US07677746B2
The present invention discloses an illumination device for illuminating users of a multimedia communication terminal. In particular, the illumination device includes high power white LEDs together with a reflector and a diffuser integrated in, or connected to, the terminal. Preferably, the light intensity and the position and angle relative to the terminal are controllable through a user interface.
US07677742B2
The invention relates to a microstructured technological system and, in particular, micromirror arrangements. The aim of the invention is to produce facade elements for buildings having large areas in square centimetres and above, at reduced cost. The entire micromirror arrangement can be produced as a flat, architectonically useable structural element in a modularly replicable manner. According to the invention, the control electronic system, which contains the logics which are controlled as mirror elements, is arranged in the centre of a control device at a specific, remote distance from which an addressing network is used to control the individual mirror elements or modules. Said addressing network is already integrated into the flat modules during production and to a large degree, in the form of printed lines. As a result, the necessity of incorporating silicon-based chip technology into the facade elements, which is expensive, is no longer necessary. Also, essentially less expensive materials than highly pure silicon are used in the production of the micromirror arrangements. Production costs, which are at least in the same size order as other, traditional, high quality façade elements, result therefrom.
US07677729B2
The object of an apparatus and a method for the analysis of retinal vessels is to improve the reproducibility of individually determined artery-to-vein ratios and to reduce the measurement uncertainty in determining the artery-to-vein ratio in order to substantially increase the individual validity of the determined values for vessel diagnosis. At least two images are recorded successively as an image sequence in a predetermined timed sequence adapted to the vasomotricity of the vessels and are evaluated such that a mean artery-to-vein ratio is formed from artery-to-vein ratios that are determined on the basis of the at least two images.
US07677727B2
An eye refractive power measurement apparatus capable of performing analysis of an examinee's eye for irregular astigmatism with accuracy comprises a measurement optical system comprising an optical system projecting measurement light onto an examinee's fundus and an optical system photo-receiving the measurement light as a ring or substantially-ring fundus reflection image, a light deflection member placed in the optical systems, a unit rotating the deflection member, a memory storing the photo-received image as a measurement image, an analysis unit performing analysis of the measurement image, and an output unit, wherein the analysis unit detects the number of images or a width of an image in each meridian direction in the measurement image and judges the eye has irregular astigmatism when a portion in which the number of the images is two or a portion in which the width of the image goes beyond a predetermined level is detected.
US07677723B2
A pair of glasses with a heart-rate monitor according to one embodiment. The heart-rate monitor is configured to measure the heart rate of the user of the glasses. The heart-rate monitor can include a sensor with a radiation transmitter and a radiation receiver. The radiation could be infrared radiation. In one approach, the receiver measures signals transmitted by the transmitter through a body part of the user to measure the user's heart rate. The sensor could be incorporated in a clip to clip onto the body part of the user, such as the ear lobe of the user. In another approach, the receiver measures signals transmitted by the transmitter and reflected by a body part of the user to measure the user's heart rate.
US07677720B2
Ceramic pigment-based, chemically-modified porous coatings can be used for enhancing image permanence of ink-jet image printing. Specifically, a porous coated media sheet, comprising a media substrate, having a porous coating coated thereon comprising a modified ceramic pigment including a fixer group and a stabilizer group, each covalently attached to the ceramic pigment is disclosed. Additionally, a method and system for preparing permanent ink-jet images is also provided.
US07677719B2
An inkjet recording apparatus includes a holding face, an inkjet head including plural nozzles arranged along a predetermined direction correspondingly with a predetermined resolution, a first moving mechanism which performs a first movement of moving at least one of the inkjet head and the holding member in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction, a second moving mechanism which performs a second movement of moving the holding member in the predetermined direction, and a first movement controlling unit which controls the first moving mechanism to perform the first movement first and second times. In the second time, the inkjet head and the holding member are moved in directions that are opposite to directions in the first time. A second movement controlling unit controls the second moving mechanism to, after the first movement for the first time, perform the second movement by one half of a distance corresponding to the predetermined resolution.
US07677715B2
When an image is formed by imparting aqueous ink discharged from a recording head onto a recording medium P, water content contained in the aqueous ink is evaporated by a heater to suppress curl generated in the recording medium P after the image formation. The aqueous ink contains at least 15% by weight of curl control agent, and the viscosity of the aqueous ink is lower than 4 cp. The viscosity is increased to suppress the curl generation by evaporating the water content contained in the aqueous ink imparted on the recording medium P after the image formation.
US07677714B2
A printing system for use in inkjet printing. The printing system includes an inkjet ink having a free binder, an additional free binder, and a chemically modified pigment, a fixer fluid and a porous print medium.
US07677704B2
A unit cell of a printhead is provided having a multi-layer substrate defining an ink inlet, one or more side walls extending from the substrate around the ink inlet, a nozzle plate supported by the side walls to define a chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet, where the nozzle plate defines an aperture through which ink in the chamber can be ejected, and a looped and elongate heater element suspended within the chamber, which can be heated so that bubbles are generated in ink within the chamber and ink is ejected from the aperture. The elongate heater element terminates in a peripheral well in which the side walls are received.
US07677697B2
A droplet discharging head includes a first through hole having an outlet for discharging of a liquid material and a second through hole having an inlet for injection of the liquid material, the second through hole having a protrusion on surface.
US07677693B2
A line printing type inkjet image forming apparatus and a method of enhancing printed image quality. The inkjet image forming apparatus includes a printhead having one or more subheads having nozzles and a length corresponding to a width of a print medium, a driving unit to drive the nozzles, a first feeding path, a second feeding path through which the print medium is guided to be again fed along the first feeding path, a path conversion guide unit being disposed in a position where the first and second feeding paths intersect to guide the print medium to be discharged or fed along the second feeding path, a print medium feeding unit, and a controller to synchronize operations of the driving unit, the path conversion guide unit, and the print medium feeding unit, wherein the controller drives the nozzles and the nozzles divided in groups in the same direction time-divisionally.
US07677691B2
A droplet jetting applicator includes: a droplet jetting head which freely moves and includes a nozzle surface with a plurality of nozzles formed, from which droplets are jetted; a suction section which sucks the droplets jetted by the droplet jetting head from a facing position facing the nozzle surface; a support/transfer section which supports the suction section, freely moves together with the droplet jetting head, and moves the supported suction section to the facing position and a non-facing position which is apart from the facing position; and an exhaust section which evacuates the suction section to give the suction section a suction force.
US07677688B2
When printing an image on a printing sheet, it is judged whether or not an RFID tag has been arranged in the printing sheet. When an RFID tag has been arranged, an image indicating the presence of RFID tag is printed, or an RFID tag cutting assistant line or the like for invalidating RFID tag is printed, whereby the user can easily recognize the presence of RFID tag. Also, the user can easily cut out and invalidate the RFID tag. When the user's information has been recorded on the RFID tag, a mark indicating the writing of information into RFID tag is attached to the printing sheet, whereby the user can easily recognize the presence/absence of information recorded on RFID tag. Consequently, there can be provided a method capable of identifying and easily discarding a printing sheet with RFID tag which can leak out the user's secret, privacy information or the like, and a method for easily judging whether or not ID information has already been recorded on a printing sheet with RFID tag.
US07677686B2
A printhead assembly that has a printhead substrate having a plurality of drop generators formed thereon at an area density of at least six drop generators per square millimeter. The droplets emitted have a drop volume less than 8 pico liters. The fluid forming the droplets has a viscosity in the range of 2 to 5 centipoise. A high area density of drop generators and relatively low droplet volume of water-based ink provides high print resolutions and energy efficient operation.
US07677679B2
A slide assembly includes a first slide (10), a second slide (20) slidably attached to the first slide, and a third slide (30) incorporated with a releasing member (50) slidably attached to the second slide. The first slide includes a stop (14) and a block (16). The second slide has a stop piece (28) and a slot (26) for movably receiving a retention pin (40). When the first, second, and third slides are in a fully extended state, the retention pin and the stop piece are resisted by the stop and the block of the first slide respectively, thereby restraining sliding movement between the second slide and the first slide; when the third slide is retracted from the fully extended state to a semi-extended state, the retention pin is lifted by the releasing member and disengaged from the stop, thereby allowing the second slide to retract into the first slide.
US07677675B2
A method and apparatus for continuously making a brush mat for brush manufacture integrates a continuous source of extruded and cut filaments with forming an extrusion of thermoplastic material on an end of the filaments to form the brush mat. The brush mat can then be cut and used in its straight configuration or shaped in a ring or other form as part of a subsequent brush making step.
US07677654B2
An armrest for a vehicle seat includes a seat cushion and a backrest. The armrest is intended to be turned around a pivot axis between a first active position and a second folded-away position. The armrest includes an upper part, which in the active position is positioned with its longitudinal axis substantially parallel to a substantially vertical plane through a side surface constituting an outer edge surface of the vehicle seat and intended to support a user's forearm, and at least one lower part provided with a fixing device for attaching the upper part to the vehicle seat. The lower part includes a linking mechanism arranged for setting the upper part in a transverse direction between a first position outside the side surface and an adjustable second position, and a locking device that is arranged to activate a catch that locks the upper part in a set position after it has been moved to the second position. A vehicle seat provided with an armrest and to a vehicle including an armrest are also provided.
US07677647B2
A work vehicle includes a frame, a cab structure connected to the frame and a seat connected to the frame. A substantially rigid restraining device of unitary construction is pivotably connected behind the seat to any one of the frame, the cab structure, or the frame and the cab structure. The pivotable connection between the restraining device and the frame and/or the cab structure is adjustable.
US07677642B2
A butt joint assembles side panels of a side wall of a trailer to the base rail of the trailer. The butt joint positions the side panels over the base rail and vertically aligns the outer surfaces of the side panels and the base rail, which provides for an improved trailer side wall.
US07677639B2
An adjustable closure hinge assembly, includes a first hinge portion having a first aperture, a second hinge portion having a second aperture coaxially aligned with the first aperture, a hinge member disposed in the first and second apertures for joining the first and second hinge portions, wherein the hinge member further comprises a spacer intermediate walls defining the first and second apertures and the hinge member, wherein the spacer comprises an active material, and an activation device in operative communication with the active material, wherein the activation device is operable to selectively apply an activation signal to the active material and effect a reversible change in at least one property of the active material, wherein the change in the at least one property is effective to provide up to six degrees of freedom to the hinge member and less than or equal to two degrees of freedom in the absence of the activation signal.
US07677633B2
In a convertible vehicle having a folding convertible top (16), whose rear side is affixed to a tensioning bow (20) laterally supported relative to the vehicle, and a rear trunk lid (14) laterally supported relative to the vehicle, wherein its front side is arranged in the vicinity of the tensioning bow in its closed state, the tensioning bow (20) can be brought into an upwardly pivoted position during the opening of the rear trunk lid (14) or when the rear trunk lid is opened, so that an opening for loading of a luggage compartment, which is arranged underneath the rear trunk lid and underneath the tensioning bow at least when the folding convertible top is closed, is enlarged.
US07677629B2
A movement device for a vehicle seat includes lower rails extending in a forward or rearward direction of a vehicle are arranged in a vehicle width direction on a vehicle floor. An upper rail provided at a lower part of a seat slidably movably engages with the lower rails. A recess is formed in the vehicle floor, enabling a carriage to be conveyed between the lower rails along the vehicle width direction. The carriage is separated from the vehicle floor, and guide rails are installed on the carriage. The guide rails are provided in extensions of the lower rails so as to be capable of directly accepting a sliding movement of the upper rail from the lower rails, as the upper rail is removed from the lower rail into the extension thereof.
US07677627B2
A vehicle with a cabin comprising: a vehicle body supported by a plurality of wheels; a cabin bracket supported by the vehicle body; and an elastic member disposed between the cabin bracket and the cabin, wherein the cabin bracket comprises: a fixed member fixed to the vehicle body, a higher rigidity portion extended to the outward side of the body from the fixed member, and a lower rigidity portion that is extended to the outward side from the end portion of the outward side of the higher rigidity portion, and that is lower in rigidity in the vertical direction than the higher rigidity portion; and a vibration suppressing weight disposed at the end portion in the outward direction of the cabin bracket.
US07677626B2
A deployable multi-functional tailgate apparatus forms a ramp platform and bulkhead piece, and is stowable against and deployable from an inner surface of a dual-action tailgate door which is usable as a swinging or a drop-style tailgate door. A damping mechanism controls the rate of descent of the platform. The bulkhead piece seals against the vehicle body when deployed to form a barrier, and secures a piece of cargo. A door assembly has a dual-action tailgate door and a multi-functional tailgate apparatus, with the apparatus being deployable as a ramp platform for accessing the rear cargo area when the tailgate door is used as a swinging-style tailgate door, and to form a bulkhead piece for transporting a piece of cargo external to the rear cargo area when the tailgate door is used as a drop-style tailgate door.
US07677625B2
A primarily aluminum extendable flatbed trailer has front and rear flatbed sections adjustable to various trailer lengths. Reinforcing plates with holes therein are connected to an aluminum longitudinal rail on one flatbed section. Holes in the rail aligned with the reinforcing plate holes removably receive a locking pin which secures the front section to the rear section. The locking pin slidably engages the reinforcing plates and associated wear bars. A generally vertical web strengthener is secured to a vertical longitudinal web on the rail adjacent the suspension of the trailer. Tubular aluminum braces are used in various locations. A friction reducing plastic slide member on one flatbed section slidably engages the other flatbed section. Another trailer includes first, second and third flatbed sections whereby the first and second sections are joinable in an extendable configuration and the first and third sections are joinable in a standard configuration.
US07677623B2
An active rigging system, using multiple lines to support a load, places a constant tension on at least one of the lines. The constant tension allows a resistance to slack in the line, which in turn allows the line to maintain support of the lines' respective share of the load. This configuration allows a reduction of stress in the load and an enablement of support of loads having an unequal weight distribution. Additionally, the invention includes a method for relieving stress from a load, supported by multiple lines generally susceptible to slack. The method includes placing a constant tension on at least one of the lines to allow that line to resist slack. The resistance to slack involves utilizing a tension force and an adjustment of the line via a pulley.
US07677622B2
A method is proposed for operating a vacuum handling device controlled by a programmable controller (39) which can be connected to a machine controller (10), with at least one vacuum generator (28) and with a number of gripper modules (20), which are connected to the vacuum generator and are each equipped with a first pressure sensor (46) and with a control valve (44) for the vacuum in the gripper module, and which are connected to the programmable controller. The control valve in the gripper module is closed in a first switching state (vacuum on) of the programmable controller and is detected up to the control valve (44) by means of a second pressure sensor (78) in the vacuum generator.
US07677620B1
A disc retrieving apparatus includes an elongated pole that has a first end and a second end. The pole is telescopic and is selectively extended into an engaged position or retracted into a stored position. A head is attached to the pole adjacent to the first end of the pole. The head includes a plate attached to the pole and a plurality of tines extending away from the plate. The tines are approximately coplanar with each other. Each of the tines has a distal end with respect to the plate. Each of a plurality of teeth is attached to one of the distal end. The teeth extend downwardly from a plane of the tines. The pole is extended to the engaged position as needed to retrieve an object from water with the head.
US07677619B2
A collapsible remote mechanical grasping apparatus that can be used to grasp explosive devices is provided. The collapsible remote mechanical grasping apparatus comprises a first rod and a second rod which are connected by a joint assembly. The collapsible remote mechanical grasping apparatus further includes a claw assembly pivotably connected to the second rod, a cable assembly mounted to the first rod, and a slidable locking sleeve assembly positioned around the first rod, the joint assembly, and the second rod. The cable assembly comprises a claw control lever and an actuation cable that is mechanically connected to the claw control lever and the claw assembly. Actuation of the claw control lever causes the actuation of the claw assembly. Additionally, the joint assembly allows the second rod to pivot towards the first rod when the slidable locking sleeve is retracted from the second rod and the joint assembly.
US07677604B2
A nested bushing coupling for attaching a plumbing component to a conduit. The assembly includes at least one or more nested bushings having off-centered openings which may be situated at various orientations within a receiver.
US07677603B2
A seal assembly for effecting a fluid tight seal between a pipe and an opening in the wall of a structure, particularly a relatively thin-walled structure made of a rigid plastic, fiberglass, or of metal, for example. The seal assembly generally includes a seal ring and an annular nut. The seal ring includes a relatively rigid fastener component having external threads, and a relatively resilient sealing component joined to the fastener component and including a first sealing projection for providing a compressive seal between the seal ring and one side of the structure wall, and a second annular sealing projection for providing a compressive seal between the seal ring and the outer surface of a pipe inserted through the seal ring. The seal ring is inserted through the opening in the structure, and the annular nut is threaded onto the external threads of the fastener component and into engagement with a first side of the wall to thereby compress the first sealing projection against the opposite, second side of the wall. Thereafter, a pipe is inserted through the seal ring to compress the second sealing projection between the outer surface of the pipe and the seal ring.
US07677602B2
A tube fitting for a tube end has a first coupling member and a second coupling member joined with the first coupling member. A tube gripping device is disposed between the first coupling member and the second coupling member such that assembly of the first coupling member with said second coupling member to a pulled-up condition causes the tube gripping device to be plastically deformed and swaged into the tube to grip and seal the tube. The first coupling member engages an internal surface of the second coupling member to provide an indication of completed pull-up.
US07677595B2
An apparatus for mounting an airbag inflator to a vehicle includes a mounting adapter. The mounting adapter includes a base and at least one slot, wherein the base captures the inflator. A p-bracket that engages the slot is also added, wherein the p-bracket captures the inflator. A mounting tether is also looped around the p-bracket. A tether retainer or a wire harness retainer may also be added to the adapter.
US07677588B2
A hitch assembly comprises a first coupling element and a second coupling element suited to be latched to the first coupling element. A rod member has a first end connected to the first coupling element. An actuator has a movable output member that can move between a retracted and an extended position.
US07677584B2
The present invention provides an improved collapsible step assembly for recreational vehicles. The movable step apparatus comprises a mounting frame, at least one step mounted to the frame through a linkage assembly, and a pivot assembly having a pivot rod with a longitudinal axis of rotation. In use, the pivot rod is rotatably mounted to the frame and rotates the linkage assembly and the steps between an extended position and a retracted position. Rotating the pivot rod in a first direction moves the step to the extended position, and rotating the pivot rod in the opposite direction moves the step to the retracted position. A two-part linkage is rotatably engaged between the pivot rod and the step linkage and transfers downward forces on the step when retracted and when extended to the drive unit so that the step stays in its position.
US07677582B2
An apparatus for removing, installing and/or servicing a vehicular component, such as a wheel/tyre, a motor or the like, particularly for large mining and/or earthmoving equipment. The apparatus includes a carrier device (100) and a component handling device (200). The carrier device (100) enables the apparatus to be moved over a substrate surface, and is preferably a U-shaped chassis having a pair of outwardly extending arms (140), and at least three wheels (120,130). The component handling device (200) is removably coupled to the carrier device (100). The component handling device (200) includes a frame (270) of complementary shape to the chassis to support the lower portion of the vehicular component, and, a support element (210). At least one retaining arm (220) extends from the support element (210) to provide support to an upper end of the vehicular component.
US07677581B2
A portable cooler assembly includes sidewalls connected by a bottom wall. The sidewalls and bottom wall collectively define an interior space. A rim is attached to a top of the collapsible side walls, and a lid is supported on the rim and encloses the interior space. A base defines a container receiving recess within which the bottom wall is received and supported. A drain conduit defines a passageway in fluid communication with a lower portion of the interior space. When the portable cooler assembly is in a first configuration, the collapsible sidewalls extend outwardly from the container receiving recess. When the portable cooler assembly is in a second configuration, the collapsible sidewalls are completely received within the container receiving recess in a collapsed condition, and an outer peripheral edge portion of the rim is at least partially received within the container receiving recess.
US07677580B2
A travel cooler includes a wheeled platform and an insulated container configured to be selectively coupled to, and uncoupled from, the wheeled platform. The wheeled platform includes a base, a plurality of wheels mounted to the base for rolling movement of the platform and a first coupling component fixedly disposed on the base. The insulated container includes a second coupling component fixedly disposed on the container. The first and second coupling components are disengaged from one another when the insulated container is uncoupled from the wheeled platform. The first and second coupling components are disposed in interlocking engagement when the insulated container is coupled to the wheeled platform, whereby the insulated container is securely coupled to the wheeled platform in fixed disposition relative thereto for safe transportation on the wheeled platform. The base defines a container receiving recess within which a bottom portion of the insulated container is received when the insulated container is coupled to the wheeled platform.
US07677576B2
An electronic game that awards the last player to correctly answer a question before the expiration of a timer. The game includes a plurality of buttons and corresponding indicators coupled to a housing. Within the housing is a controller that causes a question to be displayed on a screen. A timer also counts to a time interval. The controller activates an indicator associated with a button that was depressed last by a player that provides a correct answer to the question at the expiration of a timer. The last player can then move a token on a board. The player that moves their token to the end of the board wins the game.
US07677575B2
Golf Gladiator is a lawn game of skill involving balls or other objects connected by a string or rope and a ladder design that has rungs at various distances from the players due to its unique angled design. To play, the ladder assembly is placed a predetermined distance from the players. A player grabs one ball and rope assembly and swings its at the ladder rungs, attempting to get it to wrap around a rung. Each rung has a point value assigned to it. There are three ball and rope assemblies per person or team. Each player or team throws all of his or its ball and rope assemblies and then the next player or team takes his or its turn. A variety of variations on these rules are possible.
US07677567B2
A game or puzzle including a plurality of polyomino assembly pieces and a support base. The support base aids the user in visualizing the shape of the puzzle to be assembled and provides support to the assembly pieces during puzzle assembly.
US07677564B2
A game apparatus is provided for one or more players having a first game member that includes a puzzle or a game area having indicia forming a grid having sub-grids including a plurality of cells. Each cell is assigned indicia in a solution pattern of the puzzle such that a distinct indicia appears once in each row, column, and sub-grid. The first game member displays the solution indicia for some of the cells and the remaining cells are divided into a number of sub-cells bearing the possible solution indicia for the corresponding cell such that each sub-cell includes a distinct indicia. A player speculates which sub-cell bears the correct solution indicia for the respective cell. The apparatus further includes at least one game piece adapted to randomly display an indicia when manipulated, the indicia modifying a game parameter such as a player's score or number of possible speculations the player can make in one turn.
US07677553B2
An air blowing portion blows air toward an edge surface on a downstream side in a sheet feeding direction of a sheet. A presser portion presses an upper surface of the sheet at both side edge portions in a width direction of the sheet, thereby allowing, throughout an entire region of the sheets in a sheet feeding direction, a central portion in a width direction perpendicular to the sheet feeding direction of the sheet to blow up with the air blown by the air blowing portion.
US07677552B2
Unstacker apparatus (1) for unstacking flat items (E), the unstacker apparatus comprising a flat item feed magazine (M) in which the flat items are disposed in a stack and on edge and are moved in a certain direction (D) until they reach an unstacking plate (6) disposed in alignment with said feed magazine, whereupon they are ejected one-by-one in a perpendicular direction (P) that is perpendicular to said certain direction (D), the unstacker apparatus further comprising a blower member (13) which is disposed so as to blow a jet of air onto the flat items, and which is mounted in a manner such as to be retractable into the unstacking plate.
US07677550B2
A sheet feeding apparatus includes: a sheet tray in which a plurality of sheets is to be stacked; a sheet feeding section which vacuums a sheet from the plurality of sheets stacked in the sheet tray and feeds the sheet to an image forming apparatus; a first sheet separator which has a member which separates each sheet from the plurality of sheets when the sheet feeding section feeds the plurality of sheets; and a second sheet separator which has a forward roller rotated in a sheet transport direction, which feeds the sheet to the image forming apparatus, and a parallel retard roller rotatable in an opposite direction so as to separate each sheet from the plurality of sheets.
US07677549B2
A sheet supplying apparatus capable of being connected with sheet feeding apparatuses, image forming apparatuses and post processing apparatuses having: a common conveyance path to convey the sheet from the apparatuses on the upper stream side or sheet storing sections to down stream side having, a plurality of sheet feeding paths, a receiving conveyance path, a sending conveyance path, and a transit path to connect the receiving conveyance path and sending conveyance path, wherein the sending conveyance path has a shared conveyance path in which a plurality of sheet conveyance paths to feed the sheet from a plurality of the sheet storing sections are merge and reach to a sheet outlet, and the transit conveyance path is provided integrally with any one of the sheet storing sections, which can be withdrawn from a sheet supplying apparatus main body, at the bottom of the sheet storing section thereof.
US07677545B2
A sheet storing/feeding device includes a receptacle for holding standing sheets, a stacking and feeding mechanism to successively carry the sheets into the receptacle and to feed a forefront sheet out of the receptacle. A pushing member configured to be optionally advanced and retracted is provided on the side of the forefront sheet in the receptacle, and a holding member is provided to be in contact with a backmost sheet in the receptacle. A retaining member is provided to be optionally advanced and retracted relative to a storage space defined between the stacking and feeding mechanism and the holding member. The retaining member, when advanced, can hold the sheets in the receptacle between the retaining member and the holding member so as to bring them into a temporary holding state, while, when retracted, can release the paper-sheets in the temporary holding state.
US07677543B2
A sheet handling apparatus is provided for collating or inserting inserts. The sheet handling apparatus has a raceway adapted to transport sets of inserts at a raceway transport rate. An insert feed line is provided adapted to feed individual inserts to the sets of inserts on the raceway at the raceway transport rate. The insert feed line has a Singulater adapted to separate the individual inserts from bundles of inserts at a separation rate. The separation rate may be varied to allow the insert feed line to feed the individual inserts to the sets of inserts on the raceway at the raceway transport rate.
US07677539B2
A force control strut including a housing having first and second ends and an internal chamber, a rod member having an inner end reciprocally movable inside the housing and along the internal chamber, a guide member forming a bushing allowing reciprocation of the rod member in the housing, a bottom plug fixed in the internal chamber, a guide piston secured to an inner end of the rod and slidable along an inner surface of the internal chamber, a first coil spring positioned between the guide piston and one end of the housing to bias the rod member in a given direction in the housing, a first external connector fixed to the rod member, a second connector fixed to the bottom plug, and a damper that includes a plunger reciprocally mounted in a force controlling passageway inside the rod member and movable in a passageway of the rod member.
US07677537B2
A stopper structure including: a rigid abutting member extending in its longitudinal direction with a rectangular cross sectional shape; and a rubber stopper having a base portion of tubular cross sectional shape and secured press-fit onto the rigid abutting member without being adhesive thereto, two peripheral projections formed on laterally opposite sides of a first abutting plane of the base portion and extending in the longitudinal direction, and a central projection formed on an intermediate area interposed between the peripheral projections of the first abutting plane of the base portion. The peripheral projections are situated above laterally opposite edges of a first abutting plane of the rigid abutting member, and have a width dimension extending inside and outside the laterally opposite edges. The central projection projects outward from the first abutting plane of the base portion with the same height as the peripheral projections.
US07677536B2
A portable appliance including a humidifier and an electrically heated scent mechanism. The heated scent mechanism includes a scent generator and an electrical heating element. The heating element and humidifier may be independently controllable such that the appliance can serve as either a humidifier or air-freshener, individually or simultaneously.
US07677532B2
A system is described for handling a wire, a chain, a cable, etc. (12) onboard a vessel, comprising a number of winches (10) to pull in and let out said wire, chain, etc. (12), and also a number of tow pins (14) and shark jaws (16), mounted in an area at the stern of the vessel, and which is arranged to guide and/or to hold said wire, chain, etc. (12) that runs from or to said winches (10). The system further comprises at least one centering device (18) arranged between said tow pins (14) and shark jaws (16) and winches (10), preferably adjoining said tow pins (14) and shark jaws (16), where the centering device (18) comprises at least two guiding plates (20) that can be raised and lowered and which are arranged to guide and possibly to hold said wire, chain, etc. (12).
US07677530B2
A flow rate regulation valve comprising a housing (11) formed with a valve hole (13), a needle valve (60) moved relative to the valve seat (16) in the housing, and a flow rate adjust knob (40) mounted at the proximal end of the needle valve extending from the housing, wherein the needle valve is moved relative to the valve seat by rotating the flow rate adjust knob thereby regulating the flow rate of fluid flowing through the valve hole, the flow rate regulation valve further comprising a knob fixing means (35) for stopping the rotation of the flow rate adjust knob. As a result, the flow rate is prevented from being changed accidentally by a user or the like. Further, the value may have a seal adjust means (20) adjusting the sealed state between the housing and the needle valve. The seal adjust means may be formed as a part of the housing, and may be fixed to the housing by a fixing pin (15).
US07677528B2
A controller comprises power transmitting means (11) for amplifying the force applied on the operating shaft (6) and transmitting to the valve rod (4); and a slow start means (12) for slowly moving the operating shaft (6) upward are arranged. The slow start means (12) includes a piston (8) that moves up and down with respect to the operating shaft (6); a pressure spring (44), arranged between a pressure spring receiver (43) arranged at the operating shaft (6) and the piston (8); a constantly opened communication passage (47) and an auxiliary communication passage (49) for communicating the pressure chamber (10) and the operation gas introducing chamber (27); a flow adjusting valve (48) provided in the constantly opened communication passage (47); and an open-close valve (50), arranged in the auxiliary communication passage (49), for opening the communication passage (49) when the piston (8) is at the lower most position and closing the communication passage (49) when raised from the lower most position by a predetermined distance and reaching the auxiliary communication shut off position.
US07677527B2
A dual position pilot operated valve assembly having a main piston, with a valve member, reciprocable within a valve body, wherein the valve body is adapted for sealingly mating with a valve seat and passage located intermediate the valve body inlet and outlet ports, the valve body having a cylindrical adapter secured to an open end thereof and housing a secondary piston, reciprocable therein, with an axial stem depending from the second piston bottom surface and extending through the adaptor to the first piston cavity for intermittent contact therewith; and an end cap secured to and closing the adapter and having an inlet port interconnected with a source of high pressure control gas and respective first and second conduits leading to the main and secondary piston bore cavities, with an adjustment mechanism controlling the degree of opening/closing of the valve assembly. Several methods of operation are also set forth.
US07677518B2
The adjustable stand has lower and upper components spaced vertically apart. The upper component supports a monitor of a computer and is movable upwardly and downwardly relative to the lower component while the lower component remains fixed in position. An operator of the computer can accordingly adjust the monitor to eye-level whether the operator is standing or is seated. A platform supports a keyboard and is movable with the upper component. The level of the platform may be adjusted selectively upwardly and downwardly relative to the upper component.
US07677514B1
The invention is an equipment support bracket that can be secured to a vehicle frame without drilling holes. The top bracket has a top tang that fits over the top web of the frame. A bottom bracket has a bottom tang that secures against the bottom web. Once installed on the frame, tensioning bolts tighten the top tang against the top web. In one embodiment, the equipment can be first attached to the support bracket and then the support bracket with equipment attached is positioned between the top bracket and the rail of the frame. In another embodiment, the equipment bracket can be attached to an I beam frame.
US07677494B2
When a single door for opening and closing an opening in a body is opened outward with its lower part as a fulcrum, a plurality of plate-shaped steps of a foldable boarding ramp provided on an inner face of the door are swung in association with one another from a stored position along the inner face of the door to a deployed position to be used for ingress and egress of the passengers. Since the boarding ramp is folded into the stored position, it does not impair the space of a passenger compartment. Further, since the steps are folded into a position so as not to interfere with a window provided in an upper part of the door, they do not give an oppressed feeling to the passengers in the passenger compartment. The step is deployed to cover the window provided in the upper part of the door during use.
US07677492B1
A rotary aircraft has a fuselage with wings and a rotor. The blades of the rotor are twistable about a pitch axis to vary collective pitch. A collective pitch shaft moves in an advancing direction to increase the collective pitch. Weights are mounted to the blades for outward movement along the blades in response to an increase in rotational speed of the blades. A linkage between each of the weights and the collective pitch shaft moves the collective pitch shaft in the advancing direction in response to an increase in rotational speed. A spring acting through a cam mechanism exerts a non linear force in opposition to the outward movement of the blades.
US07677491B2
In various representative aspects, an airborne delivery system according to various aspects of the present invention comprises a container and an autorotating rotor system. The container may contain contents, and the rotor system facilitates control of at least a portion of the flight of the airborne system and the descent. Exemplary features may include a guidance system, for example to guide and control the airborne system, and a wing for gliding.
US07677490B2
A dispenser is adapted to be used in unwinding a roll of elongated flexible material. The dispenser includes a support bracket, a central member rotatably mounted to the support bracket and a plurality of hinged support arm assemblies attached to the central support member and movable between an extended position and a retracted position.
