A blast treatment method capable of more reliably treating an object to be treated which is accommodated in an outer container is provided. The blast treatment method includes: a step for spacing a plurality of blasting explosives (20) from one another at positions on the outer side surface of an outer container (60) in a direction surrounding a central axis (C2) of the outer container (60) and arranging the blasting explosives (20) in such a manner as to extend approximately parallel to the central axis (C2); a step for installing the outer container (60) within a chamber (90); and a step for detonating the blasting explosives (20) within the chamber to perform blast treatment of an object (10) to be treated with the detonation energy, wherein the blasting explosives (20) are detonated at the blast timing at which fragments of the outer container (60) or shock waves, which are generated in the vicinity of the blasting explosives (20) by the detonation energy of the blasting explosives (20), collide with or propagate to a bombshell (10) in less time difference than that in the case in which the plurality of blasting explosives (20) are detonated at the same time. |
| US09027452B2 |
Jab saw accessory tool for an oscillating tool
An accessory for a power tool, includes a mounting portion configured to mate with an oscillating drive member of a power tool. A support arm portion extends from the mounting portion in a first direction. The support arm portion includes an inner edge that faces in a second direction transverse to the first direction. A blade portion extends from the support arm generally in the second direction. The blade portion includes a trailing edge arranged facing generally toward the mounting portion and a leading edge arranged facing generally away from the mounting portion. The trailing edge and the leading edge portion meet to define a pointed tip portion. |
| US09027450B1 |
Work piece cutting apparatus
A work piece cutting apparatus including a base, a work table, a support post defining a void for a work piece being worked on to pass at least partially through the void, a cutting device, and attachment assembly for securing the cutting device to the support post. Another embodiment of the above apparatus includes a work table being movable to angle orientations relative to the base, and a locking mechanism for locking the work table into angle orientations. A further embodiment is an apparatus adapted for receiving a cutting device. The apparatus includes a base, a work table, and a tool dock base located about the work table. The tool dock base is adapted for receiving a cutting device. Another embodiment of the above apparatus includes a work table being movable to angle orientations relative to the base, and a locking mechanism for locking the work table into angle orientations. |
| US09027447B2 |
Locking pliers with handle locking mechanism
Pliers include upper structure including an upper jaw and handle extending therefrom, and lower structure including a lower jaw and handle. The lower jaw may pivot relative to the upper jaw, and the lower handle may pivot relative to the lower jaw. An overcenter linkage operatively connects between the upper and lower structure, biasing the lower handle and jaw away from the upper handle and jaw, respectively, when in a jaw-opening position, and enabling the lower jaw and handle to be retained in a closed configuration when the linkage is in a jaw-closing position. A lock member is movable between a locking configuration preventing pivoting of the lower handle from the closed configuration and retaining the jaws in a closed position, and a release configuration enabling the lower handle to be moved away from the closed configuration, allowing the jaws to move to an open position. |
| US09027446B1 |
Wrench adaptor
The wrench adaptor of this invention provides an easy and convenient tool for connection and disconnection of the SMA connections in constrained spaces while allowing use of a standard torque wrench or just fingers. The channel design of the wrench adaptor, accommodating the cable and the protective sleeve therefor, allows access to SMA connectors without bending or disturbing semi-rigid or rigid cables. The wrench adaptor is shown in two embodiments—a single-ended and a double-ended form. The adaptor facilitates access to the hexagonal nut at the panel of an RF device which is mounted to a threaded stud and offsets the wrench application to a location away from the panel. As many of the RF cables have crimped or soldered portions adjacent or within the connector, provision is made in the adaptor by way of a hollow semicylindrical form to cradle the semi-rigid or rigid cable. |
| US09027445B2 |
Socket with a reinforced strength
A socket includes a body and a sleeve. The body is made of metal and includes first and second coupling ends for respectively coupling with a fastener and a driving tool. The first coupling end includes an outer periphery having a first protruded section, a second protruded section, and an engagement section extending between the first and second protruded sections. The sleeve is made of metal having a hardness greater than a hardness of the body. The sleeve includes an inner periphery extending between first and second end faces of the sleeve. The inner periphery of the sleeve includes an engagement portion engaged with the engagement section of the body, with the sleeve not contacting the first and second protruded sections. |
| US09027444B2 |
Ratchet wrench
A ratchet wrench includes a wrench body, a ratchet rotatably mounted in the wrench body and defining therein a through hole for accommodating a screw nut, a magnetic member mounted in the through hole, and one or multiple limiters mounted in the through hole of the ratchet to hold the magnetic member in place. Thus, the opposing ends of the ratchet can be selectively used to accommodate a mating screw nut and the accommodated screw nut can be secured in place inside the ratchet by the magnetic attractive force of the magnetic member, avoiding screw nut displacement or falling and facilitating the use of the ratchet wrench. Further, the ratchet can be configured to have a stepped through hole for selectively accommodating different sizes of screw nuts. |
| US09027438B1 |
Fabricated eccentric for drag line excavator walking mechanisms
An improved eccentric used in walking mechanism sub-assemblies used in heavy equipment, specifically drag line excavators. The walking assemblies include a power driven output shaft which engages and rotates an eccentric fitting journaled within a leg housing which is in turn pivotally secured to the walking assembly shoes and through a support linkage to the excavator frame imparting a modified elliptical travel path thereto. The improvement is directed to the eccentric which is of a multiple component fabrication for increased performance and use durability and extended life. |
| US09027436B2 |
Rotor/shaft pin coupling assembly for pedal assembly
An assembly for coupling the rotor of a vehicle pedal assembly to the shaft of a vehicle pedal assembly. The rotor includes a cap which is fitted over a distal end of the shaft. The cap and the distal end of the shaft define a through aperture and an interior recess respectively. A coupling pin extends through the aperture in the cap of the rotor and into the recess in the shaft and includes a knurled outer surface which allows the pin to be interference fitted to the rotor and the shaft for securely coupling the rotor to the shaft. |
| US09027431B2 |
Remote centre of motion positioner
An apparatus having a member that revolves about a remote center of motion (RCM) and a base link coupled to a mounting fixture. A first and second link are pivotably coupled to the member at respective distances from the RCM and are translatable relative to the base link along a first direction, at a fixed ratio of displacement. The ratio of respective distances equals a fixed ratio of displacement. The apparatus has a translational motion generator for a first and second element along parallel opposing directions. The translational motion generator is disposed on the first link and enables motion parallel to the first direction. The base link is fixed in position, the first element is fixed to the base link and the second element is fixed to the second link, such that the first and second link may translate relative to the base link with fixed ratio of displacement. |
| US09027428B2 |
Non-contact sensor and shift lever device
A non-contact sensor includes a substrate having a groove, two pattern coils arranged on opposite sides of the groove, a detected object connected to the shift lever and moved in cooperation with the shift lever along the groove, and a signal processing circuit that calculates a movement amount of the shift lever based on an output value provided from the pattern coils. |
| US09027426B2 |
Synchronization device
A synchronization device for a transmission includes a sliding sleeve, a blocking synchronizer ring and a change wheel. In a force flow region between the blocking synchronizer ring and the change wheel, ramps for producing a servo force axial with respect to the shaft are provided on at least one component part. |
| US09027423B1 |
Linear-to-rotary actuator
The linear-to-rotary actuator includes an elongated drive member constrained to linear movement, and a rotary member constrained to rotary movement. The elongated drive member has a coupling end and an engaging member that projects from the coupling end. The rotary member has a track defining an Archimedean spiral. The track is adapted to receive the engaging member. The engaging member is constrained to slide in the track such that linear movement of the elongated member effects rotation of the rotary member. The track may be a slot, a groove, or other guide. Alternatively, instead of a track defined directly in the rotary member, the actuator may include a linking member (such as a disk or rectangular bracket) attached to the rotary member, the linking member having a track defining an Archimedean spiral defined therein, the engaging member being slidable in the track to convert linear motion into rotary motion. |
| US09027418B2 |
Magnetic flowmeter
A magnetic flowmeter for sensing process fluid flow is provided. The flowmeter includes a tube configured to receive the process fluid flow therethrough. A plurality of electrodes is disposed to contact process fluid. At least one electromagnetic coil is disposed proximate the tube. Flowmeter electronics are configured to drive a current through at least one electromagnetic coil and to sense a signal developed across a plurality of electrodes disposed to contact process fluid. A flexible circuit module is disposed proximate the tube, and has at least one flexible circuit containing a plurality of electrical traces electrically coupled to the flowmeter electronics. The at least one electromagnetic coil includes a first coil in the flexible circuit module that is coupled to the electrical traces. |
| US09027406B2 |
Transducer apparatus and method for assembling a transducer apparatus
According to one aspect of the invention, a transducer apparatus is provided that includes a core section, a transducer disposed in the core section, the transducer configured to transmit or receive signals and a tubular member mounted to the core section for relative rotation, wherein a fluid is disposed in the tubular member. The apparatus further includes a weight reduction device disposed inside the tubular member to occupy a volume inside the tubular member, wherein the weight reduction device is configured to provide a transmission path from the transducer to the tubular member via the fluid. |
| US09027404B2 |
Ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation methods for friction-welded blisks
The disclosed embodiments generally relate to non-destructive evaluation methods. More particularly, the disclosed embodiments relate to ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation methods for the evaluation of friction welded bladed discs (“blisks”). In an embodiment, a method for non-destructive evaluation of a bladed disc structure includes identifying a region of interest on the bladed disc structure; positioning an ultrasonic transducer and receiver in the region of interest; scanning the region of interest using the ultrasonic transducer and receiver to produce a scan image; and comparing the scan image against a reference image to determine the presence of an anomaly in the region of interest. |
| US09027403B2 |
Wide G range accelerometer
A MEMS device includes a substrate, a mass having a first and second set of elongated mass fingers extending from the mass, and a support structure supporting the mass on the substrate. The support structure may include at least one anchor and a plurality of springs that allow movement of the mass relative to the substrate. The MEMS device may also include a first set of sensing fingers for sensing movement of the first set of mass fingers relative to the first set of sensing fingers, and a second set of sensing figures for sensing movement of the second set of mass fingers relative to the second set of sensing fingers. The first and second sets of sensing fingers may have different size finger gaps between the sensing fingers and the respective mass fingers. |
| US09027402B2 |
Error correction in acceleration-sensing devices
An acceleration-sensing device having error correction includes a stator having at least one conductor affixed to a surface and a proof mass having a first conductor affixed at a first location relative to the at least one conductor affixed to a surface of the stator. The proof mass includes a second conductor affixed at a second location relative to the at least one conductor affixed to a surface of the stator, wherein an excitation signal applied to the first conductor of the proof mass brings about a force on the proof mass in the plane of motion of the proof mass that is substantially equally opposed by a force resulting from an excitation signal applied to the second conductor of the proof mass in the plane of motion of the proof mass. |
| US09027398B2 |
Method of detecting wear in a pump driven with a frequency converter
A method and an arrangement for detecting wear of a pump are disclosed, which pump is controlled with a frequency converter providing rotational speed and torque estimates, characteristic curves of the pump being known. An exemplary method includes obtaining a value representing the operating point of the pump by measuring the flow (Qact) or the head (Hact) produced by the pump; estimating the operating point of the pump by using a calculation based on the characteristic curves of the pump, the estimated rotational speed (nest) of the pump, and the estimated torque (Test) of the pump; calculating an estimation error from the value representing the operating point and from the estimated operating point; repeating the above steps during the use of the pump; and detecting the wear of the pump from the amplitude of the estimation error. |
| US09027396B2 |
Catalyst deterioration diagnostic device and diagnostic method
A device for diagnosing deterioration of a catalyst by a decrease in oxygen storage capacity, in which the oxygen storage capacity by which the catalyst deterioration is diagnosed to be present when exhaust gas recirculation is not implemented is higher than the oxygen storage capacity by which the catalyst deterioration is diagnosed to be present when the exhaust gas recirculation is implemented. |
| US09027394B2 |
Variable injector mounting
An injector test stand for fuel injectors includes: a holder for fixing a fuel injector an injection chamber which is positionable relative to the fuel injector, and a variable injector mounting which includes a rotatable insert having at least one adjustable clamping jaw is accommodated in the holder. |
| US09027391B2 |
Chromatography assembly
Chromatography assembly for multi-dimensional chromatography, includes a first separating column (12; 112) for separating a sample into components; a second separating column (13; 114) having different separating characteristics for further separating the components separated in the first separating column (12; 112); a collecting volume (20; 120, 121) for collecting the components from the first separating column (12; 112) before entering the second separating column (14; 114); a switching assembly (22, 24; 122, 124) for switching from a first state (FIG. 1; FIG. 3), where the components leaving the first separating column (12; 112) are collected in the collecting volume (20; 120, 121) to a second state (FIG. 2; FIG. 4) where the components collected in the collecting volume (20; 120, 121) are transferred to the second separating column (14; 114); and a detector (18; 118) for detecting sample components leaving the second separating column (14; 114). The volume of the collecting volume (20; 120, 121) is variable. A further collecting volume (121) may be provided and fluid flow can be through the first collecting volume (120) in the first state and through the second collecting volume (121) in the second state. |
| US09027390B1 |
System and method of determining sources of water infiltration/inflow into a sewer system
A system for identifying sources of external fluid infiltrating or leaking into a sanitary sewer system. An apparatus applies a substantially uniform coating to the surface of inner walls of a portion of the sewer system. The system also includes means for observing and recording the initial condition of the coated surface, means for observing and recording subsequent conditions of the coated surface, and means for comparing the initial condition of the coated surface with subsequent conditions to detect a predetermined change in the condition of the coated surface. The change in the condition of the coated surface indicates the source of the infiltration of water into the sewer system. |
| US09027389B2 |
Fluid control system for a medical device
The present invention provides a medical device having an elongate body with both a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the elongate body defines an intake lumen and an exhaust lumen. The medical device also has a first pliable element defining a cooling chamber disposed at a point along the elongate body, with the cooling chamber being in fluid communication with the intake lumen and the exhaust lumen. A second pliable element is provided which at least partially encloses the first pliable element, thereby defining a junction between the first and second pliable element. A check valve is included which is in fluid communication with the junction between the first pliable element and second pliable element, the valve further being in fluid communication with the exhaust lumen. Additionally, the medical device may include sensors or other monitoring means in fluid communication with the junction and the cooling chamber. |
| US09027383B2 |
Shock tube apparatus for blast wave simulation
This is directed to systems, processes, machines, and other means that simulate blast waves from explosive events. The invention can make waveforms tailored to a user's preference to accurately model a variety of explosive events by utilizing a driver section and a transition section that have divergent geometries. |
| US09027368B2 |
Laundry machine having a steam generator and controlling method of the same
A laundry machine having a steam generator is disclosed. An embodiment of a laundry machine comprises a drum, a steam generator, and a controller. The steam generator may include a heat-variable heater. The heater may be operated in one setting among a plurality of heat settings. |
| US09027360B2 |
Thermoelectric-enhanced, liquid-based cooling of a multi-component electronic system
Apparatus and method are provided for facilitating cooling of an electronic component. The apparatus includes a liquid-cooled structure, a thermal conduction path coupling the electronic component and the liquid-cooled structure, a coolant loop in fluid communication with a coolant-carrying channel of the liquid-cooled structure, and an outdoor-air-cooled heat exchange unit coupled to facilitate heat transfer from the liquid-cooled structure via, at least in part, the coolant loop. The thermoelectric array facilitates transfer of heat from the electronic component to the liquid-cooled structure, and the heat exchange unit cools coolant passing through the coolant loop by dissipating heat from the coolant to outdoor ambient air. In one implementation, temperature of coolant entering the liquid-cooled structure is greater than temperature of the outdoor ambient air to which heat is dissipated. |
| US09027359B2 |
Heat exchange system
A modular heat exchange system having a refrigerant system for cycling a refrigerant through a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, a heat source circulation system which circulates a heat exchange fluid between a heat source and the evaporator, a heat sink circulation system which circulates a heat absorption fluid between a heat sink and the condenser, a fluid management system having temperature gauges for respectively reading core temperatures of the heat source and the heat sink, and a thermal energy source from which thermal energy is transferred to the heat exchange fluid when the core temperature of the heat source falls below a threshold temperature while the core temperature of the heat sink is maintained at a constant temperature. |
| US09027352B2 |
Method for improved efficiency for high hydrogen
A method for operating a hydrogen-fueled gas turbine is provided wherein a supply of fuel is passed to a gas turbine combustor, and a supply of nitrogen and sufficient air to provide at least sufficient compressed air to the gas turbine for fuel combustion is passed to a compressor. A sufficient portion of the compressor discharge flow is passed to a combustor for fuel rich combustion of the fuel flow to the combustor and the fuel is combusted to produce hot combustion gases that are, in turn, passed to a turbine. |
| US09027341B2 |
System for a charge-air-cooler
Systems and methods for a charge-air-cooler are provided. The system may include an engine air passage, a charge-air-cooler including a plurality of heat exchange passages, and a condensate collector positioned within an interior of the charge-air-cooler, wherein the condensate collector is in fluid communication with at least one heat exchange passage and the engine air passage. |
| US09027338B2 |
Fluid pressure pump motor
A fluid pressure pump motor includes a supply/discharge passage where both a hydraulic fluid pumped in to a fluid pressure pump and a hydraulic fluid discharged from the fluid pressure motor flow, and a variable valve provided in the supply/discharge passage to control the fluid path area of the supply/discharge passage. The variable valve reduces the fluid path area of the supply/discharge passage for simultaneously actuating the fluid pressure pump and the fluid pressure motor to be smaller than the fluid path area for actuating only one of the fluid pressure pump and the fluid pressure motor. |
| US09027333B2 |
Soot pre-loading of particulate matter aftertreatment devices as means for reducing hydrocarbon emissions during cold start
Methods and systems for reducing hydrocarbon emissions from an internal combustion engine. The engine's exhaust aftertreatment system has at least a particulate matter (soot) filter and means for actively regenerating the particulate matter filter. During operation of the engine, the soot loading state of the particulate matter filter is monitored. The filter is regenerated when required, but the regeneration is controlled so that the particulate matter filter retains a small level of soot loading. This soot “pre-loading” ensures hydrocarbon reduction during the next cold start. |
| US09027329B2 |
Method for determining load of a particulate filter
A particulate filter is monitored for a particulate matter load when fluidly coupled to an internal combustion engine. Monitoring of the particulate filter is achieved by determining a rate of production of particulate matter from the internal combustion engine, a rate of capture of the particulate matter within the particulate filter, a regeneration rate for the particulate filter, and an amount of particulate matter collected in the particulate filter. |
| US09027327B2 |
Method and system for regenerating an exhaust gas purification unit
A method for regenerating an exhaust gas purification unit arranged in an internal combustion engine system includes setting a predefined minimum engine speed such that the exhaust gas mass flow exceeds a predefined flow value during the regeneration process. An internal combustion engine system including an exhaust gas purification unit adapted to be operated according to the method is also provided. |
| US09027324B2 |
Engine and combustion system
One embodiment of the present invention is an engine. Another embodiment is a unique combustion system. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for engines and combustion systems. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith. |
| US09027317B2 |
Reel mower grass catcher carrier
A reel mower grass catcher carrier includes a bail having side rods under the left and right sides of a grass catcher, a front link having an inverted U-shape and having connected to the left and right side rods and a central portion extending forwardly in front of the grass catcher, and a hanger extending forwardly over the grass catcher and connected to the central portion of the front link. The grass catcher can be installed or removed from the side of the carrier while the bail, front link and hanger stay connected together. |
| US09027316B2 |
Cutting header with finger mounted raised divider pans
A corn harvesting header comprises a knife bar extending along a front lower edge of a cutting header, with triangular knife sections attached along the bar and a plurality of guards with guard fingers extending forward. Pointed divider pans extend forward from the header such that a slot is formed between adjacent pans. A mounting bracket extends down from a rear of each pan and is attached to forward end portions of a pair of adjacent guard fingers, leaving rear portions of these guard fingers exposed. The divider pans are attached to alternating pairs of guard fingers such that a pair of bare guard fingers extends forward under and laterally adjacent to edges of each slot. The bottom surface of each seed pan is above the guard fingers an elevated distance that is greater than a spacing distance between the guard fingers. The header cuts the corn rows at angle. |
| US09027315B2 |
Packing device
A packing device according to an embodiment includes a supply station, a right end effector, a left end effector, a right arm unit, a left arm unit, and a forming station. A cardboard box in a flat state is placed on the supply station. The cardboard box developed three-dimensionally is placed on the forming station. The right arm unit includes the right end effector provided with a suction unit. The left arm unit includes the left end effector provided with a suction unit. The packing device performs an operation of developing the cardboard box and an operation of moving the cardboard box to the forming station by using the right arm unit and the left arm unit while sucking both side surfaces of the cardboard box placed on the supply station by using the suction units. |
| US09027313B2 |
Apparatus for dividing heat-shrinkable plastic film into different temperature regions
Apparatus and a process for dividing heat-shrinkable plastic film into different temperature regions within a shrink wrap oven including a movable platform; a cylindrical tube immovably mounted within the oven in the direction of movement of the platform and including a platform for supporting a portion of the heat-shrinkable plastic film and a slit running the length of said cylindrical tube; a package covered with heat shrinkable plastic film and including that portion of the heat-shrinkable plastic film resting on the platform adjacent the cylindrical tube; an electric fan mounted at the opposite end of the cylindrical tube containing the platform and sucking ambient air through the cylindrical tube to cool that portion of the heat-shrinkable plastic film as the heat-shrinkable plastic film is tightly shrunk around the package. |
| US09027309B2 |
Welded hot-rolled high-strength steel structural members and methods
Hot-rolled high-strength steel elongated structural members and method of making same are disclosed by hot-rolling high-strength steel having a specific chemical composition to provide structural units. The units are then welded together to provide structural members of desired geometrical configuration including a thin web with opposed thicker flanges extending therefrom to increase the load bearing capacity of the members. |
| US09027308B2 |
Tile alignment and leveling device
A tile alignment and leveling device for aligning and leveling tiles as they are being secured to a substrate. The device includes a flexible member, a bottom plate, and an intermediate member. The intermediate member spaces the flexible member and bottom plate a predetermined vertical distance. The flexible member has a first end and a second end. The first end is pivotally combined with the intermediate member thereby allowing the flexible member to pivot between a first position and a second (downward) position. In use and in its second position, the flexible member second end exerts force against the top of the tiles to help align and level the tiles as they are secured to the substrate. |
| US09027303B2 |
Aqueous gypsum plaster-cement composition and its use
An aqueous gypsum plaster-cement composition comprises a hydraulic binder consisting of calcined gypsum and hydraulic cement in a weight ratio of from about 4:1 to about 2:1, an aggregate which comprises sand, a foam, a perlite, rice hulls or a mixture thereof, a superplasticizer comprising an air entraining agent, a retarder, and water in an amount of from about 0.4 to about 0.75 parts by weight per part of binder, with the proviso that the gypsum plaster-cement composition contains essentially neither a pozzolana nor lime. The use thereof, a method of constructing buildings using this composition and the buildings obtainable in this way are also described. |
| US09027301B2 |
Advanced building envelope delivery system and method
A building wall system includes first and second panels with each panel having inner and outer facing sheets and a foam core positioned between the inner and outer facing sheets. The first and second panels define a joint positioned between the first and second panels. A facade fastening member is configured to be received by and arranged within the joint. |
| US09027297B2 |
Relocatable radiation vault and methods of assembly and use
