US07682247B2
A gaming machine's payout is controlled by payout data. In one embodiment the payout data is written in a high level format, such as in a format that is readable by an individual to allow the identification of specific payout parameters in the payout data. In one embodiment the payout data is stored on mass media or removable media located in the gaming machine that makes the payout data easily accessible and less expensive than media used in the prior art. As a result, the payout data may be efficiently modified, updated, or distributed.
US07682245B2
A disclosed gaming machine has a memory storing a list of one or more prizes, a prize display for viewing prize information, and a prize selection mechanism that allows a user playing a game on the gaming machine to select one or more prizes specific to one or more outcomes of the game played on the gaming machine. One or more gaming machines may be connected in a “prize distribution network” to a “prize server.” The prize server may include an interface for providing prize information to the gaming machines connected in the prize distribution network and a memory storing the prize information as groups of prizes for separate display on the gaming machines. With the prize server and prize distribution network, the prizes available as an award on each gaming machine in the prize distribution network may be easily changed.
US07682244B1
A system and method for determined, issuing, and using promotion based awards and games based on those awards that encompass granularity and diversity of individually enforceable options, such as individual games at specified locations, heretofore not achievable in a gaining environment.
US07682241B2
The present invention provides an improved Keno game, which provides an opportunity for the player to win free games. In Keno, the player chooses an amount of numbers to play, usually one to fifteen, and plays against the house. The game or house randomly generates numbers, usually twenty numbers from the numbers one to eighty. The number of matches generated and the amount of numbers the player plays determines whether and how much the player wins. One or more of the random generations is also a free game generation in the present invention, which provides one or more free Keno games to the player if the free game generation results in a match.
US07682237B2
Indication objects are displayed on a television monitor at the intervals in agreement with the rhythm of music, such that the player can generate musical tones in synchronization with music by striking the strike surface of a music game console in the appropriate timing as indicated by indication objects. In this case, the tone quality of the strike sound changes in the progress of music on the basis of strike sound indicating information.
US07682236B2
The invention concerns a harvested crop processing unit with a rotor, a rotor housing enclosing the rotor, a cover element of the rotor housing, and a first group of helical guide rails that can be moved relative to the cover element between an operating position in which they are located underneath the cover element in engagement with harvested crop and a non-operating position in which they are located above the cover element.The invention proposes that a second group of helical guide rails be provided that can be moved alternately with the first group of helical guide rails relative to the cover element between an operating position in which they are located underneath the cover element in engagement with harvested crop and a non-operating position in which they are located above the cover element, and that are provided with an inclination that differs from the inclination of the guide rail of the first group.
US07682225B2
The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus for removing surface roughness produced at a peripheral portion of a substrate, or for removing a film formed on a peripheral portion of a substrate. The polishing apparatus includes a housing for forming a polishing chamber therein, a rotational table for holding and rotating a substrate, a polishing tape supply mechanism for supplying a polishing tape into the polishing chamber and taking up the polishing tape which has been supplied to the polishing chamber, a polishing head for pressing the polishing tape against a bevel portion of the substrate, a liquid supply for supplying a liquid to a front surface and a rear surface of the substrate, and a regulation mechanism for making an internal pressure of the polishing chamber being set to be lower than an external pressure of the polishing chamber.
US07682219B2
Feminine undergarments, particularly brassieres and other body shaping garments that are fabricated using a multi-layered fabric laminate that is formed by gluing multiple fabric layers together, preferably to permit body shaping garments to be substantially fabricated from a single main piece of material or blank cut from the multi-layered fabric laminate and which has finished edges which do not require separate binding or narrow edge finishing, together with a method of making such garments, both on an individual, batch basis, as well as an automated process for making the fabric laminate and multiple garments on a continuous basis, are disclosed. Multi-layer composite fabric laminate materials wherein different portions of at least one fabric layer thereof are made of different fabrics, and a method for making them, are also disclosed.
US07682199B2
A housing includes a plurality of contacts has a flat plate-shaped fitting portion projecting from a body portion to fit to a mating connector. The fitting portion has first and second main surfaces that are opposite each other and a pair of side surfaces connecting between those main surfaces. The contacts each have a contact portion disposed on the first main surface. The fitting portion is provided with a metal cover portion. The metal cover portion extends along a periphery of the fitting portion to cover the second main surface and the pair of side surfaces.