US07677489B2
The wire caddy is designed to hold single or multiple spools of electrical wire commonly used in the building trades. This device allows wire spools to be inserted onto a support shaft and retained onto the support shaft by insertion of a retaining pin through retaining pin holes in the end of the support shaft. Wire is guided off the spool through a guide hole in the support bracket.The diameter of the support shaft is smaller than the diameter of the wire spool end plate center holes. The center line of the support shaft is positioned higher than the center line of the wire spool end plate holes. This creates a gap between the bottom of the support shaft and the edge of the wire spool hole. Thereby the wire spool is resting on and supported by the friction plate, and not the support shaft. Upon applying an upward pulling force, the wire spool is lifted off the friction plate allowing for uncoiling of the wire. Once the pulling force is stopped, the weight of the wire spool will force the wire spool end plates down onto a friction plate that will stop the turning momentum of the wire spool, causing the wire spool to stop quickly. By stopping the turning momentum quickly, turns of wire on the spool will not uncoil themselves thus preventing entanglement with each other.
US07677487B2
The present invention relates to a fly reel, wherein the drag system installed in frame comprises: a drag knob that is connected rotation-controllably to one side periphery of center shaft; a drag spindle that is connected rotationally to periphery of said center shaft and distantly from said drag knob; a friction means for restraining controllably any one-directional rotation force of said drag spindle in accordance with transferred amount of said drag knob moved to axial direction of said center shaft; a drag spindle insert that is inserted rotationally to periphery of said center shaft and rotated by rotational manipulation of said spool; and a unidirectional bearing that is inserted at inside of said drag spindle for permitting one directional rotation and restraining the other directional rotation of said drag spindle insert being inserted therein. Overall configuration thereby can be made efficient and simple; direction setting of unidirectional bearing can be changed easily if necessary.
US07677485B2
A multi-blade food processing apparatus having two independent blade assemblies, each of which blade assemblies having two opposed horizontal cutting blades, wherein the upper of two independent blade assemblies is selectively removable from the apparatus, the cutting blades are spaced apart in elevation, and are offset in orientation 90 degrees for improved cutting efficiency. The blade assemblies are positioned at 90 degrees from each other but may include additional positions for orienting the blades at any angle with respect to each other.
US07677482B2
Provided is a droplet dispensing device having a nonconductive capillary nozzle. The droplet dispensing device comprises: a nonconductive capillary nozzle disposed in a downward position; a pump connected with the nonconductive capillary nozzle through a hermetically sealed fluid tube and generating a negative pressure to decrease the influence of gravity on a solution within the nonconductive capillary nozzle and the fluid tube; and an open circuit voltage supplier applying a voltage to the solution. The droplet dispensing device supplies the solution by capillary force to regularly maintain the shape of a droplet surface in the tip of the nonconductive capillary nozzle without using a separate driving device.
US07677470B2
A spraying device includes a gas can and a sprayer/joint combination. The gas can is formed with a collar defining a cutout. The sprayer/joint combination includes a frame, two shoes, an expanding element and a sprayer. The frame defines two slots and includes a block formed thereon and disposed in the cutout. The shoes are pivotally connected to the frame, and each of them includes a head and a tail. The expanding element includes a cam with two lobes. The expanding element can be pivoted between a locking position where the lobes push the heads of the shoes against the collar of the gas can and an unlocking position where the lobes contact the tails of the shoes. The sprayer includes a nozzle, a knob and a connective unit. The connective unit of the sprayer is connected to the expanding element through the frame.
US07677469B1
A sprinkler for irrigating turf and/or landscaping includes a turbine and a nozzle. A planetary gear drive and a reversing mechanism rotatably coupling the turbine and the nozzle. The planetary gear drive includes at least a portion of the reversing mechanism.
US07677466B2
An insulated rail joint assembly comprises a rail with a thick web section, held in place by joint bars and secured with electrically isolated fasteners. The joint bars have non-uniform cross-sections, being shaped with a thicker midsection area and thinner ends. Electrically non-conductive shear pins through the rail and the joint bars provide shear resistance and prevent glue bond failure. High strength cloth between the rail ends and between the rail and the joint bars strengthens the joint, as does an insulating rail clip resiliently fastened to an insulating tie plate, which itself may be supported on a cross tie of increased width.
US07677461B2
A label for a product includes an electronic display for displaying label information. The digital label includes a processor, a memory, and a display configured to store and display label information about a product to which the label is attached. The digital label also stores product authentication data for authenticating the product to which the label is attached.
US07677460B2
A method and computer system for determining the compatibility, for application to a smartcard, of smartcard personalization profiles, the respective smartcard personalization profiles describing respective file trees on the smartcard that are required by respective applications. The method involves determining if the sets of paths of the file trees described by the respective smartcard personalization profiles are disjoint.
US07677450B1
A local area network has a first node to receive an input in the form of account identification data, and a second node to receive this input from the first node via a transport layer protocol. A vending control device connected to the second node includes a relay to be activated and deactivated by the second node. The relay is to enable and disable the functioning of an output device. A circuit is to meter an amount of output processed by the output device. The vending control device is to communicate the amount of output that has been processed to the second node. The second node calculates a cost of the processed output and sends the cost via the transport layer protocol to a remote server. The remote server in turn sends the costs to a gateway through which a payment transaction is settled. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US07677445B2
A method of counting currency documents including a plurality of coded data portions thereon. Each coded data portion is indicative of an identity of the currency document and the method includes, sensing at least one coded data portion for each currency document using a sensing device. This is used to generate indicating data, which is transferred to a computer system, to allow the computer system to determine the identity for each currency document. The identity is then used to determine a value for each currency document, allowing the documents to be counted.
US07677435B2
Described is a double-walled heat-insulating paperboard cup which stacks with the aid of an upper stacking stopper. A particularly stable design is achieved by means of the embodiment of the upper stacking stopper, which results in good stackability and de-stackability of the cups. Furthermore a process is described which is applied for the manufacture of a cup of this type.
US07677434B2
A stackable container has a bottom panel, upstanding sidewalls, upstanding end walls, and an open top. According to one aspect of the invention, narrow reinforcing flaps are attached to the upper edge of at least one of the side and end walls, defining a stacking ledge and reinforcing the walls against outward bulge. The reinforcing flaps extend over only a small portion of the height of the side or end wall, and corner post flaps extend from opposite ends of the reinforcing flaps, extending diagonally across interior corners of the container. According to another aspect, the side and/or end walls lean inwardly, defining a narrower footprint at the top of the container than at the bottom. In a specific embodiment one of the walls leans in more than the other. According to a further aspect, an indexing and aligning tab extends upwardly from an upper edge of the container, and a complementary notch is formed in a lower edge for receiving the tab when the containers are stacked. According to a still further aspect, stacking tabs extend upwardly from the upper edge of the container, and slots are formed in the bottom panel for receiving the tabs when containers are stacked. Locking flaps extend into the slots to frictionally engage and hold the tabs.
US07677432B2
Methods and systems are disclosed for forming secure wirebonds between electrical contacts in electronic device assemblies. Representative embodiments of the invention are described for forming a wirebond including system components and method steps for generating electromagnetic energy from a heat source and transmitting heat to a ball formed on a bondwire. Subsequently, pressure applied to the ball at the bonding site is used in the formation of a wirebond.
US07677427B2
The invention is a welding tool used in a friction-stir welding apparatus for welding a plurality of members to be welded. The welding tool includes: a tool holder having a front end and a base end, the base end being held by the friction-stir welding apparatus so as to be driven to rotate and move by the friction-stir welding apparatus; and a welding unit of a wear resistant material adapted to be removably mounted on the front end of the tool holder, the welding unit mounted on the front end of the tool holder being immersed into a part of the members to be welded during a friction-stir welding.
US07677419B2
A syringe for holding fluids susceptible to void formation when frozen and thawed before use. The interior surface of the syringe sidewall may be roughened, which serves to prevent or significantly reduce the incidence of void formation in the fluid. The required level of surface roughening for counteracting void formation may be reduced by increasing the sidewall flexibility. Alternatively, the flexibility of the syringe sidewall may operate over certain thickness ranges to prevent or significantly reduce void formation in the fluid without intentionally roughening the interior surface.
US07677414B2
In application of a foamed hot melt adhesive, a mixing ratio of foam can be selectably and quickly set, and also application of a foamed hot melt adhesive and that of a solid hot melt adhesive can be selectively performed by a single application device. A first gear pump and a second gear pump are driven by drive mechanisms independent from each other. The pressure of a liquid being sent by the pressure in the second compression process is detected, and this causes the speed of the first gear pump and the second gear pump to be sequence-controlled to automatically control the amount of mixing of gas. A gas suction opening is provided between the first gear pump and the second gear pump, and a mixer is provided between the gas suction opening and the second gear pump. The end of a return circuit is set on the downstream side of the first gear pump to prevent foam from returning to the tank side. A restriction valve is installed in a gun to produce a single bubble. The ratio of discharges between the first gear pump and the second gear pump is automatically controlled and set at a value greater than 1/1, enabling solid hot melt adhesive application and foamed hot melt application to be selectively performed.
US07677413B2
A dispensing container having a neck with a throat opening closed by a cap having a pierceable membrane adjacent atop of the cap, the cap having a dispensing nozzle with a lumen therethrough and an overcap for enclosing the dispensing nozzle having a moveable plunger pin extending into the lumen of the nozzle and moveable therein to pierce the membrane.
US07677412B2
A fluid dispensing apparatus includes a pulse generator coupled to a pump that operates in discrete cycles. Each cycle includes a first part in which fluid is drawn into the pump through an inlet, and a second part in which fluid is expelled from the pump through an outlet. Each cycle results in a discrete, consistent volume of fluid being expelled. The pulse generator transmits discrete pulses to the pump, causing the pump to operate for a set number of cycles per pulse. The total number of cycles is a multiple of the number of pulses transmitted, so that the number of pulses determines the volume of fluid dispensed. Alternatively, the pump is driven through increments of the second part of the cycle, with the number of pulses supplied to the pump determining the proportion of the second part of the cycle completed, and therefore the volume of fluid dispensed.
US07677395B2
Reprocessable medical devices that have been disposed of in a sharps container are recovered, disinfected or sterilized, sorted, and packed for reprocessing in a generally continuous process. In one embodiment, either a sharps container or at least a portion of its contents is successively and controllably conveyed, either manually or automatically, through a plurality of processing stations that are configured to perform different operations. The operations performed by the processing stations can include, for example, detecting and identifying contents, cleaning and disinfecting, opening the sharps containers, separating and sorting their contents, and disposal of contents that are non-reprocessable. Reprocessable medical devices can be sorted by type as they move along on a conveyor.
US07677392B2
A packaging device for a trocar assembly includes a housing member having a compliant first sleeve adapted for selective frictional retention of a trocar assembly component relative to the housing member and a compliant second sleeve adapted for selective frictional retention of a trocar assembly component relative to the housing member. The first sleeve includes an inlet opening at a first end thereof and a closed second end defining a shield member positioned about a tip of a trocar assembly component positioned therein. The second sleeve includes an inlet opening at a first end thereof and a closed second end defining a shield member positioned about a tip of a trocar assembly component positioned therein.
US07677388B2
A disk protecting plate includes a disk-shaped plate body having a central through hole. The plate body is provided on one side with a centered and low-raised annular wall, and a plurality of reinforcing ribs radially outward extended from the annular wall. Each of the reinforcing ribs has a top gradually inclined toward an outer circumferential periphery of the plate body. The disk protecting plate with the radially outward inclined reinforcing ribs may be made with reduced material to obtain a reinforced overall structural strength without forming an excessively thick outer periphery, and a plurality of disks concentrically stacked and packaged between two pieces of the disk protecting plates could therefore be effectively protected against damage caused by compression or impact against the disk protecting plate.
US07677386B1
A first uppermost tray is constructed of longitudinal and latitudinal components. Perforations are formed between the components. A fourth lowermost tray consists of a base, upstanding side and end walls and upstanding end walls. At least one intermediate tray is in a funnel like configuration. The intermediate tray has a centrally located aperture. The intermediate tray has spacer coupling posts separating the uppermost, intermediate and lowermost trays. A directing component is located above the base of the lowermost tray and beneath the aperture of the intermediate tray.
US07677381B2
A small-sized value medium processing device discriminates the genuine/false status of coins, and reads or write processes an electric information recording medium. The value medium processing device allows a coin slotted into a slot to roll along a coin path for discriminating the coin genuine/false status wherein the coin in the coin path can be cancelled by a canceling device. Slots for a coin and for an electric value recording medium are at least partly common with each other. A detecting device for the electric value recording medium is provided in the electric value medium slot. A deactivating device deactivates the canceling device based on detection by the detecting device.
US07677378B2
A vehicular transmission, includes: an input shaft; a drive gear, fixed to the input shaft; an output shaft; a driven gear, brought in mesh with the drive gear, and provided at the output shaft; a hub configured to rotate along with the output shaft; a sleeve configured to rotate integrally with the hub, and configured to slide in an axial direction so as to connect the driven gear to the output shaft to drive; a parking gear, integrally formed with the sleeve; a claw member, provided at a vicinity of an outer periphery of the parking gear engageably with and disengageably from the parking gear; and a sleeve restricting member, provided with the claw member, and configured to restrict the sleeve from a movement in the axial direction when the claw member is moved in a direction of being engaged with the parking gear.
US07677373B2
A torque converter lock-up clutch may be controlled by a lock-up clutch regulator control valve. The valve is utilized to selectively direct a fluid to the torque converter or to a pressure regulator valve. For example, in a hydrodynamic condition of the torque converter, the valve permits fluid to flow to the torque converter. In a lock-up condition of the torque converter, the valve directs fluid to a pressure regulator valve which selectively permits pressure to build in the torque converter.
US07677365B2
A bicycle rim brake assembly includes a fastening shaft, a mounting part, a pair of brake arms and a pair of brake shoe attaching parts. The fastening shaft extends in an axial direction and is configured for attachment to a portion of a bicycle frame adjacent to the bicycle wheel. The mounting part includes a fastening portion that is configured such that the fastening shaft extends through the fastening portion. The mounting part and the fastening portion are movable between a plurality of mounting positions relative to the fastening shaft along a first direction that intersects the axial direction. The brake arms are supported in a freely pivotal manner on an outer perimeter of the mounting part. The brake shoe attaching parts are provided on respective ones of the brake arms.
US07677364B2
An elevator installation contains an elevator car (12) that is arranged movably between floors (S1, S2) in an elevator hoistway (11). The elevator car (12) has a car door (14), and the elevator hoistway (11) has on the each floor (S1, S2) a hoistway door (13). Assigned to the car door (14), or to the hoistway door (13), is a sill-section (16). To draw attention to a gap (30), or give a warning of a step, between elevator car (12) and floor (S1, S2), it is proposed to arrange in the sill-section (16) of the elevator car (12), or of the floor (S1, S2), at least one light module (20, 21, 22).
US07677362B2
An actuator has a driving first coil and a driving second coil. A capacitor is electrically connected to both the first coil and the second coil through a discharge switch using electric power accumulated in a capacitor which can be selectively supplied. An operation portion for operating the discharge switch is electrically connected to the discharge switch. For example, when an electric power supplied to the operation portion is cut due to a power failure, the second coil and the capacitor are electrically connected to each other through the discharge switch.
US07677360B2
A shock absorbing fabric structure is a one-piece webbing. The shock absorbing fabric structure has a tubular-shaped high strength sheath and a high elongation member inside of the sheath. The sheath and the high elongation member are secured together at spaced apart connection locations and the high elongation member is generally not secured to the sheath between the connection locations. Heat treatment shrinks the length of the high elongation member. The sheath does not substantially shrink from the heat treatment relative to the high elongation member and gathers together in an accordion-like arrangement. A tensile load applied to the fabric structure stretches the high elongation member and unfolds the gathered sheath. The high strength sheath supports the tensile load when completely unfolded while the high elongation member absorbs energy as it stretches or elongates.
US07677346B2
A head pipe is disposed in a front side of a vehicle frame. Left and right main pipes extend from the head pipe toward a rear side of the vehicle frame. The Left and right main pipes are welded to the head pipe. A down tube extends from the head pipe toward the rear side and welded to the head pipe. The head pipe includes: a head pipe main body supporting a steering shaft; a main pipe connection portion disposed in a rear upper portion of the head pipe, the main pipe connection portion to which a front ends of the left and right main pipes are welded; and a down tube connection portion disposed in a rear lower portion of the head pipe. The head pipe main body, the main pipe connection portion and the down tube connection portion are integrally formed with one another by a casting or a forging. The down tube connection portion includes: an extension connection portion extending from the head pipe main body in a extending direction of the down tube; and a welding connection portion formed at a rear end portion of the extension connection portion, the welding connection portion to which a front end of the down tube is welded.
US07677344B2
A hybrid remote control lawn mower that includes embodiments to provide use in all seasons. These embodiments include, a wagon, a spreader, a dethacher, a leaf collector, a leaf blower, a lawn trimmer, a lawn edger, an edger, a hedge trimmer, a snow plow blade, a snow blower, etc. The hybrid remote control lawn mower allows an operator to stay at a safe distance away from the hybrid remote control lawn mower in dangerous places such as on steep hills.
US07677335B2
A system of components and a method is provided for radial and level drilling and completion with an ultra-short radius which includes a deflecting drill tool assembly and a level drill tool assembly. The deflecting drill tool has a deflecting rotary assembly, flexible drill pipe, directional follow-up tube, tail tube for deflecting drill tool, and drill pipe nipple joints. The level tool has a level rotary assembly, the flexible drill pipe, quick couplings, the directional follow-up tube, a tail tube for level drill tool, the drill pipe nipple joint, an adjusting nipple joint, a recessed left hand thread bushing, and convex left hand thread coupling. A triangle backing block is installed on outside of a casing of the deflecting rotary assembly. Splines matched with each other are provided at the level rotary assembly and the flexible drill pipe. The tail tube for level drill tool has a recessed left hand thread bushing and convex left hand thread coupling. A body of an inner ball is situated in a ball bowl and in frontal part of the main body of the flexible drill pipe and any single section of the flexible drill pipe may bend 3°-6°.
US07677334B2
An anti-surge/reverse thrusting tool for reducing the forces on a drill bit used in subterranean well drilling operations along with methods for drilling wells using a drill string employing the tool. The tool utilizes the pressure differential between drilling fluid flowing through the tool and the fluid located in the well bore annulus proximate the tool to reduce the likelihood of drill bit stall. The tool generally comprises an outer housing and a piston assembly that is axially shiftable relative to the housing.
US07677330B2
An apparatus for in situ testing of a soil sample includes an elongate body having a hollow core and an open end, an upper barrier or means for forming an upper barrier within soil across the hollow core, and means for forming a lower barrier within soil across the hollow core such that a sample zone is defined with the hollow core between the upper and lower barriers. A fluid supply means delivers a fluid to the sample zone; and a fluid exit means removes the fluid from the sample zone.
US07677328B2
A multiple flex-shaft adapter coupled to an electric drill has a housing assembly attaching to the drill at one end and to a plurality of flex-shafts at an opposite end. The flex-shafts have specialized drill bits attached thereto for performing different nail operations. A gear assembly is located in the housing assembly for transferring power from the drill to the plurality of flex-shafts. Preferably, an operator selects a switching member corresponding to a desired one of the plurality of flex-shafts and pushes the member horizontally into the housing. After entering the housing assembly, the switching member rises up towards the gear assembly. Subsequently, the operator inserts the desired one of the plurality of flex-shafts into the housing assembly through a receiver to engage the gear assembly. In turn, power is transferred from the drill through the gear assembly to the desired one.
US07677325B2
The invention of this application provides a pneumatic tool with a simple structure. The tool has a tubular housing, a stationary shaft, a first piston slidable along the stationary shaft, a second piston, a tool attachment member drivingly connected to the second piston, a compressed air supply path extending through the stationary shaft to supply compressed air between the first and second pistons, and an air discharge path for discharging the compressed air supplied between the first and second pistons to the outside of the housing when the first and second pistons are separated by a predetermined distance. The compressed air supply path has an axial portion in the stationary shaft and a radial portion, a compressed air inlet recess in the inner wall surface of a shaft sliding hole, and a supply outlet extending forward from the forward end of the compressed air inlet recess and communicating with a portion between the first and second pistons.
US07677311B2
A composition and method for improving the fluid efficiency of many oilfield treatments is given. The composition is a solid additive, in a viscosified fluid, in a size range small enough that it enters formation pores; it optionally bridges there to form an internal filter cake, and then decomposes to provide a breaker for the viscosifying system for the fluid. Examples of suitable additives include waxes, polyesters, polycarbonates, polyacetals, polymelamines, polyvinyl chlorides, and polyvinyl acetates. Degradation of the additive may be accelerated or delayed.
US07677306B2
Method and apparatus for estimating a fluid driven fracture volume during hydraulic fracturing treatment of a ground formation. A series of tiltmeters are positioned at spaced apart tiltmeter stations at which tilt changes due to the hydraulic fracturing treatment are measurable by those tiltmeters. Tilt measurements obtained from the tiltmeters at progressive times during the fracture treatment are analysed to produce estimates of the fluid driven fracture volume at each of those times as the treatment is in progress. The analysis may be performed sufficiently rapidly to provide real time estimates of the fluid driven fracture volume and may also produce estimates of fracture orientation. The estimates of fracture volume may be compared with the volume of fluid injected to derive an indication of treatment efficiency.
US07677305B2
Methods of reducing the viscosity of crude oil in an oil well are provided. The methods comprise the introduction of at least on reductant to an injection fluid which is then injected into the well. Aromatic hydrocarbons in the oil are reduced in the presence of reductant and indigenous microbial populations to reduce the viscosity of the oil.
US07677304B1
A downhole valve has a flow tube hydraulically actuated to open and close a flapper. The flow tube moved to a first position closes the flapper to restrict flow through the valve. The flow tube moved to a second position opens the flapper. A passable no-go device disposed in the valve permits or restricts mechanical passage through the valve in response to the position of the flow tube. The apparatus has a support and one or more dogs supported in windows of the support and biased by springs. The flow tube in the first position pushes the dogs to an extended position that restricts mechanical passage through valve so that a tool cannot be passed through the valve while the flapper is closed. When the flow tube is in the second position, however, the dogs retract so the tool can be passed through the valve while the flapper is open.
US07677301B2
A heat transfer plate for a plate heat exchanger has a first port portion (A) with at least one port (1, 4) for each of two fluids and a second port portion (B) with at least one port (2, 3) for each of the fluids, and a heat transfer portion which is located between the port portions (A, B). The ports (1, 4) in the first port portion (A) are located along a first geometric line (LA; LA1-LA2) which is essentially parallel to a longitudinal direction (L) of the plate, while the ports (2, 3) in the second port portion (B) are located along a second geometric line (LB; LB1-LB2) which is essentially parallel to the longitudinal direction (L) of the plate. A flow limiter (5) is arranged at least in the first port portion (A) adjacent to at least one of the ports which is located nearest the second port portion (B). The second port portion (B) has a corresponding flow limiter (6).
US07677293B2
The invention relates to a plug for releasable engagement with the centre-pin of a roller blind control unit wherein engagement of the plug with the pin ensures that a tip of the center-pin engages an external surface of the control unit. In addition, a releasably inter-engaging combination of this plug and center-pin wherein insertion of the center-pin through a roller blind control unit and engagement with the plug, ensures that a tip of the center-pin engages an external surface of the control unit is described. The invention also relates to a control unit for use in a window blind head rail assembly comprising: a sprocket wheel, a sprocket support and wrap spring, a splined bush for engagement with a roller blind tube, a center-pin, and a plug for releasable engagement with the center-pin.
US07677289B2
An automatic taping lathe-microtome that produces a continuous ribbon of tissue by lathing an extremely thin strip off the surface of a cylindrical block containing a multitude of embedded tissue samples. Mechanisms are included for sandwiching this fragile ribbon of tissue between a pair of support tapes. Viewing holes are cut in the support tapes above and below each tissue slice such that the tapes act as slot grids allowing for direct viewing of each tissue slice in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The resulting tissue-tape is placed on a spooling mechanism and fed into the beam of a TEM much like the film in a movie projector. This allows for random-access imaging of any section on the tape without requiring the TEM's vacuum be broken. This system is intended to give neuroscientists a tool to ultrastructure image large volumes of neural tissue and to trace multi-scale synaptic circuits.
US07677287B2
A belt layer 7 of a heavy load radial tire includes second and third belt plies 7B and 7C in which belt cords are arranged at an angle in a range of 10 to 45° with respect to a circumferential direction of the tire, and a fourth belt ply 7D which is disposed outside of the second and third belt plies 7B and 7C and which is spirally wound in the circumferential direction of the tire. When ply widths of the belt plies 7B to 7D are defined as W2 to W4 and a tread ground-contact width is defined as Tw, the following relations are established: 0.85Tw≦W2, 0.85Tw≦W3, (W2−W3)≧14 mm, W4≧40 mm. A distance K between a tire equator and an outer end of the fourth belt ply 7D is in a range of 35% to 40% of the tread ground-contact width Tw. A reinforcing rubber layer 10 having the maximum thickness T1 of not less than 3.0 mm and a complex elastic modulus E* of in a range of 6.0 to 12.0 MPa is disposed between outer ends of the second and third belt plies 7B and 7C.
US07677285B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus used for tightening tire chains. One embodiment of the present invention includes an outer portion and an inner portion. The outer and inner portions have a plurality of first and second apertures, respectively. A plurality of arms are secured onto the inner portion and extend through the second aperture and then through the first apertures. The arms have a first end which is adapted to be secured onto the inner portion, and a second end which is adapted to secure to a tire chain. A bar variably couples the outer portion and the inner portion. The distance between the outer and inner portions adds or subtracts tension in the arm which correspondingly adds or subtracts tension in the tire chain.
US07677284B2
A pneumatic tire including a tread portion, a pair of sidewall portions, a pair of bead portions, and a carcass extending between the bead portions through the tread portion and sidewall portions, wherein the tread portion is provided radially inside the carcass with a tread tape having a thickness of not more than 2.0 mm and having a tensile elastic modulus larger than any rubber existing between the tread tape and the adjacent carcass cords. A method of manufacturing the pneumatic tire includes vulcanizing a main body of the tire, excepting the tread tape, and attaching the tread tape onto the inside of the vulcanized tire main body.
US07677278B2
A fuel filler assembly includes a filler tube including a tube inlet having a larger diameter than a tube outlet and a transition portion disposed between the tube inlet and the tube outlet. An insert is received by the tube inlet and includes an insert inlet and an insert outlet. The insert outlet is received by the tube inlet and includes a nozzle opening axially offset from a central axis of at least one of the tube inlet, the insert inlet, and the insert outlet. The nozzle opening positions a nozzle received by the nozzle opening to direct supplied fuel toward the transition portion of the filler tube.
US07677277B2
A fuel tank cap including a vapor storage receptacle and a discriminator that discriminates between liquid fuel and fuel vapor for protecting the vapor storage receptacle from liquid and adsorbent granulated carbonaceous material. A fuel storage system including a fuel tank cap having a vapor storage receptacle is also disclosed.
US07677271B2
A flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe has a corrugation structure that permits a tight bending radius and relatively facile collapsing and expansion of corrugations, thereby permitting convenient manipulation and installation of drain pipe and packaging, display, storage and transportation of the collapsed pipe sections.
US07677270B2
A hydraulic or other type of high-pressure hose fitting can be temporarily sealed using a special type of plug. The plug is made of a rubber like material and can be used both as a male plug or a female plug. The plug contains a plug body with a tapered end portion that can be pushed into and seal against the tapered seat of a female hydraulic fitting. The plug also contains an internal open ended bore that can be pushed over a male fitting with the threads of the male fitting tightly pressing into the rubber material to form a seal and minimize the plug being blown off the fitting.
US07677267B2
The dunnage airbag inflation circuit of this invention includes a pilot valve that is controlled by a pressure sensing line in communication with the dunnage bag, and an arrangement of other valves to allow the dunnage bag to inflate up to a certain preset pressure. The pressure sensing line controls pilot air to various valves and ultimately to the main pilot valve allowing airflow to the dunnage bag until the dunnage bag reaches a certain preset pressure. The inflation circuit also includes (i) a safety pressure valve to stop airflow to the dunnage bag if for some reason the dunnage bag continues to be inflated past the preset pressure, and (ii) a stop valve that allows an operator to manually override the pressure valve and stop the airflow to the dunnage bag.
US07677264B2
A manifold-type solenoid valve comprises a main valve section and a solenoid operating section. The main valve section has a spool in a valve hole to which respective switching flow paths for supply, output, and discharge are opened. The main valve section comprises connecting flow paths for collective supply and/or collective discharge having connecting ports, output ports, and an external port for connecting an external piping for independent supply or independent discharge. The output ports are in communication with the switching flow path for output. The connecting flow paths for collective supply and/or collective discharge are in communication with the switching flow path for supply and the switching flow path for discharge. Additionally, the external port is in communication with the switching flow path for supply or the switching flow path for discharge.
US07677259B1
An apparatus that combines the functionality of a walker with that of a single crutch is herein disclosed. The apparatus provides for one crutch that comes up from the side support of the walker and thus the side of the user's body and is adjustable in height, as is the walker support handles, such that the invention can be customized for any sized user. The adjustment is facilitated by use of spring pin slip fittings, and thus can be adjusted in a matter of minutes without tools. The crutch support can be easily moved from the right to left hand side of the walker by use of a removable clamp system. It is also envisioned that certain models of the invention can provide crutches on both the right and left hand side of the walker simultaneously, based upon the needs of the patient. When not in use or not needed, the invention folds up in a manner similar to a conventional walker thus providing a low profile for ease of storage.
US07677256B2
Smokable rods of cigarettes are manufactured using wrapping materials that incorporate at least one fibrous material (e.g., flax fibers, hardwood pulp fibers and/or softwood pulp fibers) at least one filler material (e.g., calcium carbonate in particulate form). The wrapping materials possess multi-layer coatings. The wrapping materials possess coatings in the form of series of spaced apart bands, each band possessing a series of layers. At least one of the coating layers can have a filler material dispersed or suspended within a film-forming material of that layer.
US07677255B2
A method of making intermetallic nanoscale particles comprising iron aluminide and/or iron aluminum carbide comprising the steps of preparing a mixture of a solvent, an iron salt and LiAlH4, and heating the mixture to form the intermetallic nanoscale particles. The intermetallic nanoscale particles, which can comprise intermetallic nanoscale particles of iron aluminide and/or iron aluminum carbide in an alumina matrix, are capable of reducing the amount of 1,3-butadiene in the mainstream smoke of a cigarette.
US07677242B2
A solar-panel unit is provided with: an attachment structure; at least one solar panel, which is delimited by an extensive plane surface of incidence of the solar radiation and is connected to the attachment structure; and a hinging assembly, set between the attachment structure and the solar panel, to enable rotation of the solar panel with respect to the attachment structure about an inclined hinge axis forming an angle smaller than 90° with a horizontal plane.
US07677234B2
A paint ball gun is disclosed including a dispenser having a locking connector designed to lockingly engage a locking connector on a gun feed tube or one end of a hollow connecting member.
US07677233B2
A weapon, such as a crossbow or firearm, may have a main beam, a trigger mechanism mounted to the main beam and, a support rod that can be positioned into a first use position and a second stowed position. The support rod may have a first end used to support the main beam and a second end used to contact a ground surface. In one embodiment, a contact member with a hemispherical contact surface is attached to the second end of the support rod. In another embodiment, the support rod has a handgrip portion that receives a user's hand in supporting the weapon when shooting the weapon when the support rod is in the second stowed position. In still another embodiment, a mounting bracket is used to provide at least two locations for attaching the support rod to the main beam.
US07677232B2
The present invention relates to a toy gun that is capable of firing multiple projectiles using an internal rotating firing assembly. The toy gun further provides a separate target launching mechanism to launch a target object into the air for use as a target when firing the projectiles. A plurality of projectiles is spring-loaded into a cartridge on a barrel of the gun, where they can then be sequentially fired from the gun in rapid succession by pulling a projectile trigger. The projectile trigger activates a rotating firing control disc inside the barrel of the gun to fire at least one projectile every time the projectile trigger is pulled. Additionally, the toy gun is capable of launching a flying object with a separate mechanism for use as a target when firing the projectiles.
US07677231B2
An exhaust sensor control system for an exhaust sensor is mounted in an exhaust path of an internal combustion engine, wherein the exhaust sensor includes a sensor element for generating an output in accordance with the status of an exhaust gas and a heater for heating the sensor element. The exhaust sensor control system includes a recovery value counting means for counting the elapsed time or the cumulative intake air amount after internal combustion engine startup as a characteristics recovery value; a heater control means for controlling the heater with a recovery target temperature; a stop period counting means for counting stop period during which the internal combustion engine is stopped; and a determination value correction means for decreasing the characteristics recovery value or increasing a recovery determination value with an increase in the stop period during which the internal combustion engine is stopped.