A temporary radiotherapy facility for use during renovation, upgrading, and/or modernization of an existing facility. The radiotherapy facility is integrated with radiation producing equipment and radiation shielding vaults. The structural elements and their arrangement enable compliance with applicable codes for this type of facility and provide an ability to maintain radiotherapy treatment continuity during equipment transition. |
| US09027287B2 |
Fast transportable drilling rig system
The present invention discloses a high-capacity drilling rig system that includes novel design features that alone and more particularly in combination facilitate a fast rig-up and rig-down with a single set of raising cylinders and maintains transportability features. In particular, a transport trailer is disclosed having a first support member and a drive member which align the lower mast portion with inclined rig floor ramps and translate the lower mast legs up the ramps and into alignment for connection. A pair of wing brackets is pivotally deployed from within the lower mast width for connection to the raising cylinder for raising the mast from a horizontal position into a vertical position. A cantilever is pivotally deployed from beneath the rig floor to a position above it for connection to the raising cylinder for raising the substructure from a collapsed position into the erect position. |
| US09027286B2 |
Retrofit roof system for corrugated and low profile ribbed metal roof panels and clip therefor
A roofing system is installed over the top of existing corrugated metal roofs or over the top of low profile ribbed metal roofs as a retrofit roofing system. The system uses a clip specifically designed for corrugated and other forms of low-profile ribbed metal roof panels. The clip spans a single raised corrugation or single raised rib to provide a secure support for a roofing system to be disposed above the existing roof. The clips may be disposed at a plurality of locations along a purlin and are secured to the purlin through the existing roof panels with connectors. The connectors pass through spaced curved feet of the clip which fit into the spaced depressions of the corrugated roofing panel or the spaces adjacent to the low profile rib. |
| US09027284B2 |
Sealing member
A sealing member for a vehicle opening includes a first co-extrusion layer formed from a first elastomeric composition, a second co-extrusion layer formed from a second elastomeric composition, and a third co-extrusion layer formed from a thermoplastic vulcanizate composition. The first co-extrusion layer defines a mounting channel, a window channel, and a front face spaced from the mounting channel and the window channel. The second co-extrusion layer has a portion disposed on the front face of the first co-extrusion layer and a sealing lip disposed on the first co-extrusion layer abutting the portion and extending away from the first co-extrusion layer towards a distal end. The third co-extrusion layer is disposed on the portion and the sealing lip of the second co-extrusion layer for covering segments of the second co-extrusion layer that are visible from an exterior of the vehicle. |
| US09027283B2 |
Sliding door
In a sliding door with a door panel supported by a carriage disposed on a guide rail so as to foe movable between spaced door stops, the door stops include shock absorbers and the carriage has contact elements for contact with the shock absorbers. The shock absorbers further include return springs which are compressed by the engagement of the sliding door panel, the sliding door panel being lockable in its end positions by a locking arrangement for retaining it in an end position. |
| US09027280B2 |
Storm panel locking device
A universal locking device for securing flat or corrugated hurricane storm panels in place to avoid unauthorized removal and entry into a building. The locking device includes a combination of brackets removably secured between the building and the storm panels, and an adjustable locking bar locking these elements securely together. |
| US09027275B2 |
Rope gaff (collapsible)
A fully collapsible, double articulated gaff for retrieving fish when fishing from high bridges, piers and high banks. The device collapses to approximately 5 inches in diameter by 1 inch high to enable it to be carried in a tackle box. It has three double articulated, weighted gaff hooks. The fishing line is threaded thru the overlap in guide mechanism, then lowered to the fishes head gripping it with the gaff hooks, then by pulling up on the rope lifting the device and the fish. Materials and method of construction used to help reduce manufacturing cost. |
| US09027274B2 |
Firearm leaner
According to at least one exemplary embodiment, a firearm leaner is disclosed. The firearm leaner can include a barrel engaging portion and a pair of arms separated by a gap and extending upwards from the barrel engaging portion. The arms may diverge as they extend outwardly. Each arm can include a plurality of protrusions, which can in turn include a plurality of points. An extension can extend rearwardly from the barrel engaging portion. |
| US09027273B1 |
Handle for a rifle with a scope
A handle attaches to the mount of a rifle scope. The handle is attached to the upper rings of the scope mount to provide a handle by which a hunter can carry the rifle. The handle discourages the hunter from using the scope as a handle. |
| US09027269B2 |
Pop-up greeting cards with confetti
An interactive electronic greeting card with pop up feature includes a three-sided pocket or cavity which houses various electronic and mechanical components and a pop up element. In a first position, the pop up element is substantially contained within the greeting card pocket or cavity. When the push button is depressed, the pop up element is ejected or “pops up” out of the greeting card pocket or cavity, revealing a greeting or other printed indicia. The push button also initiates playback of a pre-loaded digital audio file, which may be a spoken message, a sound, a song, music or other such audio recording. |
| US09027267B2 |
Latch for use in a latch system of an excavating machine bucket
A rolled latch for excavator buckets that increases duration and facilitates maintenance work since it is changed instead of requiring weld fill, and includes three primary parts: a core, a top wear plate and a bottom wear plate. The parts are manufactured of rolled steel. The core remains between the top and bottom wear plates, and the top and bottom wear plates are welded to the core. |
| US09027265B1 |
Zero horizontal reaction force excavator
An excavator includes a mobile chassis with a first bucket drum and a second bucket drum coupled thereto. The first bucket drum and second bucket drum are coupled to the chassis for positioning thereof on the surface at opposing ends of the chassis. Each first scoop on the first bucket drum is a mirror image of one second scoop on the second bucket drum when (i) the first bucket drum and second bucket drum are on the surface adjacent opposing ends of the chassis, and (ii) the first bucket drum is rotated in one direction and the second bucket drum is simultaneously rotated in an opposing direction. |
| US09027263B2 |
Method of automated variable speed control of movement of a cutter head of a dredging cutter
An automated variable speed control system for a cutter head of a dredging cutter has a cutter head and a pump. The pump pumps cuttings from the cutter head through a cuttings discharge line. A sensor monitors amperage draw of the pump. A controller controls speed of movement of the cutter head based upon data received from the sensor. The controller increases a speed of movement of the cutter head through the materials when the amperage draw of the pump falls below the determined amperage range and the controller decreases the speed of movement of the cutter head through the materials when the amperage draw of the pump exceeds the determined amperage range. |
| US09027260B2 |
Article of footwear having an upper incorporating a knitted component
An article of footwear has an upper that includes a knitted component and a sole structure secured to the upper. The knitted component may define a tube formed of unitary knit construction, and a strand may extend through a length of the tube. As another example, the knitted component may have a pair of at least partially coextensive knitted layers formed of unitary knit construction, and a plurality of floating yarns may extend between the knitted layers. In some configurations, the knit type or yarn type may vary in different regions of the knitted component to impart different properties. Additionally, the knitted component may incorporate a thermoplastic yarn that is fused in different regions of the knitted component to impart different properties. A flat knitting process or a variety of other knitting processes may be utilized to form the knitted component. |
| US09027258B2 |
Laundry treating appliance with controlled cycle time
A method of operating a clothes dryer having a treating chamber for receiving a laundry load, an air system for supplying and exhausting air from the treating chamber, a heating element for heating the air supplied to the treating chamber, and a controller implementing a cycle of operation, wherein the controller estimates a cycle time of a drying cycle of operation. |
| US09027257B1 |
System and method for cleaning grain dryer screen
A system for cleaning a grain dryer screen includes a grain dryer screen supported within a grain bin and having a grain contacting surface opposing a grain debris contacting surface. A drying airflow path through the grain dryer screen is defined sequentially by the grain debris contacting surface and the grain contacting surface. A cleaning assembly includes a first cleaning arm mounted within the grain bin and disposed along the grain debris contacting surface. A cleaning assembly powering system is configured to move the first cleaning arm along a predetermined cleaning path relative to the grain debris contacting surface. |
| US09027254B1 |
Scalpel handle having a blade shield
A scalpel handle for holding a blade having a cutting edge includes a handle member and a blade shield for covering the blade cutting edge. The blade shield is connected to the handle member for pivotal movement relative thereto between a blade-covering condition and an out-of-the-way condition, and a movable shield latch mechanism is capable of releasably locking the blade shield in its blade-covering condition. A finger-operable actuator mechanism is mounted upon the handle member for movement between first and second conditions, and a spring is interposed between the actuator mechanism and the handle member. During a first phase of movement of the actuator mechanism from its first to its second condition, the shield latch mechanism unlocks the blade shield from its locked blade-covering condition, and during a second phase of movement, the blade shield is moved from its blade-covering condition to its out-of-the-way condition. |
| US09027250B2 |
Protective riser guide for scissors
A protective riser guide for scissors is provided in the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, the protective riser guide is integrally formed with an arm of a pair of scissors. In other embodiments, the protective riser guide is removably attached to the exterior surface of a scissor arm. Preferably, the protective riser guide is in the shape of an arc extending away from the interior surface of the arm if the guide is integrally formed with the arm, or from the exterior surface if the guide is removably attached to the exterior surface. Due to the shape and position of the protective riser guide on the arm of a pair of scissors in certain embodiments, the protective riser guide is ergonomic and increases the safety of the operator of the scissors without interfering with the operator's cutting techniques. |
| US09027249B2 |
Method for producing a lead-free sliding bearing
In a method for producing a lead-free sliding bearing, a copper-based material comprising a total of 0.1% to 3% of the elements aluminum, magnesium, silicon, titanium, zircon, and chromium is sintered. Additionally, up to 15% tin can be included in order to ensure optimal properties for use in the internal combustion engine. |
| US09027243B2 |
Method and system for replacing a single wind turbine blade
A method of replacing a wind turbine blade includes suspending the wind turbine blade from support hub of a wind turbine, connecting one or more cable climbing members between the support hub and the wind turbine blade, and lowering the one or more cable climbing members and the wind turbine blade from the support hub. |
| US09027241B2 |
Method of assembling a medical electrical lead
A method of assembling a medical electrical lead. The method comprises providing a modular connector assembly including three contacts coupled to three contact conductors, selecting a lead body assembly from a group of different lead body assemblies which includes a first lead body assembly having only two conductors for and a second lead body assembly having three conductors; and coupling each of the conductors of the selected lead body assembly with a corresponding contact conductor of the modular connector assembly. |
| US09027240B2 |
Method for producing a flexible circuit configuration
For the production of a flexible circuit configuration, which contains a layer sequence and a film connected thereto, for the creation of through contacts through the film up to terminal surfaces of the layer sequence, it is proposed that the film be connected unstructured to the layer sequence provided in a defined position on the substrate and then, while the composite of layer sequence and film remains on the substrate, perforations be created through the film up to terminal surfaces of a conductive layer of the layer sequence and contact metal be deposited in structured form on the film and in the perforations as through contacts. |
| US09027238B2 |
Multilayered printed circuit board and method for manufacturing the same
A multilayered printed circuit board or a substrate for mounting a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor device, a first resin insulating layer accommodating the semiconductor device, a second resin insulating layer provided on the first resin insulating layer, a conductor circuit provided on the second resin insulating layer, and via holes for electrically connecting the semiconductor device to the conductor circuit, wherein the semiconductor device is accommodated in a recess provided in the first resin insulating layer, and a metal layer for placing the semiconductor device is provided on the bottom face of the recess. A multilayered printed circuit board in which the installed semiconductor device establishes electrical connection through the via holes is provided. |
| US09027237B2 |
Method for producing optoelectronic components, and products produced thereby
A method for producing optoelectronic components, the method comprising the steps of: providing optical components; picking up, by means of a robot arm, the optical components provided; subsequent to picking up the optical components, mounting the optical components directly on a first wafer by means of the robot arm; wherein the first wafer has optoelectronic components attached, and the optical components being positioned individually or in groups relative to the position of the optoelectronic components of the first wafer using the robot arm; and utilizing, as the first wafer, a glass wafer having i) spectrally filtering glass being an infrared filter glass and ii) an infrared filter coating, the glass wafer having a thickness in the range of 50 to 500 micrometers. |
| US09027235B2 |
Method of producing a braid comprising a plurality of wires
The invention relates to a method for the production of a strand (11) of several wires (12), consisting of an electrically conductive material, which are hard drawn to a final diameter in at least a single or multiblock wire-drawing machine (19, 28) or drawing apparatus in a last drawing step before the stranding, so that in each case the wire or wires (12) have a tensile strength of at least 300N/mm2, and that subsequently the hard drawn wires (12) or a mixture of hard drawn wires (12) and soft-annealed wires are stranded into a strand (11) in a stranding machine (21), without a subsequent annealing process, as well as a strand which is produced according to the present method. |
| US09027233B2 |
Supporting basket for an end winding
A supporting basket for an end winding of a stator winding of an electrical machine, the supporting basket including: at least one supporting ring; a plurality of supporting brackets arranged circumferentially distributed along the at least one supporting ring and attached to the at least one supporting ring; and a plurality of round connectors arranged radially externally on the supporting brackets, the round connectors extending circumferentially and being attached to the supporting brackets; wherein the supporting brackets, the at least one supporting ring, and the round connectors comprise an impregnation formed by dip-impregnation as a preassembled unit. |
| US09027230B2 |
Thermally responsive composite member, related devices, and applications including structural applications
In accordance with the invention, there are temperature sensing and temperature control devices and methods of making them. The temperature sensing and control devices can include a composite member, the composite member including a non-metallic binder material, and one or more non-metallic, electrically conductive fibers disposed in the non-metallic binder material. The temperature sensing and control devices can also include a plurality of contacts disposed on the one or more non-metallic, electrically conductive fibers, wherein the composite member has a substantially continuous decrease in electrical resistance with an increase in temperature. |
| US09027229B2 |
Coil assembly comprising planar coil
Coil assembly (1) comprising a planar coil (2) comprising a plurality of turns (15) arranged in a trench (10) in a first magnetic core plate (3) and a second magnetic core plate (8), where the first magnetic core plate (3) and second magnetic core plate (8) are in direct contact with each other or separated by an electrically insulating insulator layer (5) with a thickness (t) equal to or less than 50 μm and least one tap (6) extends from the coil (2) in a respective via hole (11) through the first magnetic core plate (3) to a respective contact pad (7), wherein the coil (2) and the tap (6) are integrally formed. |
| US09027225B2 |
Method of forming one piece back frame for a vehicle seat
A one-piece back frame including an upper portion, a lower portion and a pair of vertical portions. The upper portion includes a first flange bent downwardly and a second flange bent upwardly to enclose the upper portion. The first and second flanges are brazed or welded to one another, which has the effect of strengthening the upper portion of the back frame and increasing its resistance to forces and moments during front or rear impact. Additionally, a pair of tubes extend through and are connected to upper portion. The tubes are designed for receiving a head restraint, but also serve the additional purpose of further strengthening the upper portion to increase its resistance to forces and moments during front or rear impacts. |
| US09027223B2 |
Insulating cover for fasteners used in high temperature environments
A method and apparatus for an insulating cover for fasteners. In one advantageous embodiment, an apparatus comprises a washer and a cover. The washer is capable of receiving a fastener. The cover is capable of being secured to the insulating washer, wherein an insulating volume is created with the cover secured to the washer. |
| US09027220B2 |
Rivet setting machine
A rivet setting machine is provided. In another aspect, a linear displacement sensor directly senses and detects a position of a rivet-setting punch relative to a nosepiece of a rivet setting machine. A further aspect provides a control system and software instructions for sensing the relative position of a punch and nosepiece used by a programmable controller to determine and monitor a rivet setting position without use of a force sensor, motor current/voltage sensor, or a rotation sensor. |
| US09027219B2 |
Shaft securing mechanism for a tool
A securing mechanism is provided for a tool that allows for the attachment and release of the shafts of a variety of implements from the tool. The mechanism has a construction that provides an easily releasable, but secure engagement of the implement shaft within the mechanism while also having an alignment feature which engages the implement at multiple locations when engaged with the mechanism to maintain the alignment and concentricity of the implement shaft with regard to the mechanism and the tool when in use. |
| US09027214B2 |
Device for producing interlaced knots
A device for producing interlaced knots in a multifilament thread is described. The device includes a rotating nozzle ring having a circumferential guide groove and a plurality of nozzle bores opening radially into the base of the guide groove. A stationary pressure chamber, having a chamber opening and an air connection, is associated with the nozzle ring, wherein by rotation of the nozzle ring the nozzle bores can be connected in turn to the chamber opening of the pressure chamber. To permit an intensive air treatment of the thread, the dimension of the chamber opening in the pressure chamber and the spacing of adjacent nozzle bores on the nozzle ring are designed such that as the nozzle ring rotates a plurality of nozzle bores are simultaneously connected to the chamber opening. |
| US09027213B2 |
Critical point drying systems and methods for in situ tissue preservation
Methods and systems for preserving tissues in situ using critical point drying are disclosed. Such methods and systems are particularly applicable to the preservation of a deceased body, such as a deceased person or animal, with or without removal of internal tissues or organs. A fixative can be perfused through the vascular system of the body while blood is removed from the body. The exterior of the body can also be immersed in a bath of fixative. The fixative in the vascular system and the bath can be replaced by subsequent washes of buffer, de-ionized water, and/or alcohol. The alcohol-infused and fixated body can be disposed in a pressure chamber and subjected to a critical point drying process using carbon dioxide. After the critical point drying process, the body is in a preserved state. |
| US09027211B2 |
Fastening strap and manufacturing method thereof
A fastening strap and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The fastening strap includes a first band and a second band. The first band has a first surface and a second surface. The first surface has a plurality of hooks of special configuration. The second band has a third surface and a fourth surface. The third surface is directly adhered to the second surface of the first band, and the fourth surface has a plurality of loops for being mechanically latched by the hooks on the first surface. The second surface and/or the third surface is printed with at least one pattern. After the first band and the second band are adhered together, the pattern can be seen from the first surface of the first band. |
| US09027210B2 |
Self-aligning zipper
A Self-Aligning Zipper is disclosed that allows for one handed operation by anyone who would, otherwise use a zipper or use of the Self-Aligning Zipper by those with physical and developmental limitations or equipment such, as cold weather gloves or mittens. The proper alignment of each half of the Self-Aligning Zipper is accomplished by way of magnets of opposite polarity along with structural guide elements to ensure proper alignment and operation of the zipper. |
| US09027205B2 |
Gear cam mounting device in dual-hinge device for a portable terminal
A gear cam mounting device in a dual-hinge device for a portable terminal is provided, in which first and second hinge shafts provide first and second parallel hinge axes, respectively, first and second gear cams are fixed around the first and second hinge shafts, in engagement with each other, and first and second locking units penetrate respectively through the first and second gear cams in a direction that is perpendicular to the first and second hinge axes, for locking the first and second gear cams to surround the first and second hinge shafts. |
| US09027203B2 |
Surface cleaning apparatus
A surface cleaning head comprising one or more lower open sided air flow passages is provided. One or both air flow passages may be a lower open sided air flow passage and may have a rib to prevent carpet of the like from blocking the air flow passage. One of the passages may be a deep cleaning slot. |
| US09027202B2 |
Low pressure drop dust collectors
Highly efficient particulate collectors, such as for dust and street debris collected by a mobile street cleaning vehicle, with very low pressure loss are disclosed. One embodiment uses a specially contoured passage to separate the solid particles from particulate-laden gas stream by rapid directional change at a throat region. By using the Venturi effect at the accelerating zone communicating with a gas return channel from the particulate retaining chamber, a small amount of the gas will be recirculated from the deposit zone to help move and retain the separated particles in a confined collection receptacle. |
| US09027198B2 |
Surface cleaning apparatus
A hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus, such as a cyclonic hand vacuum cleaner, is provided wherein the pre-motor filter is positioned above the upper end of the cyclone chamber and downstream of a cyclone chamber. |
| US09027195B1 |
Auxiliary handle attachment for a cleaning sponge and the combined assembly
A cleaning implement having a sponge and an assembly for engaging and manipulating the sponge. The assembly includes a gripper head having a receptacle area that is defined within a peripheral wall. Hook elements are provided that laterally extend into the receptacle area from the peripheral wall. A handle extends from the gripper head. The handle may be selectively detachable from the gripper head. A sponge is provided, wherein a segment of the sponge is deformed into the receptacle area. The deformed section of the sponge is hooked by the hook elements in the receptacle area. This mechanically interconnects the sponge with the gripper head. |
| US09027194B2 |
Spatula apparatus
It is one aspect of the present invention to provide an improved spatula apparatus configured to contact a substantial portion of container sidewalls. Another object of the present invention is to provide improved spatula apparatuses that are configured to hold and remove a larger amount of material from containers that have relatively small openings. An additional object of the present invention is to provide improved spatula apparatuses that are configured to conform to and remove material from a plurality of containers without requiring multiple swipes and other duplicative motions. |
| US09027192B1 |
Toothbrush with usage indicator
This invention is a toothbrush with usage indicator for use in connection with personal dental hygiene. Most people continue to use the same toothbrush, even when it no longer provides the quality needed to maintain good dental hygiene. An old toothbrush typically has worn bristles which fail to clean the teeth and gums properly. In addition, a toothbrush that has been used for a long time tends to have a build up of bacteria on it, posing a potential health problem for the user. The toothbrush with usage indicator has particular utility in connection with knowing when it is time to replace a toothbrush, employing a battery-operated counter which turns on a red light when the toothbrush needs to be discarded. The counter is loaded with a predetermined value, for example 45, which correlates to the number of times the toothbrush should be used before being discarded. A push button on the handle of the toothbrush allows the user to decrement the counter each time the toothbrush is used. While the counter value is 4 or greater, a green light is displayed, but when the value drops below 4, a red light is displayed. The red light indicates that the toothbrush should be replaced. |
| US09027184B2 |
Acupressure pillows
An acupressure pillow includes pressure members that are interconnected by an elastic member and arranged so that, when the user rests a body part (e.g., head or neck) on the pillow between the pressure members, the pressure members automatically adjust to accommodate the body part and produce pressure on the body part due at least in part to the elastic member, which biases the pressure members toward one another. Thus, the pressure exerted on the body part may have different vector components, including some pressure produced essentially perpendicular to the pillow surface on which the body part rests and some pressure produced at other angles due to the shape of the pressure members and the inward force on the pressure members produced by the elastic member. |
| US09027183B2 |
Patient handling device
A patient handling device, such as a bed, stretcher, cot, or the like, includes a deck on which a patient may lie and which is surrounded by siderails. Control panels may be mounted on the siderails in a staggered fashion to improve the ease of accessing the control panels. A handle assembly may be included near the top of the Fowler section of the deck which allows a pair of handles to be squeezed independently for manual pivoting of the Fowler section. Squeezing one handle does not increase the force required to subsequently squeeze the other handle. The pivoting of the Fowler section may also be carried out automatically through an electrical actuator. The raising of the deck may be carried out through an electrical pump that pumps hydraulic fluid, and which may be activated near the top end of the stroke of a reciprocating pedal. |
| US09027180B2 |
Play yards and methods of operating the same
Play yards and methods of operating the same are disclosed. A disclosed example includes a collapsible upper frame, a collapsible lower frame, and posts to support the upper frame above the lower frame. The posts include respective tracks. The example also includes a foldable, frameless enclosure operatively coupled to the upper frame, the lower frame and the posts. The enclosure has a plurality of sides and a bottom to define an enclosure volume. The enclosure also has a plurality of corner beads dimensioned for receipt in a respective one of the tracks to secure the enclosure to the posts. |
| US09027177B2 |
Shower door assembly with an integral directional draining system