US07682194B2
An electrical card connector assembly (100) includes an electrical card connector and a printed circuit board (PCB) (4). The electrical card connector includes an insulating housing (2), a plurality of terminals (31) received in the insulating housing and a metal shield (1) covering the insulating housing to define a card receiving room. The insulating housing forms an upper face (20), a lower face (21) and two lateral walls (22) and defines at least one cavity (24). The lateral walls form a plurality of blocks (221). The metal shield includes a base (11), a pair of sidewalls (12) and at least one elastic piece (110) extending along a card insertion direction. The sidewalls define openings (121) receiving the blocks of the sidewalls and form at least one retention portion (120). The base forms a baffle (13) at a rear edge thereof. The PCB is attached with the lower face of the insulating housing and electrically connected with the terminals. Both the retention portion and the baffle press against a lower surface of the PCB and the elastic piece extends into the cavity by a horizontal movement of the metal shield relative to the insulating housing and the PCB.
US07682191B2
A connector includes: a housing main body including a rib extending frontward; a front holder fitted into the housing main body from the front, and capable of moving from a temporary locking position to a permanent locking position, and the front holder including a through-hole into which the rib is inserted; means for temporarily locking the front holder; and means for permanently locking the front holder. The rib is long enough for a front end of the rib to agree with, or jut out from, a rear end surface of the front holder which is located rearward in an insertion direction of the front holder while the front holder is held in the temporary locking position. The housing main body includes bendable lances for locking their corresponding terminals inserted into the housing main body. The front holder includes lance pressing parts restricting the bends of the corresponding bendable lances.
US07682190B2
An electrical connector comprises a dielectric housing, a plurality of conductive contacts respectively secured in the dielectric housing, a first lock and a second lock respectively secured in the dielectric housing. The dielectric housing defines a tongue board defining an engaging face located in a first plane and opposite tongue back face. Each conductive contacts comprising a contacting section extending on the engaging face. The first lock is secured in the first end of the dielectric housing; the second lock is secured in the second end of the dielectric housing. Each of the first and second lock comprises a retaining section secured in the dielectric housing and a holding section extending down beyond the dielectric housing. The first plane intersects the holding section of the second lock, but a center of the holding section of the first lock is apart from the first plane and at the same side of the first plane where the tongue back face located.
US07682184B2
An FFC connector according to the present invention includes a FFC (1) and an insulator (3). The FFC defines upper and lower surfaces (10) and (11) opposite to each other, a number of gold fingers (101) formed with the upper surface and exposed outside to contact with a complementary connector, and a reinforcement plate (4) held on the lower surface and supporting the gold fingers during mating with the complementary connector. The insulator abuts against the upper surface of the FFC and has a receiving room (310) for receiving the FFC.
US07682179B1
An electrical connector disposed on a main board and connected to and engaged with a circuit board includes a plastic base, terminals, a board engaging structure and an elastic card-ejecting member. The plastic base is fixed to the main board and formed with a connection slot having an opening. One end of the circuit board may be inserted into the opening. Each terminal disposed on the plastic base has a projecting connection point disposed on the connection slot. The board engaging structure has an engaging portion, which can engage with the circuit board when the circuit board is inserted into the connection slot. The elastic card-ejecting member enters a forced state when the circuit board is inserted into the connection slot by a stroke, and pushes the circuit board out by another stroke so that the circuit board is engaged with the engaging portion when the elastic card-ejecting member bounces.
US07682173B2
An electrical connector (100) includes an insulative housing (1) having a receiving cavity (12) for receiving a mating plug and a plurality of passageways (161, 162, 163, 164, 165); and a plurality of contacts (2) retained in the passageways respectively. The contacts define a first contact (22) which is stationary and having a first contacting portion (224), a first soldering portion (225) and a first base portion (221) connecting with the first contacting portion and the first soldering portion; and a second contact (23) which is movable to mate with the first contact to form a switch and having a second base portion (230) and a second soldering portion (235) extending downwardly from the second base portion, a second contacting portion (232) extending upwardly from the second base portion. The first contacting portion extends in a first direction. The second contacting portion extends in a second direction which is not parallel to the first direction.