US07677217B2
A power assembly for an internal combustion engine includes a cylinder with a circular wall defining a first inside diameter. A piston is reciprocably housed within the cylinder. An integral, unitary piston deposit scraper is formed in a portion of the circular wall of the cylinder by upsetting a portion of the metallic wall so as to configure a piston scraper with a second inside diameter which is less than the first inside diameter. The inside diameter of the piston scraper closely matches that of the outside diameter of the top land of the piston. As a result, the piston scraper removes combustion deposits from the piston each time it moves into the top dead center position.
US07677215B2
A power management device comprises a start management control unit having a starter hold control function for actuating a starter motor and holding the actuation based on an operating signal from a button switch, a first terminating unit for terminating cranking hold when receiving a starter stop instruction signal sent from an engine control device when it is determined that an engine reached a complete explosion, a second terminating unit for terminating cranking hold when it is determined that the engine reached a complete explosion based on an engine revolution signal sent from the engine control device, and a forced terminating unit for forcefully terminating cranking hold when cranking hold cannot be terminated by those terminating units.
US07677199B2
A surface treatment system is disclosed to form a deposition layer at a surface of an object of surface treatment by using a deposition reaction in which an electrode (110) for applying power to form a deposition reaction in the deposition chamber (100) is installed between an inner wall (120) of the deposition chamber (100) and an object of surface treatment (900) and further includes a cooling unit (200) installed at the inner wall (120) of the deposition chamber (100) facing the electrode (110) and cooling ambient thereof.
US07677196B2
A coating plant having a multi-axis application robot to apply a coating means to an application object, where the application robot is installed hanging at least partially into a paint booth. A method for coating an object in a coating plant is also taught.
US07677191B2
A ship is provided with microbubble generators attached below the waterline to supply microbubbles, which decrease the ship's frictional resistance during navigation and improve fuel efficiency. The below waterline region (L.W.L.) of the ship is divided into an upper region (R1) proximate the waterline, and a lower region (R2) proximate the ship's bottom. The air supply to the microbubble generators (10) in the upper region (R1) is performed through a pipe (3), one end of which is exposed to the atmosphere. The air supply to the microbubble generators (10) in the lower region (R2) is performed through a branch pipe (6) from a pipe (5) using an assist compressor (4), which is arranged as a closed system instead of being exposed to the atmosphere.
US07677185B2
The invention is a system and method for neutralizing fluid chemical waste products that result from a chemical production process and are collected from the production line. The invention comprises a pyrolysis/reaction chamber into which the fluid chemical waste is pumped through an atomizer. The jet of small droplets of liquid waste that is formed by the atomizer effectively contacts the plasma stream created by a plasma torch. When the droplets contact the plasma stream the molecules of the waste from which the droplets are composed are dissociated into atoms and/or ions. These atoms and ions move out of the immediate region of the plasma stream and recombine to form a mixture of product gases which exits the chamber. The product gases then enter a post-pyrolysis subsystem, which is designed to neutralize and/or collect the components comprising the mixture of product gases.
US07677177B2
The invention relates to a device for the disassembly of a rail anchor, connecting a rail to a sleeper of a track, comprising two opposing tool levers, connected by a rod, operated with displacement about a pivot axis by means of a press drive. A first tool lever is connected to the press drive, coupled to the tool frame. A further tool lever is defined at an upper end by the pivot axis.
US07677163B2
A cooking device has a cooking chamber as well as a cooking chamber outlet for a fluid. An air trap is provided downstream of the cooking chamber outlet. A device outlet is arranged in turn downstream of the air trap. A water reservoir is located in the air trap. A connection pipe leads from the water reservoir in the air trap into the cooking chamber. Associated with the connection pipe is a transport means, which permits a controllable supply of fluid from the water reservoir in the air trap into the cooking chamber.
US07677159B2
An apparatus for preparing hot beverages, in particular soups, includes a frame (1) containing a heating system (2) for heating water drawn from a water main or, alternatively, from a tank, and for converting the water into pressurized steam. The steam is delivered to a heating chamber (3) having a discharge duct (4) that passes through the heating chamber. A beverage to be prepared is stored in an aseptic pack (61) placed in a removable receptacle (7) housed in the frame (1). The liquid beverage is delivered from the aseptic pack (61) to the discharge duct (4) by a sequential dispenser (6), and is then discharged to a container (5).
US07677157B2
A hot beverage maker comprises a stand, a water reservoir, a filter basket to hold beverage grinds to be brewed, a brewed beverage tank for holding a brewed beverage, a dispenser for dispensing the brewed beverage from the brewed beverage tank, and a floating brewed beverage level indicator. The floating indicator is adapted to protrude through an aperture in a wall of the brewed beverage tank. At least a portion of the indicator is buoyant and floats on a surface of the brewed beverage. A portion of the indicator protrudes through the aperture to indicate an amount of the brewed beverage in the brewed beverage tank.
US07677156B2
A piston rod installed to a vehicle height adjusting shock absorber includes a body portion having a hollow portion with first and second ends that are open. A step portion extends inwardly into the hollow portion a predetermined length from the first end of the hollow portion, the step portion having a thread formed on an inner surface thereof. A guide member threadly engaged to the step portion to plug the open hollow portion.
US07677132B2
Disclosed is a tilt-and-telescopic steering system having a guide bush, the system including an interior tube and an exterior tube which surround a steering shaft; a distance member integrally fixed to an outer peripheral surface of the exterior tube; tilt brackets assembled with an outer peripheral surface of the distance member so as to limit a movement angle in tilt operation; and a lever and a bolt which hold and release the tilt-and-telescopic system, wherein a through hole is formed in the exterior tube and the distance member which are disposed between an outer peripheral surface of the interior tube and an inner peripheral surface of the tilt brackets, wherein a guide bush is inserted in the through hole.
US07677131B2
A steering-wheel arrangement is disclosed which comprises a steering-wheel having a first gear element. A second gear element is provided which is mounted on a steering column. The first and second gear elements inter-engage one another and the arrangement is further provided with an anti-backlash gear which is mounted on one of the gear elements. The anti-backlash gear has teeth configures to as to align substantially with the teeth of the gear element upon which it is mounted, and the anti-backlash gear is biased relative to the gear element upon which it is mounted towards a position in which the teeth of the anti-backlash gear become displaced from the corresponding teeth of the gear element. This gear arrangement has been found to provide improved “feel” for a person driving a motor vehicle.
US07677130B2
The invention relates to a robot, specifically a painting robot, having at least one moveable member which has a conduit for lines which houses at least one line. It is proposed that the line is disposed in the conduit at least partially in a spiral or winding configuration and/or is carried by an axially compliant bellows to allow axial movement of the line with a change in the position of the robot.
US07677120B2
The invention, in various embodiments, provides systems, methods and devices relating to processing a sample. Aspects presented herein relate to collecting, stabilizing, pulverizing, fragmenting, and/or analyzing biological and non-biological sample specimens. Before constituents of sample specimens are analyzed, the sample specimens may be fragmented into a plurality of smaller specimens. Such smaller specimens may then be stored, analyzed, or further processed.
US07677116B2
A force sensor apparatus in a two-wheeled vehicle in which a main frame that connects a front wheel to a rear wheel is attached to at least one additional frame component for accommodating persons and belongings, has a bearing body with an integrated force sensor attachable at least in a region of a connecting point between the main frame and the at least one additional frame component and sensing forces that occur between the main frame and the at least one additional frame component.
US07677115B2
A magnetostrictive torque sensor having a rotating shaft on which at least one magnetostrictive film is formed, and has such a structure that the rotating shaft has small diameter portions and large diameter portions positioned on both end sides of the small diameter portions, and a length in an axial direction of the small diameter portion is determined in relation to a coil width of an induction heating coil to be used at a high frequency heating step and one magnetostrictive film is formed in the small diameter portion.
US07677109B2
A method for direct die-to-die wire bonding incorporates a pressure sense die and a programmable compensation IC die that can be mounted on a ceramic substrate. The two die can be positioned beside each other such that wire bond pads on the pressure sense die and bonding leads on the compensation IC die are in same order. The pressure sense die and the compensation IC can be connected directly with wire bonds in order to reduce the number of wire bonds and to improve reliability. The pressure sense die can be designed with multiple wire bond pad patterns in order to be utilized with different programmable compensation IC dies.
US07677105B2
To provide a double-ended tuning fork type piezoelectric resonator that includes: a piezoelectric element having two arm portions disposed in parallel, a first supporting portion that support one ends of each of the arm portions, a second supporting portion that support the other ends of each of the arm portions; and an exciting electrode formed on a surface of each of the arm portions, and has a structure suitable for being built into a pressure sensor as a pressure sensitive element. A double-ended tuning fork type piezoelectric resonator includes: a piezoelectric element 3 having two arm portions 4 disposed in parallel and apart from each other, and a first supporting portion 5 and a second supporting portion 6 that respectively support one ends and the other ends of each of the arm portions; and an exciting electrode 7 formed on a surface of each arm portion. In the resonator, an annular linking piece 8 is provided to link the first and the second supporting portions to dispose the two arm portions in an internal space of the annular linking piece.
US07677103B2
Method and systems for non-destructive testing of a gas or liquid filled object at atmospheric pressure or high pressure. The method includes steps of: providing an acoustic pulse reflectometry (APR) system having a wideband transmitter, a pressure sensor and a short mixed wave tube, performing at least one calibration to obtain at least one calibration parameter; attaching the object to the APR system and performing a measurement to obtain an object test result and processing the object test result and the at least one calibration parameter to obtain an object impulse response that reflects a status of the object.
US07677102B2
A head for ultrasonic inspection with a semidry coupling system involving a roller (4) and an ultrasound scanner that rolls on the surface (5) of the part to be inspected, includes a first frame (1) to which the roller (4) is connected and pivots around a stationary axis (4a) in a direction that is perpendicular to the probe's movement; a second frame (2) from which linear vertical guides (6) emerge and is connected in an oscillatory manner to the first frame (1) through an oscillating axis (11a) that is perpendicular to the stationary axis (4a): a third frame (3) that slides vertically through the linear guides (6); and at least two actuators of vertical adjustment (9) anchored to the third frame (3) and to the second frame (2), their corresponding laterally aligned pivotal axes (10), connected to the first frame (1) in a rotating manner and parallel to and lower from the plane of the stationary axis (4a) and the respective ends of the stationary axis (4a).
US07677096B2
A method of applying a test load to a landing gear mounted on an aircraft, the method comprising parking the aircraft with at least one tire of the landing gear on a platform; and moving the platform so as to apply the test load to the landing gear via the tire. An array of six platforms is mounted on a sliding chassis in a recessed oil bath. The platforms can be independently rotated to apply torque. The spacing between the platforms can be adjusted to adapt for different landing gear configurations.
US07677084B2
A filtration tester has a scale, a collector disposed on the scale, a pump having an outlet aligned with an opening of the collector, and a force sensor connected to the pump.
US07677074B2
Disclosed is a method for producing hollow elements (200), such as nut elements, which are to be mounted on parts generally made of sheet metal, particularly for producing hollow elements having an at least substantially square or rectangular outer contour (202). According to said method, individual elements are cut to size from a profiled member that is provided in the form of a profiled bar or a reel after punching holes into said profiled member, optionally followed by embodying a threaded cylinder (206) using a follow-on composite tool (10) with several workstations (A, B, C, D). The inventive method is characterized in that a penetrating process, a punching process, and a flattening process are carried out in the workstations (A, B, C, D). Also disclosed are hollow elements (200), assembly pieces, and a follow-on composite tool (10).
US07677072B2
The invention relates to a method of strip blow-off at an exit of rolling mills for producing a spotless and clean rolled strip, according to which the strip (5) is blown off with at least one nozzle (16) arranged above the upper side (14) of the strip, and a rolling oil/emulsion stuck on the strip (5) is aspirated from their edges (18′, 18″) by a suction device (20), and wherein on the upper side (14) and a lower side (15) of the strip (5), a chamber (21, 22) in which overpressure prevails, is formed and to a corresponding device.
US07677063B2
Disclosed herein is a washing machine. A stator is mounted at the inside surface of a tub, a spider is mounted at a drum, a rotor is mounted at the spider such that the rotor is rotated by the stator, and a support shaft is mounted at the spider for supporting the drum, the rotor, and the spider. Consequently, the capacities of the drum and the tub are increased as compared with the case that the stator and the rotor are mounted at the rear of the tub, and therefore, washing capacity of the washing machine is greatly increased.
US07677055B2
According to one aspect, there is provided a refrigerator including a refrigerating chamber formed at a relatively upper portion of a refrigerator body and a freezing chamber formed at a relatively lower portion of the refrigerator body, which comprises an ice-making chamber which is partitioned in the refrigerating chamber by insulating walls and includes an icemaker for making ice and an ice storage for storing the ice made in the icemaker. The temperature in the refrigerating chamber can be accurately controlled, the loss of cold air can be minimized and the structures for supplying water into the icemaker and the dispenser can be simplified.
US07677054B2
A constructive disposition introduced in air conditioning placed in the technological sector of air conditioning in general, that optimizes mist production as well as providing direction and non-atomized liquid flow generating a more effective and uniform mist in the gravitational area besides ensuring more security in its use avoiding accidents to users when near the equipment.Therefore, constructive disposition introduced in air conditioning is comprised by a cabinet (1) with a centrally positioned electrical motor (2) that presents a propeller (3) connected in the preceding edge of its motor shaft, which connects to the spinning disc (4) on the other edge, running centrally through the water collector calotte (5), which has peripheral radial grooves and is complemented by a condensed liquid collector (6) interconnected to a storage (7) placed inside the casing provided of a liquid entrance tubing (8) and wherein it is placed the buoy set (9) and liquid pump (10), which has tubing (11) interconnected to the regulator register (12) with liquid liberation hose (13) along with disc internal surface (4), characterized by the fact the water collector calotte (5) has peripheral radial grooves in a curve shape (14); and by the fact that the spinning disc (4) is overlapped by a protector calotte and mist filter (15), properly fixed along with water collector calotte (5).
US07677040B2
An actuator rod (17) for a turbocharger pressure control assembly comprises a first elongate portion (17a) defining a first rod end and a second portion (17b) defining a second rod end. The first and second portions are pivotally joined to one another to allow a degree of relative pivotal motion therebetween in at least one plane perpendicular to the axis of said elongate first portion (17a).
US07677035B2
A control system for a hydraulic servomotor (13) is disclosed. The control system comprises an electro hydraulic actuator (2) comprising a number of valves (9, 10, 11, 12, 18) for controlling fluid flows, a main control module (1), and one or more connectors. The control system further comprises at least one extension control module (3) comprising one or more connectors. Finally, the control system comprises means (6) for communicating signals between the main control module (1) and each of the extension control module(s) (3). Since the main control module (1) and the extension control module(s) (3) are able to communicate signals, it is possible to provide signals to/from the main control module (1) via an extension module (3), thereby in effect providing additional connectors to the main control module (1). Thereby the main control module (1) may be able to perform additional functions as compared to similar prior art control modules.
US07677032B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for determining the distribution of particulate matter on a particulate filter. The apparatus, in one embodiment, determines a first distribution of particulate matter by comparing the pressure change across the particulate filter with a change in engine operating conditions. The apparatus may include an input module for receiving input corresponding to engine operating conditions and input from a differential pressure sensor and a feedback module to determine a first distribution of particulate matter. The apparatus may further include a feed forward module for determining a particulate distribution trend and a selection control module to combine the first distribution of particulate matter with the particulate distribution trend to determine a second distribution of particulate matter. The distribution may be defined as a uniform distribution factor in certain embodiments.
US07677027B2
A deterioration detecting apparatus for a purifying catalyst in an exhaust system of an engine. A first oxygen concentration sensor is disposed upstream of the catalyst. A second oxygen concentration sensor is disposed downstream. An amount of oxygen flowing into the catalyst is calculated from the oxygen concentration detected by the first sensor and the detected intake air flow rate. A control command value of an air-fuel ratio is alternately switched between a first value corresponding to a lean air-fuel ratio and a second value corresponding to a rich air-fuel ratio according to a result of comparison between the calculated inflowing oxygen amount and target values. Excessive inflowing oxygen amounts are calculated. The target values are corrected with the excessive inflowing oxygen amount. A deterioration degree of the catalyst is detected based on an output of the second sensor when performing the switching of the control command value using the corrected target values.
US07677024B2
A cable protection and guide device includes comb teeth-shaped connecting link units. A plurality of side plates of each unit are interconnected through coupling portions. Stopper links of an opposing unit fit between adjacent side plates and interengage the coupling portions. Stopper links limit the bending angle. Connecting arms are integrally molded with the side plates and reside on the bending inner circumferential side of the device opening/closing arms are integrally molded with one of the side plates and reside on the bending outer circumferential side. The comb teeth-shaped connecting link units are opposed to each other.
US07677023B2
Thread having at least two strands of continuous carbon fiber that are twisted around one another, whereby the carbon fibers of the strands are arranged approximately parallel to the thread direction. The at least two strands of continuous carbon fiber are twisted around one another and produced by direct cabling. A method for the production of the thread includes twisting each of the at least two strands of continuous carbon fiber around one another by direct cabling. An eyelet assembly with an eyelet that has a radius of at least 4 mm in the area of contact between the strands and the eyelet assembly. The thread is used as a sewing thread or a thread for reinforcing polymers, elastomers, rubber or concrete.
US07677019B2
An exhaust circulation lawnmower is disclosed in which grass clippings are sent, along with carrier air, from a cutter housing to a grass bag; the grass clippings are held in the grass bag; and the carrier air is returned to the cutter housing as exhaust. A surface area A1 of a grass clippings discharge opening and a surface area A2 of a recirculation opening have a relationship of A2≦{1/(1−βN)0.5}A1, where A1 is the surface area of the grass clippings discharge opening through which the grass clippings and carrier air are discharged from the cutter housing to the grass bag, A2 is the surface area of the recirculation opening through which the carrier air is recirculated from the grass bag to the cutter housing, N is the number of bends having an angle of α degrees in the space between the grass clippings discharge opening and the recirculation opening, and β is a pressure loss coefficient for each of the bends.
US07677017B2
A walk-behind mower includes a frame, and a cutting unit connected to the frame and at least one cutting element. Interchangeable power unit support assemblies are each adapted to support either a reciprocating engine or a battery unit. One of the power unit support assemblies is releasably connected to the frame. An electric motor is provided to displace the cutting element. An output voltage generated by either the reciprocating engine or the battery unit mounted on the power unit support assembly energizes the electric motor.
US07677015B2
A process for forming filled sealed pouches, comprising: supplying a thermoformable film to an upper surface of a conveyer which includes a plurality of recessed vacuum molds in its upper surface and is mounted to slide over an elongated conveyor support through holding, forming, filling and sealing stations; holding the film on the conveyer at the holding station; forming the film to form pouches at the forming station by supplying a forming under-pressure at the forming station into the mold recesses wherein the forming under-pressure is supplied through vacuum apertures leading from a vacuum supply apparatus and discharging through the conveyer support through vacuum orifices extending through the conveyer into the vacuum molds wherein under-pressure is supplied to the mold recesses at one or more subsequent processing stations through the vacuum apertures and vacuum orifices, and wherein the under pressure at the forming station is greater than the under-pressure at one or more of the subsequent processing stations; filling the pouches at the filling station; and sealing the pouches with a sealing film at the sealing station.
US07677013B2
A rotary type pouch reception/delivery unit is configured to receive a pouch supplied by a pouch supply unit at a pouch reception/delivery position α, conveys it to a pouch reception/delivery position β, and delivers it to a spout installation unit at a pouch reception/delivery position β. The pouch reception/delivery unit is provided with a plurality of take-up members rotating at a constant rotation speed so as to pass the pouch reception/delivery position α and a pouch reception/delivery position β. The pouch reception/delivery unit receives the pouch supplied in a standing state at the pouch reception/delivery position α by sucking and holding it by a take-up member and tilts the pouch during conveyance. At the pouch reception/delivery position β, the pouch receipt/delivery unit delivers the pouch to the spout installation device with a spout installation edge portion horizontally tilted.
US07677002B2
The invention comprises a wall sheathing barrier system having moisture permeability and simple improved installation method. The system comprises adjoined structural panels. Each panel has an overlay paper bonded permanently to the structural panel, which provides a moisture permeable barrier and a textured skid-resistant surface. The skid resistant surface may include indicia for aligning strips of tape or for aligning fasteners. Further, the seams of adjoining panels are sealed with a sealing means to complete the moisture barrier.
US07676992B2
A wall mountable frame structure for supporting appliances, entertainment equipment or other devices including peripheral horizontal and vertical structural beams with at least one intermediate vertical beam extending between and secured to the horizontal beams. A plurality of cladding panels removably attached to the vertical beams by way of a stud having a trapping member at its terminus which fits within a complimentary receiving portion of the vertical beams to secure the cladding panel to the vertical beams. A support bracket to be affixed to a wall and having mounting forks pivotally secured thereto is provided. A plurality of transverse mounting members are affixed to the vertical beams and are received by the mounting forks to secure the frame to a wall. The mounting forks are rotatable between first and second positions with the frame positioned away from the wall in the first position and against the wall in the second position. Each of the vertical beams defines a channel within which there is received a moveable fastener which is utilized to attach one or more pieces of equipment to the frame structure. The movable fastener frictionally engages the side walls of the channel to hold the fastener in position once it is adjusted to a desired location.
US07676991B2
A fire collar, for location in a concrete slab around a deformable conduit, has a housing with a passageway through which the conduit passes. The collar has the housing in which are located two compression springs with arms which are held against the force of the springs by fusible links. When the heat of a fire on one side of the slab causes the fusible links to soften or melt, the force of the springs causes the spring arms to rotate towards the conduit, engaging the conduit and collapsing it. An intumescent layer may be provided around the conduit to assist in collapsing it.
US07676982B1
A tool for saving the lives of captured fish that are swollen by expanded gases when brought to the surface includes an elongate hollow tube of rigid construction having a sharp cutting edge formed in a distal free end of the tube. A user grasps a proximal end of the tube and punctures a fish at a predetermined location in its body with the sharp cutting edge to allow gases to flow out of the body of the fish until the body returns to a substantially unswollen condition. The fish is conventionally resuscitated prior to release after the gases have been vented. The tube folds into a handle for storage when not in use.
US07676978B2
A hunting vehicle incorporates a roll cage having a tubular frame member. A gun rest incorporates a standard mounted on the tubular frame member and provides a support moveable up and down on the standard between a plurality of supporting positions. The standard is mounted on the frame member so a hunter may place a rifle on the support to steady the hunter's aim. The standard is mounted on the tubular member for easy rotation by the hunter so the hunter may aim in a wide arc without unfastening or loosening any fasteners and without moving the vehicle.
US07676974B2
In an automatic rifle which has been converted for non-military purposes to be semi-automatic by the removal of parts that allow its automatic function, additional suppressing elements are provided to ensure that the interruptor remains depressed until the bolt carrier fully passes the striker catch before the striker catch is engaged by the interruptor. This prevents premature connection of the striker catch and the interruptor, which could prevent sufficient striker spring pressure so that the next round can be fired. In one embodiment the trigger mechanism is fitted with an additional suppressing element (10) formed as a side push plate 7 on the bridge (6) of bolt carrier (5). In a second embodiment the interruptor is provided with a pin (8) protruding to the left, in a direction of fire, while the receiver side wall has a cavity (11), over which a thin metal sheet (9) with a beveled corner is placed such that between the lower edge of metal sheet (9) and the lower edge of cavity (11), as well as between rear edge of metal sheet (9) and rear edge of cavity (11) a gap (12) is provided to receive the pin. The additional suppressing element is particularly applicable to a Czech model SA vz.58 semi-automatic rifle which has been converted for non-military purposes.
US07676973B1
A method of loading individual caseless cartridges sequentially into a firearm firing chamber by the expansive force of a small detonation in the magazine focused locally on the current top cartridge in a magazine without damaging remaining cartridges. Small individual propelling charges containing an igniter microchip located in the magazine behind each cartridge provides the loading thrust. More energetic charges containing igniter microchips are imbedded in the cartridges to fire the cartridge in the firing chamber at will.
US07676972B2
A non-lethal self-defense device that ejects two electrically charged streams of conductive fluid at a biological target for a period of time sufficient to have the liquid contacting both the target and the electrically charged device until incapacitation of the target occurs.
US07676969B2
A display frame for supporting an image insert for display is provided. The display frame comprises i) an abutment structure for supporting the image insert for display; ii) an upright member including a first connection member and a second connection member; and iii) an interlocking mechanism for interlocking the first connection member and the second connection member. The upright member has a first substantially planar state and a second non-planar display state, and is operable to support the abutment structure. The interlocking mechanism is operable to interlock the first connection member and the second connection member such that the upright member is in the second non-planar display state.
US07676958B2
A ski boot comprising a conventional rigid sole from which there protrudes, from the area of the forefoot and approximately up to the area of the arch of the foot, a shell open in the direction of the area of the heel of the sole, thereat and to which there is rearwardly and slideably connectable a buttress element interacting with adjustment and guiding elements of the axial position with respect to the sole and to which a height-adjustable cuff is rotatably connectable.
US07676955B2
A sole component and a method of manufacturing the sole component are disclosed. In general, the sole component includes a fluid-filled bladder and a reinforcing structure extending around the bladder. The reinforcing structure is bonded to the exterior of the bladder, and may be recessed into the bladder. In some embodiments, the reinforcing structure extends along the side surfaces of the bladder and between upper and lower surfaces of bladder. In manufacturing the sole component, the reinforcing structure may be located within a mold, and the polymer material forming the bladder may be bonded to the reinforcing structure during the molding process.
US07676946B2
A method of construction, assembly, and suspension that allows for the mounting of properly cut, placed and independently hanging pieces of sheet material to form a complete image of any size, on drywall or other substrate, without any visible means of support and minimal wall damage. Applicable to any image that best describes itself in only two colors, such as black and white, or simply, positive and negative.
US07676938B1
A bicycle wheel and hub apparatus capable of dynamically and precisely truing a bicycle wheel, and a method thereof, is provided. The bicycle wheel and hub apparatus includes a hub, including a hub body and a hub mounting plate, adaptable to a center hole of the bicycle wheel, a mounting device for mounting the hub onto the bicycle wheel, and a plurality of set screws for truing the bicycle wheel relative to the hub.
US07676931B2
A folding hand tool with an open-assist mechanism that is not mechanically linked to a folding knife blade is disclosed. The open-assist mechanism is allowed to rotate around the same pivot used by the blade, and includes a lug that interacts with the kick of the blade when rotated. Because the open-assist mechanism is not mechanically linked to the blade, it has a range of free motion that promotes safety, and allows the mechanism to rotate into the blade cavity when the blade is extended. The folding knife also may have a carabiner that shares the blade cavity with the blade, with the blade nesting into the carabiner to save space, thereby giving the folding knife a smaller profile.
US07676922B1
A micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) inductor is formed in a saucer shape that completely surrounds a magnetic core structure which is formed from a ferromagnetic material. In addition, an array of MEMS inductors can be formed by dividing up the saucer-shaped MEMS inductor into a number of electrically-isolated MEMS inductor wedges.
US07676917B2
A method of manufacturing a circuit board which may include the steps of forming a circuit board with horizontal and vertical fiberglass fibers, rotating the circuit board, and cutting the circuit board so that the horizontal and vertical fiberglass fibers form a non-right angle with a cut line of the circuit board. The circuit board may have a plurality of conductive traces located thereon which pass by areas of higher fiberglass-to-resin material and lower fiberglass-to-resin material to assist in reducing differential to common mode conversion between signals in the plurality of conducive traces.
US07676912B2
An electronic component package includes: a main body including a plurality of layer portions that are stacked and that have their respective side surfaces, the main body having a side surface including the side surfaces of the layer portions; and wiring disposed on the side surface of the main body. Each of the layer portions has at least one electronic component chip and a plurality of electrodes disposed on the side surface of the layer portion. A method of manufacturing the electronic component package includes the steps of: fabricating a main body aggregate including a plurality of pre-main-body portions each of which is to become the main body later, the pre-main-body portions being arranged in one direction orthogonal to the direction of stacking of the plurality of layer portions; forming the wiring for each of the pre-main-body portions of the main body aggregate; and cutting the main body aggregate after the formation of the wiring so as to separate the plurality of pre-main-body portions from each other so that each of them becomes the main body and a plurality of electronic component packages are thereby formed.
US07676908B2
A pusher 30 is composed of a pusher base 31 and a pressing body 32 attached to the pusher base 31 in a removable way. Specifically, a base portion of the pressing body 32 is provided with a flange portion 321, and the pusher base 31 is provided with a plate 33 having a U-shape when seen two-dimensionally. By sliding the pressing body 32 with respect to the pusher base 31 with the flange portion 321 of the pressing body 32 supported by the plate 33, the pressing body 32 can be attached to and removed from the pusher 30 without using any tools.
US07676907B2
A component placement device suitable for placing a component on a substrate comprises at least one component feeder, at least one substrate conveyor as well as at least one component pickup and placement device for picking up a component from the component feeder and placing said component on a substrate supported by the substrate conveyor. The substrate conveyor comprises a substrate feeding portion comprising at least two substrate feed tracks extending parallel to each other, a substrate processing portion located near the component feeder, which is connected to the substrate feeding portion and which comprises a single substrate processing track, a substrate discharging portion connected to the substrate processing portion, which comprises at least two substrate discharge tracks extending parallel to each other, as well as transfer means for transferring substrates from a second substrate feed track to a first substrate feed track and from a first substrate discharge track to a second substrate discharge track.
US07676905B2
A magnetoresistive sensor having a pinned layer that extends beyond the stripe height defined by the free layer of the sensor. The extended pinned layer has a strong shape induced anisotropy that maintains pinning of the pinned layer moment. The extended portion of the pinned layer has sides beyond the stripe height that are perfectly aligned with the sides of the sensor within the stripe height. This perfect alignment is made possible by a manufacturing method that uses a mask structure for more than one manufacturing phase, eliminating the need for multiple mask alignments.
US07676894B2
The invention describes a clasp for jewelry, especially for necklaces and bracelets, comprising a push-in fastener element, a receptacle element for receiving the push-in fastener element, a latching mechanism by means of which the push-in fastener element can be latched in the receptacle element, the latching mechanism comprising a spreadable latching means which when spread comes into a form-locking engagement with the receptacle element, and a handling means that can be gripped from outside of the receptacle element, for operation of the latching mechanism.It is provided according to the invention that the handling means is attached to a slide which is provided in the receptacle element and which in a first position, hereafter described as the latched position, is in engagement with the latching means and holds the latter in spread condition while in a second position, hereafter described as the unlatched position, it does not hold the latching means in spread condition.
US07676889B2
A hinge device for a portable terminal including a first housing, a second housing foldably coupled to the first housing is disclosed. The hinge device causes the first housing and the second housing to be rotatably coupled in such a manner that both housings are either rotated away from each other, or both housings are rotated close to each other. The hinge device includes a hinge shaft fixed to one of the first housing or the second housing. The hinge shaft has a first cam surface on one surface. A hinge cam is movably coupled on the other housing of the first housing and the second housing and has a second cam surface opposite to the first cam surface. An elastic member provides an elastic force in such a way as to cause the second cam surface to contact the first cam surface. The first cam surface has a first peak portion, and the second cam surface has a stopper groove. The first peak portion is engaged with the stopper groove when the second housing is opened with respect to the first housing between about 90° and 115°.
US07676884B2
A vacuum cleaner includes a housing, a suction generator carried by the housing, a bag compartment and a bag cage. The bag compartment is defined by a bag compartment wall including an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet. The bag cage is received in the bag compartment. The bag cage defines a bag cavity that hold a filter bag in a position spaced from the bag compartment wall so as to maintain a clear airflow passage.
US07676880B2
A windshield wiper assembly including at least one motor having an output shaft and a windshield wiper operatively connected to the output shaft. The motor includes a stator adapted to provide an electromagnetic flux and a rotor assembly supported for rotation about the stator. The rotor assembly includes a back iron that defines an inner circumference and a plurality of magnets disposed in spaced parallel relationship relative to one another about the inner circumference of the back iron and in radially spaced relationship about the stator. The rotor assembly is operatively connected to the output shaft and responsive to electromagnetic flux generated by the stator so as to provide a rotational force to the output shaft to drive the windshield wiper in repeated wiping motion across the windshield.
US07676871B1
A pillow assembly with an elastic center panel and an adjustable girth. The pillow assembly comprises a C-shaped or ring-shaped pillow body and a pillow cover. The cover defines a continuous, generally tubular, ring-shaped enclosure sized to receive the pillow body. The pillow body defines a well, and the cover preferably includes a center panel that spans the well and forms a seat area. A cinch assembly on the front of the pillow cover allows the overall girth of the pillow assembly to be adjusted.