A shower door assembly with an integral directional draining system including a shower door frame having a frame body defining a horizontal drain channel and a plurality of drain holes, at least one side panel having a first end and a second end, the first end of the side panel being sized and configured to be fixedly attached to the frame body and the second end of the side panel further including a hinge mount, and at least one door defining a hinge mount rotatably connected to the hinge mount of the side panel and a door drain channel, the door having an upper portion and lower portion. The door of the present invention flares upward and bows outward such that the upper portion of the door is farther away from the shower door frame than the lower portion of the door. |
| US09027170B2 |
Personal protection device and garment incorporating said device
A personal protection device for protecting a user is described. The personal protection device can have an inflatable member having an internal chamber that can be inflated or deflated according to predetermined conditions. |
| US09027166B1 |
Therapeutic sock system and method
An interior sock is fabricated of a flexible elastic polymer. The interior sock has a cylindrical closed toe section, a cylindrical open ankle section and an intermediate heel section. The heel section is provided between the toe and ankle sections. An exterior sock is fabricated of a knitted blend of cotton and a minor portion of an elastic. The exterior sock has a cylindrical closed toe section, a cylindrical open ankle section and an intermediate heel section. The heel section is provided between the toe and ankle sections. A quantity of therapeutic fluid is located within the interior sock. The therapeutic fluid is in contact with a foot of a user. The interior sock provides support for the therapeutic fluid. The exterior sock provides pressure and warmth to the interior sock and the therapeutic fluid. |
| US09027165B2 |
Hat systems
A hat system relating to reducing and/or eliminating physical interferences between hat bills and eyewear rims by the introduction of strategic hat bill cutouts along the periphery of the bill as a means for providing additional physical clearance for user-chosen eyewear. Additionally, users of the preferred hat system may also take advantage of bill cutouts as a means to secure eyewear on the face during sports, or other moments of high activity. Further, the hat system incorporates a camouflage covering to camouflage such strategic hat bill cutouts. Even further, the hat system provides unique design elements provided by geometrically-shaped bill cutouts in combination with, or without, coverings. |
| US09027163B1 |
Face mask for helmet
A facemask for a helmet. The helmet includes a forehead area and two side areas. The facemask comprises a plurality of intersecting, integral metal supports forming a face protection area. The face protection area includes a top section, two side attachment sections and a front section. The top section can be shaped to conform to and attached to the forehead area of the helmet while each side attachment section can be shaped and formed to attach to one of the side areas of the helmet. Further, the front section can extend from the top section and each attachment section. |
| US09032543B2 |
Content provider with multi-device secure application integration
Methods and systems for providing access to content are disclosed. The method is performed at least in part at a client computer system having a processor and memory. The method includes executing a host application associated with a first party. In some implementations, the host application is a media player. The method further includes initiating a secure communication channel between the host application and a server associated with the first party. The method further includes executing a supplemental application associated with a second party. The method further includes accessing, with the supplemental application, content licensed to the first party, wherein the licensed content is accessible to the supplemental application via the secure communication channel subject to terms of a licensing agreement. In some implementations, the content is media content, such as music, movies, and the like. |
| US09032541B2 |
Information processing system, information processing apparatus, and computer-readable storage medium
An information processing system includes an external system having an external server managing public information, and an internal system having an internal server managing secure information and a terminal outputting information. The external server sends an information generating module to the terminal at an acquisition request source, and the terminal executes the received information generating module, in order to generate information to be provided, using the public information acquired from the external server and the secure information acquired from the internal sever. |
| US09032538B2 |
Relay apparatus, program of relay apparatus and transmitting apparatus
A relay apparatus of a video and audio transmitting/receiving system delays a time before transmitting an authentication start instruction after an authentication start video signal being transmitted to a receiving apparatus. Accordingly, a problem that the receiving apparatus receives the authentication start instruction from the relay apparatus before locking the authentication start video signal and cannot perform authentication processing normally, leading to a failure in authentication. A correction time is decided based on a resolution of the authentication start video signal transmitted from the receiving apparatus and a combination of receiving apparatuses and transmitting apparatuses connected to the relay apparatus. |
| US09032535B2 |
Storage device and method for providing a scalable content protection system
A storage device and method for providing a scalable content protection system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a storage device is provided comprising a memory operative to store a plurality of versions of content, wherein each version of the content is of a different quality and is associated with a different level of content protection. The storage device receives information from the host identifying a level of content protection supported by the host. The storage device sends, to the host, a version of the content that is associated with the level of content protection supported by the host, wherein the version of the content is sent to the host using the level of content protection that is supported by the host. In another embodiment, different levels of content protection are applied to different types of content. |
| US09032531B1 |
Identification breach detection
Systems and methods are disclosed for detecting data breaches and, more specifically, disclosed herein are systems and methods for detecting data breaches and preventing fraud, including healthcare insurance fraud, using both a computer association component (Interpretation model) and a self sensitizing/self de-sensitizing component (SS/SDS model) using a breach observation line (BOL). |
| US09032529B2 |
Detecting vulnerabilities in web applications
A method, computer program product, and system for detecting vulnerabilities in web applications is described. A method may comprise determining one or more values associated with a web application that flow to response data associated with the web application. The one or more values may be modifiable by unreliable input. The method may further comprise generating a representation of the response data associated with the web application. The method may additionally comprise determining one or more potentially vulnerable portions of the response data based upon, at least in part, the one or more values modifiable by the unreliable input that flow to the response data associated with the web application, and the representation of the response data associated with the web application. |
| US09032526B2 |
Emulating mixed-code programs using a virtual machine instance
The subject disclosure is directed towards a technology for efficiently emulating program code that is protected by one or more various code virtualization techniques to detect the presence of malware. An emulation engine emulates a program containing a mix of native code, custom (e.g., virtualized obfuscated) code, and at least one emulator and/or interpreter that understands the custom code, by building a custom emulation component that is built by detecting and analyzing the internal emulator or interpreter. The custom emulation component may access a translation table built from the analysis, and also may simplify a plurality of instructions in the program into a lesser number of instructions in an intermediate language used for emulation. |
| US09032523B2 |
Rollback feature
A file stored in a first portion of a computer memory of a computer is determined to be a malicious file. A duplicate of the file is stored in a quarantine area in the computer memory, the quarantine area being in a second portion of the computer memory that is different from the first portion of the computer memory. One or more protection processes are performed on the file. The determination that the file is a malicious file is determined to be a false positive and the file is restored, during a boot sequence, to a state prior to the one or more protection processes being performed on the file. |
| US09032521B2 |
Adaptive cyber-security analytics
Performing adaptive cyber-security analytics including a computer implemented method that includes receiving a report on a network activity. A score responsive to the network activity and to a scoring model is computed at a computer. The score indicates a likelihood of a security violation. The score is validated and the scoring model is automatically updated responsive to results of the validating. The network activity is reported as suspicious in response to the score being within a threshold of a security violation value. |
| US09032513B2 |
Systems and methods for event stream platforms which enable applications
Systems and methods to generate a final event stream are provided. The system collects information from a wide variety of sources, and then parses, normalizes, and indexes the information. This generates an initial event stream that can be tagged and then iteratively processed to generate a final event stream. The processing includes first order logic querying and knowledge extraction to infer additional events which is added to the event stream. The final event stream is used by a knowledge exchange for consumption by applications. These applications may be internal applications and/or third party applications. This system may be particularly useful in use with medical information, or any other big data enterprise system. |
| US09032511B2 |
Mobile information terminal and gripping-feature authentication method
A mobile information terminal including a gripping-feature sample acquisition unit to acquire a gripping-feature sample, one or more environmental sensors outputting an environmental signal, a terminal status detector to acquire the environmental signal and detect a terminal status, a template selection unit to select a user authentication template fitting the detected terminal status, a user authentication unit collating the acquired gripping-feature sample with the selected user authentication template and outputting a user authentication result, a user authenticity level monitor that outputs a sensor power source OFF signal when the user authenticity level exceeds a threshold value and outputs a sensor power source ON signal when the user authenticity level falls below the threshold value, and a power source control unit halting energization to a sensor when acquiring the sensor power source OFF signal, and energizing a sensor when acquiring the sensor power source ON signal. |
| US09032501B1 |
Cryptographic protocol for portable devices
Embodiments are directed towards communicating using a mobile device that performs actions including. A mobile device may be provisioned with an access point such that a provisioning key and a provisioning token for each of the provisioned access points may be stored on the mobile device. The mobile device may be determined to be in the presence of a provisioned access point based on the provisioning key and an advertising nonce. The advertising nonce may be encrypted with the provisioning key. A communication channel between the mobile device and the access point may be established based on a session nonce, the advertising nonce, and the provisioning key. A session key may be generated based in part on the advertising nonce and a message counter. And, encrypted message packets that include a message and a message authentication tag may be communicated to the access point. |
| US09032499B2 |
System and method for providing a certificate to a user request
Provided is a system and method for providing a certificate, and more specifically a certificate for network access upon a second system based on at least one criteria and an established identity with a first system. The method includes receiving criteria, such as at least one predefined attribute. Also received from a user known to a first system is a request for network access to a second system, the request having at least one identifier. The first system is then queried with the identifier for attributes associated with the user. The attributes associated with the user are evaluated to the predefined attribute(s). In response to at least one attribute associated with the user correlating to the predefined attribute(s), providing a certificate with at least one characteristic for network access on the second system to the user. An associated system for providing a Certificate is also provided. |
| US09032496B2 |
Secure single sign-on
Systems and methods that provide secure single sign-on are described herein. When a user provides credentials to a client device, the credentials may be intercepted and cached at a secure location, such as within a trusted environment. When a client process, such as a remote desktop program running on the client device, requests the credentials for single sign-on to a server providing remote desktop services, the credentials may be secured, such as within an opaque container that may be accessed only components running in trusted environments, and provided to the client process. The client process may be running in an untrusted environment, such as an operating system session. The client device may forward the secured credentials to a trusted environment in the server, effectuating single sign-on. |
| US09032492B2 |
Distributed computer systems with time-dependent credentials
A distributed system in which time-dependent credentials are supplied by controllers that operate according to different local times. Errors that might arise from the controllers generating inconsistent credentials because of time skew are avoided by identifying credentials generated during transition intervals in which different ones of the controllers may generate different credentials at the same absolute time. During a transition interval, controllers and other devices may use credentials differentially based on the nature of the authentication function. Each controller may periodically renew its credentials based on self-scheduled renewals or based on requests from other devices, such that renewal times are offset by random delays to avoid excessive network traffic. Controllers may determine which credential is valid for any given time, based on a cryptographically secure key associated with that time and information identifying the entity that is associated with that credential. |
| US09032489B2 |
Method and device for proxy access of open platform
Disclosed are a method and device for a proxy access of an open platform for solving technical problems that resource occupancy is excessive, a password security is low, and a local file cannot be uploaded. In the present invention, an official application is established in a user terminal, and the official application interacts with the open platform by an SDK provided by the open platform; the official platform is bound by applying for a protocol with the URL format from an operating system of the user terminal, and provides an interaction interface for the third party application through the protocol with the URL format. Therefore, the present invention reduces the system resource which the third party application occupies in the user terminal and the development cost of the third party application, and protects the security of the user's account. |
| US09032488B2 |
Cross instance user authentication architecture
In accordance with disclosed embodiments, there are provided methods, systems, and apparatuses for implementing a cross instance user authentication architecture in an on-demand service environment including, for example, means for receiving a login request at a global Virtual Internet Protocol (VIP) address for the host organization from a client device; forwarding the login request received at the global VIP address to one of a plurality of datacenters within the host organization; determining the selected datacenter is a non-home-geo datacenter for a user associated with the login request received from the client device; establishing a back-end link from the non-home-geo datacenter to a home-geo datacenter for the user; forwarding the login request from the non-home-geo datacenter to the home-geo datacenter via the back-end link for authentication of the client device at the home-geo datacenter responsive to the login request received from the computing device; and returning a response to the client device from the non-home-geo datacenter upon successful authentication of the login request at the home-geo datacenter, wherein the response specifies a re-direct to the home-geo datacenter for the user. Other related embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09032485B2 |
Anchor authenticator relocation method and system
The disclosure provides an anchor authenticator relocation method and system. The method includes: after an old authenticator accepts an anchor authenticator relocation request of a Mobile Station (MS), a new authenticator sends an authenticator relocation request to an AAA server; when the AAA server's verification on the new authenticator is passed and the old authenticator confirms that the new authenticator is trusted, the anchor authenticator is relocated to the new authenticator. The disclosure provides a detailed solution to perform anchor authenticator relocation without re-authentication. |
| US09032484B2 |
Access control in a hybrid environment
A heterogeneous computing system includes a first server module having a first operating system, a second server module communicatively coupled to the first server module, the second server module having a second operating system dissimilar to the first operating system, a data set accessible by the first server module and the second server module; and a process residing on the first server module, the process configured to grant access to the second server module, from the first server module, to the data set. |
| US09032480B2 |
Providing multiple APN connections support in a browser
At a web browser application installed on a device a first Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is received. The web browser application determines a first Access Point Name (APN) network identifier associated with the first URL and establishes a first data connection based on the first APN network identifier between the device and a network. At the web browser application installed on the device a second URL is received. The web browser application determines a second Access Point Name (APN) network identifier associated with the second URL and establishes a second data connection based on the second APN network identifier between the device and a network. |
| US09032476B2 |
Secure authentication
Technologies are generally described for secure authentication tokens that employ hardware public physically unclonable functions. Each unique token can be implemented as hardware such that manufacturing variations provide measurable performance differences resulting in unique, unclonable devices or systems. For example, slight timing variations through a large number of logic gates may be used as a hardware public physically unclonable function of the authentication token. The authentication token can be characterized such that its physical characteristics may be publicly distributed to authenticators. Authenticators may then simulate the result from a particular input vector and then request the authentication token to generate the same result in a very short amount of time. The time may be specified such that the result could not be simulated by an imposter for a timely response. |
| US09032474B2 |
Policy application server for mobile data networks
A policy application server and methods for use are described. The policy application server is a logical element of a policy-based control and charging system for a mobile data service network. The policy application server is configured to manage policies including creating, revising, formatting, and provisioning of policies. The policy application server is configured to assemble policy rules from policies and context data. Context data includes subscriber and service information needed to make a particular policy rule. The policy application server gathers context data from one or more network databases. The policy application server is configured to send policy rules to select ones of a plurality of policy decision engines. The policy application server manages the storing of policies, policy rules and formatted context data in select ones of a plurality of policy repositories. |
| US09032472B2 |
Apparatus and method for adjusting the cognitive complexity of an audiovisual content to a viewer attention level
To allow viewer to adapt audiovisual content to their attention level, the audiovisual signal processing arrangement (104, 106), comprising an audiovisual signal processing unit (104) arranged to receive from a control unit (106) at least one complexity setting value (S_Inf-c) specifying a complexity of information in an audiovisual signal, the audiovisual signal processing unit (104) being arranged to process an inputted audiovisual signal S(A, V) to decrease or increase its information complexity as determined by the complexity setting value (S_Inf-c), wherein the audiovisual signal processing unit (104) is arranged to process at least an audio component (A) of the audiovisual signal S(A, V). |
| US09032470B2 |
Apparatus for adapting a presentation of media content according to a position of a viewing apparatus
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer instructions to detect a first position of a viewing apparatus, wherein the viewing apparatus enables viewing of media programs, obtain a media program in a first viewing perspective that conforms to the first position, present the media program with the first viewing perspective for viewing by way of the viewing apparatus, and transmit to the viewing apparatus a first audio signal corresponding to the first viewing perspective. The storage medium can also have computer instructions to detect that the viewing apparatus has moved to a second position, obtain the media program in a second viewing perspective according to the second position, and present the media program with the second viewing perspective for viewing by way of the viewing apparatus. Other embodiments are disclosed and contemplated. |
| US09032461B2 |
System and method for video conferencing through a television forwarding device
A system and method for implementing a video conference through a television forwarding device. A remote user is authenticated through a website. A selection of a user is received for the remote user to communicate with through the video conference. An invitation is sent to the television forwarding device. The invitation being configured to prompt the user to accept implementation of the video conference. The video conference is implemented between the remote user and the user in response to the user accepting the invitation. |
| US09032456B2 |
Modifying commercials for multi-speed playback
A system for modifying commercials for multi-speed playback detects when a commercial break begins in a broadcast program content stream. If the viewer selects fast-forward playback mode during the commercial break, then the system selects the appropriate alternate content to be played to the viewer. The alternate content can include images, video, and/or audio content. The system is provided configuration information by the service provider or broadcaster to identify what alternate content will be played, when it will be played and any additional processing tasks required. A service provider can charge an advertiser or content provider a fee based on viewership of the alternate content. When the system detects that the commercial break has ended, it returns the viewer back to the program material. |
| US09032455B2 |
Method of management of trick mode commands destined to control a digital content streaming server
The invention relates to a method of management of trick mode commands destined to control a digital content streaming server. In order to manage the transmission of trick mode commands from multiple trick mode command issuers, the method comprises: a step of reception of at least one trick mode command from at least one command issuer, a step of determination of elapsed time between the received command and a last transmitted command, and a step of transmission of the received command to the at least a digital content streaming server if none of determined conditions applies, whereby the determined conditions comprises: if the elapsed time is smaller than a determined first delay; and if the command issuer of the received command does not have highest issuer rights allowing the issuer to derogate from respecting of the determined first delay. |
| US09032451B2 |
Method and system for using a second screen device for interacting with a set top box to enhance a user experience
A system and method for displaying data related to a content displayed through a set top box includes a second screen device generating a content information request signal requesting data corresponding to the content, communicates the content information request signal to the set top box. The set top box communicates a content information signal to the second screen device comprising a content identifier. The second screen device generates a request for related data signal corresponding to the content using the content identifier, communicates the request for related data signal through a network, receives aggregated related content data corresponding to the content from a data services center and displays the aggregated related content data. |
| US09032445B2 |
Series reminders and series recording from an interactive television program guide
An interactive television program guide system with program series reminder and recording capabilities is provided. The system allows a user to set a reminder or schedule a recording for a single episode or for each episode of a program series. In addition, other options may be provided that allow the user to determine, for example, whether to schedule reminders/recordings for episodes on all channels on which the program airs or only on a selected channels, whether to schedule reminders/recordings for all episodes including reruns or only new episodes, whether to schedule reminders/recordings for network or syndicated episodes, and whether to schedule reminders/recordings for episodes on all days or only on selected days of the week. Before the scheduled broadcast time of each episode of each selected program series, the system sends a reminder message to the user that reminds the user of the program episode or sends a record command to a videocassette recorder to initiate recording of the episode. The system allows a user to view a list of all currently requested program reminders and scheduled program recordings. The user may update, change, or cancel any entry in either list or the system may automatically update the lists to match new broadcast schedule information. If the user sets a reminder or schedules a recording that conflicts with an existing reminder or recording, the system may inform the user of the conflict and allow the user to resolve the conflict or the system may resolve the conflict. |
| US09032444B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatuses for resolving media content recording conflicts
An exemplary method includes detecting, on a media content recording device, a media content recording conflict between a plurality of scheduled recordings of media content instances, and outputting, for display on a display device, data representative of a graphical user interface including a plurality of graphical objects representative of the plurality of scheduled recordings of the media content instances and at least one option configured to facilitate resolution of the media content recording conflict. Corresponding methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09032443B2 |
System and method for automatically authoring interactive television content
A system and method is provided to automatically generate content for ITV products and services by processing primary media sources. In one embodiment of the invention, keywords are automatically extracted from the primary media sources using one or more of a variety of techniques directed to video, audio and/or textual content of the multimodal source. In some embodiments, keywords are then processed according to one or more disclosed algorithms to narrow the quantity of downstream processing that is necessary to associate secondary sources (reference items) with the primary video source. Embodiments of the invention also provide automatic searching methods for the identification of reference items based on the processed keywords in order to maximize the value added by the association of reference items to the video source. |
| US09032438B2 |
Method and apparatus for accessing content
A method and apparatus for accessing content is capable of retrieving and selecting information is facilitated by using uniform operations. Symbols corresponding to pre-recorded programs contained on a recording medium are displayed on a screen. In response to selecting one of the symbols, representative frames comprising the program are displayed on the screen. In response to selecting a representative frame, a portion of the program is played back. In a recording device, content is accessed by displaying a representative frame from each of a number of user-defined streams. At least a portion of a stream is played back in response to selection of the corresponding one of the representative frames. |