US07676865B2
A patient care equipment support is transferable between a first device having a first tapered socket and a second device having a second tapered socket. The equipment support includes an equipment supporting portion configured to support patient care equipment and a post coupled to the equipment supporting portion and extending generally downwardly therefrom. The post has first and second tapered portions. The first tapered portion is configured for receipt in the first tapered socket and the second tapered portion being configured for receipt in the second tapered socket.
US07676859B2
The invention relates to a folding bed which is covered with a mattress (9) and comprises a head frame, back frame and foot frame (8, 7, 6) which are connected to one another in an articulated manner and are arranged in a collapsed state in a basic frame (1) or box such that they can be raised and lowered by means of a lifting mechanism (4), in which case the lifting mechanism (4) comprises scissors-type lifting arrangements which are provided on both sides of the head frame (8), are spring-loaded for lifting action, and have their top ends articulated on the end sides of the head frame (8), and that the first scissors arm (47) is articulated, at the top end, on a short block link (43) at the back-part head-frame end at an articulation (44) on which acts a link plate (42) which is connected in an articulated manner to a control arm (41) and is connected to a spacing head-frame connector (20) of the head frame (8) and of the back frame (7). Supporting legs and catches secure the end positions; claddings prevent access to movable parts and springs.
US07681230B2
Method for synchronizing stored data in one device (102, 106, 202, 206, 210) with other devices (102, 106, 202, 206, 210) at multiple levels of security classification. The methods and systems disclosed herein can advantageously utilize unique protocols and, optionally, cryptographic technologies to effect data synchronization in a secure manner.
US07681226B2
A system controls security during operation of a computerized device by enforcing a first security policy during first operational state of the computerized device. Enforcement of the first security policy provides a first level access to resources within the computerized device by processes operating in the computerized device. The system detects a transition operation of the computerized device that occurs during enforcement of the first security policy indicating that operation of the computerized device is transitioning from the first operational state to a second operational state and in response, enforces a second security policy corresponding to the second operational state to provide a level of access to the resources within the computerized device that corresponds to the second operational state during operation of the second operational state. This can be repeated for many different states including boot time, normal runtime, installation, shutdown, and a compromised state.
US07681216B2
A method of processing a broadcast signal relevant to an emergency alert and a broadcast receiver for the same are disclosed, by which information on a channel for carrying an emergency alert broadcast can be prevented from being overlapped with information on other general channels. The present disclosure generating an emergency alert table including frequency information of an emergency alert channel, and transmitting a digital broadcasting signal including the emergency alert table, wherein the frequency information of the emergency alert channel is inserted in a descriptor that provides an additional pointer to the emergency alert channel, wherein the descriptor references the emergency alert channel by means of the frequency information.
US07681211B2
The present invention relates to a mechanism for guiding airflows within an optical disc drive, in which the optical disc drive comprises a chassis having a side wall and a tray for loading or unloading a disc. The guide mechanism of the present invention includes at least one guide passage which is protruded outwardly from the side wall of the chassis and has two guiding oblique surfaces at its both ends. Further, the guide passage is positioned on an extended line of a diameter of the disc normal to the side wall of the chassis. The airflows produced by the revolving disc is guided to flow through the guide passage. According to the guide mechanism the shocks, jarring, and noise of the optical disc drive is minimized.
US07681210B2
An exemplary ejection apparatus is provided for ejecting a data storage device out of a chassis. The ejection apparatus includes a pair of driving members, a connecting member, and an operating member. The operating member is slidably attached to the chassis and the connecting member. The connecting member includes a pair of second steps. The driving members are pivotably crossed together and attached to the chassis. Each of the driving members includes a driving portion with a slanting wall formed at one free end thereof, and a first step formed at the other end thereof slidably engaging with the corresponding second step. The operating member moves the connecting member to urge a scissoring movement of the driving member, with the first steps slidably engaging with the second steps. The driving portions push the data storage device out of the chassis.
US07681207B2
Methods of factoring operating system functions into one or more groups of functions are described. Factorization permits operating systems that are not configured to support computing in an object-oriented environment to be used in an object oriented environment. This promotes distributed computing by enabling operating system resources to be instantiated and used across process and machine boundaries. In one embodiment, criteria are defined that govern how functions of an operating system are to be factored into one or more groups. Based on the defined criteria, the functions are factors into groups and groups of functions are then associated with programming objects that have data and methods, wherein the methods correspond to the operating system functions. Applications can call methods on the programming objects either directly or indirectly that, in turn, call operating system functions.
US07681199B2
Systems, methods, and devices are provided for time measurement. One embodiment includes a method for measuring time on multiprocessor systems. The method includes allocating a memory space to a thread to be used to communicate with an operating system and saving a context switch count, an offset, and a scale factor, received from the operating system, in the memory space.
US07681198B2
A method, system and apparatus for workload categorization for detecting role changes in a host computing device. A workload characterization system for detecting role changes in a host computing device can include a transaction logging and change detection processor. The processor can be configured to log and detect role changes in the host computing device through an instrumentation monitoring interface to underlying applications supporting a workload based upon a comparison of workload patterns generated from logged transaction executions.
US07681192B2
A project data delivery apparatus for automatically delivering project data files to a construction machine based on the geographical location and identification of the construction machine. The apparatus includes a project data distributor for storing, maintaining and transmitting project data files that are associated with project site locations and project plan machine identifications.
US07681191B2
Automated update to the firmware of the optimum version can be performed when a system board is exchanged, etc. When a system board is exchanged, a version change unit compares the version of the firmware of the system board with the version of the firmware of the corresponding partition stored in the partition-specific version storage unit. When they do not match, the version of the firmware of the system board is updated to the same version stored in the partition-specific version storage unit.
US07681189B2
A controller compares hardware structure information stored in a nonvolatile memory and hardware structure information of an updated program obtained from an interface unit, and transfers the updated program to the nonvolatile memory to change a current program when a result of the comparison exhibits matching. When a controller determines that a user must determine execution/nonexecution of rewrite processing, the controller instructs the display unit to perform display, and performs the rewrite processing according to a user's instruction received from an input unit. The program can be updated appropriately corresponding to various conditions such as improvement in performance of the device, changes in operation environment and others determined by a user. Accordingly, it is possible to provide an information processing device, which can update a control program even in the case where the device has a different structure, when the user determines that such updating is allowed.
US07681187B2
A method and apparatus for optimizing register allocation during scheduling and execution of program code in a hardware environment. The program code can be compiled to optimize execution given predetermined hardware constraints. The hardware constraints can include the number of register read and write operations that can be performed in a given processor pass. The optimizer can initially schedule the program using virtual registers and a goal of minimizing the amount of active registers at any time. The optimizer reschedules the program to assign the virtual registers to actual physical registers in a manner that minimizes the number of processor passes used to execute the program.
US07681177B2
Embodiments of articles, apparatuses, devices and/or systems for manipulating hierarchical sets of data are disclosed. In particular embodiments, one or more trees may be transformed to one or more corresponding symbols strings according to an association of trees and symbols strings. In one particular embodiment, such a symbol string may be further manipulated to provide a resulting symbol string corresponding with a resulting numeral according to an association of symbol strings and numerals.
US07681176B2
Source code of a graphical designer application may be generated from a definition of graphical elements that can be employed to develop graphical models using the graphical designer application, a definition of one or more object types that can be represented in graphical models developed using the graphical designer application, and a definition of a mapping between the one or more object types and the graphical elements. One or more of these definitions may be stored within a file formatted in accordance with a markup language such as SGML or XML. The graphical designer application may be customized and extended by modifying one or more of the definitions and regenerating the source code and/or by modifying the source code itself. One or more of the definitions may be generated based on a graphical designer template corresponding to a particular model domain.
US07681175B2
A computer-implemented method of simultaneously providing a plurality of unique and dynamic messages on a user interface page is provided. A first software object may be built having a plurality of rows, and corresponding job request values being stored in a corresponding one of the plurality of rows. The first software object may be parsed and a dynamic message framed for each row of the first software object. A second software object may be build including a row for each of the framed dynamic messages and added to a session context being persistent across a first and second user interface pages. The second user interface page is displayed with a plurality of dynamic messages therein using a static message and a unique URL stored in each of the rows of the second software object.
US07681173B2
In a mask data generation method, when auxiliary patterns are arranged with respect to a device pattern, an arrangement rule for a tip of the device pattern is designed to be different from that for other portions. For portions that are corrected to a large extent by an OPC process, such as the tip of the device pattern, an auxiliary pattern is spaced at an increased distance from the device pattern. Specifically, a distance at which an auxiliary pattern is spaced from the tip of the device pattern is set to be longer than a distance at which an auxiliary pattern is spaced from a long side of the device pattern.
US07681170B2
A method and apparatus for insertion of filling forms within a design layout are described. One or more jog areas are identified within a circuit design layout. Subsequently, multiple filling forms are inserted within the circuit design layout, each filling form being configured to eliminate a corresponding jog area within the circuit design layout. One or more filling forms that violate at least one predetermined design rule applicable to the circuit design layout are identified. The filling forms are then adapted to comply with the predetermined design rule or rules. Finally, remaining filling forms in compliance with the predetermined design rule or rules are combined within the circuit design layout to form a circuit design output layout.
US07681164B2
A system that places an integrated circuit (IC) device within an IC chip layout is presented. During operation, the system receives the IC device to be placed within the IC chip layout, wherein the IC chip layout includes one or more continuous rows of diffusion. Next, the system places the IC device within a continuous row of diffusion. The system then determines whether the IC device is to be electrically isolated from other IC devices. If so, the system inserts one or more isolation devices within the continuous row of diffusion so that the IC device can be electrically isolated from other IC devices. The system then biases the one or more isolation device so that the IC device is electrically isolated from other IC devices within the continuous row of diffusion.
US07681161B2
Delay analysis performed on a circuit having multiple parallel partial circuits (paths) involves recursively integrating two paths of the circuit using an all-element delay distribution that indicates delay based on performance of all circuit elements in a path and a correlation delay distribution that indicates delay based on correlation between circuit elements in the path. An all-element delay distribution is calculated for the integrated path using the all-element delay distributions of the two paths to be integrated. The all-element delay distributions and the correlation delay distributions of two paths to be integrated are used to calculate a total delay distribution for the integrated path. The total delay distribution is used with the all-element delay distribution for the integrated path to calculate a correlation delay distribution for the integrated path. Through recursive calculation, a delay distribution of the circuit is estimated.
US07681153B2
A method, system and computer program product for estimating a static power consumption of an integrated circuit are disclosed. The static power consumption of a cell of the integrated circuit is characterized based on contributions of an input node(s) and an output node(s) of the cell. A contribution considers a leakage weight and a leakage probability of a node. A logic template of the cell may be created to better represent a contribution of an internal node to the static power consumption of the cell.
US07681151B2
A method is provided that includes pattern-matching portions of a block diagram model as being equivalent, and creation of a common set of instructions in place of the occurrences of the pattern-matched portions to enhance the efficiency of simulation or generated code for the block diagram model, such as by a reduced image size. Diagnostics are also available to provide information on the execution structure of the block diagram and guidance on how to modify block of the block diagram to obtain reduced image size by increasing the amount of matching patterns. Also, automatically generated hierarchical structures, a tool to control the function signature and the ability for a user to control file packaging which all provide flexible control over the generated code for block diagrams, are provided.
US07681150B2
A method for processing information includes steps of: classifying a plurality of files into a plurality of groups, and each group is represented by one or more displayable images; designating each group according to a hierarchy of the groups; displaying images of one or more groups in a same level of the hierarchy in the form of a first virtual ellipse; locating centers of the displayed first virtual ellipses along a path of a second virtual ellipse; wherein a selected one of the groups in the same level of the hierarchy has its first virtual ellipse displayed in a size larger than that of any other displayed first virtual ellipse, a selected one of the images of the first virtual ellipse of the selected group is displayed in an active area of the first virtual ellipse of the selected group.
US07681146B2
On a device having keys with multiple values, a user may perform either an iterative directory filtering operation or a direct-dial operation, without specifying which of the operations is intended. The invention thereby allows the user to perform any of a number of different operations to specify a number to be dialed or to identify a directory record, without requiring the user to specify a mode. The invention determines which of the operations the user intends by analyzing the entered keystrokes, and activates the appropriate feedback and functionality for the determined operation. The invention further performs iterative directory filtering on multiple fields concurrently, including derived fields and combination fields.
US07681145B1
An improved user interface for data input without the use of a standard keyboard is provided. Input is accepted through a data entry means such as a shuttle control system, a standard telephone keypad, or a speech recognition system. The data that is entered is selected from a predefined list that is presented to a user in an arrangement that statistically reduces the number of keystrokes required for data entry. This presentation is the result of determining the relative frequency of each valid selection in the predefined list and presenting those valid selections with the highest frequency items in a position that minimizes the number keystrokes required for data entry. In a speech recognition embodiment, the data entered is selected from an active list containing unique sounding entries. Alternatively, the data entered may be selected by speaking the numbers associated with the keys corresponding to the keystrokes required for data entry.
US07681141B2
A method of scrolling in a graphical user interface includes: receiving a command to scroll a plurality of contents icons displayed in the graphical user interface; and retrieving an appropriate number of additional contents icons from a contents icon database to provide a scrolled display in the graphical user interface, wherein the contents icon database is divided into a plurality of entries, each entry of the plurality of entries including at least data for a contents icon of the plurality of contents icons and a link to a contents file, each entry of the database is configured to be fixed in size so that the data for the contents icon can be quickly accessed, and the contents icon can be scrolled in the graphical user interface at a relatively high speed.
US07681135B2
The subject application is directed to a system and method for generating a composite source user interface. A text query corresponding to a text element associated with a graphical element on a display of the associated user interface is first received by a backend component. The received text query data is then directed to a data document on the associated data storage. Text data is then received from the data document of the associated data storage. Thereafter, the received text data is then communicated to the associated user interface so as to generate indicia on the associated user interface. Preferably, the indicia includes a graphical element and the text data, such as, for example and without limitation, an icon and associated text, or the like.
US07681134B1
A method, system and computer program product recorded on a computer-readable medium for execution on at least one processor, for seamless integration of a non-host application into a host OS, including launching a first Virtual Execution Environment (VEE) on a computing system that has a host operating system and a host desktop displayed to a user; displaying a window corresponding to the VEE on the host desktop; upon a user invoking a user application that is non-native to both the host OS and the first VEE, (a) installing a second VEE that is compatible with the user application, (b) installing the user application into the second VEE, (c) launching the application inside the second VEE, and (d) displaying the non-host application window within a window of the second VEE. The VEE can be a Virtual Private Server or a Virtual Machine.
US07681131B1
The invention broadly comprises a computer-based method for presenting information regarding network performance and topology. The steps of the method include: displaying a first plurality of nodes in the network; displaying edges associated with the first plurality of nodes; and, displaying latency associated with the edges. The preceding steps, and those that follow, are performed by at least one general-purpose computer specially programmed to perform these steps. In some aspects, the method selects the first plurality of nodes. In some aspects, the network comprises a plurality of ISPs with respective pluralities of nodes and the respective pluralities of nodes comprises the first plurality of nodes. In some aspects, displaying a first plurality of nodes, edges, and latency is independent of cooperation from the plurality of ISPs. In some aspects, the method gathers information regarding the first plurality of nodes from vantage points outside the first plurality of nodes.
US07681128B2
Favorable visual appearance and ease of operation are required in the user interface of digital home appliances using a television screen. An array of function icons including multiple function icons representing respective playing functions and an array of content icons including multiple content icons representing items of contents that can be played are displayed practically at the center of an on-screen menu such that the arrays intersect. A moving image icon, which is a function icon displayed in an area of intersection in which the array of function icons and the array of content icons intersect, is highlighted by a color different from that of the other function icons and by an enlarged view. An icon in focus immediately below the moving image icon is also displayed in an expanded view. If an external appliance is connected via a network, contents in the external appliance are also displayed in the array of content icons.
US07681115B2
A text editing and reproduction apparatus capable of maintaining the continuity of text data display and performing high-quality content reproduction. An ornament time information addition section adds ornament elapsed time which indicates elapsed time for ornament display of a text sample and which is display start time for a first text sample to the first text sample, and adds ornament elapsed time which indicates elapsed time for ornament display of the text sample and which is display start time for a second text sample to the second text sample. A text data reproduction process section performs a reproduction process while maintaining continuity between the first text sample and the second text sample by reproducing and displaying the first text sample from the ornament elapsed time to time when the text sample is separated and by reproducing and displaying the second text sample from the ornament elapsed time.
US07681111B2
In this parity data generating circuit, a Galois field multiplying calculation is realized by performing data conversion by index table information generated from a Galois field multiplying table so that data for RAID6 are generated. A table check circuit inspects nonconformity of the index table information in advance by using results in which the Galois field multiplying table is indexed from different directions constructed by the longitudinal direction and the transversal direction. Data and parity for making the multiplying calculation are decomposed into plural data and parities by using this table check circuit, and index table information different from each other are allocated to these data and parities. Thus, a longitudinal index table making circuit and a transversal index table making circuit themselves are checked.
US07681101B2
In one embodiment, a hybrid packet repair scheme adaptively switches among unicast retransmission, multicast retransmission, and Forward Error Correction (FEC) depending on the receiver population and the nature of the error prompting the repair operation. The NACK patterns are used to heuristically determine the degree of correlation among packet losses. In an additional embodiment, wasting bandwidth and processing on retransmissions of FEC that will fail to correct the errors is avoided by evaluating the nature of the error and the bandwidth needed to optimally repair it. Unicast retransmission, multicast retransmission, or FEC repair is then dynamically performed according to the loss patterns derived from the NACK arrivals and other network conditions.
US07681097B2
A test system employing a test controller compressing data, a data compressing circuit and a test method are provided. The test system includes a tester, a device under test (DUT), and a test controller receiving a first clock signal and serial data bits output from the DUT, compressing the serial data bits by m bits (m≧4) in response to a second clock signal to generate a signature signal, and outputting the signature signal to the tester. The tester compares a computed signature signal to a 1-bit signature signal to determine whether the DUT is operating poorly or not.
US07681094B2
Tracking cells are used in a memory system to improve the read process. The tracking cells can provide an indication of the quality of the data and can be used as part of a data recovery operation if there is an error. The tracking cells provide a means to adjust the read parameters to optimum levels in order to reflect the current conditions of the memory system. Additionally, some memory systems that use multi-state memory cells will apply rotation data schemes to minimize wear. The rotation scheme can be encoded in the tracking cells based on the states of multiple tracking cells, which is decoded upon reading.
US07681086B2
A method for Fault Tree Map generation employs to transformation of Fault Trees of production installation, specific installation, technical system (Hardware and integrated Hardware/Software) to new Fault Tree diagram (Fault Tree Map), which permits drastically compact the Fault Tree depiction and facilitates performing of the Fault Tree qualitative analysis, including evaluation of combination of latent failures and evident failures, repeated events and critical events position influence, and failure propagation potentiality, besides facility of localization of each Fault Tree logical Gate and relevant failures in the fault tree printed report. Generation takes place using special symbols, which permit to reflect the Fault Tree logic, present all Fault Tree failures with graphically identification of the failure type, and show the failure repetition and also the failure critically (importance) to Fault Tree Top Event probability. The method presents exceptional advantages to analysis of large-scale, extended Fault Trees, allowing vastly decrease the time of analysis and elevate the analysis quality and Fault Tree perception, including for specialists, who are not the Fault Tree authors.
US07681072B1
A system includes storage devices where a RAID-X format is implemented at a file level. In response to a failure, a map is retrieved. The map includes a list of devices where components of at least one file reside. The map is used to determine whether a number of lost or damaged components associated with the file exceed a maximum limit beyond which reconstruction of a file stored using the file level implementation of the RAID-X format is not possible. If the maximum limit has not been exceeded, the file is reconstructed. The system continues to service data storage and access requests, with reconstruction being performed as a background operation, after a number of device failures has occurred which would have exceeded the maximum limit of device failures for reconstruction had the file been stored using a volume level implementation of the RAID-X format.
US07681071B2
A magnetic disk array apparatus has a function of positively verifying read data with a configuration by which overhead can be reduced as much as possible. Upon writing data to each magnetic disk 10-I, verification, such as CRC data, is additionally written for each writing block, and also, in a disk array controller 20, the same CRC data is held (see FIG. 2).
US07681067B2
It is so arranged that an appropriate deadline is assured with little consumption of power. A register (24) for remaining transfer time senses time that remains up to a limit by which data is to be transferred. A register (25) for remaining amount of data transfer senses the remaining amount of data that is to be transferred. The clock of the processing module is changed over dynamically based upon the remaining time sensed by the remaining transfer time register (24) and the remaining amount of transfer data sensed by the remaining transfer amount register (25).
US07681061B2
A disk array device and a method of supplying power to a disk array device to which power is supplied by at least two AC inputs are provided. Where at least two AC/DC power-supply groups are provided in correspondence with each of the AC inputs and each AC/DC power-supply group includes at least two AC/DC power supplies that are connected to the AC input corresponding to that group, outputs from the AC/DC power supplies are summed separately for each group to obtain group total outputs for each group, and the group total outputs are input to each of a plurality of loads in the disk array device to provide power to each of the loads.
US07681060B2
There is a need for turning off a transistor in a power supply switch circuit irrespective of relative potential relationship between a contact power supply terminal and an internal power supply line and making it possible to decrease an on-resistance of an MOS transistor without increasing the size of the MOS transistor constituting the power supply switch circuit. The power supply switch circuit is comprised of two PMOS transistors whose gate terminals connect with two pull-up circuits. A charge pump circuit generates a negative voltage and is connected to a pull-down circuit. The pull-down circuit is connected to the gate terminals in common. During a contactless operation, the pull-up circuit short-circuits one gate terminal to a contact power supply terminal VDD and the other gate terminal to an internal power supply line VDDA. During a contact operation, the pull-up circuit supplies both gate terminals with a negative voltage from the charge pump circuit.
US07681055B2
A control device controls a substrate processing apparatus including a processing chamber for processing a substrate and a plurality of units for controlling a condition in the processing chamber. The control device includes a storing device for storing a return time required for each unit to be returned from an energy saving mode to a normal mode; a management device for obtaining a return start timing for each unit to be returned from the energy saving mode to the normal mode, based on the return time of each unit stored in the storing device; and a unit controller for independently controlling each unit to be returned from the energy saving mode to the normal mode, based on the return start timing of each unit obtained by the management device.
US07681044B2
A processor includes an execution unit configured to execute a program, a bus coupled to the execution unit, a local memory coupled to the bus, a DMA unit coupled to the bus, and an interface to couple the bus to an exterior, wherein the DMA unit is configured to perform a DMA transfer process in response to instruction from the execution unit, to load information by the DMA transfer process from the exterior through the interface, to decrypt the loaded information, and to write the decrypted information to the local memory by the DMA transfer process.
US07681040B2
A method of embedding a security mark or code on a film during the printing process is provided. The security mark or code includes unique print identification information that can be tracked to determine sources of piracy. The security code is incorporated to the film print in the form of a shift in the light exposure (e.g., color density) of pre-selected frames within pre-selected zone of pre-selected scenes. By shifting the color density and thereby marking a particular zone within a scene, these markings can be used to place a unique print ID onto the film print. This embedded security code (e.g., print ID) will be virtually undetectable to the viewer and film pirates; yet will enable the identification of the film source in the event of piracy.
US07681036B1
A multi-channel radio operating with multiple security levels is disclosed. The multi-channel radio includes more than one input/output. Each of the input/outputs corresponds to a security level. The radio also includes a first common bus coupled to the more than one input/output and a first set of more than one processor coupled to the common bus. Each of the first set of processors corresponds to a security level. Further, the radio includes a second set of more than one processors coupled to the first set of processors and more than one transceiver. Each transceiver is coupled to at least one of the processors of the first set of processors.
US07681035B1
A system and method of providing universal digital rights management system protection is described. One feature of the invention concerns systems and methods for repackaging and securing data packaged under any file format type, compression technique, or digital rights management system. Another feature of the invention is directed to systems and methods for securing data by providing scalability through the use of modular data manipulation software objects.
US07681032B2
A system for network content monitoring and control, comprising: a transport data monitor, connectable to a point in a network, for monitoring data being transported past said point, a signature extractor, associated with said transport data monitor, for extracting a derivation of said data, said derivation being indicative of content of said payload, a database of preobtained signatures of content whose movements it is desired to monitor, and a comparator for comparing said derivation with said preobtained signatures, thereby to determine whether said payload comprises any of said content whose movements it is desired to monitor. The monitoring result may be used in bandwidth control on the network to restrict transport of the content it is desired to control.
US07681026B2
A system and method for reducing instability in an information handling system are disclosed. A method includes detecting a configuration change of a first memory device. Next, the method determines a device identifier for a second memory device depending on the configuration change. The method proceeds to update a Configurable Identification (CID) register in the second memory device with the device identifier.
US07681024B2
A secure booting apparatus and method, in which integrity can be guaranteed when booting with an operating system (OS). The secure booting apparatus includes an OS storing unit, a memory unit, and a control unit. The OS storing unit includes a first region that stores an OS and a second region that stores a check value of an algorithm, the check value corresponding to the OS. The OS is loaded into the memory unit when booting. The control unit calculates a check value based on the loaded OS using the algorithm used to calculate the check value stored in the second region and compares the calculated check value and the check value stored in the second region to determine the integrity of the OS.
US07681020B2
A method, computer-readable medium, and apparatus for context switching between a first thread and a second thread. The method includes detecting an exception, wherein the exception is generated in response to receiving a packet of information directed to one of the first thread and the second thread, and in response to detecting the exception, invoking an exception handler. The exception handler is configured to execute one or more instructions removing access to at least a portion of a processor cache. The portion of the processor cache contains cached information for the first thread using a first address translation. Removing access to the portion of the processor cache prevents the second thread using a second address translation from accessing the cached information in the processor cache. The exception handler is also configured to branch to at least one of the first thread and the second thread.
US07681018B2
A parallel hardware-based multithreaded processor is described. The processor includes a general purpose processor that coordinates system functions and a plurality of microengines that support multiple hardware threads or contexts. The processor also includes a memory control system that has a first memory controller that sorts memory references based on whether the memory references are directed to an even bank or an odd bank of memory and a second memory controller that optimizes memory references based upon whether the memory references are read references or write references. Instructions for switching and branching based on executing contexts are also disclosed.
US07681017B2
A pseudo pipeline including a plurality of pseudo pipeline stages and a control circuit. The control circuit may be configured to control the plurality of pseudo pipeline stages to provide pseudo pipelined operation.
US07681014B2
An instruction dispatching apparatus in a multi threading microprocessor that concurrently executes N threads each in one of G groups each having one of P priorities. G round-robin vectors each have N bits corresponding to the threads, each being a 1-bit left-rotated and subsequently sign-extended version of an N-bit vector with a single bit true of the last thread selected for dispatching in the group. Each of N G-input muxes receive a corresponding one of the N bits of each of the round-robin vectors and selects for output one of the inputs specified by the corresponding thread's group. Selection logic selects for dispatching one of the N instructions corresponding to the thread whose dispatch value is greater than or equal to any of the N threads left thereof. Each dispatch value comprises a least-significant bit of the corresponding mux output, a most-significant dispatchable instruction bit, and middle thread group priority bits.
US07681013B1
Methods and apparatuses for variable length decoding using multiple look-up tables simultaneously. In one aspect of the invention, a method for execution by a microprocessor in response to receiving a single instruction includes: receiving a string of bits; generating a plurality of indices using a plurality of segments of bits in the string of bits; looking up simultaneously a plurality of entries from a plurality of look-up tables using the plurality of indices; and combining the plurality of entries into a first result. The above operations are performed in response to the microprocessor receiving the single instruction.
US07681002B2
A storage control technique with which, even if not data, but only its management information is deleted, a host system can recognize storage areas storing unnecessary data and so use them effectively. When a file system in the host system deletes the management information for data stored in a page in a pool volume, a control circuit writes ‘0’ in all the areas in the deletion target page in response to a command from the host system. The control circuit then detects the page where ‘0’ is written in all of its areas and releases it from allocation to the corresponding virtual volume.
US07680999B1
A secure promotion mechanism promotes a current privilege level of a processor in a computer system. The current privilege level controls application instruction execution in the computer system by controlling accessibility to system resources. An operating system performs a privilege promotion instruction, which is stored in a first page of memory not writeable by an application instructions at a first privilege level. The privilege promotion instruction reads a stored previous privilege level state, compares the read previous privilege level state to the current privilege level, and if the previous privilege level state is equal to or less privileged than the current privilege level, promotes the current privilege level to a second privilege level which is higher than the first privilege level.
US07680997B1
Handling failure of a primary group at a first data center may be simulated by cloning the at least one storage volume at a second data center, cloning at least one storage volume at a third data center, cloning at least one of: buffers used for providing data to the asynchronous backup group and maps used to maintain a record of data sent to the synchronous backup group but not yet sent to the asynchronous backup group; and simulating resuming work at one of the second data center and the third data center using at least one of clones of the buffers and clones of the maps.
US07680994B2
Automatically managing the state of replicated data of a computing environment, and methods therefor
The state of data of a communications environment is automatically managed. The automatic management is provided via a facility that automatically obtains the current state of the data and uses that information to place the data in an appropriate state for a selected event to be processed. The data is, for instance, maintained on replicated storage media.
US07680993B2
A technique is described for managing the local storage of digital assets, such as audio, (moving or still) pictures, text, executable code and combinations thereof, in the storage device of a user appliance, such as a personal video recorder, set top box, mobile phone or storage server. A digital asset is received that is intended for local storage in the storage device and that has been pushed down from a source. A rank order is assigned to each digital asset stored or to be stored in a storage device that has a finite capacity storage space for storing digital assets. The assigned rank orders of one or more of the digital assets are repeatedly examined and a digital asset having a rank order that is lowest among the examined rank orders may be deleted. Each rank order is assigned based on predefined default ranking rules and user instructions pertaining to one or more of the digital assets that are capable of causing a deviation from the default ranking rules, if any have been provided by the user. A signal may be provided containing executable instructions that can be executed at programmable electronic circuits for performing the above steps. Such a signal may be stored on a storage medium. A system for performing the above steps may include a receiver for receiving the digital assets and a processor for assigning ranking orders and for repeatedly examining the ranking orders and selectively deleting digital assets with low ranking orders.
US07680992B1
A memory interface permits a read-modify-write process to be implemented as an interruptible process. A pending read-modify-write is capable of being temporarily interrupted to service a higher priority memory request.
US07680989B2
We propose a class of mechanisms to support a new style of synchronization that offers simple and efficient solutions to several existing problems for which existing solutions are complicated, expensive, and/or otherwise inadequate. In general, the proposed mechanisms allow a program to read from a first memory location (called the “flagged” location), and to then continue execution, storing values to zero or more other memory locations such that these stores take effect (i.e., become visible in the memory system) only while the flagged memory location does not change. In some embodiments, the mechanisms further allow the program to determine when the first memory location has changed. We call the proposed mechanisms conditional multi-store synchronization mechanisms and define aspects of an instruction set architecture consistent therewith.
US07680988B1
A shared memory is usable by concurrent threads in a multithreaded processor, with any addressable storage location in the shared memory being readable and writeable by any of the threads. Processing engines that execute the threads are coupled to the shared memory via an interconnect that transfers data in only one direction (e.g., from the shared memory to the processing engines); the same interconnect supports both read and write operations. The interconnect advantageously supports multiple parallel read or write operations.
US07680986B1
Many conventional lock-free data structures exploit techniques that are possible only because state-of-the-art 64-bit processors are still running 32-bit operating systems and applications. As software catches up to hardware, “64-bit-clean” lock-free data structures, which cannot use such techniques, are needed. We present several 64-bit-clean lock-free implementations: including load-linked/store conditional variables of arbitrary size, a FIFO queue, and a freelist. In addition to being portable to 64-bit software (or more generally full-architectural-width pointer operations), our implementations also improve on existing techniques in that they are (or can be) space-adaptive and do not require a priori knowledge of the number of threads that will access them.
US07680979B2
Systems and associated methods provide a level of indirection between multiple host computers and multiple data storage resources, such as removable media data storage devices. At least one of the hosts is not provided with direct access to some of the removable media data storage devices. Instead, logical addresses are provided to the host computers, where the logical addresses can relate to physical addresses associated with the data storage resources. A data storage resource handle or logical proxy may be presented to a host, and a management layer determines whether the host receives access to physical data storage resources, or virtual resources that emulate the physical resources.
US07680978B1
A method may include counting the number of times each of a plurality of entries in a content addressable memory (CAM) matches one or more searches; grouping entries in the CAM into a first subset and a second subset based on the number of times each of the plurality of entries in the CAM matches one or more searches; and searching the first subset for a matching entry and, if no matching entry is found, searching the second subset for the matching entry.
US07680977B2
A flash controller is adapted to communicate with a host and the flash memory and including volatile memory configured to store a page-block table of logical addresses addressable by the physical addresses. The logical addresses are used by the controller to identify the blocks. The table has an address mapping table and a property value table, the property value table includes property values, each of the property values being increased in value every time a block is written up to a maximum value and being associated with a block of a predetermined group of blocks and indicative of the number of times a block has been written, the property values corresponding to the logical addresses of the address mapping table, wherein the maximum number the property values of the predetermined group of blocks take on is adjustably different than the maximum number the property values of another group of blocks.
US07680971B2
An apparatus and method for granting one or more requesting entities access to a resource in a predetermined time interval. The apparatus includes a first circuit receiving one or more request signals, and implementing logic for assigning a priority to the one or more request signals, and, generating a set of first_request signals based on the priorities assigned. One or more priority select circuits for receiving the set of first_request signals and generating corresponding one or more fixed grant signals representing one or more highest priority request signals when asserted during the predetermined time interval. A second circuit device receives the one or more fixed grant signals generates one or more grant signals associated with one or more highest priority request signals assigned, the grant signals for enabling one or more respective requesting entities access to the resource in the predetermined time interval, wherein the priority assigned to the one or more request signals changes each successive predetermined time interval. In one embodiment, the assigned priority is based on a numerical pattern, the first circuit changing the numerical pattern with respect to the first_request signals generated at each successive predetermined time interval.
US07680966B1
A memory device includes an interface controller for communication with a semiconductor device over a communication link. A clock signal is transmitted from the semiconductor device over the link to the memory device. A frequency of the clock signal may be any within a given range of frequencies. A frequency value signal conveying the value of the frequency of the clock signal is also transmitted. The interface controller includes circuitry for deriving from the clock signal and from the frequency value signal at least one timing signal for any operation in the memory device.
US07680963B2
In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a first interface circuit, a direct memory access (DMA) controller coupled to the first interface circuit, and a host coupled to the DMA controller. The first interface circuit is configured to communicate on an interface according to a protocol. The host comprises at least one address space mapped, at least in part, to a plurality of memory locations in a memory system of the host. The DMA controller is configured to perform DMA transfers between the first interface circuit and the address space, and the DMA controller is further configured to perform DMA transfers between a first plurality of the plurality of memory locations and a second plurality of the plurality of memory locations.
US07680958B2
A system provides an integration engine debugging and trace function that adaptively captures and displays trace information and promotes easier and more efficient troubleshooting. A system adaptively displays transaction message data for use with a data exchange system for exchanging data between different computer systems using different data formats. The system includes a repository of data comprising transaction messages communicated between different computer systems using different data formats. A data converter converts transaction message data into Hex and non-Hex representations. A display processor provides data representing a first display image including data representing a single transaction message in both Hex and non-Hex data format and enabling a user to initiate generation of a second display image for presenting the transaction message exclusively in a non-Hex representation.
US07680953B2
The invention provides a communication control method for switching paths at high speed to switch storages without a special path switching means in a host computer, without stopping an application or without changing settings, and a device for realizing the same. The present computer system comprises a host computer 20, a storage devices 10 connected via a network 30 to the host computer 20, and a name server 40, wherein the host computer 20 has a function to search for an alternate path when a defect is discovered in a path used for connection with the storage 10, and the storage device 10 has a target communicating with the host computer 20 through a port, a registration change means for changing a registered address associated with the registration of a migration source target registered in the name server 40 to an address of a migration destination port, and a means for disconnecting all communication means established with the migration source target subsequent to the registration change process.
US07680952B1
A connection between network nodes in a communication network is backed up. A failover label-switched path (LSP) is created starting at a first network node of a connection and ending at the second node of the connection, while bypassing the protected connection. In the event of connection failure, data is transmitted through the failover LSP. A network operator can selectively protect different types of data by using filters that bind one or more types of traffic received over one or more interfaces to different failover LSPs.
US07680948B2
A method and system automatically providing responses to a recipient stores data relating to the recipient in a data store, the data being gatherable from one, some or all of written communications, mail, telephone, the Internet, servers, telephone voice, data and text messages, and other files and data sources. An initial automatic communication is formed, and passed to a modifying console for possible modification to form a final communication. Modifications can include: doing nothing; deleting material; adding new material; adding material of predetermined fixed content; adding material of predetermined alterable content; and altering material. The final communication can be provided on one, all or some of the Internet, servers, the telephone system in the form of text, voice and data messages, and as mail for posting or mailing. The final communication can be in a selectable language, for a selectable jurisdiction and in a selectable idiom.
US07680943B2
A uniform method for implementing multiple tunneling protocols in a switch or router is disclosed. The method is based on the realization that although the tunneling protocols are very different, they do share a similar overall structure which can be exploited to create a unified method of dealing with multiple protocols. By using similar data structures to implement multiple protocols, the invention makes data management and programming simple and, therefore, cost effective. According to the invention, all tunneling protocols are abstracted as the mapping of input L2 or L3 streams with output L2 or L3 streams. Mapping is provided by a finite set of tunnel interfaces. The tunnel interfaces map the input streams to output interfaces. As traffic streams flow through these interfaces, they are processed according to defined attributes of these interfaces.
US07680942B2
An apparatus for providing remote client deactivation includes a processing element. The processing element may be configured to receive a message associated with a service related to a communication session with a client, determine whether the client is associated with an indication to deactivate the client and communicate a signaling message to deactivate the client in response to a determination that the client is associated with the indication to deactivate the client.
US07680938B2
A system and method for load balancing a plurality of servers is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of servers in a video-on-demand or other multi-server system are divided into one or more load-balancing groups. Each server preferably maintains state information concerning other servers in its load-balancing group including information concerning content maintained and served by each server in the group. Changes in a server's content status or other state information are preferably proactively delivered to other servers in the group. When a content request is received by any server in a load-balancing group, it evaluates the request in accordance with a specified algorithm to determine whether it should deliver the requested content itself or redirect the request to another server in its group. In a preferred embodiment, this determination is a function of information in the server's state table.
US07680937B2
Publishing content using a peer-to-peer content distribution system is described. A publisher is required to request authorization to publish from an authorization body. Resources such as tracker and seed nodes are allocated in a peer-to-peer content distribution system and pre-processing of content to be published is carried out. For example, a content description is generated for each item of content as well as a set of checksums or other items for validating blocks of content. Publication can be terminated in a variety of different ways. For example, by using expiry methods, by active revocation of publishers, authorization bodies, or individual items of content.
US07680932B2
A version control system for managing versioned files comprises a central server storing a repository of the versioned files. At least one proxy is connected to the central server. Each proxy includes a read-only cache for storing data from the repository. At least one client is connected to each of the proxies. Modifications to the versioned files may only be made by the central server.
US07680931B2
In a service system including client apparatuses for issuing a service request and server apparatuses for receiving a service request and providing service, there is provided a data relaying apparatus for relaying data communication between them. In response to a service request, the data relaying apparatus establishes a connection from the client apparatus to the server apparatus (destination). The data relaying apparatus relays data communication between the client apparatus and the server apparatus by using the established connection. The data relaying apparatus manages a number of connections established to each of the server apparatuses. In response to a service request, the data relaying apparatus accepts or refuses the service request so as to make a number of connections to the server apparatus equal to or less than a predetermined number, and notifies a user refused relaying of a service request that relaying is possible.
US07680926B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for dynamically determining a set of Storage Area Network (SAN) components for performance monitoring. The computer program product monitors SAN components of a predefined set of SAN components according to a monitor data structure associated with each SAN component. At least one attribute of the set of SAN components is changed in response to a threshold violation by a SAN component in the set. The SAN components of the changed set are monitored according to the monitor data structure for each SAN component within the changed set as part of a monitoring feedback loop.
US07680923B1
Probe and stop probe messages associated with an ingress access point are processed at an egress label switched router. The ingress access point may consist of an identifier of an ingress network element, in combination with a LSP identifier provided by the ingress network element. Auto-registration is performed upon receipt of a probe message indicating an ingress access point not currently being tracked. In the event that a probe message is received indicating an ingress access point not currently being tracked, the egress label switched router adds an entry to a tracking data structure, and a central processor is notified. Each entry within the tracking data structure stores information for a corresponding ingress access point, including knowledge digests from probe messages and an indication of the time a last previous probe message was received. As probe and stop probe messages are received, the knowledge digests they include are compared with the knowledge digests stored in the corresponding tracking table entries. In the event of a conflict between a received knowledge digest and a stored knowledge digest, a predetermined action is taken, such as generation of a misbranching alarm. The knowledge digests may, for example, be Bloom Filters. In the event a stop probe message is received for an ingress access point associated with one of the entries in the tracking table, the corresponding tracking entry is removed.
US07680919B2
A source virtual machine (VM) hosted on a source server is migrated to a destination VM on a destination server without first powering down the source VM. After optional pre-copying of the source VM's memory to the destination VM, the source VM is suspended and its non-memory state is transferred to the destination VM; the destination VM is then resumed from the transferred state. The source VM memory is either paged in to the destination VM on demand, or is transferred asynchronously by pre-copying and write-protecting the source VM memory, and then later transferring only the modified pages after the destination VM is resumed. The source and destination servers preferably share common storage, in which the source VM's virtual disk is stored; this avoids the need to transfer the virtual disk contents. Network connectivity is preferably also made transparent to the user by arranging the servers on a common subnet, with virtual network connection addresses generated from a common name space of physical addresses.
US07680915B2
Techniques for redirecting a client request. The client request is received at a first server. The first server forwards the client request to a second server. The first server receives a result message from the second server. The first server identifies, in the result message, references to resources of the second server. The first server replaces, in the result message, all references to resources of the second server with translated references that reference the first server without replacing references to resources of any other entity other than the second server. The first server sends the translated references to the client as a response to the client request.
US07680913B2
A method and a system are disclosed for making available telecommunication network resources associated with network subscribers and exposed by a Network Service Gateway (NSG) to clients of the NSG services based on stored subscriber availability preferences. The method and system can be implemented using an availability Policy Server that sits next to or inside of the NSG. The Policy Server interprets the stored availability preferences of subscribers in response to requests for subscriber information. These availability preferences are translated into a low-level policy rule language. The Policy Server implements a policy rule evaluator to evaluate policies written in this language. Policies written in the low-level language are referred to as aPolicies (availability policies). An aPolicy receives as input a stream of events. Based on these events, the aPolicy may decide to take one or more actions. The NSG or clients of the NSG will carry out the execution of the actions.
US07680909B2
A method for configuration of an Auxiliary Processing Unit (APU) of multiprocessor system is presented. The multiprocessor system has at least a Main Processing Unit (MPU) coupled to the APU via a communication link. The APU has at least a first memory and a second memory. The method includes a plurality of steps. At step the first memory is divided into an application sector, a boot sector and a common sector. At another step interrupts of the APU except interrupt/s that is/are being received via the communication link are disabled. At a further step interrupt vector/s pertaining to the communication link is/are mapped to the boot sector of the first memory. At another step a configuration code is received selectively into the application sector of the first memory and into the second memory. At a further step the interrupt/s that is/are being received via the communication link are disabled. At a further step the common sector of the first memory is updated from the second memory.
US07680908B2
The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that facilitate replicating a state associated with a client, user, service, application, and the like. A third party service provider can support any number of services that can be concurrently requested by several clients without user perception of degraded computing performance as compared to conventional systems/techniques due to improved connectivity and mitigated latencies. A replication component can generate replicas of states associated with requested services. Further, the replicas can facilitate seamlessly interacting with the third party service provider (e.g., while transitioning between client devices). Additionally, by providing replicas of the state related information, differing third party service providers can effectuate services based upon a request from a client without regenerating the state.
US07680889B2
In a method of metering Web usage, a collection program is downloaded from a server to a metered computer in response to a message transmitted from the metered computer to the server, and the collection program is executed on the metered computer in order to collect Web usage history information stored in a history file by a browser running on the metered computer. The collected Web site usage history information is transmitted by the metered computer to the server. The Web site usage history information is stored in the server along with Web site usage history information from other metered computers.
US07680884B2
A system and method for implementing controlled multicast, wherein comprises Ethernet switch 1, multicast router 2, as well as portal server 3 and AAA server 4 that connect with the multicast router, where Ethernet switch 1 connects with each hosts of user in a downlink, in an uplink connects with multicast router 5 and implements multicast switch of layer 2; portal server 3 is used as an interface for access authentication of the user, AAA server 4 is used to store configuration of user privilege for joining in a multicast group; multicast router 2 connects with multicast router 5 of other systems in the uplink, and cooperates together with AAA server 4 to completes privilege authentication for the user when he joins in the multicast group, distributes a control command according to results of the authentication, and controls forwarding of the multicast made by Ethernet switch 1. The method according to the present invention can resolve better the authenticated authorization and controlled problem of the sender and receiver joining in the multicast, and can identify the host joining in or leaving the multicast group expediently, actively stop the user's group member identification through offline without any influence on the forwarding efficiency.
US07680880B2
A system for protecting a computer network from vulnerabilities can be provided that generally includes a remedy and patch server located at a client site and adapted to receive a global remedy package and a global patch package. The global remedy package may include at least one remedy and the global patch package may include at least one patch. At least one remedy and optionally at least one patch can repair a vulnerability in the computer network. The system can further include at least one local remedy server adapted to communicate with the remedy and patch server for receiving at least one remedy. At least one local patch server may be adapted to communicate with the remedy and patch server to receive at least one patch. The system also generally includes a local computer system adapted to communicate, independently, with the at least one local remedy server and at least one local patch server for receiving, respectively, at least one remedy and optionally at least one patch.
US07680879B2
A method and apparatus are generally disclosed for maintaining data integrity across distributed computer systems. In one embodiment, the method of the invention includes the step of transmitting an object from a server application to a client application. The method also includes the step of transmitting an object state from the server application to the client application. The method further includes the steps of synchronizing the object and object state between the server application and the client application, and updating the object by invoking a server application method after the step of synchronizing. An apparatus and article of manufacture for carrying out the steps of the method are also disclosed.
US07680878B2
An internet terminal, which includes a communication unit for sending and receiving packet data, an encryption unit for encrypting and decrypting packet data, a packet generation unit for generating packet data to be sent to a server apparatus, a protocol determination unit for determining a communication protocol to be used between the internet terminal and the server apparatus, a control request reading unit for reading in packet data and a control request packet that includes a control request, a control unit for receiving control information and controlling the internet terminal or a terminal apparatus accordingly. Further, the internet terminal includes a server certificate authentication unit for authenticating the validity of a server certificate sent by the server apparatus, a client certificate management unit for sending a client certificate to the server apparatus, and a storage unit for storing a terminal ID and other information.
US07680870B2
An FFT apparatus for quickly processing input signals and method thereof is disclosed. In performing the FFT for processing N input signals, four N/4-point FFT units implemented by radix-2 single-path delay feedback (R2SDF) units performs the FFT with respect to the input signals, and a radix-4 computation unit performs a radix-4 computation with respect to the signals transferred from the N/4-point FFT units. Accordingly, the input signals are processed in parallel through the N/4-point FFT units, and thus a quick process of the input signals can be performed.
US07680868B2
Systems and methods for determining characteristic transition values such as elbow values in sigmoid or growth-type curves, such as the cycle threshold (Ct) value in PCR amplification curves. A double sigmoid function with parameters determined by a Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) regression process is used to find an approximation to a curve that fits a PCR dataset. Once the parameters have been determined, the curve can be normalized using one or more of the determined parameters. Normalization is advantageous for determining the Ct value if one chooses the arbitrary fluorescence level (AFL) approach to calculating Ct values for amplification curves. After normalization, the normalized curve is processed by applying a root-finding algorithm to determine the root of the function representing the normalized curve, which root corresponds to the Ct value. The Ct value is then returned and may be displayed or otherwise used for further processing.
US07680865B2
The present invention provides an image processing apparatus and an image processing method, which can improve security and reinforce privacy protection for cache data and management data generated when an operator employs a browser function, and which can efficiently utilize storage resources of the apparatus. In the image processing apparatus having a browser function, data generated by an operator employing the browser function is stored in the RAM. Herein, it is determined whether or not the operator employing the browser function is a particular operator such as a system administrator. In a case where the browser function is employed by an operator other than the particular operator, the data stored in the RAM is deleted. Meanwhile, in a case of the particular operator, the data is stored in a hard disk drive (HDD).
US07680863B2
In response to a contents data transmission request from a user terminal, a contents storage server encodes a contents data meeting the transmission request by vector coding or hierarchical coding and transmits the encoded contents data to the user terminal. The user terminal having received the encoded data notifies a charging server of information on a resolution selected by the user and then receives information needed for a corresponding decoding process from the charging server. The charging server carries out a charging process based on the received information on the resolution.
US07680858B2
Web page clustering techniques described herein are URL Clustering and Page Clustering, whereby clustering algorithms cluster together pages that are structurally similar. Regarding URL clustering, because similarly structured pages have similar patterns in their URLs, grouping similar URL patterns will group structurally similar pages. Embodiments of URL clustering may involve: (a) URL normalization and (b) URL variation computation. Regarding page clustering, page feature-based techniques further cluster any given set of homogenous clusters, reducing the number of clusters based on the underlying page code. Embodiments of page clustering may reduce the number of clusters based on the tag probabilities and the tag sequence, utilizing an Approximate Nearest Neighborhood (ANN) graph along with evaluation of intra-cluster and inter-cluster compactness.
US07680854B2
A computer system and method for capture and handling job listings obtained from various often unrelated corporate and job board postings via the internet for examination by a job searcher. This system includes a scraping module having one or more scraping engines operable to scrape job information data set from job listings on the corporate career sites and job boards, wherein the scraping module receives and stores the scraped job information data set in a database. The system also has a scraping management interface module coordinating operation of and communication between the scraping engines and the career sites and job boards, a scraped listing quality management module coupled to the scraping management interface module analyzing selected scraped job information data stored in the database, and a job categorization module that examines and categorizes each job information stored in the database into one or more of a predetermined set of categories and returns categorized job information to the database, and an extractor module communicating with the database for compiling and transferring categorized job information data from the database to a search bank. The search bank is then accessible by a job searcher through a job search client server cluster connected to the Internet.
US07680841B2
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for determining whether data written to source storage locations according to a write order is copied to corresponding target storage locations in the write order. Values are written to indicated source storage locations in a write order. The values written to the source storage locations are copied to corresponding target storage locations. The values at the target storage locations are read and a determination is made from the read values whether the values were written to the target storage locations in the write order.
US07680838B1
A notification engine manages subscriptions of applications to data events in a file-sharing environment. A subscription includes a data event recovery time stamp indicating the time when a first change to subscribed data objects occurred of which an application was not aware. When the data event occurs on a computer, the engine finds applications subscribed to that data event and sets the time stamp in the subscriptions for non-local applications to the current time if the data event recovery time stamp is clear. An application that was not notified of the data event that occurred on another computer learns about the data event when it is called back. The application uses a data event recovery time stamp indicated in the callback to issue a query for a current version of subscribed data objects to which data events occurred at or after the time indicated in the time stamp.
US07680835B2
A novel system that facilitates monitoring and/or updating data contained within a plurality of network devices. The system includes a file system user interface (UI) that can render a unified representation of the content across multiple stores corresponding to a plurality of disparate network devices. The UI facilitates searching and/or browsing content of a plurality of disparate devices via a single unified experience. Another feature of the invention is that it allows for sharing and/or synchronizing without the use of conventional folders. The invention provides for a metadata-centric view of user content (e.g., files) wherein files can be grouped by type, date, author, etc., without regard to the physical location of the content. Additionally, the invention separates or distinguishes (e.g., decouples) the synchronization of metadata (e.g., author, modification date) from the synchronization of the corresponding data files.
US07680829B1
A system implementable using a programmable processor includes a plurality of pre-stored commands for building an inventory of audio, musical, works or audio/visual works, such as music videos. A plurality of works can be collected together in a list for purposes of establishing a play or a presentation sequence. The list can be visually displayed and edited. A plurality of lists can be stored for subsequent retrieval. A selected list can be retrieved and executed. Upon execution, the works of the list are presented sequentially either audibly or visually. The works can be read locally from a source, such as a CD, or can be obtained, via wireless transmission, from a remote inventory. If desired, establishment of a predetermined credit can be a pre-condition to being able to add items to the list for presentation.
US07680823B2
An improved solution for generating a custom report is provided. A tagged file is obtained, which comprises data and graphic information for the custom report. Image data for the custom report is generated based on the tagged file. The custom report is generated based on the image data, the tagged file, and a report definition for the custom report. In one embodiment, a computer infrastructure is provided for generating a custom report in multiple report formats based on content received from one or more diverse data sources.
US07680821B2
An optimized query processing system and method for a database system. The database system includes a table of data and an index correlated to both the query and to the table. The optimized query processing system includes an index accessing module adapted to access the index to determine if the table contains an entry satisfying a query predicate; and a tablescan module for scanning substantially the entire table and retrieving data satisfying the query. A method is also disclosed for generating database diagnostic data.
US07680816B2
Systems, methods, devices, and computer program products are provided for providing a user with access to information stored in a datastore. A multimodal system operatively coupled to the datastore is configured to communicate with the user via a user device. The multimodal system is configured to receive a request from the user to communicate with the user through a user interface of the user device. In response to the received request, the multimodal system generates a multimodal document. The generated multimodal document includes instructions allowing for communication with the user using a plurality of different user interface modalities that may be available on a user device. The multimodal system then serves the multimodal document to the user device using a communication interface. The multimodal system is configured to only publish one multimodal document at a time for a given user session so that the user may seamlessly switch between user interface modalities that may be available on the user device or on another user device.
US07680812B2
A method, apparatus, and computer program product for a personal search engine that includes a hybrid web composed of: the similarity web, and directed hyperlinks. Components include a parser (extracting words from documents); a text relevance analyzer; a link analysis method; the similarity web; a similarity analyzer; and hyperlinks. Other components include a navigation window; and FQSs. The combination of all the above may be incorporated into a working personal search engine.
US07680792B2
There is provided a document management system for retrieving document information from storage unit which correlates and stores user information, keyword information set for every user, and document information, the document management system including a first retrieval unit configured to retrieve document information from the storage unit using a first retrieval condition, a specifying unit configured to specify the user information, and a second retrieval unit configured to determine a second retrieval condition in accordance with a retrieval result of the first retrieval unit and the user information specified by the specifying unit and to retrieve document information from the storage unit using the second retrieval condition.
US07680791B2
Several techniques for sorting item are described, generally referred to as (1) common prefix skipping quicksort; (2) key substring caching; and (3) adaptive quicksort. With common prefix skipping quicksort, common prefix bytes among all key values for a partition are computed while performing a quicksort partitioning operation, and the known common bytes are skipped when comparing two key values in a recursive partitioning operation. With key substring caching, each item is represented in a cached array comprising a particular number of bytes for respective portions of key values (“key substring”), where the key substring cache is updated contain bytes beyond the known number of common prefix bytes. An adaptive quicksort routine is a hybrid of a quicksort function and most significant digit radix sort function, where the functions are mutually recursive.
US07680787B2
A process for generating SQL queries to retrieve requested information from a database, whilst applying requested search filters, involving defining a “base” query, which is the simplest SQL query that can be executed to retrieve the information requested by the user (i.e. without applying any search filter), and then use a separate module for each search filter to detect the existence of the table that is required to apply that filter, and possibly add a “WHERE” condition that includes the required table using a sub-query. For each module, if the table required to filter a particular attribute exists in the current query, the “WHERE” condition is added on that table, without adding any sub-query. If on the other hand the required table does not exist in the current query, a sub-query that navigates associations from the tables involved in the current query to the required on is added, and the “WHERE” condition is added to the required table within the sub-query.
US07680786B2
A system and method to facilitate optimization of targeted advertisements based on user profile information are described. A set of event keywords associated with an event or action performed by the user or an agent of the user is identified in a data storage module. User profile information, if available, is further retrieved from the data storage module. A set of profile keywords is further identified from the retrieved user profile information and the set of profile keywords is compared to the set of event keywords based on predetermined business rules to determine a set of resulting keywords. Advertising information related to the set of resulting keywords is further retrieved from an advertising storage module. The retrieved advertisements are ranked based on one or more parameters within one or more keyword/advertisement matrices based on user, segment, or time parameters, and, finally, top ranked advertisements are transmitted to the user or the agent of the user for further display in connection with the requested content.
US07680784B2
A query processing system of a database using multi-operation processing includes a task retrieval unit for retrieving relational algebra as tasks from a query tree, a unit for dividing retrieved tasks into groups for each relation of database, a synthetic relational operation unit for creating a synthetic relational operation by collecting tasks having common sub-expression for the grouped tasks into sub-groups and creating a task of a synthetic relational operation for each sub-group, wherein when there is a plurality of tasks of join operation in the grouped tasks, the synthetic relational operation unit further divides the grouped tasks into sub-groups for each common sub-expression of join operation, collects a plurality of tasks of the join operation into a sub-group, and creates a single task of a synthetic join operation by using logical union to concatenate each task of the join operation collected in the sub-group.
US07680779B2
Queries in a distributed database system are received at computer devices participating in the database system. A determination is made as to which of the respective, participating computer devices has data relevant to the query. Information about the computer devices(s) which has or have the relevant data is communicated to the participating computer devices. Such information is used to determine, at each of the respective participating computer devices, a benefit value for at least one of the participating computer devices. A determination is made as to which the participating computer devices will process the query by comparing the benefit values for the participating computer devices.
US07680775B2
Methods and systems for generating query and result-based relevance indexes are provided. For one embodiment, a plurality of queries is received from a plurality of users. Each query of the plurality of queries is measured based on one or more metrics. The measured data of each query is stored. The queries are associated into topical query categories. A performance of a first query category is calculated based on at least one metric of the one or more metrics. A metric data request for a select category is received from a client. Lastly, the stored measured data of the selected category is transmitted to the client in response to the metric data request.
US07680771B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for provisioning database resource within a grid database system. The apparatus comprises an analysis module and a provision module. The analysis module analyzes a data query stream from an application to a database instance and determines that the data query stream exhibits a predetermined performance attribute. The provision module provisions a database resource in response to a determination that the data query stream exhibits the predetermined performance attribute. The provisioned database resource may be a database instance, a database server, or a cache. The provisioning of the new database resource advantageously is substantially transparent to a client on the database system.
US07680768B2
Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus including: storage means for storing a recommendation degree that indicates a degree of recommendation of a content for a user; similarity degree calculation means for calculating a degree of similarity between a part of a user profile as updated and a content profile; recommendation degree variation calculation means for calculating, based on the degree of similarity calculated by the similarity degree calculation means, an amount of variation of the recommendation degree of the content for the user; and recommendation degree calculation means for calculating a new recommendation degree by adding the amount of the variation of the recommendation degree calculated by the recommendation degree variation calculation means to the recommendation degree stored in the storage means.
US07680765B2
Iterate-aggregate shape queries are executable in an efficient parallel manner. Techniques are utilized that leverage properties of aggregations to implement such a query in a highly parallelized manner utilizing one or both of vertical and horizontal parallelism. More specifically, queries can be recursively evaluated in parallel utilizing partitioning and repartitioning mechanisms. Distributed query execution results over a subset of input data are repartitioned and aggregated to produce a final result.
US07680755B2
The invention consists of a method of automatically detecting and classifying a device, comprising: a) receiving information from the device; b) looking up the information in a device directory to identify the device; c) applying a series of identity rules if the information is not found in the device directory; and d) identifying the device from the identity rules. Preferably, the device is a mobile device.
US07680752B1
An integration platform for managing long term processes. The platform includes a runtime engine that manages the process instances and communication with the processes to provide Web services. The runtime engine includes an execution engine module and a prediction module. The prediction module generates predictions for executing processes for inbound and outbound messages and eventual process outcomes. The predictions may be utilized when requisite data is unavailable or under defined circumstances. The prediction module utilizes process history, process description and process state data to generate relevant prediction data. The prediction module may include a learning module that applies analytical algorithms to the process history and descriptions to create models for use by the prediction module.
US07680747B2
A plan for disposing of assets in a given asset portfolio is determined using a genetic algorithm, which operates to satisfy certain objectives, including the generation of a cash amount. A genome population including a number of vectors is generated. The genome population is modified using a genetic algorithm, until at least one vector represents a change in the percentage of each asset such that the disposition of each asset in accordance with the vector most nearly satisfies one or more objectives.
US07680743B2
A digital rights management (DRM) system, an application, and a DRM digital license for the application are all on a computing device. The application is for being executed to perform a function and includes code requiring that the DRM system determine that the application is allowed to be executed to perform the function based on the license. The application further includes code for determining that the application is to be executed on one of the computing device or in connection with the DRM system.
US07680738B2
The invention presented comprises a system and method for executing a cash payment via a computer network. A payor computing device communicates over a computer network with payee computing devices via a P2P server. The P2P server is operative to receive a payment request from the payor computing device and process the payment by debiting a financial instrument specified by a payor utilizing the payor computing device. The payment request is transmitted from the P2P server to a cash payment server operative to receive the payment request and translate the request into the native format of an ATM control server, the native format of the P2P server and ATM control server not being interoperable. The ATM control server is operative to generate a PIN code, which is transmitted along with the received payment instructions to an ATM. The ATM receives the payment instructions and dispenses the payment upon receipt of the PIN code. Receipt data is also generated by the ATM control server, translated into the native format of the P2P server by the cash payment server, and delivered to the payor and payee via the P2P sever.
US07680736B2
An electronic transaction payment system is provided having a vendor terminal associated with a vendor who provides goods or services to a purchaser, a vendor smart-card and a vendor smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from the vendor smart-card. The system also includes a purchaser smart-card reader which is connected to the vendor terminal and which is operable for transmitting data to and receiving data from a purchaser smart-card. In operation, payment for goods purchased by the purchaser is made between the purchaser smart-card and the vendor smart-card. In a preferred embodiment, the payment data is encrypted using an encryption key specific to the transaction between the purchaser and the vendor. A third party registry terminal may also be provided for providing validation of the vendor and/or the purchaser.
US07680733B1
An improved computerized method and system for the payment of patent and trademark fees is disclosed. The patent or trademark fee for a client of a firm is charged against an account maintained by an organization separate from the firm. A charge issued at a workstation at the firm is delivered to a patent or patent and trademark agency, or a foreign associate firm, where it is cashed against an account maintained by the separate organization. The firm bills the client for the fee, along with a service charge, while the separate organization bills the firm for the fee and the service charge. Payment from the client to the firm for the fee and service charge is then sent to the separate organization to cover the firm's bill from the separate organization. Recirculating retainers, pre-billing, and other aspects of methods and systems are also disclosed herein.
US07680731B1
A system and method for initiating and processing banking deposits. In a preferred embodiment, the system is maintained by a financial institution such as a bank and the bank's customers access the system through the Internet. The system provides a Graphical User Interface that allows the customers to view the bank's current rates for a plurality of currencies and a plurality of time periods. The customer selects the desired rate on the interface and the system automatically generates a deal ticket that is presented to the customer. The customer submits the deal ticket for trading. A confirmation of the trade occurs online and real time. The system has further utilities for the customers to view archives of previous deals, establish profiles and preferences and chat with bank representatives. The system further includes state of the art security in order to ensure the safety and confidentiality of the banking transactions.
US07680727B2
Trading software may receive trading information from an exchange. The trading software may use the trading information to compute an estimate of last traded total sweep quantity. The trading software may also display the last traded total sweep quantity on a trading screen.
US07680718B2
A system and method for detecting an abnormal trading condition of a security uses real-time and estimated values of one or more variables associated with the condition of the security to generate one or more analytic metrics that are compared to empirical distributions based on one or more peer groups for the security. An indicator can then be displayed to a trader as an indication of the abnormal condition.
US07680715B2
Embodiments of the invention provide an anonymous RFQ system for financial instruments that resolves the inherent conflict between a capital provider's need for information and a market participant's need for confidentiality by creating an environment where market participants and capital providers can realize the benefits of sharing confidential trading interest (CTI) information without sacrificing anonymity or enabling information leakage. This secure environment preferably is created within an electronic matching book that distills all CTI information related to each Request for Quote (RFQ) into a risk class that is sent to capital providers in lieu of order-identifying or trader-identifying information. These risk classes give capital providers enough information to offer customized, risk-adjusted quotes without requiring the market participant to reveal confidential information about herself or her order.
US07680700B2
Methods, articles of manufacture, and systems for providing access to a grid computing environment. In one environment, requests include resource specific criteria used to identify a particular grid resource to perform the request. In another embodiment, a request includes a queue criterion used to identify one of a plurality of queues on which the request is placed.
US07680698B2
Disclosure includes receiving an indication of an order, receiving an indication of a payment for the order, transmitting the indication of the order to a merchant, and allocating at least a merchant portion of the payment to the merchant based, at least in part, on a trial status of the merchant.