| US09032435B2 |
Ad selection and next video recommendation in a video streaming system exclusive of user identity-based parameter
In a streaming video system, a method determining a sequence of video programs playing on an interactive player device may include streaming a first video program including an ad break from a computer server to an interactive player device during a first streaming session. The method may further include automatically selecting a video advertisement or next program from a set of prospective video advertisements for play during the ad break or available programs, based at least in part on the first video program exclusive of any parameter based on user identity. The method may include providing the video advertisement to the interactive player device in the first streaming session at the ad break. Bases for selecting the next ad or program may include program popularity, rate of change in popularity, or other parameter. The method may be embodied in a computing apparatus or system. |
| US09032434B2 |
Unsupervised content replay in live video
Systems and methods are presented for monitoring user interest in a video as it is being played and autonomously selecting a section of the video for replaying based on an identified user interest in the section. A monitoring component monitors user interaction with a video being streamed to one or more devices as the video is played at the one or more devices. An identification component further determines level of user interest based on the monitored user interaction and identifies a section of the video associated with the level of user interest in response to the level of user interest being above a predetermined threshold. Then a replay component streams the section of the video to the one or more devices again at least in response to the identification of the section. |
| US09032433B2 |
Personalized ad insertion during start over service
A method and apparatus is disclosed for inserting targeted/addressable advertisements into video streams delivered to users within the context of a start over service. |
| US09032431B2 |
System and method for filtering broadcast communication based on viewing context
A video control system for displaying video products within a current viewing context is designed to receive, via a broadcast communication, a video product and product information for the video product. The product information includes an intended viewing context for the video product. The video control system processes the product information and filters the video product based on a comparison of the intended viewing context and the current viewing context. |
| US09032426B2 |
Medium processing device and flexible cable
A medium processing device may include a head which reads or writes data to a recording medium; and a flexible cable which is connected with the head. The flexible cable may be formed in a multilayer structure including a data signal layer formed with a data signal pattern and disconnection detecting signal layers which cover a front face and a rear face of the data signal layer and are formed with a disconnection detecting signal pattern. The flexible cable may also include a terminal connecting part formed with a through hole into which a signal terminal of the head is inserted and a terminal covering part folded to cover the terminal connecting part and fixed to the terminal connecting part. |
| US09032424B2 |
Systems and methods for application reuse
System and methods are provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a master data archiver configured to store a data related to a turbomachine system and a first data collector service system configured to collect the data from the master data archiver. The system also includes a second data collector service system communicatively coupled to the first data collector system and configured to pull or to push the data from the first data collector system and a first data archiver configured to receive at least some of the data from the second data collector system. The system further includes an asset model database storing a plurality of turbomachine tags, wherein the turbomachine tags are configured to categorize the data and a data access system (DAS) configured to provide data access to the first data archiver, the asset model database, or a combination thereof. |
| US09032418B2 |
Message communication of sensor and other data
A service may be provided that reads sensors, and that communicates information based on the sensor readings to applications. In one example, an operating system provides a sensor interface that allows programs that run on a machine to read the values of sensors (such as an accelerometer, light meter, etc.). A service may use the interface to read the value of sensors, and may receive subscriptions to sensor values from other programs. The service may then generate messages that contain the sensor value, and may provide these messages to programs that have subscribed to the messages. The messages may contain raw sensor data. Or, the messages may contain information that is derived from the sensor data and/or from other data. |
| US09032412B1 |
Resource allocation based on active folder activity
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for allocating resources in a computer system is disclosed. In some embodiment, this comprises monitoring application activity triggered by an active folder, ranking applications based on the monitored activity, and allocating resources to applications based on the ranking. In some embodiments, a higher ranked application is allocated more resources. |
| US09032408B2 |
System and method for intelligent timer services
A method is provided for efficiently scheduling timer events within an operating system by allocating a plurality of timers, each of which has an expiry time, to a set of available timer slots. The method defines a timer spread value that denotes the allowed variance of the expiry times of each of the timers, calculates a set of available timer slots for each of the timers based on the timer spread value, and adjusts the expiry times of the timers so as to insert and evenly spread the timers across the set of available timer slots. In one implementation, the set of available timer slots is located in a timer wheel existing within the operating system, and the timer wheel uses a plurality of timer vectors arranged into successively increasing levels, beginning with level zero. |
| US09032406B2 |
Cooperative batch scheduling in multitenancy system based on estimated execution time and generating a load distribution chart
Systems and methods for cooperative batch scheduling in multitenancy computing systems are described. A number of batch requests are received in the computing system, where each batch request includes a job reference, and a start time when the execution of the referenced job to be launched. Duration of execution is estimated for each job referenced by the requests. The estimation is based on predefined criteria that include a product of median execution times for at least one recurring operation. An anonymous load chart is created based on the start times and the estimated duration of execution of each job referenced by the plurality of batch requests. The anonymous load chart may take into account the available capacity of the computing system. The anonymous load chart is exposed to a number of isolated users of the computing system for cooperative batch scheduling. |
| US09032400B1 |
Opportunistic initiation of potentially invasive actions
A system and method for opportunistically initiating potentially invasive actions on a computer system hosting virtual machine instances is described. When a specific state of operation of the VMI or computing service is detected, such as inactivity, an action, such as a reboot, kernel update, or other potentially invasive action can be performed on the software and/or hardware supporting the VMI. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, detailed description, and figures. |
| US09032398B2 |
Online classification of memory pages based on activity level represented by one or more bits
Activity level of memory pages is classified in virtual machine environment, so that processes such as live VM migration and checkpointing, among others, can be carried out more efficiently. The method includes the steps of scanning page table entries of hypervisor-managed page tables continuously over repeating scan periods to determine whether memory pages have been accessed or not, and for each memory page, determining an activity level of the memory page based on whether the memory page has been accessed or not since a prior scan and storing the activity level of the memory page. The activity level of the memory page may be represented by one or more bits of its page table entry and may be classified as having at least two states ranging from hot to cold. |
| US09032396B2 |
Server apparatus, terminal apparatus, and application control system
A server apparatus, a terminal apparatus and an application control system are provided. An application managing unit (11) determines an application to be transmitted to a terminal (20) on the basis of execution capability information and terminal state information received from the terminal (20). An application transmitting unit (12) transmits the determined application and a priority record of each application to the terminal (20) through a server transmitting unit (18). An installing unit (28) installs the received application. An application executing unit (29) controls execution of the application on the basis of execution priority represented by the received priority record and controls an output of image information generated by the application on the basis of display priority represented by the received priority record. |
| US09032392B2 |
Similarity engine for facilitating re-creation of an application collection of a source computing device on a destination computing device
Techniques are disclosed for facilitating re-creation of an application collection of a source computing device at a destination computing device. The techniques include receiving a source application identifier indicative of a source application edition, the edition of the application being programmed for a source operating system. The techniques also include receiving an indicator of a destination operating system. The techniques further include determining a source canonical application corresponding to the source application edition based on the source application identifier, the source canonical application being a representative of one or more application editions including the source application edition. The techniques also include determining a set of destination application editions that are likely similar to the source application edition based on the source canonical application, the set of destination application editions indicating one or more destination application editions programmed for the destination operating system. |
| US09032389B2 |
System and method for generating a set top box code download step sequence
A method for generating a Set Top Box (STB) code download step sequence includes the steps of retrieving a code object from a Software Download Generator (SDG) memory in response to an instruction signal, generating at least one of a control message and a decoder conditional command using a SDG processor in response to the code object, accessing information in a channel map in the SDG memory, combining the at least one of a control message and a decoder conditional command with the code object to generate the STB code download step sequence for a target STB, transmitting the at least one STB code download step sequence from the SDG memory to a Digital Addressable Controller (DAC), re-transmitting the STB code download step sequence from the DAC to a Remote Addressable DANIS/DLS (RADD), and re-transmitting the STB code download step sequence from the RADD to the target STB. |
| US09032384B2 |
System and method for performing processing in a testing system
A system and method is provided for performing processing in a test system. A flexible platform may be provided for developing test programs for performing automated testing. In one such platform, the tester and its instruments are isolated from the tester operating system, permitting any tester operating system to be used. In another example implementation, a user layer of the platform is isolated from the physical layer of the architecture, permitting hardware-independent test programs that can be created and used among different testers having different test hardware and software. In yet another implementation, execution of a test program is isolated from a tester platform operating system, permitting the test program to function independent from the tester platform. In another embodiment, functionality is implemented on the platform such that functions are only added, and that existing links to functions are not broken, ensuring continued test system operation when new software, hardware and/or features are added to the platform. The test system may include a non-deterministic computer system. In one example test system, the system forces execution of one or more computer instructions performed by the non-deterministic computer system to execute within a constant execution time. A deterministic engine, if necessary, waits a variable amount of time to ensure that the execution of the computer instructions is performed over the constant execution time. Because the execution time is constant, the execution is deterministic and therefore may be used in applications requiring deterministic behavior. For example, such a deterministic engine may be used in automated test equipment (ATE) applications. |
| US09032379B2 |
Platform specific optimizations in static compilers
Embodiments include systems and methods for generating an application code binary that exploits new platform-specific capabilities, while maintaining backward compatibility with other older platforms. For example, application code is profiled to determine which code regions are main contributors to the runtime execution of the application. For each hot code region, a determination is made as to whether multiple versions of the hot code region should be produced for different target platform models. Each hot code region can be analyzed to determine if benefits can be achieved by exploiting platform-specific capabilities corresponding to each of N platform models, which can result in between one and N versions of that particular hot code region. Navigation instructions are generated as part of the application code binary to permit a target machine to select appropriate versions of the hot code sections at load time, according to the target machine's capabilities. |
| US09032378B2 |
Available symbol set generation using untyped variable
The facilitated computation of an available symbol set at code locations in a dynamic language program, in which the program is executed up to a particular halt point for which an available symbol set is to be generated. At the halt point, a type of a value of a particular variable may be used in order to generate the available symbol set. However, at the halt point, the variable does not yet have a value of a useful type (e.g., null or undefined), which is possible in a dynamic language program. Rather than return an error, the principles described herein result in return of an available symbol set anyway. Specifically, the variable had previously been annotated with information representing accessed type information for the variable, even though the variable has not formally been defined. This annotated information may be used to generate the available symbol set. |
| US09032377B2 |
Efficient parallel computation of dependency problems
A computing method includes accepting a definition of a computing task, which includes multiple Processing Elements (PEs) having execution dependencies. The computing task is compiled for concurrent execution on a multiprocessor device, by arranging the PEs in a series of two or more invocations of the multiprocessor device, including assigning the PEs to the invocations depending on the execution dependencies. The multiprocessor device is invoked to run software code that executes the series of the invocations, so as to produce a result of the computing task. |
| US09032370B2 |
Automated test cycle estimation system and method
A system and method is disclosed to estimate both, the time and number of resources required to execute a test suite or a subset of test suite in parallel, with the objective of providing a balanced workload distribution. The present invention partitions test suite for parallelization, given the dependencies that exists between test cases and test execution time. |
| US09032366B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing configuration of aeronautical system in compliance with the ARINC 653 standard
Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus for performing a configuration of an aeronautical system. The apparatus includes a display unit, an intermediate model generation unit, an Extensible Markup Language (XML) conversion unit, and a translator. The display unit display displays a user interface for receiving aeronautical system setting information in compliance with an ARINC 653 standard. The intermediate model generation unit generates an intermediate model of source code based on the setting information received via the user interface. The XML conversion unit creates an XML document by performing XML conversion on the generated intermediate model. The translator generates a source code file in compliance with the ARINC 653 standard by converting the generated XML document. |
| US09032364B2 |
Serializing a templated markup language representation of test artifacts
A method, system and computer program product for serializing a templated markup language representation of test artifacts is provided. The method includes selecting a template of a test plan through a graphical user interface of a test plan markup generation module executing in memory by a processor of a host computer. The method also includes extracting a table of contents from the selected template such that the table of contents includes at least one reference to at least one test case. Finally, the method includes transforming at least one portion of the table of contents including the at least one test case into a markup language representation of the selected template of the test plan. |
| US09032360B1 |
Selecting a test scenario template based on similarity of testing profiles belonging to different organizations
Selecting a test scenario template for a certain user based on similarity of a profile of template utilization by the certain user to profiles of template utilization by other users involves executing the following: receiving runs of test scenarios, run by a certain user belonging to a certain organization; identifying test scenario templates utilized by the certain user; generating a profile of the certain user based on the test scenario templates; receiving profiles of users belonging to different organizations; comparing between the profile of the certain user and the profiles of the users and identifying at least one profile of a user, from among the profiles of the users, which is similar to the profile of the certain user; and selecting a certain template from among templates indicated as utilized in the at least one profile. |
| US09032358B2 |
Integrated circuit floorplan for compact clock distribution
An integrated circuit includes core logic and a plurality of interface blocks disposed about a periphery of the core logic. A plurality of input or output (I/O) circuits is assigned to one of the plurality of interface blocks. The I/O circuits include external I/O circuits coupled to a device other than the integrated circuit and internal I/O circuits coupled to the integrated circuit. Each interface block includes a first plurality of I/O circuits disposed on a first side of the interface block and a second plurality of I/O circuits disposed on a second side of the interface block. Each interface block also includes interface logic for the interface block between the first plurality of I/O circuits and the second plurality of I/O circuits, and a logic hub that includes a clock distribution of minimal length that drives launch logic and capture logic to form the I/O circuits of the interface block. |
| US09032356B2 |
Programmable clock spreading
An integrated circuit having a programmable clock spreader configured to generate a plurality of controllably skewed clock signals, each applied to a corresponding region within the integrated circuit with circuitry configured to be triggered off the applied clock signal. The programmable clock spreader is designed to enable customization of the current-demand characteristics exhibited by the integrated circuit, e.g., based on the circuit's spectral impedance profile, to cause transient voltage droops in the power-supply network of the integrated circuit to be sufficiently small to ensure proper and reliable operation of the integrated circuit. |
| US09032355B2 |
System and method for integrated transformer synthesis and optimization using constrained optimization problem
A method for designing a transformer in an integrated circuit includes receiving one or more desired characteristics of the transformer from user input and iteratively determining a design solution for the transformer through one or more simulations and modifications using a rule-set. The method combines the one or more desired characteristics with other preset characteristics of the transformer or the integrated circuit. A first model of the transformer is defined with typical load impedances and simulated having the combined characteristics to determine performance. Results of the simulation are processed to calculate performance with the load impedances specified by the user. The results are further processed to obtain a mathematical model that includes tuning capacitors. The first and subsequent models are modified by drawing on a rule-set of expert knowledge relating to general dependency of at least one design criterion, such as a physical, geometrical or performance characteristic, with another design criterion. |
| US09032354B2 |
Scan chain modification for reduced leakage
A leakage power control vector is loaded into existing test scan chain elements for application to circuit elements of a circuit in which the leakage currents are to be controlled. The vector is designed to configure the circuit elements into states in which leakage currents are reduced. A multiplexer selects the power control vector for loading into the scan chain elements, and a clock generator clocks the configuration vector into the scan chain elements. A sleep mode detector may be provided to configure the multiplexer to select the power control vector and to operate the clock generator to clock the power control vector into the scan chain elements when a sleep mode of the circuit is detected. |
| US09032353B2 |
Method and system for three-dimensional layout design of integrated circuit elements in stacked CMOS
A method includes providing a design of a semiconductor device such as a stacked CMOS device comprising a plurality of circuit elements to be assigned into a layout of a plurality of tiers, and identifying at least one first type of circuit element within the plurality of circuit elements based on at least one predetermined criterion. Each respective one of the at least one first type of circuit element is to be assigned to a respective designated one of the plurality of tiers. The method further includes dividing the remainder of the plurality of circuit elements into at least two groups of circuit elements based on circuit density, and assigning the at least one first type of circuit element and the at least two groups of circuit elements to respectively different ones of the plurality of tiers of the semiconductor device. |
| US09032352B2 |
Method of optimizing capacitive couplings in high-capacitance nets in simulation of post-layout circuits
A method of asymmetric asynchronous decoupling of capacitors in an integrated circuit design is provided for faster simulation by circuit simulators, e.g. FastSPICE circuit simulators. This method includes removing a coupling capacitor from a list, which includes coupling capacitors that capacitively couple two nets in the design. The two nets have capacitances C1 and C2, and at least one of capacitances C1 and C2 exceeds a threshold. The coupling capacitor has capacitance Cc. When coupling capacitance Cc is low and only one of capacitances C1 and C2 has a low capacitance, then a forward capacitance can be used at whichever of the two nets has the low capacitance and a lump capacitance can be used at the other net for simulation. When coupling capacitance Cc is low and both of capacitances C1 and C2 have high capacitances, then lump capacitances can be used at the two nets for the simulation. |
| US09032347B1 |
System and method for automated simulator assertion synthesis and digital equivalence checking
A system, method, and computer program product for automatically generating equivalent assertions in different forms for different verification tools, which may be analog or digital. A user submits a set of logic assertions that, if unclocked, are converted to clocked assertions by generating and skewing clocks to ensure simulator uniformity. A stimulus is generated, perhaps at random, or input. A test bench is either input or synthesized. For each verification tool, the test bench is simulated and simulation results are captured. An assertion status difference engine evaluates result differences between the verification tools, and identifies and outputs differences indicating a significant inconsistency. Errors in verification tool implementation and user assertion coding can be detected. The simulators used may include SPICE and Verilog, or any other simulators that differ in type, simulation algorithm, input format, or vendor implementation. |
| US09032346B2 |
Method and apparatus for creating and managing waiver descriptions for design verification
Methods are provided to facilitate automated creation and management of design rule checking or DRC waiver descriptions. Embodiments include receiving a plurality of first checksums corresponding to respective first geometric element violations waived in association with a block of an integrated circuit design, the first checksums being based on a first version of at least one design verification rule and/or of the block, receiving a second checksum corresponding to a second geometric element violation associated with the block, the second checksum being based on a second version of the design verification rule and/or of the block, determining whether the second checksum corresponds to at least one of the first checksums, and, if the second checksum does not correspond to at least one first checksum, generating a waiver request for the second geometric element error. |
| US09032345B2 |
Digital circuit verification monitor
A method, a system and a computer readable medium for providing information relating to a verification of a digital circuit. The verification may be formal verification and comprise formally verifying that a plurality of formal properties is valid for a representation of the digital circuit. The method comprises replacing at least a first input value relating to the representation of the digital circuit by a first free variable, determining if at least one of the plurality of formal properties is valid or invalid after replacing the first input value by the first variable and indicating if the at least one of the plurality of formal property is valid or invalid. The use of a free or open variable that has not determined value can be directly in the description or representation of the digital circuit. It is not necessary to insert errors or to apply an error model. |
| US09032344B2 |
Verification module apparatus for debugging software and timing of an embedded processor design that exceeds the capacity of a single FPGA
A plurality of Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA), high performance transceivers, and memory devices provide a verification module for timing and state debugging of electronic circuit designs. Signal value compression circuits and gigabit transceivers embedded in each FPGA increase the fanout of each FPGA. Ethernet communication ports enable remote software debugging of processor instructions. |
| US09032338B2 |
Devices, methods, and graphical user interfaces for navigating and editing text
An electronic device displays text of an electronic document on a display; displays an insertion marker at a first position in the text of the electronic document; detects a first horizontal gesture on a touch-sensitive surface; in response to a determination that the first horizontal gesture satisfies a first set of one or more predefined conditions: translates the electronic document on the display in accordance with a direction of the first horizontal gesture, and maintains the insertion marker at the first position in the text; and, in response to a determination that the first horizontal gesture satisfies a second set of one or more predefined conditions, moves the insertion marker by one character in the text from the first position to a second position in the text in accordance with the direction of the first horizontal gesture. |
| US09032335B2 |
User interface techniques reducing the impact of movements
New techniques improving display output and computer system input response are provided.In aspects of the invention, a system assesses whether input gesture(s) occur within an area of an output matrix describing an element, within a time period following a substantial and/or activity-affecting change in that area, and nullifies or alters an affect(s) of the input gesture(s) that would otherwise occur, and may instead or also create the affect that would occur if the output matrix had not experienced the relevant substantial and/or activity-affecting change, and may also reverse, alter, augment or otherwise address the substantial and/or activity-affecting change in that area of the output matrix to enhance the user experience.In other aspects, an object-based projection method increases efficiency and decreases output matrix judder.In additional aspects, a new form of pixel and array, with variably-angled variably-curved pixel subsections, assists in further smoothing edges between objects. |
| US09032334B2 |
Electronic device having 3-dimensional display and method of operating thereof