US07680692B2
A point-of-sale machine accesses digital images stored in memory of a digital camera or other imaging device, and performs a point-of-sale transaction for storing at least one of the digital images at a remote site.
US07680674B2
A method and system for providing a price quotation information for shipping goods by rail. A computer delivers first information to a user prompting the user to enter at the computer a parameter, the parameter specifying a given characteristic of a transportation service. In response to an entry by the user, a database of promotional events, including a plurality of entries mapping one or more discount eligibility criteria to a promotional event, is processed to identify an entry associated to a certain discount data element and to a certain promotional event. The certain discount eligibility criterion in the identified entry is such that it would be satisfied if the parameter provided by the user was altered. The computer then delivers second information to the user indicative of the certain promotional event.
US07680664B2
A multi-state pattern recognition model with non-uniform kernel allocation is formed by setting a number of states for a multi-state pattern recognition model and assigning different numbers of kernels to different states. The kernels are then trained using training data to form the multi-state pattern recognition model.
US07680660B2
A voice analysis method and device are provided whereby processing can be performed in real time and an indefinitely large number of speakers can be coped with. A computer-executable method of voice analysis is for detecting boundaries of phonemes from input voice, and is characterized by repeating a step of specifying a time-point in an input voice signal, a step of extracting the voice signal contained in a time range of prescribed length from this time-point, and a step of decomposing the extracted voice signal into frequency component data; finding a plurality of frequency component data from the voice signal contained in time ranges of the prescribed length; finding a plurality of correlations using the frequency component data corresponding to the voice signal contained in mutually adjacent time ranges of the prescribed length; finding time ranges having a degree of change that is larger than the two adjacent degrees of change on either side thereof; and partitioning the input voice signal into a plurality of sections based on these time ranges.
US07680654B2
An audio data segmentation apparatus for segmenting of audio data including for supplying audio data, dividing the audio data supplied into audio clips of a predetermined length, discriminating the audio clips into predetermined audio classes, the audio classes identifying a kind of audio data included in the respective audio clip and segmenting for segmenting the audio data into audio meta patterns based on a sequence of audio classes of consecutive audio clips, each meta pattern being allocated to a predetermined type of contents of the audio data. It is difficult to achieve good results with known methods for segmentation of audio data into meta patterns since the rules for the allocation of the meta patterns are dissatisfying. This problem is solved by the inventive audio data segmentation apparatus further including a program database including program data units to identify a certain kind of program, a plurality of respective audio meta patterns being allocated to each program data unit, wherein the segmenting segments the audio data into corresponding audio meta patterns on the basis of the program data units of the program database 5.
US07680651B2
In accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the invention there is disclosed at least a method and apparatus for determining a long-term-prediction delay parameter characterizing a long term prediction in a technique using signal modification for digitally encoding a sound signal, the sound signal is divided into a series of successive frames, a feature of the sound signal is located in a previous frame, a corresponding feature of the sound signal is located in a current frame, and the long-term-prediction delay parameter is determined for the current frame while mapping, with the long term prediction, the signal feature of the previous frame with the corresponding signal feature of the current frame. Each divided frame of the sound signal is partitioned into a plurality of signal segments, and at least a part of the signal segments of the frame are warped while constraining the warped signal segments inside the frame.
US07680647B2
A pair of bilingual, aligned text fragments are received and word type alignment is performed on the text fragments. Word token alignment is then performed.
US07680644B2
A computerized model provides a display of a physical environment in which a communications network is or will be installed. The communications network is comprised of several components, each of which are selected by the design engineer and which are represented in the display. Errors in the selection of certain selected components for the communications network are identified by their attributes or frequency characteristics as well as by their interconnection compatibility for a particular design. The effects of changes in frequency on component performance are modeled and the results are displayed to the design engineer. A bill of materials is automatically checked for faults and generated for the design system and provided to the design engineer. For ease of design, the design engineer can cluster several different preferred components into component kits, and then select these component kits for use in the design or deployment process.
US07680639B2
The invention relates to a method for simulating the driving behavior of vehicles on a test stand in which the engine of the vehicle is coupled on the test stand to an electronically controllable braking apparatus and a simulation model calculates simulation values of variables which are representative of the driving state of the vehicle in that the reaction of the vehicle to the behavior of the engine and the values of the variables as determined immediately prior thereto are calculated, with at least the vehicle speed and the slip occurring in the driving wheels being calculated as variables. An improved calculation can be achieved in such a way that for controlling the braking apparatus a virtual vehicle speed is used which is changed by a corrective value which depends on the slip.
US07680638B2
Provided is a man-clothing-environment (MCE) simulator quantitatively measuring properties of clothes to transfer heat and moisture between human skin and an external environment. The MCE simulator includes a hot chamber providing a high-temperature environment, a cold chamber providing a low-temperature environment, a skin model selectively coupled to the hot chamber or the cold chamber while being vertically erect, a water supplier supplying water to a hot plate included in the skin model, and a controller controlling the hot chamber, the cold chamber and the skin model, and processing data on temperature and humidity measured by sensors. The skin model includes the hot plate receiving heat and water while being vertically erect and simulating human skin, a ring-shaped frame coupled to a side of the hot plate and supporting a fabric to be separated from the side of the hot plate, and the sensors measuring temperature and humidity inside and outside the fabric. The MCE simulator may properly simulate a state of wearing clothes by employing the vertical skin model and effectively measure properties of clothes to transfer heat and moisture according to rapid changes in an external environment by including the hot and cold chambers.
US07680626B2
Systems and methods are provided for analyzing the timing of circuits, including integrated circuits, by taking into account the location of cells or elements in the paths or logic cones of the circuit. In one embodiment, a bounding region may be defined around cells or elements of interest, and the size of the bounding region may be used to calculate a timing slack variation factor. The size of the bounding region may be adjusted to account for variability in timing delays. In other embodiments, centroids may be calculated using either the location or the delay-weighted location of elements or cells within the path or cone and the centroids used to calculate timing slack variation factor. The timing slack variation factors are used to calculate a new timing slack for the path or logic cone of the circuit.
US07680620B2
A device for measuring the dynamic matrix sensitivity of an inertia sensor is provided with a motion generating machine or a vibrating table for inducing a translational or rotary motion, an acceleration measuring unit, an angular velocity measuring unit or angular acceleration measuring unit, an output device for fetching an output from the unit, one or, pre light reflectors, a displacement measuring device for seizing a multidimensional motion by using a laser interferometer radiating light from a plurality of directions to the light reflectors, a data processing unit for processing a data indicating the state of motion and obtained from the displacement measuring unit, and a displaying device to display or a transmitting device to transmit the output of the data processing unit and the output of the acceleration measuring unit, angular velocity measuring unit or angular acceleration measuring unit. Since the accelerometer is exposed to acceleration in every conceivable direction and possibly fails to find a correct value of acceleration as encountered by the conventional one-dimensional calibration, it is actually calibrated by applying acceleration from all possible directions thereto.
US07680617B2
Methods and systems for controlling processes related to the amount of fluid in a container subjected to externally-excited motions. Fluid level sensor measurements in processing tanks on-board boats are confused by ocean waves and swells. A hydrodynamic model of a fluid in a tank can be constructed using non-linear dynamic model algorithms with inputs such as multi-axis accelerations, fluid viscosity, and apparent level measurements. The model can be used to filter-out boat motion disturbances to obtain a corrected level of the fluid in the tank. The corrected fluid level signal can be further processed using a dynamic model of the tank and associated input and output flow rates in a closed loop observer. The methods and systems are especially advantageous for offshore equipment such as cementing and fracturing ships.
US07680603B2
Systems and methods for determining the elbow or Ct value in a real-time, or kinetic, PCR amplification curve data set. The PCR data set may be visualized in a two-dimensional plot of fluorescence intensity vs. cycle number. A rotation transform is applied to the data set to rotate the data about a defined coordinate such as the origin so that the data point representing the Ct value becomes a minimum or a maximum along the intensity axis. The data point representing the elbow or Ct value of the PCR curve is identified, and this data point is then rotated back and the cycle number of the data point is returned or displayed.
US07680602B2
Methods for identifying and modulating the subset of constitutively expressed locus-specific proteins in the brain, the deactivation of which selectively impairs the otherwise normal behavioral response to given stimulus, which is correlated with a particular elementary mental state.
US07680597B2
CAD data of a guided vehicle system is converted into layout data of a map. The layout data is displayed on a screen. Attribute data is added to the layout data to edit the map data. The edited map data is distributed to overhead traveling vehicles. By controlling a probe vehicle to actually travel on a travel route, positions of load ports and buffers on the map, and data about transfer to/from these load ports and buffers are verified, and updated, and then, the resulting data is distributed to the other overhead traveling vehicles and a controller.
US07680596B2
Traffic information, including flow information and incident information, obtained through a traffic management system for providing and facilitating the exchange of traffic information between a remote location and a vehicle may be used in route calculation by a navigation device. The navigation device may recalculate a route based on anticipated user error. Alternatively, the navigation device may recalculate a route using received traffic information triggered by the receipt of a traffic information update, or triggered by the passage of an amount of time. The broadcast rate of traffic information updates may vary temporally (providing more frequent updates during peak commute times) or geographically (providing more frequent updates to metropolitan areas with increased traffic information needs). If route calculation is triggered by an elapsed amount of time, the amount of time may vary to be shorter during peak commute times. Additional route calculation techniques allow the incorporation of historical traffic information or the use of the most recent traffic information if incomplete traffic information is available. Still further route calculation techniques may calculate a best route by avoiding zigzagging or evaluating an assigned cost of a potential route.
US07680587B2
A monitoring method and a monitoring arrangement, wherein: (a) first comparison value is established based on information from a sensor as to the measured magnitude of a parameter related to exhaust gases flowing out of an exhaust gas aftertreatment appliance included in an exhaust aftertreatment system; b) a second comparison value corresponding to the first comparison value is established based on a value representing the magnitude of said parameter calculated on the basis of a calculation model; c) a difference value representing the difference between said comparison values is established; d) steps a)-c) are repeated during a certain period of time and a variance value representing the variance of the difference value during this period of time is established; and e) the variance value is compared with a given threshold value for generation of information regarding the functioning of the sensor or the system.
US07680586B2
A method and system are disclosed for compensating a mass air flow signal produced by a mass air flow sensor in fluid communication with an air intake passageway of an internal combustion engine. A mass air flow signal produced by the mass air flow sensor is monitored and an expected oxygen concentration of exhaust gas produced by the engine is determined. A compensation parameter is determined as a function of the expected oxygen concentration and a measured value of the oxygen concentration of the exhaust gas. A compensated mass air flow value is determined as a function of the mass air flow signal and the compensation parameter.
US07680585B2
An internal EGR control device for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of properly controlling an internal EGR amount, while causing conditions of burned gases to be reflected thereon in controlling the internal EGR by changing valve-closing timing of an exhaust valve. An internal EGR control device sets a target internal EGR amount EGRINCMD as a target of the internal EGR amount according to detected operating conditions of an internal combustion engine, and a target internal EGR amount EGRINC is determined by correcting the target internal EGR amount based on a gas state equation, using obtained temperature and pressure of exhaust gases, and a calculated gas constant R. Then, according to the corrected target internal EGR amount EGRINC, the valve-closing timing of an exhaust valve is calculated, and a variable valve mechanism is controlled based on the calculated valve-closing timing of the exhaust valve.
US07680579B2
A wheel speed detection system including a rotator, a sensor head, a detector, a pulse converter, a speed calculator and a threshold shifter. Plural concave and convex portions are formed on a periphery of the rotator rotating together with a wheel. The sensor head includes a coil to generate an alternate current magnetic field. The detector excites the coil to generate an eddy current on the concave and convex portions, and outputs alternate current detection signals corresponding to changes in the eddy current generated with rotation of the rotator. The pulse converter converts the alternate current detection signals into pulse signals according to preset threshold levels. The speed calculator calculates rotational speed of the wheel based on the pulse signals. The threshold shifter shifts the threshold levels corresponding to a difference between a default average and an average of the alternate current detection signals actually outputted from the detector.
US07680576B2
To maintain operating safety by driving force distribution control system when an abnormal state arises and to smoothly transition from a normal state to an abnormal state without sudden changes in vehicle behavior. The driving force distribution control part calculates the transfer torque for the transfer clutch for the center differential device and the torque movement for the hydraulic motor for the rear wheel final reduction gear. When the control state detection part detects an abnormal state, there is control of the hydraulic motor in the direction that torque movement is lost on the one hand, and the transfer torque for the transfer clutch is controlled in the direction of front and rear distribution; after a preset time and after this control is carried out, the transfer torque drops.
US07680575B2
A transmission control system for a vehicle includes a driver input device that generates a driver input signal and a control module that receives the driver input signal. The control module determines an operating mode of a transmission based on the driver input signal and selects a gear ratio of the transmission based on the operating mode. The operating mode includes one of a maximum performance mode, a power mode and a fuel economy mode.
US07680574B2
An information system for a vehicle includes a computer for handling informational data corresponding to operation of the vehicle. A primary display is connected to the computer in a position to be viewed by a driver of the vehicle for presenting the informational data in multiple, sequential, interactive menu screens. A manual controller mounted on the steering wheel allows input to the computer and manipulation of the primary display through the menu screens. The controller includes a scroll wheel which is oriented so that its rotational axis is parallel to the steering axis. The controller includes a central push button for activating a particular selection highlighted on the primary display. A plurality of category selector buttons operate as mode switches for activating various vehicle system subjects through the information system. The scroll wheel and push button selectors establish an interface for the driver which can be operated intuitively, without taking eyes off the road or releasing the driver's grip of the steering wheel.
US07680572B2
An onboard-equipment control apparatus controls activation of an onboard apparatus such as an air conditioner and termination of the operation of the onboard apparatus in order to prevent an onboard battery from running out of residual electric charge in advance. Upon detection of a state in which an onboard radio apparatus is not capable of receiving a termination command from a cellular phone or the cellular phone is not capable of transmitting a termination command to the onboard radio apparatus while the air conditioner is in operation, the onboard-equipment control apparatus forcibly terminates the operation of the air conditioner even before a termination condition is satisfied. Thus, the onboard battery can be prevented in advance from running out of accumulated electric charge required for operating the activated air conditioner thereafter.
US07680568B2
A start-stop or idle-stop method for a heavy-duty hybrid vehicle that turns off the fuel supply while maintaining the crankshaft rotation of the internal combustion engine when the vehicle stops or, optionally, when the vehicle travels downhill, travels in a noise sensitive location, travels in an exhaust emissions sensitive location, or operates in an emergency situation. The stop-start or idle-stop method automatically turns on the engine fuel supply to restart combustion when the vehicle starts accelerating, is no longer traveling downhill, is no longer traveling in a noise sensitive or exhaust sensitive location, is no longer in an emergency situation, or has dropped below the minimum energy storage restart level.
US07680559B2
A computer-implemented method for creating a set of wafer transfer instructions configured to transfer a wafer between an origination wafer-holding location and a destination wafer-holding location in a plasma cluster tool, which has a plurality of wafer-holding locations. The method includes receiving a first user-provided location indicator and a second user-provided location indicator, which graphically identify the origination wafer-holding location and the destination wafer-holding location respectively on the on-screen graphical representation of the plasma cluster tool. The method further includes ascertaining data pertaining to a path between the first user-provided location indicator and the second user-provided location indicator. The method further includes forming the set of wafer transfer instructions responsive to the data pertaining to the path. The set of wafer transfer instructions is configured to transfer the wafer along a set of wafer-holding locations associated with the path.
US07680558B2
The process searches a block that contains a current line segment for any other line segments and, if they are found, calculates a distance between an endpoint of the current line segment and endpoint nodes of all the line segments found in the block. The process sequentially searches for the line segments in the block in accordance with search order determined on the basis of a search ranking table if a search range is not crossed over and calculates the distances between the endpoint of the current line segment and the endpoint nodes of the found line segments. Then, the process compares the distance from the endpoint node of the already line segment found and the distance from the newly found endpoint node and outputs the smaller one as the next line segment.
US07680557B2
The present invention provides a system for processing a semiconductor substrate using a laser beam, the system including: a storing unit storing a process control data set for a slot for loading the semiconductor substrate therein; a process controlling unit detecting identification information of the slot in which the semiconductor substrate is loaded, and reading the control data, which is set for the detected identification information, from the storing unit to control a process of the semiconductor substrate; and a substrate processing unit processing the semiconductor substrate on the basis of the read control data using the laser beam with a predetermined energy.
US07680556B2
The present invention discloses a new data collection method employed by a middle layer between the host and the equipment, which improves the speed and consistency of data collection. The middle layer incorporated with the proposed data collection method functions as a data format converter as well as a data processor/classifier, which helps to filter and format messages before delivering data to the host or equipment. The proposed data collection method enables the middle layer to perform local reply, local data sampling, and group data polling, thus relieving processing resources of both the equipment and the host. This allows implementation of APC on older wafer fabrication processes using old equipment.
US07680551B2
An industrial robot includes a first member, a positioning member arranged to be attached to the first member, a second member arranged to rotate relative to the first member, and a first joint for coupling the first member with the second member. The second member has a contact point arranged to contact the positioning member. An indication for requesting to enable the positioning member to contact the contact point is displayed. The second member rotates at the first joint relatively to the first member while the positioning member can contact the contact point. It is detected whether or not the contact point of the second member contacts the positioning member. A position of the second member is stored as an origin when it is detected that the contact point of the second member contacts the positioning member. This method prevents a possible failure of the attaching of the positioning member, and decreases a work load on an operator.
US07680550B2
A system is provided to facilitate state processing in an industrial control environment. The system includes a unit module to process components in an industrial control facility. A status component associated with the unit module provides present state information for the components.
US07680546B2
Smart graphic elements are provided for use as portions or components of one or more graphic displays, which may be executed in a process plant to display information to users about the process plant environment, such as the current state of devices within the process plant. Each of the graphic elements is an executable object that includes a property or a variable that may be bound to an associated process entity, like a field device, and that includes multiple visualizations, each of which may be used to graphically depict the associated process entity on a user interface when the graphic element is executed as part of the graphic display. Any of the graphic element visualizations may be used in any particular graphic display and the same graphic display may use different ones of the visualizations at different times. The different visualizations associated with a graphic element make the graphic element more versatile, at they allow the same graphic element to be used in different displays using different graphical styles or norms. These visualizations also enable the same graphic element to be used in displays designed for different types of display devices, such as display devices having large display screens, standard computer screens and very small display screens, such as PDA and telephone display screens.
US07680538B2
A method for treating a medical condition, such as obstructive sleep apnea, includes the step of stimulating a nerve, particularly the hypoglossal nerve, using at least one of the following techniques: (a) continuous low-level electrical stimulation; (b) electrical stimulation synchronized with a physical process, such as inspiration, without feedback from the nerve being stimulated; and (c) intermittent electrical stimulation at controlled intervals based on the patient's metabolism.
US07680537B2
An approach to providing disordered breathing therapy includes providing therapy based on a prediction of disordered breathing. One or more patient conditions are detected and used to predict disordered breathing. Therapy is delivered to mitigate the predicted disordered breathing. The disordered breathing therapy may be adapted to enhance therapy efficacy and/or to reduce the impact of the therapy to the patient.
US07680534B2
Cardiac monitoring and/or stimulation methods and systems employing dyspnea measurement. An implantable cardiac device may sense transthoracic impedance and determine a patient activity level. An index indicative of pulmonary function is implantably computed to detect an episode of dyspnea based on a change, trend, and/or value exceeding a threshold at a determined patient activity level. Trending one or more pulmonary function index values may be done to determine a patient's pulmonary function index profile, which may be used to adapt a cardiac therapy. A physician may be automatically alerted in response to a pulmonary function index value and/or a trend of the patient's pulmonary index being beyond a threshold. Computed pulmonary function index values and their associated patient's activity levels may be stored periodically in a memory and/or transmitted to a patient-external device.
US07680532B2
A method and apparatus to determine possible atrial fibrillation or absence of atrial fibrillation that includes detecting pulse rhythms from a succession of time intervals each corresponding to a respective interval of time between successive pulse beats; analyzing the detected pulse rhythms to make a determination of possible atrial fibrillation; indicating the possible atrial fibrillation from the determination; or making a determination of the absence of atrial fibrillation.
US07680527B2
The present invention is a technique and apparatus for acquiring anatomic information used in diagnosing and characterizing abdominal aortic aneurismal disease and the like. This technique provides anatomic information, in the form of images, using a combination of a plurality of magnetic resonance angiography sequences, including a spin-echo and four contrast enhanced (e.g., gadolinium) magnetic resonance angiography sequences. The anatomic images may be used in, for example, pre-operative, operative and post-operative evaluation of aortic pathology, including aneurysms, atherosclerosis, and occlusive disease of branch vessels such as the renal arteries. The gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography provides sufficient anatomic detail to detect aneurysms and all relevant major branch vessel abnormalities seen at angiography operation. This technique and apparatus allows for imaging the aorta at a fraction of the cost of conventional aortography and without the risks of arterial catheterization or iodinated contrast.
US07680510B2
A transceiver system for RF communications in a wireless network includes a transceiver having first and second receivers and a transmitter. The first receiver and transmitter are connected to first antenna section. The second receiver is switchable between connection to a second antenna section and connection to the first antenna section. In a dual diversity mode, the second receiver is connected to the second antenna section, and the two receivers are tuned to the same RF channel set. Thus, multi-path faded signals in the RF channel set are received at the two antenna sections. In a cross-connected mode, two of the transceivers are used together, with the second receiver in each being connected to the first antenna section. Each transceiver supports one antenna, and the receivers in each transceiver (as well as the transmitters) are respectively tuned to different RF channel sets. Thus, system capacity is doubled in conjunction with diversity reception.
US07680505B2
A service provider uses a telemetry gateway to communicate with radio communication devices using various incompatible short message service (SMS) protocols. A communication, from the service provider to a radio communication device, passes through the telemetry gateway. The telemetry gateway determines the communication protocol of the radio communication device and converts the communication from a common protocol to the radio communication device's protocol. The telemetry gateway also determines and sends the converted communication over the appropriate communication path for receipt by the radio communication device. The telemetry gateway is also operable for providing registration information and receiving a communication from a radio communication device. The telemetry gateway can convert the received communication to a common protocol and transmit the converted communication to the service provider.
US07680502B2
A radio frequency detection assembly is described and which includes a radio frequency detector which detects a radio frequency emission produced by a radio frequency emitter from a given location which is remote relative to the radio frequency detector; a location assembly electrically coupled with the radio frequency detector and which is operable to estimate the location of the radio frequency emitter from the radio frequency emission which has been received; and a radio frequency transmitter electrically coupled with the radio frequency detector and the location assembly, and which transmits a radio frequency signal which reports the presence of the radio frequency emitter.
US07680501B2
A method of providing a location estimate for a mobile station in a wireless communications network. The method of providing the location estimate includes implementing, in parallel, a plurality of different location estimate generation methods, each location generation method generating a location estimate. The method of providing the location estimate also includes selecting one of the location estimates based on predetermined criteria.
US07680498B2
A method for the reverse signaling of a transmission service is used during a call from a first telecommunication network. A mobile terminal is called in the supply range of a target switchboard of a digital mobile radio network from the first telecommunication network, and the information completely describing the transmission service which is to be used is exchanged between the mobile terminal and the destination mobile switchboard of the digital mobile radio network, is stored in the destination mobile switchboard and is transported by at least one signaling message ADDRESS COMPLETE, ANSWER to at least one access mobile switchboard involved in the call which to be made, whereupon it is made available.
US07680495B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for analyzing and designing various network configuration scenarios. A modular design allows market assessment and network planning functions to be performed more efficiently and accurately using a single integrated design tool. Wired and wireless access technologies can be modeled and evaluated. In an exemplary implementation for modeling and evaluating fixed wireless access networks, the network planning tool comprises a market scenario planner, a cluster analysis tool, a hub sector planner and a network architecture planner. Generally, the market scenario planner analyzes a listing of potential customers to generate a list of target customers. The cluster analysis tool allows the network planner to identify “clusters” of demand for potential hub placement. The hub sector planner analyzes the hub assignments generated by the cluster analysis tool and allocates each building in a given hub to a particular sector. The network architecture planner processes the output of the hub sector planning tool to (i) generate a complete configuration of the network in terms of equipment requirements at each node (each building, hub and service node); and (ii) compare a set of scenarios using several financial measures.
US07680494B2
A wireless terminal having processing resources, a user interface including a user input device and a display, and a wireless interface causes a file to be printed to a destination printer that is unsupported by the wireless terminal. The processing resources communicatively couple to the wireless interface and to the user interface and are operable to receive a file via a servicing wireless network and the wireless interface, receive a request via the user interface to print the file, identify a destination printer, determine that the wireless terminal does not support printing of the file at the destination printer, identify a servicing device for processing of the file for printing at the destination printer, and transmit the file to the servicing device via the wireless interface and the servicing wireless network.
US07680483B2
Disclosed herein are a mobile contents access, transmission and reception method using a hyperlink message, the method allowing predetermined contents to be displayed or to be activated when a hyperlink of the hyperlink message is selected, the hyperlink message includes hyperlink information designating a connection point at which the contents will be executed on the terminal, and free communication identification information indicating that a communication fee normally charged to the terminal is not charged, the terminal adds an indication of free communication to the hyperlink message and displays them on a display means, the contents are activated in the terminal through the connection between the terminal and the connection point, and when the connection is terminated, the mobile communication provider server calculates the communication fee to be charged for the connection through, and stores it as billing information for the contents provider rather than billing information for the terminal.
US07680482B2
Peer-A (101) broadcasts a Peer Lookup Query (107) to a Peer Discovery Service (PDS) (105). Peer-A (101) may receive a Peer Lookup Response (109) from any peer having the reachability information including a Time Stamp, and an Initial Sequence Number. Peer-A (101) may subsequently use the Time Stamp and Sequence Number to send session management and session media packets to Peer-B (103). Peer-A (101) and Peer-B (103) reciprocally store message identification including sequence number and timestamp in a local session record contained in a secure memory. At completion of the IP session, both Peer-A (101) and Peer-B (103) will dump the session records from their respective secure memories to a remote Session Log Database (115), via message (117) and message (119), respectively. The remote session DB consolidates the records and uses the temporal and causal relationships between the messages to resolve any data conflicts and recreate the complete session record.
US07680481B2
A method of processing multi-leg calls in a communication network is provided. The method comprises: receiving a call for a user at a first entity in the network; establishing a first call leg to a second entity; generating a first charging data record with at least one field, wherein the field contains a charging identifier for the first call leg; receiving a response from the second entity; establishing a second call leg to a third entity; generating a second charging data record with at least two fields, wherein the first field contains a charging identifier for the second call leg and the second field contains a copy of the charging identifier for the first call leg; and sending the charging data records to a third entity.
US07680480B2
Techniques are disclosed for determining, for each candidate communication medium, the availability of one or more telecommunications endpoint users for participating in a communication session of interest (i.e., either new or existing) via the evaluated medium. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, an availability manager determines the availability based on (i) one or more discrete rules, or (ii) one or more continuous functions, or both. The continuous functions are specified with respect to the time that has elapsed since a previous session, the time remaining in an active session, and the expected duration of a new session. Once it has determined the availability of one or more participants in the communication session, the availability manager of the illustrative embodiment transmits one or more signals to a call-processing server, which then sets up the participants on the session via the appropriate communication medium such as voice, instant messaging, and so forth.
US07680473B2
A signal gain control circuit. A gain stage receives and amplifies an analog signal by a first gain factor adjusted by a gain adjusting signal in a periodic manner with a first period, and outputs an amplified signal. An analog to digital converter converts the amplified signal to a first digital signal comprising a stream of samples. An amplifying device adjusts a second gain factor in a periodic manner with a second period in accordance with a characteristic metric of the distribution of the first digital signal and multiplying the first digital signal by the second gain factor to generate a second digital signal. A first gain adjusting device detects a strength of the second digital signal and generates the gain adjusting signal according to the signal strength of the second digital signal in a periodic manner with the first period.
US07680470B2
A radio communication system includes a remote device radio, and a base station radio operable to communicate with the remote device radio at a first channel and at a second channel using non-simultaneous frequency diversity. The base station is operable to communicate with a device other than the remote device at the second channel while the remote device radio and the base station radio are communicating at the first channel. A radio using non-simultaneous frequency diversity includes an antenna, a radio frequency module coupled to the antenna such that the radio frequency module is operable to transmit or receive radio frequency signals at a first channel and signals at a second channel using the antenna, and a baseband module coupled to the radio frequency module. The baseband module operable to transmit or receive signals through the radio frequency module, such that signals transmitted or received by the radio employ non-simultaneous frequency diversity using the first channel and the second channel. Additional devices are operable to use the second channel while the radio is transmitting or receiving radio frequency signals at the first channel.
US07680465B2
Various embodiments are disclosed relating to sound enhancement for wireless audio devices. A technique may include determining one or more user-specific audio processing parameters, receiving an RF signal from a first wireless device, demodulating the received RF signal to obtain an audio signal, processing the audio signal based on the one or more user-specific audio processing parameters to generate a user-specific audio signal. The user-specific audio processing parameters may be based on user preferences, or may, for example be based on a user auditory profile or other information to allow a received audio signal to be processed to at least partially compensate for a user's specific hearing impairment.
US07680464B2
An RF interconnection between RF Printed Wiring Boards (PWBs) includes a waveguide transmission line coupled between the RF PWBs. The waveguide feeds are provided as integral parts of each PWB. In one embodiment, the waveguide interconnecting the PWBs is provided as an integral part of a support structure which supports the PWBs. By providing the interconnecting waveguide and the feeds at each end of the waveguide as integral pieces of other already existing structures, a reliable, low cost RF interconnection between RF PWBs having relatively few separate pieces is provided.
US07680462B2
A wireless transceiver system for compensating a transport loss includes a transceiver (100), a tower mounted amplifier (TMA) (200), and a transport loss detector (400). The transceiver transmits a first signal at a transmit power. The first signal is changed into a second signal after cable attenuation from the transceiver. The TMA is connected to the transceiver via a cable, receives a second signal, and amplifies the second signal. The transport loss detector is connected to the TMA, and calculates a transport loss between the transceiver and the TMA. The TMA further compensates the transport loss between the transceiver and the TMA according to the calculated result of the controller.
US07680454B2
A wireless network system arranges a plurality of access points along the aisles in a vehicle having two or more aisles. The positions of the access points on the first aisle and the positions of the access points on the second aisle are arranged in a zigzag pattern. The distance between neighboring access points is thus great, and there is no signal interference between adjacent access points.
US07680450B2
Method for jamming detection in a mobile telecommunications network comprising the steps of, at a user equipment registered with the mobile telecommunications network: a) measuring a signal power level in at least one of a plurality of communication channels between the user equipment and a base station within a band of operation of the mobile telecommunications network; b) checking whether the signal power level in said at least one communication channel is greater than a threshold MNPL and, if so, attempting to decode a Base Station Identity Code BSIC broadcast by the base station in said communication channel; c) repeating steps a) and b) for a certain number of channels; d) signalling a jammed condition report JDR message to the base station if said BSIC cannot be decoded for said number DCMN of channels.
US07680445B2
A belt assembly in an image forming apparatus includes a belt which includes a guiding rail on one side, a first roller which includes a receiving part which supports the guiding rail, and a second roller which includes one end which does not interfere with the guiding rail, wherein the belt is supported and rotated by the first roller and the second roller. The intermediate transfer belt has a flatness such that image errors such as crinkles or irregular horizontal bands can be prevented.
US07680444B2
A toner cartridge includes a toner container which contains toner, the toner container having at one end portion thereof a discharge port which discharges the toner, and a member which is attached to an outer peripheral surface of the one end portion. The member has a first part which is engaged with the one end portion, and a second part which has, at a position corresponding to the discharge port, a passage hole through which the toner discharged from the discharge port passes.
US07680437B2
An apparatus for driving a machine in a replaceable cartridge supporting a first rotatable element for transferring rotary motion to the machine includes a housing for accommodating the cartridge at a pre-determined position. The housing supports a second rotatable element. A locking mechanism includes a component, provided on a certain one of the first and second rotatable elements, capable of assuming a state of readiness in which, with the cartridge at the pre-determined position, the component is positioned relative to the other rotatable element such that, upon rotation of the second rotatable element in at least one direction, the first rotatable element rotates with the second rotatable element, and in which state the rotatable elements are axially decoupled. The certain one of the first and second rotatable elements is provided with a mechanism for exerting a torque on the component tending to establish the state of readiness.
US07680436B2
A developing unit is to be attachable to and detachable from an image forming device main body. The developing unit is provided with a developer case, a developing roller coupled with the developer case, and a movement member coupled with the developer case. The movement member is capable of moving between a housing position where the movement member is substantially housed inside the developer case and a protruding position where the movement member protrudes beyond the developer case. The movement member is positioned at the protruding position and pushed by the image forming device main body in a predetermined direction while the developing unit is being attached to the image forming device main body.
US07680433B2
A process cartridge includes an image carrier, a developing device, a first casing for supporting the image carrier, and a second casing for supporting the developing device. The first casing and the second casing are freely combined in a rotatable manner as coupling pins are inserted into first insertion holes formed in the first casing and a second insertion hole formed in the second casing. An engaging means, by which the coupling pin is press-fit into the first insertion hole, and the coupling pin is kept from being press-fit into the first casing and the second casing after being pre-fit, is disposed in at least one of the first casing and the second casing, and the coupling pin.
US07680432B2
An image forming apparatus having removable/replaceable process cartridges is provided. One of the removable/replaceable process cartridges may be removed/replaced from a panel which is different than a panel from which the other removable/replaceable process cartridges may be removed/replaced. One of the removable/replaceable process cartridges may be associated with an exposure device which is only used to expose a portion of that process cartridge while the other removable/replaceable process cartridges may be associated with at least one other exposure device. An image forming apparatus may include two or more different types of exposure devices (e.g., laser based, light emitting diode based, etc.). An image forming apparatus may include a plurality of guide members for guiding portions of an exposure device arranged on a panel of the image forming apparatus such that when the door or panel is arranged on the image forming apparatus, the exposure device is guided into position by the guide members.
US07680427B2
A high voltage power supply apparatus according to the present invention is a high voltage power supply apparatus that applies a bias voltage at least to a developing roller of a developing unit, the apparatus comprising: a transformer that increases an AC voltage and includes a main winding and a sub winding on the secondary side thereof; a first capacitor whose first end is connected to a common connection point between the main and sub windings; a second capacitor whose first end is connected to one end of the sub winding which is not the common connection point side; a zener diode whose both ends are connected to the second end of the first capacitor and second end of the second capacitor; and a DC voltage application section that applies a DC voltage to the zener diode, wherein a voltage generated in the second end of the first capacitor is used as a voltage to be applied to the developing roller.
US07680424B2
Internally-heated external rollers transfer heat rapidly to a fuser roller in an electrostatographic printer. Stored media process set points, input image content and input media type data are used to regulate the heat transfer rate by varying the nip width between the heated external rollers and the fuser roller. The rate of heat transfer and the rate of heat transfer adjustment are sufficiently rapid that many different media weights and types may be mixed in a print run without restrictions on media run lengths, without collation requirements per run, and without productivity losses due to slowing of feed rate for heavier receivers.
US07680423B2
Wear of the photoreceptor drum can be suppressed, and degradation of image quality of recorded images can be suppressed.When instruction information (image information and control information) for instructing formation of a developed image on a plurality of recording sheets S is inputted, driving of the photoreceptor drum 50, the developing device 52 and the transfer roller 56 is controlled such that formation of the developed image on a plurality of the recording sheets S according to the instruction information is continuously performed, and driving of the photoreceptor drum 50, the developing device 52 or the transfer roller 56 is controlled such that, in the course of the continuous image formation, driving of the photoreceptor drum 50, the developing device 52 or the transfer roller 56 is halted at least once.
US07680421B2
A multimode optical fibre communications system, and in particular to a system in which non-linearities in the propagation of the signal through a multimode optical communications channel degrade the signal presented to the receiver. The system includes an optical transmitter unit for connection to a multimode optical fibre transmission link. The transmitter unit has a data input for receiving an input data signal, a data signal processing circuit and a source of optical radiation. The data signal processing circuit is arranged to receive the input data signal from the data input and to provide a processed data signal to the source of optical radiation and the source of optical radiation is arranged to generate from this an optical signal for transmission by a multimode optical fibre. The data processing circuit is arranged to provide from the input data signal a non-inverted data signal and an inverted data signal, receive a control signal for controlling the generation of the processed data signal, apply a controllable delay in accordance with the control signal to at least one of the non-inverted and inverted data signals, and combine the non-inverted and inverted signals after the application of the controllable delay(s) and gain factor(s) to generate the processed data signal.
US07680417B2
A system is disclosed. The system includes a first optical transceiver having a first set of transmitters and a first set of receivers and a second optical transceiver having a second set of transmitters coupled anti-symmetrically to the first set of receivers of the first optical transceiver and a second set of receivers coupled anti-symmetrically to the first set of transmitters of the first optical transceiver.
US07680414B2
A Passive Optical Network system implementing a parent station capable of receiving high-speed burst signals transmitted from a plurality of subsidiary stations to a parent station, with excellent bandwidth utilization efficiency in the link from the stations to the parent. The system is provided with a configuration in which, when launched or an addition of a new subsidiary station, the parent stores threshold values appropriate for the received signals on the basis of the strength of the received signal for each subsidiary station, from among a plurality of preset threshold value candidates, and in response to the parent station's sending of a transmission grant with respect to each subsidiary station each time the subsidiary station transmitting optical signals changes, the stored threshold value corresponding to the subsidiary station is set in the receiver circuit.
US07680413B2
An optical network monitoring system and method provide for optical network diverting or further legal intercept, operational and/or other monitoring of general or specific transmission information that may be transmitted via a network optical branch. In one embodiment, a splitter within a diverter assembly diverts a portion of a received transmission signal (strength) to an optical receiver or re-transmitter, and outputs a further portion of the signal via a diverter assembly output or further via a re-transmitter or booster. In another embodiment, the splitter is generally matched to the receiver. A further embodiment provides for transferring the diverted portion to a monitoring assembly with which the diverting assembly may be matched, disposed or otherwise integrated, and which may provide for configuring the diverting assembly. The monitoring assembly may further provide for conducting monitoring processing, which may include receiving additional information from a service host or other system component, processing the diverted portion, additional information or both, and/or using the additional information for processing the diverted portion. The monitoring assembly may still further receive a monitoring request from a monitoring requester or other authorization authority that may include monitoring processing criteria, and may transfer designated content to a designated receiver.
US07680405B2
The present invention provides a lens operation device connected to a lens apparatus and adapted to operate a function which the lens apparatus has. The structure of the lens operation device includes: a plurality of switches including an auxiliary switch; and a controller for detecting the function of the lens apparatus and for assigning execution of the function to the auxiliary switch.
US07680399B2
Systems and methods for producing and delivering vapor are disclosed. A vaporizer tank containing a liquid may be heated such that liquid within the tank is heated and vapor generated. The flow of this vapor to a destination may then be regulated. Embodiments of the present invention may control the temperature of this liquid such that a saturated vapor condition is substantially maintained in the vaporizer tank. The vaporizer tank is coupled to a mass flow controller which regulates the delivery of the vapor to downstream components. By substantially maintaining the saturated vapor condition within the vaporizer tank the pressure of vapor at the mass flow controller can be substantially maintained and a stable and consistent flow rate of vapor achieved.
US07680396B2
A reproduction player (10) comprising a packet processing unit (14) for allowing A/V data reproduced from a recording medium by a disc reproducing unit (12) and an encoder (13) to be packet data so that communication packet is provided, and for inserting additional information indicating operating state of the reproduction player (10) into the communication packet, and a remocon (20) comprising a packet processing unit (25) for taking out additional information along with A/V data from communication packet that a receiving unit (24) has received, an output unit (21) for externally outputting music and/or image on the basis of the A/V data, and a display unit (22) for displaying operating state of the reproduction player (10) on the basis of the additional information are used to constitute a reproducing system which reproduces music and/or video data. User can recognize, on the real time basis, the state of the unit of the transmitting side which reproduces A/V data at an remote output equipment.
US07680386B2
A retractable optical fiber assembly is provided, including a first ring adapted to accommodate a first winding of a fiber optic cable having a first end. A second ring is positioned concentrically with the first ring. The second ring is rotatable with respect to the first ring, and the second ring is adapted to accommodate a second winding of the fiber optic cable having a second end. Rotating the second ring in a first direction causes the fiber optic cable to wind onto the second ring thereby retracting the second end towards the retractable optical fiber assembly, and causes the fiber optic cable to unwind about the first ring thereby retaining the first end in a stable position as the second end is retracted. A module is also provided that includes a plurality of retractable optical fiber assemblies.
US07680385B2
A self-supported optical correlator has a first holder having two opposite ends, one of the opposite ends being provided with anchor points, the other end being provided with a light source. The correlator also has a second holder having two opposite ends, one of which is provided with anchor points, the other being provided with a light receiving element, and a plurality of intermediary holders, each having two opposite ends provided with anchor points, at least one of the intermediary holders being provided with a spatial light modulator for projecting an image and another of the intermediary holders being provided with another spatial light modulator for projecting a filter. Each of the intermediary holders is provided with optical components secured within the holders. The said anchor points are adapted to secure the first, second and intermediary holders together linearly end to end; so that when the intermediary holders are assembled end to end, and the first holder is assembled at one extremity and the other holder is assembled at another extremity, the resulting assembly forms said optical correlator. The optical components are toleranced, and the anchor point serve to assemble a structure which does not require additional adjustments.
US07680384B2
A mechanical splice fiber optic connector installation tool operable for performing splice terminations and verifying an acceptable splice termination includes a power source, a connector holder, an integrated Visual Fault Locater having an optical transmission element and a display for displaying the status of the termination. An adapter configured to receive the connector and align the connector with the optical transmission element, such that the optical transmission element is spaced apart from the connector at a predetermined distance and is in optical communication with the connector for propagating light energy through the adapter and along the stub optical fiber to a termination area of the connector.
US07680383B1
An optical modulator is provided. The optical modulator includes a ridge-shaped active region comprising a plurality of alternating high and low index layers. The ridge-shaped active region is used to confine a selective optical mode for optical modulation. A plurality of oxidized layers positioned so as to confine the selective optical mode in the middle region of the ridge-shaped active region. The oxidized layers enable the optical modulator to withstand high operating voltages both in reverse and forward bias without concern of breakdown or carrier loss.
US07680380B2
A fiber optic jumper assembly comprising at least one bend performance optical fiber comprising a core region and a cladding region surrounding the core region, the cladding region comprising an annular hole-containing region comprised of non-periodically disposed holes, a protective covering positioned over the at least one bend performance optical fiber, and at least one connector mounted upon each end of the at least one bend performance optical fiber. A preconnectorized fiber optic jumper assembly comprising a microstructured fiber having a delta attenuation of 0.00 dB at 5 wraps about a 6 mm diameter at a reference wavelength of 1625 nm.
US07680378B2
A system and method which integrates a mirror at the fiber tip to the fiber tip and uses a tilted flat at the exit plane to prevent astigmatism caused by the cylindrical curvature of the fiber wall and minimize reflection.
US07680375B2
A production device and a production method for a grating-type optical component enabling formation of a variety types of FBGs using a single phase mask and an optical component made by the production method or production device for a grating-type optical component are provided. The method involves diffusing at least one of hydrogen or deuterium into an optical fiber and altering the refractive index of the optical fiber by irradiating the fiber with non-interfering UV lamp light.
US07680371B2
An interface device for performing mode transformation in optical waveguides includes an optical waveguide core for propagating light of a particular wavelength or a plurality of wavelengths. The optical waveguide core terminates in a subwavelength grating configured to change the propagation mode of the light. The subwavelength grating has a pitch sufficiently less than the wavelength of the light to frustrate diffraction. The device can thus serve as an optical coupler between different propagating media, or as an anti-reflective or high reflectivity device.
US07680370B2
Provided is an optical wavelength coupler using a multi-mode interference. The optical wavelength coupler is a planar waveguide type optical device that can distribute or couple two optical signals having different wavelengths by using the multi-mode interference. The optical wavelength coupler is suitable for integration and is small-sized. Also, the optical wavelength coupler has a low manufacturing tolerance and a low loss, and is insensitive to TE/TM polarization.
US07680365B2
An optical fiber sheet comprises optical fibers sandwiched between sheet members and fixed thereto. Distal ends of the optical fibers extend from outer peripheral edges of the sheet members with resin coatings applied to the distal ends to produce extensions. The distal ends of the extensions are inserted into fiber holes of connectors with the resin coatings applied to the distal ends to be connected with the connectors.
US07680361B2
An optical buffer device includes plural optical memory elements that are capable of holding light and an optical delay element. The plural optical memory elements are arranged on an optical path through which signal light and control light propagate in mutually opposite directions. Further, the optical delay element is disposed between the optical memory elements that are adjacent to each other. The optical delay element imparts different delays to the signal light and the control light. According to a preferred exemplary embodiment of this optical buffer device, each of the optical memory elements includes an optical waveguide through which the signal light and the control light propagate and an optical resonator that is disposed in proximity to this optical waveguide, and a coupling between the optical waveguide and the optical resonator is generated or cancelled depending on whether or not the control light is inputted.
US07680360B2
An information processing system includes a memory portion that stores image information of a space in association with a document, the image information being captured by an image capturing portion, the document being used while the space being captured, a receiving portion that receives information that specifies the document as a search request, and a search portion that searches the image information stored on the memory portion for a scene associated with the document specified by the search request, on the basis of the search request.
US07680356B2
The addition of comfort noise to an image serves to hide compression artifacts. To facilitate comfort noise addition, supplemental information accompanying a video image contains at least one parameter that specifies an attribute regarding comfort noise. Typically, the supplemental information includes parameters that function to turn the comfort noise on and off, as well as to indicate the level of noise to add, based on the expected level of compression artifacts.
US07680354B2
A method includes (a) performing image deblur at the original size of underexposed and normally exposed images when their original image size is small. Otherwise, the method includes (b) downsizing the images and performing image deblur on the downsized images. The image deblur on downsized images includes (c) applying a global color transfer between the images if their difference of average gray values is small. Otherwise, the method includes four successive sub-procedures: (d) histogram customizing of the underexposed image based on the normally exposed image; (e) region segmentation for the histogram-customized underexposed image and local alignment of regions in the histogram-customized underexposed image with the normally exposed image; (f) color tuning for the histogram-customized underexposed image based on the local alignment and a global alignment between the underexposed and the normally exposed images; and (g) local color transfer with multi-size neighbor windows from between the images.
US07680351B2
Methods and systems for processing pixels within a current macroblock are disclosed. Aspects of the method may comprise acquiring a plurality of pixels that are adjacent to the left of a plurality of selected pixels within the current macroblock. A portion of the plurality of selected pixels within the current macroblock may be filtered along a vertical edge utilizing a portion of the acquired plurality of pixels that are adjacent to the left of the plurality of selected pixels. The at least a portion of said filtered plurality of selected pixels within the current macroblock may be rotated. The current macroblock may be filtered along a horizontal edge, utilizing at least a portion of the rotated plurality of selected pixels.
US07680350B2
Systems and methods are provided for progressive mesh storage and reconstruction using wavelet-encoded height fields. A method for progressive mesh storage includes reading raster height field data, and processing the raster height field data with a discrete wavelet transform to generate wavelet-encoded height fields. In another embodiment, a method for progressive mesh storage includes reading texture map data, and processing the texture map data with a discrete wavelet transform to generate wavelet-encoded texture map fields. A method for reconstructing a progressive mesh from wavelet-encoded height field data includes determining terrain blocks, and a level of detail required for each terrain block, based upon a viewpoint. Triangle strip constructs are generated from vertices of the terrain blocks, and an image is rendered utilizing the triangle strip constructs. Software products that implement these methods are provided.
US07680349B2
Coding quantized transform coefficients as occur in image compression combines a position identifying method to identify the relative position of clusters of consecutive non-zero-valued coefficients, an amplitude event identifying method to identify amplitude events in the clusters of non-zero-valued coefficients, and a coding method to code the position events, amplitude events, and signs of the amplitudes in the clusters. The method is particularly applicable to a series of quantized transform coefficients where clusters are likely to occur.
US07680342B2
An analysis and classification tool compares at least a portion of a captured image and a reference image of nominally the same scene. One of the captured and reference images is taken with flash and the other is taken without flash. The tool provides a measure of the difference in illumination between the captured image and the reference image. The tool compares the measure with a threshold and categorizes the scene as outdoor or indoor based on the measure.
US07680341B2
In an image classification system (70), a plurality of generative models (30) correspond to a plurality of image classes. Each generative model embodies a merger of a general visual vocabulary and an image class-specific visual vocabulary. A gradient-based class similarity modeler (40) includes (i) a model fitting data extractor (46) that generates model fitting data of an image (72) respective to each generative model and (ii) a dimensionality enhancer (50) that computes a gradient-based vector representation of the model fitting data with respect to each generative model in a vector space defined by the generative model. An image classifier (76) classifies the image respective to the plurality of image classes based on the gradient-based vector representations of class similarity.
US07680340B2
A method for improving scene classification of a sequence of digital images is disclosed herein. Such a method may include providing a sequence of images captured in temporal succession; (b) classifying each of the images individually based on information contained in the image alone to generate a first image classification; and (c) imposing a pre-determined temporal context model on the sequence of images to generate a final image classification for each image in the sequence.
US07680335B2
A system and method are provided for prior-constrained mean shift analysis of a data array, the system including a processor, an input adapter in signal communication with the processor for receiving at least one data array, and a prior constraints unit in signal communication with the processor for performing a prior-constrained mean shift analysis on the at least one data array; and the method including receiving initialization data, selecting an initial point relative to the initialization data, Gaussian fitting with a prior-constrained mean shift responsive to the initial point to parse a structure, and setting the parsed structure as a prior constraint.
US07680334B2
A method for presenting recognized handwritten symbols includes recognizing a detected handwritten pattern. Recognizing may include comparing the handwritten pattern to templates representing ways of writing symbols and returning a best interpretation of the handwritten pattern. The best interpretation may be based on the pattern of a best template. At least two templates may include different patterns which represent different ways of writing a single symbol, and the patterns of the at least two templates may return different best interpretations when being most similar to the handwritten pattern. The method further includes presenting the pattern of the best template on a screen. A device for implementing the method may also be provided.
US07680333B2
A system and method for storing document data in a serialized binary format recognition lattice structure so that the data is accessible to other applications. The lattice structure is generated that includes root node data. Child nodes correspond to columns of the recognition lattice. Each node includes a descriptor that is a collection of flags indicating presence of specific components of the node. The child nodes may include grandchild nodes with similar structure corresponding to elements within the columns. Each node further includes property information associated with the node. The recognition lattice is stored in a serial binary data format.
US07680321B2
An after develop inspection tool considers tool-to-tool variability when determining confidence score for wafers under inspection. A golden wafer is used to calculate a RGB signature as well as the slope of the individual RGB curves for different lamp intensities. These slopes are normalized in order to generate a compensation factor for red values and blue values within a signature. When a wafer is subsequently inspected at an ADI station using a different lamp, the test wafer RGB signature is likely captured at a different lamp intensity. Consequently, when comparing the signatures, the golden wafer RGB signature is adjusted by the compensation factors, based on the different lamp's intensity setting, and this adjusted RGB signature is then used to determine whether a defect exists on the test wafer.
US07680314B2
Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise a method, which can comprise automatically rendering an improved image of a target object. The improved image obtained based upon a principal mode of the target object. The principal mode of the target object can be provided to an algorithm that is adapted to derive the improved image of the target object.
US07680311B2
A computerized method to aid in human visual reading of phantom image data for task-based image quality assessment. A digital image is registered to a phantom template to generate a plurality of individual targets. The individual targets are sequentially displayed to a user for visual assessment. A display control adjustment is provided for each of the displayed individual targets. The user then indicates at least one assessment of the displayed individual target, and the assessments for all the plurality of targets is stored for analysis. In one arrangement, the individual targets are randomly rotated prior to being sequentially displayed.
US07680308B2
The business method known as QAISys (Quality Assessment and Improvement System) is a process that rates comprehensively and continually the quality of medical images as determined by the interpreting radiologist. The output of this system conveys feedback from the radiologist to the performing technologist and his/her supervisor. This feedback enables medical radiologists, technologists, and managers to bridge any communication gaps between themselves in respect to the quality and effectiveness of medical images. It permits management to assess and track image quality for an entire medical imaging department by modality, location, and/or shift, and for each individual technologist. The QAISys method reveals the nature of recurrent quality failures and highlights which exam types need to be improved. QAISys then indicates practical, cost-effective means of assessing and improving the overall medical images for future patients.
US07680307B2
The systems and methods described herein provide for fast and accurate image segmentation through the application of a multi-stage classifier to an image data set. An image processing system is provided having a processor configured to apply a multi-stage classifier to the image data set to identify a distinctive region. The multi-stage classifier can include two or more component classifiers. The first component classifier can have a sensitivity level configured to identify one or more target regions in the image data set and the second component classifier can have a specificity level configured to confirm the presence of the distinctive region in any identified target regions. Also provided is a classification array having multiple multi-stage classifiers for identification and confirmation of more than one distinctive region or for the application of different classification configurations to the image data set to identify a specific distinctive region.
US07680304B2
A method of non-destructive testing of a wood piece using a multiplicity of sensors. The method may include the steps of sensing the wood piece; collecting information from the sensors; and integrating the information into a physical model providing for strength and stiffness prediction. The collected information relate to material characteristics of the wood piece and to fiber quality characteristics of the wood piece. The material characteristics may include one or more of the following material characteristics of the wood piece: growth ring thickness; grain angle deviation; clear wood density; knot location; knot density; knot type; knot size; location in the tree from which the wood piece was cut. The fiber quality characteristics may include one or more of the following fiber quality characteristics: microfibril angle, juvenile wood, biodeterioration; reaction wood species; and manufacturing or drying defects including one or more of the following defects: sawcuts, checks, shake; size of actual cross-section, and species.
US07680302B2
The present invention is directed to a real-time automated video cognizer that functions as a facial video processor for detecting drowsiness in operators of motorized vehicles, including the use of a video cognizer to provide pattern recognition and control signal generation during monitoring of macroscopic or microscopic biological processes. More specifically, the present invention accepts input from a video monitoring system that continuously captures the operator's facial images; employing three sequential means of processing the digitized video information to extract the position and configuration of drowsy-relevant facial features and numerically processes this information to yield a quantitative estimate of drowsiness probability in each epoch of monitoring. The means of the present invention are noninvasive, do not restrict driver movement or performance, provide increased measurement reliability for actual driver behavior, and include the capability of generating or triggering suitable alarms when drowsiness occurs.
US07680301B2
A method used in broadcasts of events is disclosed for identifying the coordinates of an object in world space from a video frame, where the object is not on the geometric model of the environment. Once the world coordinates of the object are identified, a graphic may be added to a video replay showing the object. The method may also be expanded in a further embodiment to identify a trajectory of an object over time moving through world space from video images of the start and end of the trajectory, where the object is not on the geometric model of the environment. Once the trajectory of the object in world space is identified, a graphic may be added to a video replay showing the trajectory.
US07680297B2
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for detecting fire in a monitored area even if the flames are hidden behind obstructing objects. The steps of this method include: (a) detecting and capturing, at a prescribed frequency, video images of the monitored area, (b) converting the captured images into two-dimensional bitmaps of the temporally varying brightness values observed in the captured images, wherein the spatial resolution of this bitmap is determined by the number of pixels comprising the bitmaps, (c) specifying for any two of the pixels in the bitmaps a temporal coherence factor whose magnitude is a measure over a prescribed time of the similarities observed in the temporal variations of the brightness values being captured at each of the bitmap's pixels, (d) computing this temporal coherence factors for each of the prescribed set of pixels in the captured images, and (e) analyzing the computed temporal coherence factors to identify those sets of pixels that have temporal coherence factors whose values are above a prescribed threshold value, wherein this prescribed threshold value is set so as to identify those pixels that correspond to regions of the monitored area whose temporal variations in brightness indicate that the source of this brightness is a fire in the monitored area.
US07680294B2
An acoustic transducer includes a magnetic circuit part and a voice coil operatively connected to the magnetic circuit part. A tubular casing accommodates the magnetic circuit part and the voice coil. An annular first support spring has an outer peripheral portion embedded and secured in the casing. The first support spring extends radially inward from the inner peripheral surface of the casing and has an inner peripheral portion abutting on and fixed to the magnetic circuit part. An annular second support spring has an outer peripheral portion abutting on and fixed to one end portion of the casing. The second support spring extends radially inward and has an inner peripheral portion abutting on and fixed to the magnetic circuit part.
US07680293B2
A loudspeaker apparatus includes a speaker unit and a front cover. The speaker unit generates acoustic waves according to an external electronic signal. The front cover located in front of the speaker unit includes a plurality of elastic spacers and a diaphragm, and the elastic spacers and the diaphragm form an enhanced chamber, such, that the acoustic waves generated by the speaker unit go through the enhance chamber, and then drives the diaphragm to generate the acoustic waves again.
US07680289B2
This invention is a method for binaural localization using a cascade of resonators and anti-resonators to implement an HRTF (head-related transfer function). The spectrum of the cascade reproduces the magnitude spectrum of a desired HRTF. The proposed method provides a considerably more computationally efficient implementation of HRTF filters with no detectable deterioration of output quality while saving memory when storing a large quantity of HRTFs due to the parameterization of its resonators and anti-resonators. Finally, the method offers additional flexibility since the resonators and anti-resonators can be manipulated individually during the design process, making it possible to interpolate smoothly between HRTFs, reduce spectral coloring or achieve higher accuracy at perceptually relevant frequency regions. These HRTF are useful in stereo enhancement and multi-channel virtual surround simulation.
US07680286B2
A wide frequency range signal from a test sound source is reproduced successively by a plurality of speakers, and the reproduced sound is detected by a plurality of microphones, after which the frequency characteristics are obtained at FFTs, while obtaining the frequency characteristics of the wide frequency range signal at an FFT. A high frequency range level is normalized with a low frequency range level, and a determination section compares the normalized value with a reference value stored in a reference value storage section to determine the number and positions of people in the sound field. The transfer functions between the speakers and the microphones are calculated at transfer function calculators, and impulse responses are obtained at IFFTs, after which a reverberation time calculator calculates the reverberation time based on the impulse responses. An audio signal is adjusted based on the results.
US07680283B2
A method and system for detecting a predetermined sound event, such as the sound of breaking glass. Data representing monitored sounds is stored, such as in a circular buffer, while a preliminary assessment is made in real time as to whether the monitored sounds potentially include the predetermined sound event. If there is a potential correspondence, the already stored, pre-event data is frozen, and additional data including, and following, the event is stored. Next, the stored pre-event and additional data is retrieved from storage and provided to a processor that applies one or more algorithms to determine, with finality, if the event corresponds to the predetermined sound event.
US07680281B2
An intercept system provides more effective and more efficient compliance with legal intercept warrants. The intercept system can provide any combination of operations that include near-real-time intercept, capture of intercepted data in structured authenticated form, clear text intercept for communications where there is access to encryption keys, cipher text intercept for communications where there is no access to encryption keys, provision of transactional logs to the authorized agency, interception without altering the operation of the target services, and encryption of stored intercepted information.
US07680269B2
A method ciphers a standardized stream of compressed audio or video data, wherein at least one part of the bits of data packets delimited by two consecutive synchronization markers is ciphered by pseudo-random stream.
US07680267B2
An earbud headset, a handset including the same, and methods of operating the headset and handset are provided. In one embodiment, an earbud headset includes a speaker portion that is retractable into and extendable from a base portion, thereby allowing for a thin profile form factor. Advantageously, the earbud headset allows for more convenient storage and/or integration with a handset such that a user may carry the handset and headset much like a single item.
US07680260B2
An apparatus and method are disclosed that enable a private branch exchange to determine that a voice mail system has answered a call, without some of the disadvantages in the prior art. The private branch exchange—or, generally-speaking, a data-processing system—infers that the voice mail system has answered a call by timing key events or by noting some of indications that are received from another system, or both. Subsequently, the private branch exchange drops the voice mail system from the call, thereby minimizing the non-enterprise voice mail system's handling of calls that are originated to an on-premises terminal.
US07680258B2
The present invention relates to a method for providing user equipment information associated with use of services provided via a communication system. The method comprises a step of collecting, in a network element, use information relating to use, by the user equipment during a period, of a service provided via the communication system. The method comprises a further step of loading, by the network element, the use information on the user equipment according to a predetermined plan. An information provision entity, user equipment and a communication system are configured to execute the method.
US07680257B1
A method and system for automatically updating the structure of a telecommunications network are described. The system receives information that equipment has been added or removed from the telecommunications network; and automatically updates information regarding the structure of the telecommunications network to reflect that the equipment has been added or removed from the telecommunications network.
US07680255B2
An outlet for a Local Area Network (LAN), containing an integrated adapter that converts VoIP to and from analog telephony, and a standard telephone jack (e.g. RJ-11 in North America) for connecting an ordinary analog (POTS) telephone set. Such an outlet allows using analog telephone sets in a VoIP environment, eliminating the need for an IP telephone set or external adapter. The outlet may also include a hub that allows connecting both an analog telephone set via an adapter, as well as retaining the data network connection, which may be accessed by a network jack. The invention may also be applied to a telephone line-based data networking system. In such an environment, the data networking circuitry as well as the VoIP/POTS adapters are integrated into a telephone outlet, providing for regular analog service, VoIP telephony service using an analog telephone set, and data networking as well. In such a configuration, the outlet requires two standard telephone jacks and a data-networking jack. Outlets according to the invention can be used to retrofit existing LAN and in-building telephone wiring, as well as original equipment in new installation.
US07680253B2
A mailbox system that notifies the mail recipient, via a communication network, of the presence of physical mail in his or her mailbox. A button is placed in each mail slot that causes an electronic notification message to be sent to the mail recipient, thus notifying the mail recipient of the presence of physical mail in his or her mail slot and also causes an LED to be illuminated. When the physical mail is retrieved from the mail slot, the button is pressed again to deactivate the LED. Individual pieces of physical mail can be tagged with a RFID tag. A sensor in the mail slot reads the RFID tag and causes an electronic notification to be sent to the mail recipient.
US07680250B1
An interactive method and system of testing an automated call telephonic communication system. The method and system includes a testing system configured to test an automated call telephonic and/or telecommunication network. The testing system includes a testing subsystem that conducts the telecommunication test and sends the test results to a monitoring subsystem of the testing system to process the test results and display them to the end user. An end user is able to monitor the testing of the telecommunication system in real time with an Internet-enabled end user station that is in secure communication with the testing system.
US07680247B2
A combination radiography and fluoroscopy system includes in one embodiment a radiography radiation generator and radiography radiation receiver, a fluoroscopy radiation generator and fluoroscopy radiation receiver, and a single computer system connected to receive signals from the radiography radiation receiver and fluoroscopy radiation receiver. The single computer system includes signal processing paths for the radiography signal and for the fluoroscopy signal wherein some processes or modules are common between the paths and some are path specific. The path specific processes are preferably connected in parallel. Common controls and a common interface are provided to the monitor connected to the computer system. An alternative uses a single radiation receiver for both radiography and fluoroscopy, along with the single computer system Another alternative provides for separate computers for signal processing of the radiography and fluoroscopy signals, the two computers running substantially identical signal processing programs.
US07680246B2
Wavelength dependence of diffraction X-ray intensity of a single crystal sample is measured using an X-ray incident optical system of simple structure so that the polarity of the single crystal sample can be judged. When the polarity of the {111} face of a GaAs single crystal sample (18) is judged, for example, an X-ray source (10) which can generate X-rays in a predetermined wavelength range including in the middle the wavelength at the K absorption end of Ga, i.e. an X-ray source of Au target, is employed. An X-ray beam (12) emitted from that X-ray source is reflected on a paraboloidal multilayer film mirror (14) to form a parallel beam (16) including an X-ray in a predetermined wavelength range. The sample (18) is irradiated with the parallel beam and the intensity of a diffraction X-ray therefrom is detected by an X-ray detector (22). Wavelength dependence of diffraction X-ray intensity is measured in the wavelength range including the wavelength at the absorption end by performing 2θ/ω scanning. Polarity is judged by determining the ratio of diffraction X-ray intensity on the shorter wavelength side than the absorption end to diffraction X-ray intensity on the longer wavelength side than the absorption on end.
US07680242B2
An X-ray examination apparatus includes a scanning X-ray source for outputting X-rays, a sensor base which is attached with a plurality of X-ray sensors and which rotates about a rotation axis, and an image acquiring control mechanism for controlling rotation angle of the sensor base and acquisition of image data from the X-ray sensors. With respect to each X-ray sensor, the scanning X-ray source moves the X-ray focal position of the X-ray source to each starting position of the X-ray emission set so that the X-ray transmits through a predetermined examination area of an examination target and enters each X-ray sensor, and emits the X-rays. The image control acquiring control mechanism acquires image data detected by the X-ray sensors, and a calculation unit reconstructs an image of the examination area based on the image data.
US07680237B1
A containment vessel of a boiling-water nuclear power plant and a method of operating a condenser in a nuclear power plant, include a drain pipe which connects a top region of the containment vessel to a condensing chamber disposed in the containment vessel. The drain pipe draws off noncondensible gases from the surroundings of a building condenser in the containment vessel and thus maintains reliability of performance of the building condenser. The noncondensible gases flow automatically into the condensing chamber through the drain pipe. As a result, the building condenser may have a simple and cost-effective structure.