According to the present invention, disclosed is an electronic device having a three-dimensional display, comprising a sensor obtaining information about a gesture's motion; a three-dimensional display displaying a pointer and/or an object moving in three-dimensional space according to the gesture's motion; and a controller checking applications in execution, determining a movement distance of the pointer and/or the object in proportion to a movement distance of the gesture by taking account of gesture sensitivity selected according to the type of the checked application, and controlling the display to move the pointer and/or the object as much as the determined movement distance. |
| US09032329B2 |
System and method for dialog position management
A system, method, and computer program for managing objects within an application, comprising receiving information corresponding to a command accessed through a user interface; and in response to the received information, clipping said received information to one or more rail clips wherein said rail clip is positioned along said dialog rail in a computer window environment and appropriate means and computer-readable instructions. |
| US09032328B1 |
Customizing user interfaces
A method for customizing a graphical user interface (GUI). The method includes identifying an event associated with the GUI and a user; matching the event to a trigger of a GUI pattern; identifying, within the GUI pattern, an expected interaction between the GUI and the user in response to the event; and modifying the GUI to improve user access to a graphical element involved in the expected interaction. |
| US09032326B2 |
Late instantiation of dependent objects
An enterprise management software system that provides a methodology for transient data storage, user action handling and dependent object creation process. When a dependent object is required to be added, the software system may remember the action without creating the dependent object. When a command is received to cancel the dependent object creation, the software system may work only on the transient data at a frontend and will not interact with backend. The dependent object may be instantiated when receiving a user command to save any entered data. Responsive to the user command, the software system may collect user input and trigger dependent object instantiation process at the backend. |
| US09032324B2 |
Mobile information terminal and method for displaying electronic content
A mobile information terminal includes a main information display control unit for displaying the information described on a specific page of electronic content presented to a user over a plurality of pages, a fore-edge display control unit for displaying an image of trimmed edges of the plurality of pages, as a fore-edge image, when the mobile information terminal is turned at a predetermined angle or more from a standard bearing, and an operation detector for detecting a trace operation from the user on the fore-edge image. When the trace operation on the fore-edge image is detected, the main information display control unit sequentially switches and displays the information described in a plurality of pages specified by the trace operation. |
| US09032323B2 |
Character information display device and character information display method
A character information display device includes: a display format deciding part 2 for deciding that the display format of a character string to be displayed is telop display when the number of characters making up the character string exceeds the number of characters for one line on the screen; a scroll speed setting part 6 for setting the scroll speed of the character string to be displayed at a reference speed in a case where the character string is judged as a character string easy to read, and setting the scroll speed of the character string to be displayed at a slower speed than the reference speed in a case where the character string is judged as a character string difficult to read by a reading difficulty judging part 4; and so on. |
| US09032314B2 |
Proposing visual display components for processing data
A pattern of visual interactivity may be automatically proposed for processing a data set that exhibits dimensions of variability. A visual display component may be analyzed to assess whether it is capable of receiving user input representing changes that correspond to types of changes of the identified dimensions of the data set. A suitable visual display component may be provided as a suggestion on a user interface for potentially using the visual display component to allow a user to interact with the data. In some embodiments, a visual display component includes a number of visual objects and/or visually interactive components for use within a graphical user interface. A visual display component may include one or more analytic patterns having at least one of an equation, rule, constraint, expression or combination thereof that represents the analytic pattern. Alternatively, a visual display component may involve a visual display representation of data through visual characteristics of a graphical object. |
| US09032313B2 |
Terminal device configured to run a plurality of functions in parallel including an audio-related function, and control program thereof
In a mobile phone, even when an audio-related function is running in background processing in parallel with a function running in the main processing (foreground processing) where operations by the main operating section have been assigned to the function running in the main processing, the control section operates the audio-related function based on a user operation detected by the touch screen, the imaging section, the sound collecting section, or the housing movement detecting section. |
| US09032312B2 |
Platform for generating composite applications
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to composite applications that can be created and implemented using components of a platform disclosed herein. Widgets associated with one or more products available in a mashup container can be implemented based on a selection by a user of the widgets from a widget catalog. A behavior of, and an interaction between, the widgets can be defined using metadata data associated with the widgets without requiring assistance from the user. A skin can be applied to the composite application that controls a visual presentation of the application on a display. |
| US09032306B2 |
Promoting participation of low-activity users in social networking system
Method or system for allowing a social networking system to retain users of a social networking system by identifying low-activity users who are likely to become inactive/dormant users and prompting users to initiate interactions with the low-activity users. The low-activity users are identified by monitoring activities and interactions of the users via the social networking system. If the pattern of activities and interactions satisfy one or more criteria, a computer device for providing the social networking system initiates an intervention scheme where users are induced to initiate interactions with the low-activity users. In response to the interactions, the low-activity users are likely to resume interactions via the social networking system. |
| US09032301B2 |
Crowd-sync technology for participant-sharing of a crowd experience
The systems and methods taught herein provide a choreographed, crowd forum at an event, including offering to send a media display to a plurality of participants in a crowd attending the event. Each of the plurality of participants have (i) a close-visual proximity to other participants; and, (ii) it's own respective computing device with a graphical user interface, a processor, a database, and a choreography. Each respective computing device is operable to at least receive and display a choreographed portion of the crowd media display. The choreographed portions can be configured to be received and displayed by each respective computing device in a choreographed manner in the crowd coordinated with an activity at the event. In this manner, the plurality of participants have at least the experience of receiving and displaying a respective choreographed portion of the crowd media display at the event. |
| US09032300B2 |
Visual presentation composition
Methods, systems and/or computer program products that help facilitate visual presentation composition may include, in one aspect, executing one or more processes executing on a computer system to present a user of a computer system with movie templates, each movie template having a corresponding theme and a sequence of shot placeholders, each shot placeholder including graphical indicia representing one or more desirable characteristics specific to that shot placeholder; receiving information from the user including a movie template selection and a selection of one or more video clips corresponding to desirable characteristics indicated by the shot placeholders; and generating a playable media file representing a movie based on the information received from the user. |
| US09032298B2 |
Website application system for online video producers and advertisers
A system for accessing development components, including an online video clip library of templates and an online music clip library, and enabling online production of user-friendly, custom-integrated media products. The system includes a Web application on a Website for hosting services for producers/advertisers/users. The system also includes a search engine that indexes the video, interactive Web formatting screens for selecting development components and producing the Web products in said Web application, an online MIXER module for editing and playing said selected video, an online editing program, which allows the advertiser/user to edit his advertisement himself, outside WebServices accessible by said advertisers of said Web application via the internet for custom-integrating, encoding and formatting the video clips and a parallel platform in which content producer/users and commercial libraries could upload their raw material and set their price. |
| US09032295B1 |
Method for displaying files from a plurality of devices in a multi-view interface and for enabling operations to be performed on such files through such interface
In a synchronization or back-up system that synchronizes and/or back-ups files from multiple computing devices, the present invention provides a method for (1) displaying files from multiple computing devices in a multi-view user interface and (2) enabling content and file operations to be performed on such files through the user interface. The multi-view interface includes a file-system view and one or more media-specific views. In the file-system view files are organized in the same way in which they are organized on the devices on which they are stored. The file-system view in the interface looks essentially the same as the file-system view on client devices. In the file-system view, users can perform file operations on files. In the media-specific view files are organized by media category. In one embodiment of the media-specific view, files are organized by metadata that relates to the files content. In the media-specific view, users can perform content operations on the files. |
| US09032294B2 |
System and method for listening to audio content
A method including selecting a presentation content group, displaying content identifiers corresponding to the presentation content group, selecting a content identifier, and instantly presenting a substantially live presentation content from a media provider corresponding to the selected content identifier to a user. |
| US09032293B2 |
Dynamic iconic setting indicator
A media type currently associated with a multiple media player device is determined by the multiple media player device. A current setting status associated with each of a set of adjustable options associated with the determined media type is determined. A set of option icons that each represents one of the set of adjustable options is identified. Each identified option icon is paired with the associated current setting status of each adjustable option. A menuing input is detected. An overlay user interface menu, including only one option icon and the associated current setting status pair, is displayed over full-screen content on a display. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract. |
| US09032292B2 |
Simultaneous display of multiple maximized applications on touch screen electronic devices
The present disclosure provides for a touch screen electronic device to display two or more running applications simultaneously in a side-by-side layout in a split screen mode of the device. Two or more applications that are running on an operating system of the device can be easily displayed simultaneously in the split screen mode while maintaining one of the displayed applications as active so that the user can provide user inputs to the active application. |
| US09032288B2 |
Document presentation in virtual worlds
Embodiments described herein are directed to an import converter for importing individual pages of a document into a virtual world and an export converter for exporting captured images of scenes in a virtual world to generate a document. The import converter can convert pages of a document into a sequence of individual page images, which can be uploaded into the virtual world. The individual page images are positioned in the virtual world according to a user-specified layout. The export converter generates a document using scene images captured in a virtual world based on user-specified camera positions. Pages of the generated document incorporate the scene images. |
| US09032287B2 |
Systems and methods of modifying a web page based on environmental factors
According to some embodiments, a method and apparatus are provided to receive an environmental factor associated with a mobile device. A web page to be viewed on the mobile device is modified based on the determined environmental factor. |
| US09032285B2 |
Selective content extraction
A method for extracting web content includes detecting, within a web page, a hierarchical structure that includes a plurality of nodes. Potential article nodes from the plurality of nodes are identified. The identified potential article node with a highest rank in the hierarchical structure is identified as an article node. Content is extracted from the article node. |
| US09032281B2 |
System and method for collecting financial information over a global communications network
A system comprises a combination of user examination decisions and semi-automated extraction tools, integrated into a web-based administration interface, to permit a user to quickly catalog a publically available financial website and extract financial rate data in a reproducible manner. The reproducibility of the extraction process allows for automated processes to re-extract the rate data as often as necessary to attain at least daily accuracy of recorded financial rates for a financial institution. The system allows for the tracking of over a quarter of a million financial rates, across varying website technologies and display formats, and the daily tracking of financial institution product data and especially financial products with frequently changing rates. A stable repository of rate data is also created to allow for data mining of financial trends to syndicated parties. |
| US09032279B2 |
Memory device
A memory device includes a parity circuit configured to detect presence or absence of an error using a plurality of command signals and a plurality of address signals, a command shift circuit configured to shift the plurality of command signals by a preset delay value in synchronization with a control clock, a clock control circuit configured to deactivate the control clock when there is no valid command signal in command signals being shifted in the command shift circuit, and a decoder circuit configured to decode a plurality of command signals output from the command shift circuit. |
| US09032273B2 |
Method, apparatus and device for data processing
An embodiment relates to a method for data processing that includes reading data, the data comprising overhead information and payload information, and determining a state of each portion of the data, wherein the state is one of a first binary state, a second binary state, and an undefined state. The method also includes decoding at least one portion of data that has an undefined state based on its location and based on the overhead information. |
| US09032269B2 |
Systems and methods of storing data
A method of writing data includes receiving data pages to be stored in a data storage device and generating codewords corresponding to the received data pages. The codewords are stored to physical pages of a first memory portion of the data storage device. A first portion of a particular codeword that corresponds to a particular data page is stored at a first physical page of the first memory portion. A second portion of the particular codeword is stored at a second physical page of the first memory portion. The codewords are copied from the physical pages of the first memory portion to a physical page of a second memory portion of the data storage device. |
| US09032268B1 |
Method for error correction in a multicast network
A digital broadcast communication system includes an upload system further comprising digital transceivers that upload a plurality of voice sources from any one of announcers, players, referees, coaches, and sportscasters from a broadcast booth utilizing a synchronized multicast communication protocol. At least one access point is configured to communicate with the digital transceivers using synchronized multicast communication protocol. The system utilizes error control coding and decoding that is based upon a quasi-orthogonal maximal sequence code. |
| US09032262B2 |
Memory test method, memory test device, and adapter thereof
A memory test device used to test performance of at least one memory module on an electronic device, are provided. The memory test device includes at least one adapter and a control unit. The adapter includes a plugging portion, a slot, and a switch circuit. The plugging portion is used to be plugged in a memory module slot of the electronic device. The slot is connected electrically to the plugging portion, is used for the memory module to plug in, and is capable of outputting a work voltage to the memory module when the adapter is plugged in the memory module slot and connected electrically to it. The switch circuit is connected electrically to the plugging portion and the slot. The control unit is connected electrically to the switch circuit of each adapter, where the control unit enables or disables the plugged memory module by controlling the switch circuit. |
| US09032259B1 |
Test prioritization techniques
Systems and methods involve prioritizing information based at least in part on test results for tests. A computing device may administer one or more tests and/or may receive test results for one or more tests. Multiple executions of one or more tests may be administered over a period of time. A device administering a test may evaluate the functionality of at least a portion of an application programming interface (API) or at least a portion of a user interface. Test results may be analyzed to determine a failure pattern and/or pass rate for one or more tests. Test results may be analyzed to determine an error signature and/or error signature frequency for one or more test results. A report can be generated that prioritizes information based at least in part on the tests, test results, and/or any determined information. |
| US09032257B2 |
Transmission apparatus and transmission apparatus control method
A first interface board includes a first signal processing unit that performs a predetermined process on a signal. A second interface board includes a second signal processing unit that performs the predetermined process on a signal. When no failure occurs in both interface boards, a switching control unit selects the first interface board. When a failure occurs in the first interface board, the switching control unit selects the second interface board. When there is no failure in both the interface boards and the first interface board does not satisfy a predetermined degradation condition, the electrical power supply control unit supplies electrical power to the first interface board and prohibits the supply of electrical power to the second interface board. When there is no failure in both the interface boards but the predetermined degradation condition is satisfied, the electrical power supply control unit supplies electrical power to both the interface boards. |
| US09032253B2 |
Integrated testing system utilizing a test script and a test environment created based on the script
Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media for testing information technology systems and/or applications are provided. In some examples, data may be categorized as frequently used and stored at an information technology system testing system. One or more portions of the frequently used data may then be identified for use in testing an information technology system. The systems, methods, and the like may further include building a testing environment and receiving a test script. In some examples, one or more data types may be identified for use in testing the information technology system based on various project criteria, the received test script, and the like. In some examples, additional data types and data associated therewith may be identified as associated with the one or more identified data types based on a predefined relationship. This additional data may then be automatically included in the testing of the information technology system. |
| US09032252B2 |
Debug barrier transactions
An integrated circuit 2 includes one or more transaction masters 8, 10, 12, 4 for issuing data transactions via interconnect circuitry 20. Debug access port circuitry is configured to respond to debug commands received from a debug controller 6 to generate barrier transactions which are issued to the interconnect circuitry. The interconnect circuitry responds to the received barrier transactions by constraining a relative ordering of at least some of the data transactions as they pass through the interconnect circuitry. |
| US09032250B1 |
Online testing of secondary power unit
A power delivery system includes a power supply unit, a secondary power unit, a controller, and a monitor. The power supply unit is configured to receive primary power and provide operating DC power to a DC load. The secondary power unit is configured to store energy from the primary power. The controller is configured to control the secondary power unit during a testing period such that the secondary power unit uses the stored energy to provide secondary DC power to the load instead of the operating DC power. The monitor is configured to monitor the operation of the secondary power unit during the testing period and provide a signal indicative of whether the secondary power unit operated within defined parameters during the testing period. |
| US09032249B1 |
System and method for event-driven live migration of multi-process applications
A system, method, and computer readable medium for asynchronous live migration of applications between two or more servers. The computer readable medium includes computer-executable instructions for execution by a processing system. Primary applications runs on primary hosts and one or more replicated instances of each primary application run on one or more backup hosts. Asynchronous live migration is provided through a combination of process replication, logging, barrier synchronization, checkpointing, reliable messaging and message playback. The live migration is transparent to the application and requires no modification to the application, operating system, networking stack or libraries. |
| US09032245B2 |
RAID data management method of improving data reliability and RAID data storage device
A data storage device and a method of managing data in the data storage device to improve data reliability are provided. In the method of managing data, one of control management information about a memory block of nonvolatile memory in which data will be written and control management information about the data are received. A redundant array of independent disks (RAID) parity page ratio is determined according to the control management information. When a data write operation mode is performed, parity data is written in a parity page of the memory block according the RAID parity page ratio. According to some embodiments of the inventive concepts, since a RAID parity page ratio is selectively determined according to control management information, reliability of data is secured or increased. |
| US09032244B2 |
Memory segment remapping to address fragmentation
The techniques discussed herein identify failed segments of memory in a memory region. The techniques may then manage the failed segments of memory by logically clustering the failed segments of memory at an outlying portion of the memory region using a remapping process. The remapping process may include creating and storing remapping metadata defining segment remapping entries for the memory region. Accordingly, the failure clustering logically eliminates or reduces the memory fragmentation so that a system can allocate larger portions of contiguous memory for object storage. |
| US09032240B2 |
Method and system for providing high availability SCTP applications
A method and system for providing high availability services to SCTP applications is disclosed. In one embodiment, a high availability (HA) server system includes an active server and a standby server with a primary redundancy module and a secondary redundancy module, respectively, which are operable for performing a method including forming a control channel between the active server and the standby server, forwarding IP addresses of the active server and the standby server to a client device when an association between the client device and the active server is established, synchronously mirroring a state of a SCTP stack and a state of an application of the active server to the standby server using the control channel, and servicing the client device using the standby server based on the state of the SCTP stack and the state of the application if a failure of the active server is detected. |
| US09032239B2 |
HS-CAN bus clock recovery using a tracking oscillator circuit
A method for recovering a clock frequency of a CAN bus, the method including: receiving a data signal, wherein the data signal includes at least one state transition; detecting the state transition; and adjusting a frequency of a clocking signal generated by an oscillator circuit, wherein the frequency is adjusted when the state transition is detected and adjusting the frequency is for recovering the clock frequency of the CAN bus. |
| US09032238B2 |
Systems and methods for crossover delay to prevent power module faults
Systems and methods detect when a transition from a first power module to a second power module is taking place and generates a lockout pulse when the transition is detected. The lockout pulse initiates the blocking of a predetermined number of gate pulses from reaching the second power module. When the predetermined number of gate pulses are blocked, the systems and methods reset to allow complete gate pulses to reach the second module, and continues to detect when the next transition takes place. |
| US09032232B2 |
Instruction for enabling a processor wait state
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a processor having a core with decode logic to decode an instruction prescribing an identification of a location to be monitored and a timer value, and a timer coupled to the decode logic to perform a count with respect to the timer value. The processor may further include a power management unit coupled to the core to determine a type of a low power state based at least in part on the timer value and cause the processor to enter the low power state responsive to the determination. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09032223B2 |
Techniques to manage operational parameters for a processor
Techniques to manage operational parameters for a processor are described. For instance, a method includes monitoring performance values representing physical characteristics for multiple components of a computing platform, and managing a performance level for a processor based on the performance values and one or more operational parameters for the processor. The operational parameters may include one or more transitory operational parameters that cause the processor to temporarily exceed operational parameters set by a thermal design power limit. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09032222B2 |
Secure point of sale terminal
A data entry device including a housing formed of at least two portions, data entry circuitry located within the housing, at least one case-open switch assembly operative to sense when the housing is opened and tamper indication circuitry operative to receive an input from the at least one case-open switch assembly and to provide an output indication of possible tampering with the data entry circuitry located within the housing, the at least one case-open switch assembly including an arrangement of electrical contacts including at least first, second and third contacts and a displaceable conductive element, the tamper indication circuitry and the third contact together being operative such that when the third contact is short circuited to at least one of the first contact, the second contact and another contact, an output indication of possible tampering is provided. |
| US09032216B2 |
Techniques for dynamic generation and management of password dictionaries
Techniques for dynamic generation and management of password dictionaries are presented. Passwords are parsed for recognizable terms. The terms are housed in dictionaries or databases. Statistics associated with the terms are maintained and managed. The statistics are used to provide strength values to the passwords and determine when passwords are acceptable and unacceptable. |
| US09032215B2 |
Management of access control in wireless networks
Management of access control in wireless networks known as smart spaces includes a framework that presents non-expert users with a consistent and intuitive interaction mechanism to manage access to devices they own in the smart space without exposing to them the complexity of the underlying security infrastructure. Access control of devices in a network can include providing an interface between a user-level tool on a first device connected to a network and security components associated with the network, communicating a passlet between the user-level tool and the interface, verifying access permission at a second device on the network where access permissions are based on the passlet, and providing a response to the first device based on the verification of the access permission in the passlet. The passlet provides access permissions based on a particular user rather than a particular device. |
| US09032213B2 |
Data distribution path verification
A method may include receiving data and first path-metadata. The first path-metadata may include a first entity identifier. The first entity identifier may be associated with a first receiving entity that receives the data and the first path-metadata from an originating entity. The first path-metadata may also include a first digital signature associated with the originating entity. The method may further include receiving second path-metadata that may include the first path-metadata and a second entity identifier associated with a second receiving entity. The second path-metadata may also include a second digital signature associated with the first receiving entity. The method may additionally include verifying that the data was communicated by the originating entity to the first receiving entity and from the first receiving entity to the second receiving entity based on the first path-metadata, the second path-metadata, the first digital signature, and the second digital signature. |
| US09032209B2 |
Optical network terminal management control interface-based passive optical network security enhancement
A network component comprising at least one processor coupled to a memory and configured to exchange security information using a plurality of attributes in a management entity (ME) in an optical network unit (ONU) via an ONU management control interface (OMCI) channel, wherein the attributes provide security features for the ONU and an optical line terminal (OLT). Also included is an apparatus comprising an ONU configured to couple to an OLT and comprising an OMCI ME, wherein the OMCI ME comprises a plurality of attributes that support a plurality of security features for transmissions between the ONU and the OLT, and wherein the attributes are communicated via an OMCI channel between the ONU and the OLT and provide the security features for the ONU and the OLT. |
| US09032207B2 |
Method and system for processing digital content according to a workflow
A method of processing content according to a workflow, where a digital content is processed on one of a plurality of processing devices according to process definition associated to the content, includes the steps, iterated at the processing device, of: a) receiving from a server a signed workflow information, a workflow information comprising a status of the content processing, a signature of the process definition and a hash of the content; b) verifying the workflow information; c) when the workflow information is verified, processing the content according to the process definition and according to status of the content processing; d) updating and signing the workflow information; e) sending to the server the signed workflow information; and the steps iterated at the server of: f) receiving from a processing device a signed workflow information; g) publishing the signed workflow information received from the processing device. A system for performing the method is also provided. |
| US09032206B2 |
Rule sets for client-applied encryption in communications networks
A rule set for client-applied encryption is created and deployed to a client device by a network device over a communications network. Encryption applied by the client in accordance with the rule set may form the basis of a secure connection in which encrypted information is encapsulated and tunneled across a network that includes a wireless or wired interface through which the client obtains network connectivity. The client may monitor operating conditions, including operating conditions of the communications network, client device, and/or service provider. The rule set includes one or more rules that may be used by the client in combination with the detected operating conditions to select the appropriate encryption protocol. The rule set may persist at the client for use over multiple sessions in which a range of communication protocols and/or access points are used by the client to obtain network connectivity. |
| US09032201B2 |
Hiding a device identity
The present invention relates to hiding a device identifier (IMEI) in a communication system. Identifying a device is done by indicating an international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) as an instance identifier of the device of a user. Generating a globally routable user agent uniform resource identifier (GRUU) for the user is done by encrypting the instance identifier so that the GRUU comprises an identity of the user and the encrypted instance identifier. |
| US09032199B1 |
Systems, devices, and methods for capturing information, creating loadable images, and providing for restarts in a computer system
Embodiments relate to systems, devices, and computer-implemented methods for creating a loadable image and using the loadable image for restarting an application. The method can include starting, by a computing device, initialization of the application, and identifying upon initialization of the application, a plurality of resources associated with the application. The method can further include determining checkpoints associated with the plurality of resources. In addition, the method can include creating an optimized image corresponding to the application based on the checkpoints and an optimization of an application image, and storing the optimized image in a memory. Further, the method can include restarting the application by replacing a current process image with a new process image, and updating the new process image with one or more elements of the optimized image. |
| US09032196B1 |
Management of components in a hosting architecture
A service provider can maintain one or more host computing devices which may be utilized as bare metal instances by one or more customers of the service provider. Illustratively, each host computing device includes hardware components that are configured in a manner to allow the service provider to implement one or more processes upon a power cycle of the host computing device and prior to access of the host computing device resources by customers. In one aspect, a hosting platform includes components arranged in a manner to limit modifications to software or firmware on hardware components. In another aspect, the hosting platform can implement management functions for establishing control plane functions between the host computing device and the service provider that is independent of the customer. Additionally, the management functions can also be utilized to present different hardware or software attributes of the host computing device. |
| US09032194B2 |
Fast computer startup
Fast computer startup is provided by, upon receipt of a shutdown command, recording state information representing a target state. In this target state, the computing device may have closed all user sessions, such that no user state information is included in the target state. However, the operating system may still be executing. In response to a command to startup the computer, this target state may be quickly reestablished from the recorded target state information. Portions of a startup sequence may be performed to complete the startup process, including establishing user state. To protect user expectations despite changes in response to a shutdown command, creation and use of the file holding the recorded state information may be conditional on dynamically determined events. Also, user and programmatic interfaces may provide options to override creation or use of the recorded state information. |
| US09032191B2 |
Virtualization support for branch prediction logic enable / disable at hypervisor and guest operating system levels
A hypervisor and one or more guest operating systems resident in a data processing system and hosted by the hypervisor are configured to selectively enable or disable branch prediction logic through separate hypervisor-mode and guest-mode instructions. By doing so, different branch prediction strategies may be employed for different operating systems and user applications hosted thereby to provide finer grained optimization of the branch prediction logic for different operating scenarios. |
| US09032185B2 |
Active memory command engine and method
A command engine for an active memory receives high level tasks from a host and generates corresponding sets of either DCU commands to a DRAM control unit or ACU commands to a processing array control unit. The DCU commands include memory addresses, which are also generated by the command engine, and the ACU command include instruction memory addresses corresponding to an address in an array control unit where processing array instructions are stored. |
| US09032182B2 |
Electronic apparatus with storage media having real address designated by stimulated request format and storage media having real address not designated by stimulated request format
A diagnostic tool sends a request format designating a virtual address, which is different from a real address for an EEPROM. When a microcomputer determines that an address designated by the received request format is a virtual address assigned to the EEPROM, the microcomputer executes a process, which is designated by the received request format, with respect to the virtual address assigned to the EEPROM. |
| US09032179B2 |
Device for selecting and configuring a default storage section and the corresponding method
The present invention concerns a device and a method at the device for selecting and configuring a default storage section. The device comprises connecting means for connecting at least one storage device comprising storing means to the device, characterized in that it comprises a selector for selecting a storage device, the selected storage device becoming the default storage section, configuring means for, on selection of a default storage section, partitioning the storing means of the default storage section into more than one directory, and securing means for defining access rights to the more than one directory. |
| US09032177B2 |
Host read command return reordering based on time estimation of flash read command completion
Managing data returns to a host in response to read commands, an operation monitor of a solid-state drive (SSD) manages counters used to hold metrics that characterize the estimated time to complete a read operation on a corresponding flash die. A timer generates a periodic event which decrements the counters over time. The value stored in each counter is generated for flash operations submitted to the corresponding die and is, generally, based on the operational history and the physical location of the operation. Whenever a read command is scheduled for submission to a particular die, the time estimate for that particular read operation is retrieved and, based on this information, the optimum order in which to return data to the host is determined. This order is used to schedule and program data transfers to the host so that a minimum number of read commands get blocked by other read commands. |
| US09032176B2 |
Avoiding physical fragmentation in a virtualized storage environment
A virtualized storage stack includes logical layers above the physical storage layer. Each logical layer allocates data blocks, and the data block allocation is propagated down to the physical storage layer. To facilitate contiguous storage, each layer of the virtualized storage stack maintains additional metadata associated with data blocks. For each data block, the metadata indicates whether the data block is free, provisioned and includes a tag that indicates when the data block was first written. Data blocks that were first written as part of the same write request share the same tag, and are mostly guaranteed to be physically co-located. Block allocations that reuse data blocks having the same tag are preferred. Such preference increases the likelihood of the blocks being contiguous in the physical storage as these blocks were allocated as part of the same first write. |
| US09032170B2 |
Method for replicating a logical data storage volume
Replicated data storage units are autonomously identified and assembled into generationally related data storage volumes. A data storage manager, implementing a re-signaturing process executed at defined intervals or manually initiated on a server or client system connected to the storage area network, scans the collection of visible data storage units to identify those related as a data storage volume. Each replicated data storage unit includes metadata that embeds an identification of the replicated data storage unit and volume accessible to the data storage manager. To assemble a set of replicated data storage units into a generational volume, the data storage unit metadata is rewritten to establish a unique data storage volume identity including information to associate the data storage volume in a lineage with the source data storage volume. |
| US09032168B2 |
Memory management methods and systems for mobile devices
Memory management methods and systems for mobile devices are provided. A memory usage of a memory is monitored by a built-in memory management component of an OS of the device and a user-oriented memory management component. It is determined whether the memory usage of the memory is greater than a first threshold or a second threshold, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold. When the memory usage of the memory is greater than the first threshold, a multi-level memory management is performed by the user-oriented memory management component. When the memory usage of the memory is greater than the second threshold, a primitive memory management is performed by the built-in memory management component. |
| US09032167B2 |
Write operations to and from multiple buffers
Computer readable media, methods and apparatuses are disclosed that may be configured for sequentially reading data of a file stored on a storage medium. The disclosure also provides for alternating writing, in a sequential order, portions of the file data to a first buffer and a second buffer. The disclosure also provides for writing from a first buffer and a second buffer to a first track until the first track is filled. |
| US09032163B2 |
Data access management
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to assert a first semi-exclusive write lock with respect to a storage medium area by storing lock information when assertion of another semi-exclusive write lock with respect to the area is not detected. Additional activities may include writing data to the area by a writing entity that has asserted the first semi-exclusive write lock after determining the lock information has not changed, while substantially simultaneously de-asserting the first semi-exclusive write lock. Reading from the area may be determined as successful by determining that the semi-exclusive write lock was not asserted prior to or during the reading by checking the status of the lock information. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US09032157B2 |
Virtual machine failover
Disclosed is a computer system (100) comprising a processor unit (110) adapted to run a virtual machine in a first operating mode; a cache (120) accessible to the processor unit, said cache comprising a plurality of cache rows (1210), each cache row comprising a cache line (1214) and an image modification flag (1217) indicating a modification of said cache line caused by the running of the virtual machine; and a memory (140) accessible to the cache controller for storing an image of said virtual machine; wherein the processor unit comprises a replication manager adapted to define a log (200) in the memory prior to running the virtual machine in said first operating mode; and said cache further includes a cache controller (122) adapted to periodically check said image modification flags; write only the memory address of the flagged cache lines in the defined log and subsequently clear the image modification flags. A computer cluster including such computer systems and a method of managing such a computer cluster are also disclosed. |
| US09032155B2 |
Method and system for dynamic distributed data caching
A method and system for dynamic distributed data caching is presented. The system includes one or more peer members and a master member. The master member and the one or more peer members form cache community for data storage. The master member is operable to select one of the one or more peer members to become a new master member. The master member is operable to update a peer list for the cache community by removing itself from the peer list. The master member is operable to send a nominate master message and an updated peer list to a peer member selected by the master member to become the new master member. |
| US09032153B2 |
Use of flash cache to improve tiered migration performance
For data processing in a computing storage environment by a processor device, the computing storage environment incorporating at least high-speed and lower-speed caches, and tiered levels of storage, and at a time in which at least one data segment is to be migrated from one level to another level of the tiered levels of storage, a data migration mechanism is initiated by copying data resident in the lower-speed cache corresponding to the at least one data segment to be migrated to a target on the another level, and reading remaining data, not previously copied from the lower-speed cache, from a source on the one level, and writing the remaining data to the target. |
| US09032152B2 |
Cache miss detection filter
Systems and methods are provided that facilitate cache miss detection in an electronic device. The system contains a probabilistic filter coupled to the processing device. A probing component determines existence of an entry associated with a request. The probing component can communicate a miss token without the need to query a cache. Accordingly, power consumption can be reduced and electronic devices can be more efficient. |
| US09032150B2 |
Storage apparatus and control method of storage apparatus
Storage drives of a plurality of types are mounted on a storage device together. A storage apparatus includes: an I/O controller that receives an access request sent from an information apparatus and writes data to or reads data from a storage drive; a storage drive mounting unit in which the storage drive is detachably mounted; a drive power supplying unit that supplies drive power to the storage drive mounted in the storage drive mounting unit; and a drive voltage identifying unit that identifies a voltage allowing data write to or data read from the storage drive mounted in the storage drive mounting unit, by raising a drive voltage applied to the storage drive from a voltage below a rated drive voltage of the storage drive. When the I/O controller writes data to or reads data from the storage drive, the drive power supplying unit applies the identified voltage to the storage drive to drive the storage drive. |
| US09032140B2 |
System and method for adaptive bit rate programming of a memory device
The disclosure relates to an electronic memory system, and more specifically, to a system for adaptive bit rate programming of a memory device, and a method for adaptive bit rate programming of a memory device. According to an embodiment, a system for adaptive bit rate programming of a memory device including a plurality of memory cells is provided, wherein the memory cells are configured to be electrically programmable by application of a current supplied by a current source, the system including selection devices for selecting memory cells for programming based on availability of current from the current source. |
| US09032132B2 |
Apparatus and method of universal serial bus, USB, communication
The USB device (e.g. an audio class device) comprises a USB bus interface that connects to an upstream USB port and a USB logical device that provides first USB endpoints for upstream communication on a first channel. The USB host comprises a USB host controller that connects to a downstream USB port, and a USB driver that provides second USB endpoints for downstream communication on a second channel; wherein the USB host operates concurrently with the USB device. The processor is configured to communicate data between the first channel and the second channel via the first USB endpoints and the second USB endpoints, respectively. |
| US09032131B2 |
Systems and methods for encoding control messages in an audio bitstream
An audio system including a first audio unit and a second audio unit coupled to the first audio unit through an audio bus. A first processor is coupled to the first audio unit. The first processor is configured to transmit bits comprising audio content to the second audio unit over the audio bus. The first processor is further configured to receive a control command selected from a plurality of control commands, and in response, interrupt the bits comprising audio content and send a preamble and a control message on the audio bus, wherein the control message corresponds to the control command. A second processor is coupled to the second audio unit. The second processor is configured to monitor the audio bus for a preamble, and if a preamble is detected, then process the control message and execute the corresponding control command. |
| US09032130B2 |
Dock for data transfer to and from portable electronic device
A dock for receiving a portable electronic device. The dock includes a housing comprising an aperture in a recess for receiving and supporting the portable electronic device, and a communication assembly disposed in the housing and moveable relative to the housing. The communication assembly includes a dock optical transceiver disposed in the aperture for aligning with a device optical transceiver when the portable electronic device is disposed in the recess, and magnets coupled to the optical transceiver for aligning with complementary magnets of the portable electronic device to facilitate engagement and disengagement of the portable electronic device with the dock and to facilitate alignment of the dock optical transceiver with the device optical transceiver when the portable electronic device is engaged with the dock. |
| US09032128B2 |
Method and system for generating and delivering inter-processor interrupts in a multi-core processor and in certain shared memory multi-processor systems
Certain embodiments of the present invention are directed to providing efficient and easily-applied mechanisms for inter-core and inter-processor communications and inter-core and inter-processor signaling within multi-core microprocessors and certain multi-processor systems. In one embodiment of the present invention, local advanced programmable interrupt controllers within, or associated with, cores of a multi-core microprocessor and/or processors of a multi-processor system are enhanced so that the local advanced programmable interrupt controllers can be configured to automatically generate inter-core and inter-processor interrupts when WRITE operations are directed to particular regions of shared memory. |
| US09032127B2 |
Method of balancing I/O device interrupt service loading in a computer system
A method of balancing input/output (I/O) device interrupt service loading in a computer system comprises: assigning priorities to a plurality of I/O device interrupts of a processing unit of the computer system; servicing the plurality of interrupts according to the assigned priorities thereof; collecting data on the interrupt servicing of the plurality of interrupts over a time interval; reassigning the priorities of the plurality of interrupts based on the collected interrupt service data; and repeating the collecting and reassigning steps to balance input/output (I/O) device interrupt service loading of the processing unit. |
| US09032126B2 |
Increasing turbo mode residency of a processor
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for accessing a task stored in an entry of a task queue that identifies the task and a first core of a processor on which the task has been scheduled, reassigning the task to a coldest idle core of the processor, and sending the task to the coldest idle core and maintaining the processor in a turbo mode. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09032119B2 |
Adaptive polling of information from a device
A capability is provided for adaptive polling of a device based on a set of polling control regions configured to control polling of the device. The set of polling control regions is defined based on at least one of a set of control parameters and non-parametric control information. A transition within the set of polling control regions is determined based on a current polling control region and a target polling control region that is determined based on input information received while in the current polling control region. The input information may include at least one of values of one or more parameters in the set of parameters and non-parametric input information. The transition may include remaining in the current polling control region or transitioning to a new polling control region. The transition may be performed based on a rapid up controlled down (RUCD) transition scheme. |
| US09032113B2 |
Clock control for DMA busses
A method and system is disclosed for accessing I/O and memory devices utilizing a DMA controller. Each device may be connected to the DMA controller through an individual channel. Clocking circuitry in the DMA may allow the DMA controller to send signals to each device at a prescribed frequency. Furthermore, the DMA controller is capable of activating and deactivating a channel clock, used in sending signals to the devices, based on the operational status of the individual devices. The DMA controller is also capable of tuning the channel clock dependant on the capabilities of any active devices. In this manner, the amount of bandwidth used during a DMA data transfer can be tailored to the specific requirements of the devices involved with the data transfer. |
| US09032105B2 |
Scalable method and apparatus to configure a link
Disclosed herein axe reconfigurable ports and methods for doing the same. |
| US09032103B2 |
Transaction re-ordering
A method and apparatus for enhancing/extending a serial point-to-point interconnect architecture, such as Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) is herein described. Temporal and locality caching hints and prefetching hints are provided to improve system wide caching and prefetching. Message codes for atomic operations to arbitrate ownership between system devices/resources are included to allow efficient access/ownership of shared data. Loose transaction ordering provided for while maintaining corresponding transaction priority to memory locations to ensure data integrity and efficient memory access. Active power sub-states and setting thereof is included to allow for more efficient power management. And, caching of device local memory in a host address space, as well as caching of system memory in a device local memory address space is provided for to improve bandwidth and latency for memory accesses. |
| US09032101B1 |
Chipset support for binding and migrating hardware devices among heterogeneous processing units
A method for providing access to hardware devices by a processor without causing conflicts with other processors included in a computer system. The method includes receiving a first address map from a first processor and a second address map from a second processor, where each address map includes memory-mapped input/output (I/O) apertures for a set of hardware devices that the processor is configured to access. The method further includes generating a global address map by combining the first address map and the second address map, receiving a first access request from the first processor and routing the first access request to a hardware device based on an address mapping included in the global address map. Advantageously, heterogeneous processors included in multi-processor system can access any hardware device included in the computer system, without modifying the processors, one or more operating systems executed by each processor, or the hardware devices. |
| US09032100B2 |
I/O hub-supported atomic I/O operations
Atomic operations within an I/O device are supported by processor architectures that are not required to include specific atomic instructions, by issuing the atomic operations from an I/O hub. A descriptor that specifies the atomic operation and a target address is retrieved by, or sent to, the hub. A trigger event, which may be a programmed I/O write to the hub with an address of the descriptor, or the contents of the descriptor itself, causes the I/O hub to issue the atomic operation. When the atomic operation is complete on the I/O device interconnect, the result is returned to the hub and a host is notified. The host then retrieves the results of the atomic operation from the hub. The host notification can be performed by interrupt or by polling the hub until a status change is detected. |
| US09032098B2 |
Device and method for retrieving information from a device
The present invention concerns a gateway, and a method at a gateway for retrieving information from a device without requiring any configuration and installation at the device. To this end the invention relates to a method in a gateway device comprising an interface to a first network, an interface to a second network and a local web server. The method comprises the steps intercepting a request from a first device detected on the first network to a web server located on the second network, sending a webpage located on the local web server to the device, the webpage comprising means for, when the webpage is loaded by the device, retrieving information from that device and receiving information from the device, the information being retrieved from said device by the webpage. |
| US09032097B2 |
Data communication with remote network node
Data transfer between remote and base locations over a network is effected. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a data router controls the routing of data between base and remote network appliances as a function of metadata describing the data and capabilities of the remote network appliance. |
| US09032096B2 |
Reducing the impact of network latency on application performance
An exemplary method performed by a proxy server located between a content server and a client browser for reducing effects of network latency therebetween comprises intercepting a request from the client browser for a resource at the content server, obtaining a response by the content server to the request, determining that the response would, if unmodified, require a plurality of communications between the content server and the client browser in the absence of the proxy server, modifying the response to reduce a network latency associated with the plurality of communications for accessing information located externally to the response, and transmitting the modified response to the client browser for use thereby. |