US07680225B2
It is determined whether phase noise and parasitic oscillation take place on the basis of a carrier-to-noise (C/N) ratio calculated with amplitudes in an amplitude direction of signal points of a reception signal and a C/N ratio calculated with amplitudes in a phase direction of the signal points of the reception signal. Further, when it has been determined that phase noise and parasitic oscillation take place, an alarm is displayed on a screen. When it has been determined that phase noise and parasitic oscillation take place, the phase of a demodulation circuit is compensated based on the detected phase noise.
US07680219B2
A bit sequence (b, b′) from QPSK or QAM symbols is decoded, in which an associated receive probability (w, w′) is assigned to each receive bit (b, b′). The receive probability (w, w′) is adaptively determined taking into account the transfer properties of the channel.
US07680217B2
Various apparatus and methods for related to clock recovery are disclosed. For example, in one illustrative embodiment, a clock recovery circuit includes a coding circuit adapted to translate a stream of first digital numbers derived from a source signal into a stream of first binary numbers and a stream of second binary numbers, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuit coupled to the coding circuit and configured to provide an analog output based on the streams of first and second binary numbers and a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) controlled by the analog output of the DAC circuit and adapted to produce a base clock having a base clock frequency.
US07680215B2
An apparatus, and a method performed by the apparatus, including a terminal with a front end receiver and analog filter (AF) operable throughout a bandwidth that is large enough to cover the total bandwidth used by different access technologies that the terminal supports. The terminal is operable to simultaneously extract from the output of a single front end receiver and AF the carrier frequencies and bandwidths of the different access technologies. This permits cell evaluation activity and an ongoing communication session to be conducted simultaneously with different access technologies on different bandwidths within the bandwidth of the analog filter and without interruption of the communication session.
US07680209B2
a method whereby a linearization training sequence is designed to be transmitted by means of a radiofrequency transmitter incorporated in a mobile terminal or a base station of a radiocommunication system comprising a fixed network. The sequence is adapted for transmitting bursts in accordance with a specific frame structure. Besides, the sequence is included in a sequence of symbols further designed to enable the transmission chain parameters to be adjusted.
US07680206B2
Embodiments are directed to a link adaptation method that selects the optimum transmission scheme and modulation and coding signal (MCS) level within a MIMO system, based on optimal maximum throughput on the channels. The method selects the MCS levels and spatial rate values for broadband communication systems based on the instantaneous broadband MIMO-OFDM signaling capacities. The transmission rate over the transmission channel is selected based on a comparison of the capacities achieved under diversity coding and spatial multiplexing MIMO transmission schemes. The effect of a particular receiver type or implementation can also be factored into the signaling capacity. For a fixed target probability of error, the scheme or spatial rate that has the higher instantaneous throughput is selected for transmission.
US07680203B2
A wireless communication apparatus for receiving spatially multiplexed signals in which a plurality of streams are spatially multiplexed, using a plurality of antennas, includes the following elements: a channel matrix estimator for estimating a channel matrix for multiplexed channels; a spatial decoder for spatially decoding received signals each of which has been received by a corresponding antenna so as to separate the received signals into individual stream signals by obtaining an antenna weight matrix from the estimated channel matrix, and then multiplying each received signal by the antenna weight matrix; a likelihood information estimator for estimating likelihood information using the estimated channel matrix, the antenna weight matrix, and estimated noise power; and a soft decision decoder for performing soft decision decoding on each stream signal on the basis of the estimated likelihood information.
US07680202B2
A communication system that transfers digital data on a fixed frequency channel of a radio frequency band in the presence of interference from at least one FHSS interference source includes a time diversity generation circuit. The time diversity circuit compacts a duration of data frames then replicate the time compressed data frames. The duplicated time compressed frames of data are transmitted to a communication receiver that has a time diversity data recovery circuit. The time diversity data recovery circuit buffers the received compressed and replicated data frames, evaluates whether each of the duplicated time compressed data frames are received correctly. If any one of the duplicated time compressed data frames is destroyed, the copy of the destroyed duplicated time compressed data frame is used to recover the data frame.
US07680195B2
The invention relates to a method for the COFDM demodulation of a signal received from a transmission channel. The inventive method includes performing the fast Fourier transform of the signal received in a window corresponding to a symbol, each symbol being associated with a guard time reproducing one part of the symbol; supplying a set of estimated values for the module impulse response; determining coefficients, each coefficient being obtained from the product of the aforementioned set and a filtering function (FE) for a determined relative position of the filtering function in relation to the set; determining the maximum coefficient and the corresponding relative position; and positioning the window as a function of the relative position, the filtering function including a central part (LMAX) which has a constant amplitude and a duration equal to the duration of the guard time and which is surrounded by non-zero decreasing edges.
US07680187B2
A transcoder for executing a re-coding process on an encoded stream generated based on an MPEG standard to generate a re-coded stream having a different GOP (Group of Pictures) structure or bit rate. A decoding device of a transcoder decodes a source encoded stream to generate decoded video data and extracts past coding parameters superposed in the encoded stream as history_stream( ). An encoding device receives the decoded video data and the past coding parameters and uses the past coding parameters to carry out an encoding process in a manner such that this process will not degrade image quality, thereby generating a re-coded stream. The encoding device superposes, as re_coding_stream—info( ), information indicating the selected past coding parameters.
US07680182B2
The image encoding device of the present invention is an image encoding device that encodes a still image and a moving image, the device including: a determination unit that determines a first upper limit and a second upper limit, the first upper limit indicating an upper limit of the amount of code per picture of still images, and the second upper limit indicating an upper limit of the amount of code per picture in a moving image; an encoding unit that encodes each of the still images and the moving image in such a manner that the first and second upper limits are satisfied; a multiplexing unit that generates a stream by multiplexing the encoded still images and the encoded moving image; a generation unit that generates management information that identifies the first and second upper limits; and an output unit that outputs the stream and the management information.
US07680179B2
A data communication system includes circuitry to assure components respond to variations in the time length of the valid data window or “eye” of the high speed data communication signal. A self-test portion of the system periodically injects the effects of phase jitter into the data communication signal to assure the system performs properly.
US07680173B2
A system and method are provided for performing a spread spectrum clock generation, where the system includes self-adjusting delay line configured to spread the spectrum of a fixed circuit using a fixed clock frequency and a delay circuit configured to generate an adjustment signal to the delay line by adding or subtracting an addition delay per cycle, therefore causing a shift in the output clock frequency, wherein the amount of shift is proportional to the rate of addition or subtraction of delay.
US07680164B1
Various laser drivers and methods are provided. In one embodiment, a laser driver is provided that comprises a laser driver circuit having a common anode portion and a common cathode portion. The common anode portion and the common cathode portion are each configured to drive a laser. Also, the laser driver includes a control input to alternatively enable one of the common anode portion and the common cathode portion to drive the laser.
US07680159B2
Laser light (λL) within a spectrum range is generated (51g) and filtered (29g). Thereby the spectral location of the filter characteristic (λF) is shifted in a controlled manner (60) to establish a desired characteristic of output laser light as for considering a temperature depended shift (ΔÑ) of the spectrum range generated by the laser source (51g).
US07680151B2
A system is provided for the controlling the transmission of best-effort filed data or programs on channels from one of plural controllers to one or more client nodes. A program is a group of files and has program information indicating to a client node how to use the files of the program. A channel is a virtual path, wherein a client node can receive program files from different channels in a separate fashion. Channels also have channel information. Multiple controllers are provided which self configure in rank order to control the schedule transmission of programs files on channels. Client nodes receive announcements of programs and channels from the controllers and selectively subscribe to the channels and programs. Client nodes can be instructed to positively acknowledge receipt of programs and also send back negative acknowledgements for ranges of data words in a program files not received. The negative acknowledgements can be consolidated to reduce the number of packets on the network. The format of packets carrying program files and acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement messages are specified.
US07680142B1
A communications chip having a plurality of ports. Each port is provided with an interface for attachment to an external communications facility to exchange data traffic. There is also a switching matrix for routing data traffic on the chip between the ports. The chip further includes a plurality of logic analyzers. Each logic analyzer is associated with a corresponding one of the ports. Each logic analyzers is operable to monitor data traffic passing through its corresponding port and to trigger on one or more predetermined conditions relating to the monitored data traffic. The chip further includes a control interface to allow reconfiguration of the predetermined conditions for at least one of the logic analyzers.
US07680140B2
An integrated circuit includes receive circuits for receiving packets, transmit circuits for transmitting packets, a packet DMA circuit for communicating packets to and from a memory controller, and a switch for selectively coupling the receive circuits to transmit circuits. The integrated circuit may flexibly merge and split the packet streams to provide for various packet processing/packet routing functions to be applied to different packets within the packet streams. An apparatus may include two or more of the integrated circuits, which may communicate packets between respective receive and transmit circuits.
US07680139B1
This disclosure relates to methods and systems for queuing traffic in packet-switched networks. In one of many possible embodiments, a queue management system includes a plurality of queues and a priority module configured to assign incoming packets to the queues based on priorities associated with the incoming packets. The priority module is further configured to drop at least one of the packets already contained in the queues. The priority module is configured to operate across multiple queues when determining which of the packets contained in the queues to drop. Some embodiments provide for hybrid queue management that considers both classes and priorities of packets.
US07680132B2
An efficient change to the coding of terminations at a media gateway is made possible by means of a method for carrying out an instruction (2), signalled by a media gateway controller (MGC) to a media gateway (MGW) for changing the coding of at least one live load connection section termination (termination B in FIG. 1) at the media gateway (MGW), whereby the media gateway (MGW), on receipt of the instruction, first carries out a check of the connectability of the terminations (termination B and (termination A in FIG. 1) of said context (termination B termination A etc) with new coding (2, 5/7/9) when said media gateway (MGW) determines, based on one (5 or 7 or 9 in FIG. 1) or several further instructions received by the media gateway (MGW), that all instructions for changing of codings in terminations in said context are available thereto.
US07680118B2
A method and apparatus for processes a downlink frame within a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer (348) where the downlink frame includes a plurality of fragments constituting one or more MAC Service Data Unit (MSDU)s. The MAC layer pre-processes the plurality of fragments of the downlink frame by reordering the fragments to reassemble one or more of the MSDUs (910) until an end-of-frame signal is detected (912). The end-of-frame signal indicates that all of the plurality of fragments for a downlink frame have been received. The MAC layer post-processes the plurality of fragments (916) in response to detecting the end-of-frame signal (912), then delivers the reassembled MSDUs to a next layer (918).
US07680109B2
A packet radio data network and methods have been disclosed, the network comprising at least a gateway node (GGSN), at least one serving node (SGSN) connected to the gateway node, a plurality of radio access nodes (RAN) connected to the serving node (SGSN), the packet radio network transporting packet data from an external packet data network, comprising an Internet Service Provider (ISP), to mobile stations (MS) wirelessly attached to radio access nodes (RAN). The gateway node, subsequent to a PDP multipoint context activation procedure, establishes at least a first multicast tunnel (GTPT1 GTPT4, GTPT10 GTP35) between the gateway node and at least one serving node, the multicast tunnel carrying IP streams pertaining to at least two mobile stations belonging to a common multicast group.
US07680108B2
A method for processing a dual transport stream (TS) which is multiplexed from a normal stream and a turbo stream is provided for a digital broadcasting transmission/reception system. The digital broadcasting signal processing method includes encoding a dual transport stream (TS) which is multiplexed from a normal steam and a turbo stream; interleaving the encoded dual transport stream (TS); turbo-processing by detecting the turbo stream from the interleaved dual transport stream (TS), encoding the detected turbo stream, stuffing the encoded turbo stream into the dual transport stream (TS), and compensating a parity corresponding to the encoded turbo stream; and trellis-encoding the turbo-processed dual transport stream (TS). Accordingly, the digital broadcasting reception performance can be improved in diverse environments.
US07680106B2
In a subscriber line accommodation apparatus, subscriber line termination units individually terminate a plurality of subscriber lines. An address information acquisition unit successively acquires, as address information, a dynamic address dynamically assigned to each of the communication terminals connected to the subscriber lines terminated by the subscriber line termination unit. A packet information reading unit reads out, from a packet to be sent to one of the communication terminals, packet information containing a dynamic address indicating the destination of the packet. An address information coincidence presence/absence determination unit determines whether the readout dynamic address coincides with one of the pieces of address information acquired by the address information acquisition unit. A packet sending control unit permits sending of only a packet determined to be coincident. A packet filtering method is also disclosed.
US07680104B2
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for generating, as well as processing data that is traversing (or will be traversing) a translation device, such as a Network Address Translation (NAT) device. In one embodiment, a method of sending data from a first node to a second node is disclosed. The method includes sending a data packet having a header and a payload whereby the header includes (i) one or more fields which identify an application type that uses addresses and indicates that there is a tag present in the payload that serves as a substitute for an address and (ii) an address and whereby the payload includes a tag that is positioned so that it serves as a substitution for an address that is used the identified application. The one or more fields are associated with the address of the header.
US07680099B2
For enhancing the performance of an adaptive jitter buffer, a desired amount of adjustment of a jitter buffer is determined at a first device using as a parameter an estimated delay. The delay comprises at least an end-to-end delay in at least one direction in a conversation. For this conversation, speech signals are transmitted in packets between the first device and a second device via a packet switched network. An adjustment of the jitter buffer is then performed based on the determined amount of adjustment.
US07680097B1
A network switch having a hybrid switch architecture, which is scalable to increase connectivity, buffering, and bandwidth by using multiple shared-memory switch fabrics and multiple crossbar switch fabrics. Each of the crossbar switch fabrics is coupled to each of the shared-memory switch fabrics. The shared-memory switch fabrics are configured to store and retrieve packets. The crossbar switch fabrics are configured to distribute and recollect packets to and from each of the shared-memory switch fabrics. The network switch having a hybrid switch architecture distributes packets from a crossbar switch fabric to the multiple shared-memory switch fabrics to share the distributed packets among the multiple shared-memory switch fabrics.
US07680095B2
Delay time in a signal transmitted between nodes in daisy chain connection is accurately compensated. A TRX amplifier measures phase difference between a UL frame received from a downstream chain, and a UL frame to be sent out to an upstream chain, and reports the phase difference to a base transceiver station. The base transceiver station calculates advance amount to be set to a downstream TRX amplifier based on the reported phase difference. The TRX amplifier adjusts phase difference between a DL frame received from an upstream chain, and the UL frame to be sent out to the upstream chain depending on the advance amount.
US07680088B2
Disclosed is a method, apparatus and computer program product to achieve enhancements in data transfer speed and reliability. In accordance with a method to operate a wireless device there is provided establishing a first connection path with a wireless network using a first long range transceiver; establishing a second connection path with the wireless network via a short range transceiver with at least one other wireless device that uses a second long range transceiver to establish the second connection path to the wireless network, and at least one of transmitting and receiving information using the first long range transceiver and, via the short range transceiver, the second long range transceiver.
US07680081B2
A mobile node is arranged to perform a high-quality hand-over operation for eliminating an interruption time in communication and keeping the continuance of communication excellent. The mobile node has a function of interfacing with networks and includes a network quality monitor, a hand-over controller, and a network controller. The network quality monitor operates to monitor a network quality based on at least one of an intensity and a radio bandwidth of a radio wave received by network devices. The hand-over controller performs the hand-over operation of transmitting a care of address to an address registering destination in response to a state of the network quality before a communication is disconnected, changing a route of communication information, and switching a connecting destination into a new network. The network controller receives a response that indicates an update of the care of address in the address registering destination and keeping a function of receiving data from the network before being switched until the communication is disconnected.
US07680079B2
Method of signaling QoS information at hand-over between access networks in an IP-based core network
A method of signaling quality of service information in response to a handover from a first access network to a second access network in an Internet Protocol (IP) based mobile network environment, the method comprising: transmitting a resource reservation message from a mobile node to the second access network; transmitting the resource reservation message to an IP-based core network from the second access network; and transmitting a resource reservation confirm message to the mobile node.
US07680075B2
The identification of wireless communication base stations in a region of high base station density is effected using a specific identification signal pattern transmitted by the base stations. In particular, each base station transmits a signal having a pattern with at least two time phase shifts relative to at least one time benchmark. The combination of these phase shifts allows identification of the transmitting base station. Since a plurality of phase shifts leads to a concomitantly larger number of phase shift combinations, the capacity to identify base stations is enlarged.
US07680069B2
An interface device having a first and second data terminal configured for the communication of data in duplex mode, with one of the first and second data terminals always assigned to each direction of the communication, the first and second data terminals configurable during operation such that, in a first mode of operation, the first data terminal is configured to send but not to receive data and the second data terminal is configured to receive but not send data, while in a second mode of operation the first data terminal is configured to receive but not to send data and the second data terminal is configured to send but not to receive data.
US07680067B2
To enable the peer-to-peer synchronization among multiple devices, each device in the peer network keeps track of the changes it makes to any shared data and also keeps track of its own knowledge of the changes made by other devices. When two or more peer devices communicate, they share with each other their information about any changes made to the shared data by them or by other devices. This allows the devices to synchronize with each other to the extent that each of the devices knows what changes have been made by it or by other devices in the peer network.
US07680058B2
The present invention relates to a method of configuring parameters used to transmit packets of data between a data processing and/or transfer terminal, such as a computer or the like, for example, and a radiocommunication network, using a radiocommunication device, in particular a mobile station with an autonomous power supply.The method is characterized in that it consists in authorizing dynamic configuration by the transfer and/or processing terminal of parameters defining a discontinuous reception mode of said radiocommunication device when in a standby mode, after static setting of said parameters by said device, as a function of the autonomy of said device, the responsiveness required of said device, and transmission requirements of said terminal.
US07680054B1
A network manager, configuring for detecting network nodes and configuring network switches, determines addressing field lengths to be used for addressing the network nodes and switching data packets between the network nodes based on the number of detected network nodes. The network manager detects the network nodes by exploring the network according to prescribed explorer procedures. The network manager selects a size of address fields to be used for switching data packets traversing the network, based on the number of detected network nodes. The network manager configures each network switch within the network to switch the data packets based on a switching tag having the selected size and positioned at the start of the packet. Hence, each network switch is able to generate forwarding decisions based on the switching tag at the beginning of each received data packet. The switching tag is distinct from, and substantially smaller than, the existing destination address field. Hence, switching complexity can be minimized for relatively small networks having minimal addressing requirements, reducing latency and simplifying forwarding decisions within the network switches.
US07680052B2
Method and apparatus for performing transmission data rate allocation in a high speed wireless communications network. A macro control loop with the network of base stations on one side and all the subscriber stations on the other side. Subscriber station selects a rate based on the amount of data queued for transmission (100). Adjusts this rate based on the available power headroom of the subscriber station (102). This adjusted transmission rate is then adjusted again to account for protection of base stations in the candidate set of the subscriber station (104). This rate is then adjusted in accordance with busy tone signals indicative of the loading conditions of active set base stations of the subscriber station (108). The base stations react to these action by refreshing measurements of their instantaneous traffic load and providing feedback in the form of soft busy tones. The algorithm is named Closed Loop Resource Allocation.
US07680050B1
A first network client requests initiation of a data transfer with a second network client. An admission control facility (ACF) responds to the initiation request by performing admission analysis to determine whether to initiate the data transfer. The ACF sends one or more packets to the second network client. In response, the second network client sends acknowledgment packets back to the ACF. The ACF performs admission analysis based on the packets sent and the acknowledgment packets, and determines whether the data transfer should be initiated based on the analysis. The admission analysis may be based on a variety of factors, such as the average time to receive an acknowledgment for each packet, the variance of the time to receive an acknowledgment for each packet, a combination of these factors, or a combination of these and other factors.
US07680049B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for applying color based policing at a network node. Committed information rate (CIR) and peak information rate (PIR) buckets used to monitor transmission rates are augmented using CIR overflow and PIR overflow buckets. The CIR and PIR overflow buckets hold tokens provided to CIR and PIR buckets that exceed the associated burst limits. Based on the availability of tokens and the color associated with a received packet, an action can be applied to the packet that promotes the color associated with the packet.
US07680048B2
A massively parallel computer system contains an inter-nodal communications network of node-to-node links. Each node implements a respective routing strategy for routing data through the network, the routing strategies not necessarily being the same in every node. The routing strategies implemented in the nodes are dynamically adjusted during application execution to shift network workload as required. Preferably, adjustment of routing policies in selective nodes is performed at synchronization points. The network may be dynamically monitored, and routing strategies adjusted according to detected network conditions.
US07680035B2
The adaptive bandwidth throttling system implements a graceful diminution of services to the clients by delaying a first class of services provided by a network server in response to the effective bandwidth utilized by this network server exceeding a first threshold. If the demand for the bandwidth by this network server exceeds a second threshold, the bandwidth throttling system escalates the throttling response and blocks the first class of services from execution and can also concurrently delay execution of a second class of services. The implementation of the throttling process can be varied, to include additional levels of response or finer gradations of the response, to include subsets of a class of services. In addition, the threshold levels of bandwidth used to trigger the throttling response can be selected as desired by the system administrator.
US07680024B2
The present invention provides a multilevel read-only optical disk and the method for producing the same. The multilevel read-only optical disk comprises a plurality of the recording pits, each of the longitudinal sections of the recording pits has a multilevel arbitrary shape; the areas of the longitudinal sections of the recording pits are not identical each other; the area of each of the longitudinal sections of the recording pits is defined by the following formula: S=∫h(x)dx, where S represents the area of each of the longitudinal sections of the recording pits, x represents the coordinate value along the width direction of the recording pits, h(x) represents the pit-depth distribution function of the longitudinal sections of the recording pits and the region of the integration covers the whole longitudinal sections of the recording pits. Furthermore, the run length of the multilevel read-only optical disk is limited. The present invention obtains the advantage of both multilevel storage technology and run length limited (RLL) codes. They can improve prominently the storage capacity and data transfer rate of read-only optical disk without changing the wavelength of the laser and optical numerical aperture, and are most compatible with the conventional read-only optical disk system.
US07680022B2
A recording medium having at least one control data area storing control data in a recording unit. The control data may be used for managing an access to the recording medium. The medium having at least one management area storing status information for the control data area, wherein an invalid recording unit in the control data area is skipped and next available recording unit is used.
US07680017B2
A method for writing data to and/or reading data from locations on a surface via a tip comprises moving the tip between the locations on the surface. At each location, energy is selectively applied to the surface via the tip and the tip and the surface are selectively forced together in synchronization with the application of energy.
US07680010B2
A method for recording information on an optical recording medium is provided so that it is satisfied that 0.16≦(Lv×Tcool)/(λ/NA)≦0.30 and 0.06≦(Lv×Ttop)/(λ/NA)≦0.14, where λ is a write wavelength of a laser beam used to irradiate the recording layer of a phase-change optical recording medium, NA is a numerical aperture of an objective lens used for irradiation with the laser beam, Lv is a relative speed between the objective lens and the optical recording medium, Tcool is a pulse time of a cooling pulse inserted immediately following a leading write pulse, and Ttop is a leading write pulse time. The method allows for forming a record mark with a good shape and prevents fluctuations at the front edge of the record mark, which would be otherwise caused by the recrystallization of the recording film being held at a high temperature.
US07680009B2
An optical disc reproducing apparatus has a function of setting a cutoff frequency and a boost amount of a read out signal from an optical disc and performing equalizer adjustment, and includes a system controller for searching for an optimal jitter value by simultaneously changing a cutoff frequency and a boost amount to thereby set positions of jitter measuring points determined on a coordinate plane whose abscissas represent cutoff frequencies and whose ordinates represent boost amounts, and by moving the measuring points.
US07680008B2
A recording method for an optical disk drive is implemented as follows. First, at least one of the level of the focusing error signal, the level of the tracking error signal, a wobble synchronization pattern loss, the error rate of demodulating a wobble signal, the frequency of buffer under-run occurrence, the temperature of the drive, the wobble jitter and the level of write power is detected. If at least one detected value exceeds the preset value, the recording will be ceased. Then, the rotation speed of the optical disk drive is decreased, and the recording is resumed with the decreased rotation speed. If at least one of the temperature of the drive, the wobble jitter and the estimated write power exceeds the reset value before recording starts, the rotation speed of the optical disk drive is decreased before recording.
US07680005B2
Disclosed are detecting apparatus for detecting statuses of an optical disc and methods thereof, which can avoid or reduce erroneous status decisions at the edge of a blank region. The detecting apparatus includes a blank detector, for detecting a blank region of the optical disc to generate a blank detection signal; an edge detector, for detecting a transition of the blank detection signal to generate an edge detection signal; a control circuit, in response to the edge detection signal for outputting control signals; and a defect detector in response to the control signals for detecting defect region of the optical disc to generate a defect decision signal.
US07680004B2
A servo system with in an optical disk drive with an inverse non-linearity compensation is disclosed. An error signal calculated from signals received from an optical pick-up unit can be offset by an offset value and amplified by a gain in the early stages of a calculation of a control signal for controlling a position of the optical pick-up unit. The non-linearity compensation adjusts the gain based on the offset value so that the response of the servo system to changes in the error signal is substantially linear. The error signal can be the tracking error signal in a tracking servo system and can be the focus error signal in a focus servo system.
US07680000B2
The invention relates to a method for production of an antenna section comprising a hydrophone (12) for a submarine antenna which may be composed of several antenna sections, whereby the hydrophones are arranged in a row one behind the other in a rectangular cavity (20) at a separation from each other on the inner wall of the cavity and the cavity is filled with a liquid gel (19) to fix the hydrophones, which thickens after introduction. According to the invention, the assembly procedure for the introduction and positioning of the hydrophones may be simplified whereby each hydrophone is inserted and fixed in the cavity with the longitudinal axis thereof essentially vertical, at a given separation from the previously inserted hydrophone, by means of a pipette (16). Liquid gel is then introduced into the cavity to such an amount that the liquid gel at least partly encloses the hydrophone held by the pipette. After the applied gel has thickened the pipette is withdrawn from the cavity for the insertion of another hydrophone, whereupon the method steps are repeated until the required number of hydrophones are inserted in the cavity.
US07679998B1
A system applicable to acoustic, seismic, electromagnetic, hydrodynamic, and shock waves utilizing a map between signal time series and signal vectors defining the mathematical wave field model characterizing the signal's wave field. This map is developed from wave models relating field values to those on surfaces and corresponding uniqueness theorems. The system should allow for improved resolving power in bearing and elevation for discrimination of sources; detection and direction finding for signals below the average background level; detection based upon resolving power and signal vector characteristics rather than signal to noise ratio; reconstruction of signals of resolved sources for their transmitted information content; and multiple modes of operation. Adaptive incorporation of known undesired signals into the noise background and/or treatment of asymmetric background noise fields is permitted through use of a noise metric-based map yielding signal direction in the presence of diffraction effects.
US07679995B2
A sonar transducer network for observing a seabed includes a controller. A first transducer assembly includes a first acoustic transducer to convert a first ping to a first electrical signal; and a first transducer processor to receive a first electrical signal from the first acoustic transducer to generate the first transducer data. At least one second transducer assembly is spaced apart from the first transducer assembly. The second transducer assembly includes a second acoustic transducer to convert a second ping to a second electrical signal. The second transducer processor receives the second electrical signal from the second acoustical transducer to generate second transducer data. A network bus communicates first transducer data and second transducer data with the controller.
US07679992B2
Methods and devices are provided for investigating an earth formation use electro-kinetics and/or electro-osmosis measurements. In one example, the method includes creating a pressure difference in the earth formation proximate to a wellbore; measuring a generated electro-kinetic property of the earth formation proximate to the wellbore, the generated electro-kinetic property generated by the pressure difference; applying an electric field to the earth formation proximate to the wellbore; measuring a generated pressure change in the earth formation proximate to the wellbore, the generated pressure change generated by the electric field; and determining wettability of the earth formation proximate to the wellbore by the use of the measurement of the generated electro-kinetic property and the measurement of the generated pressure change.
US07679987B2
A circuit for providing a delayed clock signal to a synchronous memory controller controlling a synchronous memory device comprises logic delay circuitry for performing synchronous memory device read access, the logic delay circuitry generating delay interval information. A programmable delay line receives a clock signal and the delay interval information, the programmable delay line delaying the clock signal by the delay interval. A 2-input XOR gate receives both the clock signal and the output of the programmable delay line, an output of the XOR gate providing a delayed 2× clock signal.
US07679983B2
An address path circuit with a row redundant scheme may include an address buffer for buffering an external address to output an internal address, a command buffer for buffering a plurality of external commands, a pre-latch unit for pre-latching the internal address from the address buffer using a specific one of the commands buffered by the command buffer to output a pre-latched internal address, a detector for detecting whether the pre-latched internal address from the pre-latch unit is a repaired address or normal address and outputting one or more detection signals as a result of the detection, an address latch unit for latching the internal address from the address buffer synchronously with a buffered clock to output a latched internal address, and a global address generator for receiving the detection signals from the detector and the latched internal address from the address latch unit and generating a global row address.
US07679982B2
A packaged multi die device includes at least one memory die. The one or more of the memory dice includes a memory function circuit configured to program or read data, a logic circuit configured to control the program operation and the read operation of the memory function circuit in accordance with an inputted operation command, and a power supplying circuit configured to provide a power corresponding to an operation mode to the memory function circuit, and apply an extra power to the logic circuit.
US07679979B1
High speed SRAM is realized such that a first dynamic circuit serves as a local sense amp for reading a memory cell through a lightly loaded local bit line, a second dynamic circuit serves as a segment sense amp for reading the local sense amp, and a tri-state inverter serves as an inverting amplifier of a global sense amp for reading the segment sense amp. When reading, a voltage difference in the local bit line is converted to a time difference for differentiating low data and high data by the sense amps for realizing fast access with dynamic operation. Furthermore, a buffered data path is used for achieving fast access and amplify transistor of the sense amps is composed of relatively long channel transistor for reducing turn-off current. Additionally, alternative circuits and memory cell structures for implementing the SRAM are described.
US07679967B2
A system and methodology that can minimize disturbance during an AC operation associated with a memory, such as, program, read and/or erase, is provided. The system pre-charges all or a desired subset of the bit lines in a memory array to a specified voltage, during an AC operation to facilitate reducing AC disturbances between neighboring cells. A pre-charge voltage can be applied to all bit lines in a block in the memory array, or to bit lines associated with a selected memory cell and neighbor memory cells adjacent to the selected memory cell in the block. The system ensures that source and drain voltage levels can be set to desired levels at the same or substantially the same time, while selecting a memory cell. This can facilitate minimizing AC disturbances in the selected memory cell during the AC operation.
US07679966B2
A flash memory device and a read method thereof are provided. At a read operation, a sense node of a page buffer is developed while a bitline is developed and data of a selected memory cell is sensed based on the develop result of the sense node. For a develop period, voltage loss arising from the sense node is compensated fast and the compensated result is latched, which makes it possible to simplify the design and reduce a chip size.
US07679961B2
For one embodiment, a program starting voltage of one or more program pulses applied to one or more memory cells is in response, at least in part, to on a number of program pulses previously required to program the one or more memory cells and/or an erase starting voltage of one or more erase pulses applied to one or more memory cells is based on a number of erase pulses previously required to erase the one or more memory cells. For another embodiment, a program starting voltage level and/or an erase starting voltage level of one or more program and/or erase pulses applied to one or more memory cells is in response, at least in part, to a number of program/erase cycles previously applied to the one or more memory cells.
US07679960B2
A highly integrated non-volatile memory device and a method of operating the non-volatile memory device are provided. The non-volatile memory device includes a semiconductor layer. A plurality of upper control gate electrodes are arranged above the semiconductor layer. A plurality of lower control gate electrodes are arranged below the semiconductor layer, and the plurality of upper control gate electrodes and the plurality of lower control gate electrodes are disposed alternately. A plurality of upper charge storage layers are interposed between the semiconductor layer and the upper control gate electrodes. A plurality of lower charge storage layers are interposed between the semiconductor layer and the lower control gate electrodes.
US07679955B2
A switching device and methods of making and operating the same are provided. In one aspect, a method of operating a switching device is provided that includes providing a MOS transistor that has a gate, a source region, a drain region and a body region. A bipolar transistor is provided that has a collector, a base and an emitter. The body region of the MOS transistor serves as the base of the bipolar transistor and the drain region of the MOS transistor serves as the collector of the bipolar transistor. Activation of the MOS transistor causes the bipolar transistor to turn on. The MOS transistor is activated to turn on the bipolar transistor and the bipolar transistor delivers current to the source region.
US07679950B2
A reprogrammable switch includes first phase-change material, a reference element, and a sense amplifier. The sense amplifier is coupled to the first phase-change material and the reference element and configured to compare a signal from the first phase-change material to a signal from the reference element and output a voltage signal based on the comparison.