| US09032094B2 |
Network application layer routing
Techniques for network application layer routing are provided. Requests for services are inspected at an application layer of a network. A priority for a requestor is obtained and in response to the priority the requests are routed to particular processing environments. Depending on the priority the processing environments may be high performing or low performing. |
| US09032093B2 |
Automatic aggregation of inter-device ports/links in a virtual device
A virtual device includes multiple devices connected to operate as a single device. A first one of the devices is configured to determine that the first device connects to a second one of the devices via a first link; identify a second link; determine that the second link connects the first device to the second device; and automatically aggregate the first link and the second link to form a link aggregation with the second device based on determining that the first device connects to the second device via both the first and second links. The first device is further configured to transmit packets to the second device via the first and second links of the link aggregation. |
| US09032089B2 |
Methods and apparatus for path selection within a network based on flow duration
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a forwarding module that is configured to receive a group of first data packets. The forwarding module is configured to modify a data flow value in response to receiving each first data packet. The forwarding module is also configured to store each first data packet in a first output queue based on the data flow value not crossing a data flow threshold after being modified. Furthermore, the forwarding module is configured to receive a second data packet. The forwarding module is configured to modify the data flow value in response to receiving the second data packet, such that the data flow value crosses the data flow threshold. The forwarding module is configured to store the second data packet in a second output queue based on the data flow value having crossed the data flow threshold. |
| US09032086B2 |
Displaying animated images in a mobile browser
A system and a method are disclosed for displaying animated images in a mobile web browser. The system requests to download a frame in a sequence of image frames, wherein the sequence of frames is extracted from a video clip with an inter-frame duration. The system then measures the downloading time for the frame. Next, the system displays the frame in the mobile web browser. The system also determines a next frame for downloading based on the inter-frame duration and measured downloading time of the displayed frame. |
| US09032085B1 |
Identifying use of software applications
Techniques are described for identifying the use of software applications, such as to determine an identity of a user interacting with a Web site or other electronic information service based on information regarding an application copy used by the user. When a communication is received from a software application, the communication is analyzed to attempt to identify a particular software application copy that sent the communication. Various types of information about a client software application copy may be used in the analysis, including information about particular configuration settings for the client software application and for the client computing device on which the client software application is executing. After a matching software application copy is identified for a received communication, possible inappropriate activities related to the received communication may be identified in various ways, including based on previous communications received from the same software application copy. |
| US09032083B2 |
Method and system for efficient use of a telecommunications network and the connection between the telecommunications network and a customer premises equipment
A method for efficient use of a connection between a telecommunications network and a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), via an access node, for a location based application includes: establishing a physical communication channel between the access node of the telecommunications network and the CPE; providing a public or private internet Protocol (IP) address to the CPE for use by the CPE to communicate with an IP Edge node of the telecommunications network; storing a location information related to the physical communication channel; initially assigning a first functionality level to the public or private IP address; and assigning a second functionality level to the public or private IP address when the telecommunications network is able to federate network access related identification information to a contract related identification information. The location information is used by the location based application. |
| US09032081B1 |
System and method for load balancing cloud-based accelerated transfer servers
The invention relates to systems and methods for load balancing cloud-based accelerated transfer servers. The system may transfer target data from client computer systems into and/or out of cloud storage. The system may allocate a set of transfer server instances and provide a client computer system with a publicly available address of each of the allocated transfer server instances. The client computer system may transmit the target data to an allocated transfer server instance via the publicly available address using an accelerated network protocol that uses a connectionless network protocol. The allocated transfer server instance may cause the target data to be stored in cloud storage, such as a cloud object storage provided by a cloud service provider. A given transfer server instance may be integrated with the cloud service provider and have a local, low latency, connection to storage devices of the cloud service provider. |
| US09032076B2 |
Role-based access control system, method and computer program product
The invention relates to a role-based access control system, including a role definition system for defining roles to be sets of permissions on individual resources thus forming role instances, respectively; and a super role definition system for defining at least one super role by grouping a set of role instances into one super role, wherein the one super role contains all permissions contained in the grouped resource instances. Furthermore, the present invention deals with an appropriate method, a computer program and a computer program product. |
| US09032075B2 |
Systems and methods for medium access control
Techniques for medium access control. Some techniques include receiving, at a first computing device, a solicitation for at least a first medium access request that specifies at least one time period for transmitting the first medium access request to the second computing device; encoding the first medium access request at least in part by using a compressive sensing encoding technique to obtain a first encoded medium access request; and transmitting the first encoded medium access request to the second computing device during the at least one time period specified in the received solicitation. |
| US09032069B2 |
Virtualization layer in a virtual computing infrastructure
A cloud computing environment having a plurality of computing nodes is described. The plurality of computing nodes may be organized into a plurality of clusters, each of the plurality of clusters including a cluster controller. A virtual computing environment is created on each of the plurality of computing nodes. Communication with the virtual computing environment is enabled. An authorization to service a launch plan is received from a user. The launch plan includes at least one instance to launch. Bandwidth information is requested from each of the cluster controllers of the plurality of clusters. A score is computed for each of the plurality of clusters that responded to the requested bandwidth information. The launch plan is assigned to a cluster from the plurality of clusters based on the computed scores. |
| US09032066B1 |
Virtual sandboxing for supplemental content
A virtual sandbox environment enables a publisher to enforce rules for supplemental content, such as third party advertising, displayed on a page or other grouping of content from the publisher. One or more rule sets can be applied or enforced in a number of ways, such as through active script on a page, as part of a browser or other such application or interface, or via a third party such as an anti-virus application or service. A rule set can specify behavior that is allowed or prohibited, in various circumstances, as well as actions to be taken in response to any unapproved or prohibited behavior. Rule sets can be cached by a client device such that any number of pages or other groupings of content can utilize the same rule set without reloading the set. |
| US09032060B2 |
Agent-based bandwidth monitoring for predictive network selection
A mobile device, such as a smartphone or a laptop, connects to a network based on the available bandwidth (throughput) of the network rather than on signal strength. The device may send a request containing the device's location to a service provider who has data on networks in the device's location and specifically on bandwidth or pipe performance. This data is used to determine which network in the area would be best to connect to. The network may be a network that does not necessarily have the highest signal strength (often shown as bars on a handset device). The service provider can cause the device to transition to the network having the higher bandwidth. It can also direct the user so that blackout areas are avoided using the network data maintained by the provider. The provider uses testers to obtain current bandwidth data of networks. |
| US09032055B2 |
Network identifier configuration method, communication method and wireless communication terminal
A game device is provided with an SSID setting unit and a channel setting unit. The SSID setting unit sets up an SSID to include an application ID uniquely defined for an application to be executed. For example, when an application A is executed, the SSID is set up to include “TITLE_A”. When an application B is executed, the SSID is set up to include “TITLE_B”. The channel setting unit sets up a communication channel based on the SSID such that the communication channel used in the BSSs do not overlap each other as much as possible. |
| US09032054B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining a network topology during network provisioning
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a provisioning instruction including a device identifier from an external management entity, receiving the device identifier from a network device, associating the provisioning instruction the network device, and sending a portion of the provisioning instruction to the network device. The device identifier being associated with a virtual resource. The associating is based on the device identifier of the virtual resource and a device identifier of a network device. The portion of the provisioning instruction is sent to the network device based on the associating. |
| US09032047B1 |
Video sharing network
The present invention is directed to a social networking system which provides a website for users to share personal videos made by each user's web cam. Videos are shared over the interne through the use of open source technology which uses cryptography to search, locate and convert video for passing the video to any type of video device for playback and recording. A matching server is used to determine each user's type of video service. |
| US09032044B2 |
Information processing system, information processing method, program, and non-transitory information storage medium
A search management unit or a data acquisition unit acquires information according to experience contents of a provision destination user to which information is provided. A transition data identifying unit identifies information according to experience contents of a provision source user being a user whose experience contents are brought into correspondence with the experience contents of the provision destination user. An information providing unit provides the provision destination user with the information according to the experience contents of the provision source user. With the above-mentioned configuration, it is possible to promote sharing of experiences among a plurality of users. |
| US09032043B2 |
Method and apparatus for sharing content
A method and an apparatus for sharing content are provided. Information about at least one content is transmitted to an external device. Information about associated content that have been searched for by the external device based on the transmitted information about the at least one content is received from the external device. Content to share with a second user device are selected from among the associated content based on a predetermined condition. Information about the selected content is transmitted to the second user device. |
| US09032042B2 |
Audio presentation of condensed spatial contextual information
Aggregated data associated with a geographic area may be obtained. The aggregated data may be dynamically distilled to obtain a presentation set of data based on a dynamically changing geographic location associated with the geographic area. A transmission of a stream of personalized audio data that is based on the presentation set of data may be initiated, via a device processor, to a receiving device associated with a user that is associated with the dynamically changing geographic location. |
| US09032041B2 |
RDMA based real-time video client playback architecture
A client playback architecture for a media content distribution system is provided. In the preferred embodiment, the client playback architecture is a Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) based architecture. The RDMA based architecture enables the client playback device to obtain media content from a central server in real-time or in substantially real-time as the media content is needed for playback at the client playback device. More specifically, the playback device includes RDMA enabled playback circuitry operating to perform RDMA transfers for select media content, buffer the media content received as a result of the RDMA transfers, and provide the media content for presentation to one or more associated viewers via one or more audio/video interfaces. |
| US09032035B2 |
Apparatus, and associated method, for alerting user of communication device of entries on a mail message distribution list
Apparatus, and an associated method, for alerting a respondent that generates a reply to a received mail message of addressing of the reply message to a non-secure address. A detector detects reception of a received mail message, and a correlator determines whether any of the entries on a distribution list associated with the received mail message is of selected characteristics, i.e., non-secure. If determined to be non-secure, an annunciator generates an annunciation requiring the respondent to elect whether to include the identified address as a recipient of the reply message. |
| US09032027B2 |
Enhanced consumer engagement using advanced communication exchange services
Various embodiments of systems and methods for enhancing consumer engagement using advanced communication exchange services are described herein. The method involves receiving by a consumer device an address book entry from an enterprise device. The consumer device is enabled with enhanced address book capability provided by any advanced communication exchange systems. Further, in an aspect, the received address book entry is activated to enable the enterprise device to push business information to the consumer device. In another aspect, selecting the address book entry invokes the advanced communication services supported by the enterprise device. By accessing one or more of the advanced communication services, business information from the enterprise device is received via the selected communication exchange service. In an aspect, the received business information is customized based on online presence information of the consumer device. |
| US09032026B2 |
Methods and systems for providing, by a remote machine, access to a desk band associated with a resource executing on a local machine
A method for providing, by a remote machine, access to a desk band associated with a resource on a local machine includes receiving, by a first agent on the remote machine, an identification of a desk band associated with a resource on a local machine. The first agent, in communication with a shell on the remote machine, maintains a taskbar window in a remote desktop environment. The taskbar window includes at least one window associated with a resource provided by the remote machine and a window region representing the desk band by using graphical data stored on the remote machine. The first agent transmits, to a second agent on the local machine, window attribute data and output data associated with the taskbar window in the remote desktop environment. The second agent displays at least a portion of the received output data in a local window on a local desktop environment. |
| US09032019B2 |
Content providing device, data processing method, and computer program
A content providing device serving as a server for executing content providing processing as to a client, includes: a data processing unit for executing content providing processing in response to a content request from the client; wherein the data processing unit receives a disc recorded identifier for identifying a disc or content recorded in the mounted disc of the client, and the identification information of at least either the device identifier of a device on the client side, or the user identifier of a user on the client side, from the client, accumulates the history information of the disc recorded identifier received from the client in a management database in increments of devices or users, and analyzes the user's preference on the client side to provide a content adapted to the user's preference. Thus, content which interests a user or commercial content can be selectively provided to the user. |
| US09032013B2 |
Unified policy over heterogenous device types
A system and method are disclosed for enforcing a normalized set of policy-based behaviors across two or more disparate client devices. The policy definition can be a common description of expected behavior, while a client-side policy engine interprets and implements platform specific details associated with the client. In one embodiment, a client device receives a generic policy definition from a network. The generic policy definition is applicable to disparate device types having different hardware and/or software platforms. A client policy engine can analyze the generic policy definition, compare it to client-side applications or functions and make intelligent decisions on how to apply the policy for the specific client. |
| US09032011B2 |
Management of data object sharing among applications
Presented are a system and method for sharing data objects among applications. Included is a data protocol layer that permits a flow of data messages among the applications, where a portion of the data messages include data objects stored in a data store. A client library is coupled between the applications and the data protocol layer. A data request module associated with each client library requests data objects from the data stores that match a particular data-object set. A management server receives the request, parses the request, retrieves any matching data objects, and causes the return of the any matching data objects to the data request module. Associated with the management server is a registration module that accepts subscriptions from subscribing applications. An event notification module associated with the management server compares a data object in a data message with the subscriptions, and notifies the subscribing applications in response. |
| US09032010B2 |
Integer divider module
A method includes receiving a dividend and a divisor for performing a division operation. Numbers p and n are found, for which the divisor equals 2n(1+2p). An interim result, which is equal to a reciprocal of 1+2p multiplied by the dividend, is calculated. The interim result is divided by 2n to produce a result of the division operation. |
| US09032009B2 |
Multiplier circuit
A multiplier circuit for multiplying first and second binary values includes a first logic circuit, a priority encoder, a shifter circuit, and an accumulator. The first logic circuit receives the first binary value and a multiplier modifier, and modifies the first binary value based on the multiplier modifier. The multiplier modifier is generated by the priority encoder. The priority encoder also generates a position binary value indicating the position of a most significant set bit in the modified first binary value. The shifter circuit receives the position binary value from the priority encoder and the second binary value and generates an intermediate result. The accumulator accumulates one or more of the intermediate results and generates a final product that is a product of the first and second binary values. |
| US09031997B2 |
Log file compression
A compression system identifies one or more fields in a log file based on at least one field rule from among multiple field rules specified in a log file framework. The compression system extracts contents of the log file associated with the one or more fields. The compression system passes the contents associated with the one or more fields to corresponding compression engines from among a multiple compression engines each specified for performing a separate type of compression from among multiple types of compression for each of the one or more fields, wherein each of the one or more fields corresponds to one or more compression engines from among the multiple compression engines. |
| US09031989B2 |
File server for extracting and displaying file list on client, method of providing display on client, and computer program executable on file server
A file server for displaying, on a client, files to be retrieved, a method of providing a display on the client, and a computer program product with program instructions executable on the file server. The number of files to be displayed and start point information related to the start point of a file list to be extracted is acquired from a client, and a file list is extracted from files stored as a partitioned data set in a storage device based on the number of files and start point information acquired. The numbers of preceding and succeeding files stored before and behind the extracted file list are calculated, the calculated numbers of the preceding and succeeding files and the extracted file list are sent to the client. The client displays the file list and the received numbers of remaining files before and behind the received file list, respectively. |
| US09031987B2 |
Propagation of data changes in distribution operations in hierarchical database
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for the automatic propagation of data changes in distribution operations in a hierarchical database. Higher-level data, such as yearly profit, may be desired to be spread from parent nodes to lower nodes in the store, such as quarters. Parent nodes can be associated with a set of programmatic placeholder nodes. A spreading tool can access or host sequence logic to ensure that data is spread in an order that takes dependencies, or other factors into account. In aspects, the spreading tool can be configured to generate a propagation trace to identify other nodes in the data store that may be connected to or depend on the data content of the recipient child node(s). A set of propagated data changes, such as updates to values, formatting, or other data, can be automatically transmitted to those other nodes upon completion of the original data spreading operations. |
| US09031983B2 |
System and method for providing a standardized data sharing platform
A standardized platform, implemented in a secure web-based environment, enables the sharing of data between different individuals, institutions and even industries. Data is shared between members of the platform in accordance with defined data objects with specified relationships and permissions which are managed, accessed and modified by members using the platform. Such data objects have defined relationships to entities and other data objects, and are controlled by designated preferred owners, which can vary over time. |
| US09031982B2 |
Multi-channel content modeling system
A service delivery platform receives a request for a catalogue. The system obtains subscriber-specific multi-media catalogue entries based on profile information stored with the service delivery platform. The system sends the subscriber-specific catalogue entries along with service details of the subscription back to the subscriber. |
| US09031981B1 |
Search around visual queries
A method and apparatus for a data analysis system for analyzing data object collections is provided. The data analysis system includes one or more graphical user interfaces comprising various interface elements that enable users to create visual queries. A visual query is constructed as a graph representing a pattern of interest in a collection of data objects. A visual query may include one or more graph elements and property information associated with the specified graph elements. After a user has constructed a visual query, the system may transform the visual query into a query template. A query engine may then execute the query template to search a data object collection for data object results corresponding to the specified pattern. The search for instances of a specified pattern in a collection of data objects is referred herein to as a “search around.” |
| US09031979B2 |
External linking based on hierarchical level weightings
Certain implementations of the disclosed technology include systems and methods for external linking based on hierarchal level weightings. The method may include associating external query data having one or more query field values with a record in a linked hierarchical database. The linked hierarchical database may include a plurality of records, each record having a record identifier and representing an entity in a hierarchy, each record associated with a hierarchy level, each record including one or more fields, each field configured to contain a field value. The associating may include receiving the external query data, wherein the external query data includes one or more search values; and identifying, from the plurality of records in the linked hierarchical database, one or more matched fields having field values that at least partially match the one or more search values. |
| US09031977B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatus for processing documents to identify structures
In various embodiments, multiple heterogeneous documents are processed to identify structures, such as chemical structures, contained therein, including non-embedded structures. Also described is a graphical user interface that permits a user to search for a structure or substructure within a set of electronic documents, then displays the matching structures as well as the actual pages of the documents on which the matching structures are found. Display of the actual pages allows the user to verify the matches and provides helpful context for the user. |
| US09031972B2 |
Method and device for extracting relationship circle of members in social network service (SNS) network
A method and device for extracting relationship circle of members in SNS network is disclosed. The method includes: (a) selecting target people in the SNS network; (b) analyzing relationship chains of the target people, and extracting a relationship circle of the target people from the relationship chains according to feature filtering conditions. The device includes a target people selection module for selecting the target people in the SNS network; a relationship circle extracting module for analyzing the relationship chains and extracting the relationship circle from the relationship chains according to the feature filtering conditions. Applying the method and device can provide persons who can meet the designated features and their relationship in the SNS network; using the relationship circle of the target people can find out valuable relationship chain information, enable accurate search and transmission of information, and facilitate promotion and cooperation of business activities. |
| US09031971B2 |
Flexible data download models for augmented reality
In an AR system, method for operating same, a mobile device, and method for operating same, flexible loxels are used that may be different for different image data providers. This enables AR applications to download smaller loxels which have more information, such as dense areas, like in cities, or larger loxels which have less information, like, for example, desert areas. Data downloads may take into account client orientation and direction of motion to determine incremental data that need to be downloaded as the client moves. The loxels are coded with loxel identifiers mapped to location information, so only the necessary loxels for a particular application need be downloaded, allowing the client to autonomously decide when to acquire new image data and how much data to acquire. |
| US09031970B1 |
Query autocompletions
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for obtaining query completions. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a query input in a search engine query input field in a user interface. The method also includes submitting the query input as a first query stem to an autocompletion module. The method also includes receiving a first response from the autocompletion module, the first response providing no first query autocompletions. The method also includes submitting a second query stem to the autocompletion module, the second query stem being the first query stem with a first prefix removed. The method also includes receiving a second response from the autocompletion module including one or more second autocompletions satisfying a second quality test. The method also includes providing second autocompletions for presentation on the user interface. |
| US09031969B2 |
Guaranteed in-flight SQL insert operation support during an RAC database failover
The present invention is directed to methods and systems of implementing a guaranteed SQL insert operation. In one embodiment, the method may include initiating an SQL insert operation for a database, receiving an SQL exception indicating that a failover for the database has occurred, and in response to the SQL exception, caching the SQL insert operation and caching the SQL insert operation as an SQL merge operation. The method further includes determining that a primary key is associated with the SQL insert operation, and in response to determining that a primary key is associated with the SQL insert operation, executing the SQL merge operation. |
| US09031967B2 |
Natural language processing system, method and computer program product useful for automotive data mapping
Natural language processing (NLP) approaches may be utilized to map two strings. The strings may come from sources utilizing different naming conventions. One example may be a data aggregator that collects used car transaction information. Another example may be a comprehensive database listing all possible manufacturer-defined vehicle options. A NLP system may operate to determine whether a source string is present in a target string and outputting a match containing the source string and the target string if the source string is present in the target string or computing a similarity factor if the source string is not present in the target string. The similarity factor representing a measure of similarity between two strings may be computed based on a plurality of parameters, including a Levenshtein edit distance parameter. The computed similarity can be used to find pricing information, including trade-in, sale, and list prices, across disparate naming conventions. |
| US09031959B2 |
Method and apparatus for identifying application protocol
In an embodiment, the method of identifying an application protocol includes classifying a data packet to be detected into an individual traffic flow, searching for keywords in a valid payload of the traffic flow based upon a keyword database of identifiable application protocols, and determining a keyword weight vector of the traffic flow. The weight of a keyword is related to a location of the keyword in a valid payload of a traffic flow. Similarities between the keyword weight vector of the traffic flow and feature keyword weight vectors of the identifiable application protocols are determined; and an application protocol corresponding to a feature keyword weight vector with the highest similarity to the keyword weight vector of the traffic flow as the application protocol of the traffic flow is deteremined if a condition is satisfied. |
| US09031950B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing a set of answers from an ordered or unordered set of possible answers
A method and apparatus for finding a set of good enough answers from a set of possible answers. The method includes the steps of defining a set of possible answers, grouping individual answers from the set of possible answers with similar answers, determining whether a first of the groupings of individual answers is distinctly different from the next of the groupings of individual answers, and defining the first of the groupings of the individual answers as a set of good enough answers if it is determined to be distinctly different from the next of the groupings. |
| US09031948B1 |
Vehicle prediction and association tool based on license plate recognition
LPR instances around physical locations and license plate numbers associated with a person of interest are analyzed to predict the relative likelihood of locating the person of interest at a particular location. An LPR information query includes an indication of a physical location and a license plate number associated with a person of interest. The relative likelihood of locating a person of interest at a particular location at a future point in time is determined based on the LPR instances received. In one example, the relative likelihood of locating the person of interest is based on the relative value of clusters of LPR instances around physical locations associated with the person of interest. Additional license plate numbers are associated with a person of interest based on their appearance within a search zone and time window of LPR instances of a license plate number already associated with a person of interest. |
| US09031946B1 |
Processor engine, integrated circuit and method therefor
A processor engine for affecting a website's position on at least one Internet search engine's page ranking comprises at least one processor. The at least one processor is arranged to: load (425) at least one search term into a program (425) running on the at least one processor; load (445) a target list comprising at least one website that is to be promoted; and create (420) an Internet connection. The at least one processor is further arranged to request a search of the at least one search term on the at least one Internet search engine; identify at least one website search hit that matches at least one website on the target list; and access the identified at least one website a plurality of times, affecting the at least one website's position on the Internet search engine's page ranking. |
| US09031941B2 |
Information processing apparatus, terminal apparatus, information presentation system, calculation method of evaluation scores, and program
Techniques are disclosed for selecting an item to recommend to a user from a plurality of items. A first set of scores indicating degrees of association between items of the plurality of items may be calculated using a first scoring algorithm having a first scale, and a second set of scores indicating degrees of association between items of the plurality of items may be calculated using a second scoring algorithm having a second scale. The second set of scores may be adjusted to match the second scale to the first scale, and a third set of scores may be calculated for the plurality of items by combining the first set of scores and the adjusted second set of scores. An item may be selected from the plurality of items to recommend to the user based on the third set of scores. |
| US09031938B2 |
Computer-implemented methods and systems for multi-level geographic query
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method is provided for processing a query for points of interest (POIs) using a hierarchical grid structure representing a geographic area. The method includes receiving a query for POIs; defining a query footprint for the query based on a location corresponding to the query, wherein the query footprint comprises query spatial identifiers for a plurality of levels of the hierarchical grid structure; matching the query spatial identifiers with one or more POI spatial identifiers organized into a plurality of indexes, wherein each one of the plurality of indexes comprises an index of the POI spatial identifiers for one of the plurality of levels; and providing an output specifying one or more POIs corresponding to the matched POI spatial identifiers. |
| US09031936B2 |
Ranking search results using an entity network
A computer-implemented method for ranking search results using an entity network includes: receiving an entity search query submitted for performance on an entity network, the entity search query including at least one term and indicating a query submitter, the entity network comprising entities associated with each other by relations; identifying, based on the received search query and using one or more processors, all entities in the entity network that are responsive to the at least one term; ranking the identified entities, based on relevance with regard to the query submitter and using one or more processors, the ranking performed using proximity in the entity network; and presenting the identified entities in response to the entity search query, the entities presented in an order corresponding to the ranking. |
| US09031935B2 |
Search system, search method, and program
Provided is a search system and a search method to find a document among documents of a search result. This search system includes a division unit that divides a document to be searched into a plurality of blocks in accordance with designated division information, a calculation unit that calculates a hash value of each block by applying a hash function to a character string included in each block, a storage unit that stores the calculated hash value together with positional information on the block in the document, and a document grouping unit that fetches, for each document obtained by searching based on the search word, a corresponding hash value from the storage unit in accordance with positional information on a block including the search word to group documents having the same hash value into one group and output the grouped documents as the search result. |
| US09031932B2 |
Automatic denormalization for analytic query processing in large-scale clusters
A system and method for improving performance of join operations is disclosed. The method in one embodiment includes building a graph of vertices and edges, which represent the tables and join conditions for a particular database schema. The method then traverses the graph to find a set of candidate join operations. The method further includes selecting from the set of subset of join operations that makes the best use of a given amount of memory, which means finding a collection of denormalizations which when residing in memory provide the most benefit and the least cost for the given amount of memory. The method then deploys the denormalizations so that current queries in a query processing system can use them instead of actually performing the joins. |
| US09031928B2 |
Grouped search query refinements
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on one or more computer storage devices, for grouping search query refinements. One of the methods includes while receiving a text input into an input field by a user and before the user has submitted the text input to a search engine obtaining query suggestions based at least in part on the text input. The method includes grouping query suggestions based on a common query term shared by the query suggestions, wherein the query suggestions include terms that refine the common query term. The method includes transmitting a set of query suggestions to a client device for presentation, wherein the set includes the query suggestions that are presented as a group with the common query term presented in a prominent position and the refinement terms presented in subordinate positions and wherein the common query term and the refinement terms are each user-selectable. |
| US09031927B2 |
Method and system to provide video-based search results
Method and system to provide video-based search results are described. A search results video may be present to a user details from listings that match certain search criteria. When a select request associated with the search results video is detected, a listing rendering module presents the selected listing on the display device. |
| US09031926B2 |
Extracting and displaying compact and sorted results from queries over unstructured or semi-structured text
A system for indexing unstructured or semi-structured data is disclosed. The system may identify regions within the data, such as “Abstract” or “References”. The system may identify linguistic units such as sentences, noun groups, verb groups. The system may also identify concepts such as companies, people, diseases, amounts, and so forth. The query results may be formatted so that similar results from different documents, or from the same document, are clustered together. |
| US09031923B2 |
System for accessing shared data using multiple application servers
A system including multiple application servers for accessing shared data and a centralized control unit for centrally controlling a lock applied to the shared data by each of the application servers. Each application server includes a distributed control unit for controlling a lock applied to the shared data by the application server and a selection unit for selecting any one of distributed mode in which a lock is acquired from the distributed control unit or a centralized mode in which a lock is acquired from the centralized control unit. |
| US09031919B2 |
Content monitoring and compliance enforcement
Responding to a use of controlled content is disclosed. Responding includes receiving an indication of the use of the controlled content including a context of the use of the controlled content, automatically determining using the context an engagement action for responding to the use, and automatically initiating the engagement action. |
| US09031918B2 |
Per-user aggregation of database content
A method for providing per-user aggregation of content accessible via a personalized user site may generally include receiving a request for metadata and determining whether the requested metadata is expired. The method may further include returning at least a portion of queried metadata prior to verifying whether the metadata is expired. The method may then include querying a change log for metadata modifications. The method may further include, if metadata has been modified since a previous query, sending a query to a community site for metadata that meets change criteria. The method may also include receiving the changed metadata and returning the changed metadata to a content group container within the personalized user site. |
| US09031917B2 |
Efficient backup and restore of virtual input/output server (VIOS) cluster
A method enables cluster-level backup and restore functionality of all Virtual Input/Output Server (VIOS) configuration data within a VIOS cluster and the data of a shared VIOS cluster database. The method comprises: performing, via a backup/restore utility of a VIOS partition, a cluster level backup, which creates a first VIOS cluster configuration backup file having configuration information about hardware, logical and virtual devices of each VIOS partition within a VIOS cluster and all cluster data from the shared VIOS database of the VIOS cluster; storing the VIOS cluster configuration backup file within a storage location; and responsive to receipt of a VIOS restore command at a VIOS partition: retrieving the configuration backup file from the storage location; restoring a configuration of the hardware, logical and virtual devices of each VIOS within the VIOS cluster to prior state; and restoring the shared VIOS database with the backed-up cluster data. |
| US09031916B2 |
Storing log data efficiently while supporting querying to assist in computer network security
A logging system includes an event receiver and a storage manager. The receiver receives log data, processes it, and outputs a data “chunk.” The manager receives data chunks and stores them so that they can be queried. The receiver includes buffers that store events and a metadata structure that stores metadata about the contents of the buffers. The metadata includes a unique identifier associated with the receiver, the number of events in the buffers, and, for each “field of interest,” a minimum value and a maximum value that reflect the range of values of that field over all of the events in the buffers. A chunk includes the metadata structure and a compressed version of the contents of the buffers. The metadata structure acts as a search index when querying event data. The logging system can be used in conjunction with a security information/event management (SIEM) system. |
| US09031913B1 |
File replication
A method, system, and computer program product for use in replication comprising intercepting an IO for a file at an application layer at the production site, determining if the file is being replicated, and based on a determination the file is being replicated, sending the IO to a first data recovery appliance and recording the IO in a journal. |
| US09031911B2 |
Preserving past states of file system nodes
For preserving past states of file system nodes, selective tuple versioning on a file system table is used by adding a bitmap to a row for a node within a file system table for preserving the past state of the node in a file system. A request is received for updating the node along with a node identification and associated attributes of the node needing to be updated. A second time value indicating the time of the updating is generated. The row for the node is duplicated into a new row in the file system table with an end time set equal to the second time value if the bit in the bitmap for the node is set. The row associated with the node is updated according to the update request. |
| US09031910B2 |
System and method for maintaining a cluster setup
Methods and systems are directed to a maintenance procedure in a production environment comprising a primary database and a secondary database. Production data may be stored in the primary database and failover data may be stored in the secondary database. Data from the primary database may be replicated to the secondary database. The maintenance procedure may provide for modification of the primary database and the secondary database to conform to one or more modified requirements of a modified version of the application. During the maintenance procedure, data in the databases may be duplicated, data structures may be modified, and modification of certain data elements may be prohibited. |
| US09031908B1 |
Method and apparatus for simultaneous comparison of multiple backup sets maintained in a computer system
Method and apparatus for simultaneous comparison of multiple backup sets maintained in a computer system are described. A plurality of backup sets of data maintained in a computer system including a hierarchy of objects is managed. In some examples, a graphical user interface (GUI) is displayed on a display coupled to the computer, the GUI having views configured show a first group of backup sets from the plurality of backup sets. Individual objects of a selected backup set in the first group of backup sets are pinned in a pinned view of the views in response to a first command. A second group of backup sets from the plurality of backup sets is shown in the views in response to a second command by sliding individual objects of at least one backup set in the plurality of backup sets across at least one unpinned view of the views with respect to the individual objects of the selected backup set in the pinned view. |
| US09031905B2 |
Data synchronization
A computer program product is provided. The computer program product includes a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and on which instructions are stored for execution by the processing circuit for, upon receipt of a command relating to a file stored at a remote location, synchronizing the file between the remote location and a local device, determining whether a list of files linked to the file is stored in the local device, and, in an event the list is stored in the local device, synchronizing the files included in the list between the remote location and the local device. |
| US09031898B2 |
Presentation of search results based on document structure
A system identifies a document relating to a search term, where the document includes a set of structural elements. The system determines a distribution of occurrences of the search term in the document, identifies one of the structural elements based on the distribution of occurrences of the search term in the document, and presents information associated with the identified structural element. |
| US09031897B2 |
Techniques for evaluation, building and/or retraining of a classification model
Techniques for evaluation and/or retraining of a classification model built using labeled training data. In some aspects, a classification model having a first set of weights is retrained by using unlabeled input to reweight the labeled training data to have a second set of weights, and by retraining the classification model using the labeled training data weighted according to the second set of weights. In some aspects, a classification model is evaluated by building a similarity model that represents similarities between unlabeled input and the labeled training data and using the similarity model to evaluate the labeled training data to identify a subset of the plurality of items of labeled training data that is more similar to the unlabeled input than a remainder of the labeled training data. |
| US09031893B2 |
Best match processing mode of decision tables
An input combination of at least one condition value to be evaluated against at least one rule of a decision table is received. The at least one rule includes at least one condition and the rule is associated with a result. The at least one rule is evaluated against the input combination to determine conditions fulfilled for the at least one condition value. In one aspect, a rule from the at least one rule that best matches the input combination is determined and a result associated with the rule that best matches the input combination is outputted. |
| US09031889B1 |
Analytics scripting systems and methods
A method of determining a set of prescribed actions includes receiving a configuration script identifying a set of influencers, a set of performance indicators, a model type, a target time, and a prescription method. The method further includes deriving a model of the model type based on data associated with the set of influencers or with the set of performance indicators. The method also includes projecting a set of future influencer values associated with the set of influencers and projecting a set of future indicator values of the set of performance indicators at the target time using the model. The method can further include prescribing using the prescription method and based on projecting using the model a set of prescribed actions associated with the subset of actionable influencers. The method also includes displaying the set of prescribed actions. |
| US09031881B2 |
Method and apparatus for validating an appraisal report and providing an appraisal score
A computer-based method for validating an appraisal report includes receiving appraisal data for a property, receiving property data for the property, verifying the appraisal data meets an appraisal guideline, providing a list of appraisal items that are present in the appraisal data, providing a medium discrepancy amount and a high discrepancy amount for the list of appraisal items, calculating a difference amount between the appraisal data and the property data for each appraisal item, and comparing the difference amount to the medium discrepancy amount and the high discrepancy amount. |
| US09031880B2 |
Systems and methods for non-traditional payment using biometric data
Facilitating transactions using non-traditional devices and biometric data to activate a transaction device is disclosed. A transaction request is formed at a non-traditional device, and communicated to a reader, wherein the non-traditional device may be configured with an RFID device. The RFID device is not operable until a biometric voice analysis has been executed to verify that the carrier of the RFID equipped non-traditional device is the true owner of account information stored thereon. The non-traditional device provides a conduit between a user and a verification system to perform biometric voice analysis of the user. When the verification system has determined that the user is the true owner of one or more accounts stored at the verification system, a purchase transaction is facilitated between the verification system. Transactions may further be carried out through a non-RF device such as a cellular telephone in direct communication with an acquirer/issuer or payment processor. |
| US09031879B2 |
Method of franking with early signature generation
A method of generating a digital signature at a postage meter, in which method a postal imprint is printed on a mail item once said mail item has been weighed and once its postage amount has been determined, said postal imprint being associated with a digital signature generated by means of a secret key on the basis of constant data and variable data, said variable data comprising only a fingerprint code extracted upstream of the weighing from a three-dimensional structure of the fibers of the mail item. |
| US09031878B2 |
Receiving apparatus and method, information distribution method, filtering and storing program, and recording medium
It is possible for the content distribution side to control the conditions of target viewers for distributions without depending on the functions specific to a receiver. Content which is broadcast, a content profile, and a program are received. In an initial step of the program, prestored viewer profile information is read. All the content profiles and the contents are downloaded temporarily. Next, the profile information is read, and then a process of matching the profile information with the viewer profile information is performed. When it is determined that they do not match, a matching process for the next content profile is performed. If, on the other hand, they match, at the next step, the content is stored. The viewer reproduces the stored content at an appropriate time. |
| US09031877B1 |
Credit card fraud prevention system and method
A mobile computing device is adapted to transmit to a scoring server URLs of websites browsed using the device. The scoring server can compare these URLs against a merchant URL obtained within a preselected time period from transaction data resulting from a transaction involving a payment product of the device user. A score can be calculated based on the similarity between each URL obtained from the device and the URL from the transaction data. The score represents the likelihood that a website browsed using the device and, as a result, the transaction, is fraudulent. The browsed URLs can also be scored against a database of known fraudulent websites. A notification concerning the legitimacy of the transaction based on the score can be generated and sent to the mobile device in real-time. On receiving the notification, the device can be used to either accept or decline the transaction in real-time. |
| US09031875B1 |
System and method for reusing payment authorizations
Various embodiments may include a payment management system including an authorization reusability component. The payment management system may be configured to, subsequent to a customer providing payment information for an order, receive a payment authorization that indicates funds of an account associated with the customer have been reserved as a form of payment for a given transaction associated with the order. The payment management system may be configured to assign the reserved funds of the payment authorization to the given transaction. The payment management system may be configured to, subsequent to assigning the reserved funds, reassign at least some of the reserved funds of the authorization to a one or more other transactions. The payment management system may be configured to initiate a settlement of the one or more other transactions, the settlement including the reserved funds reassigned to the one or more other transactions. |
| US09031874B2 |
Methods, systems and agreements for increasing the likelihood of repayments under a financing agreement for renewable energy equipment
A system is provided for increasing the probability of timely receiving payment under an agreement between a consumer and a non-utility entity for providing financing for renewable energy consumer premises equipment (CPE) by the consumer for power generation at a consumer premises, the renewable energy CPE adapted to deliver power onto a power grid or to the consumer's premises, the system comprising: a computer for monitoring consumer financial information for by the non-utility entity to detect the consumer's financing default in accordance with the agreement, wherein the renewable energy CPE including a PV array and a control device coupled to the PV array for controlling the operation of the PV array and any power generated by the CPE upon a default detected by the computer. |
| US09031870B2 |
Pangenetic web user behavior prediction system
Computer based systems, methods, software and databases are presented in which correlations between web item preferences, behaviors and pangenetic (genetic and epigenetic) attributes of individuals are used for pangenetic based user behavior prediction in which predictions of a user's online behavior can be generated based on the user's pangenetic makeup. Data masking can be used to maintain privacy of sensitive portions of the pangenetic data. |
| US09031869B2 |
Method and system for generating a teaser video associated with a personalized gift
An online personalized gifting system for providing gift card related packaging formats to enhance the customer experience relating to online gift card sales. |
| US09031867B1 |
Computer implemented method and system for ordering food from a restaurant
A computer implemented method and system for ordering food that creates a cloud-based central account. The method uses computer instructions to create and store a user account and restaurant accounts in the central account. A dynamic library of restaurant information is connected to the user account, the restaurant account and the central account. A menu ordering software application is accessed by a client device processor. Computer instructions create an order and a code indicating the order price and menu items, prompt the restaurant to create the menu items in the order, and tell the client device processor when the order is ready for pick up. |
| US09031866B1 |
Systems and methods for use of transaction data for customers
The invention provides a system and method for using transaction data to provide information to a customer, the information being provided in response to a request from the customer so as to assist the customer in decisioning. The method may comprising inputting transaction data regarding a plurality of transactions effected at a plurality of merchants; inputting a request for information from a requesting customer, the request including parameters related to the request; performing processing based on both the transaction data and the request for information, the processing including generating a response to the request; and outputting the response to the requesting customer. The request and processing may relate to identifying activities of similarly situated persons vis-à-vis the requesting customer, based on the transaction data. The request may relate to identifying an optimum merchant to secure purchase of a target item. Further, the request may relate to determining an optimum sequence in which to perform a plurality of desired activities. Various other features are described. |