US07682157B2
The present invention provides a card edge connector. The card edge connector comprises a bar insulator base which is provided with a plurality of sockets, a group of connecting terminals arrayed in parallel, and two arm base supports arranged between both ends of the insulator base. The connecting terminals are inserted into the sockets of the insulator base to constitute a group of socket electrodes electrically connected with a circuit board. The arm base supports are respectively provided with an auxiliary supporting bracket connected with the circuit board. Each auxiliary supporting bracket is mutually sheathed, articulated and connected with one respective arm base support.
US07682154B2
A balance practicing machine that provides effective balancing practice through the compound movement of an adjustable seat that comfortably accommodates various body types. The balance practicing machine is equipped with a saddle-shaped seat upon which a user sits, a drive unit that imparts a swinging motion to the seat, expandable and contractible elements on the surface of the seat, and a mechanism to expand and contract the expandable and contractible elements.
US07682148B2
A foldable lighter that prevents inadvertent ignition by erroneously pressing the operating button when folding the swing-arm to make the lighter compact.A foldable lighter 1 that comprises a lighter body 2 that contains a fuel tank, a piezoelectric unit 102, an operating button 8, and a swing-arm 4 connected with free swinging to one end of lighter body 2 and that incorporates a locking mechanism to prevent accidental depression of operating button 8. The locking mechanism consists of a projecting portion 74 formed in a predetermined range of cylindrical walls 26a and 26c made integrally with swing-arm 4 and a hook 8b that extends from the operating button along a portion of the cylindrical walls. The aforementioned predetermined range prescribed for the projecting portions is the range in which the hook 8b interferes with the projecting portions when the swing-arm 4 is turned relative to the lighter body 2 by an angle that is below a predetermined value so that if the operating button 8 is depressed when swing-arm 4 is turned relative to the lighter body 2 by an angle that is below a predetermined value, hook 8b will interfere with projecting portion 74, and depression of the button will be prevented.
US07682142B2
A device for melt spinning, treating and winding synthetic threads includes a spinning unit, a treatment unit and a winding unit. The spinning unit, the treatment unit and the winding unit are arranged in tiers one above the other and form a plurality of single-thread or multi-thread production positions along the longitudinal side of a machine. To permit a rapid, simple operation, in particular at the start of a process and during interruptions of the process, an operator walkway is located at a height between the treatment device and the winding device.
US07682140B2
A mold includes a pot for accommodating resin, a cavity for accommodating a semiconductor chip to be resin-molded and a runner as a resin passage for transporting the resin accommodated in the pot to the cavity. A foreign matter retention pocket is disposed which is a recess formed by digging further a partial inner surface of the runner. A runner magnet attracts and attaches a metallic foreign matter contained in fluid transported in the runner to the inner surface of the foreign matter retention pocket.
US07682139B2
A motor and a method of operating the motor are described. The motor may have a female rotor shaft having mounted thereon a female compression rotor, a female power rotor, and a spur gear. The motor may also have a male rotor shaft having mounted thereon a male compression rotor, a male power rotor and a power rotor gear. A housing containing the foregoing may have a front housing plate, a compression rotor case, an isolator plate, a power rotor case, a rear housing plate, and a gear cover adjacent the rear housing plate. The various female and male rotors are engaged with one another within the housing.
US07682136B2
A fluid delivery system includes a first pump having a first drive assembly, a second pump having a second drive assembly, and a pump housing. At least a portion of each of the first and second pumps are located in the housing.
US07682125B2
Device for receiving and for transporting an article, which device has receiving means which can be slid under the article by a sliding unit, characterized in that the receiving means are formed by rollers (10) which are arranged transversely to the direction in which they are slid under the article (1) by the sliding unit (20) and are driven in such a way that their circumferential velocity is equal in amount, but opposite in direction, to the speed at which they are slid under the article (1).
US07682116B2
An anchor device includes an expansion bolt and a fastening screw. The bolt has a tubular body. The tubular body further has a central shank and a head, which is integrally made with the central shank and has a full solid body on which a pair of longitudinal reciprocally perpendicular through slots are made which delimit four anchor segments adapted to spread outwards under the bias of the fastening screw. The central shank has a first portion arranged next to the head on which a plurality of longitudinal through slots define longitudinal anchoring tabs which expand radially outwards under the bias of the fastening screw following the spreading of the four anchor segments.
US07682108B2
The disclosure provides a device for adjusting a position of a cutting insert, the device may include an adjustment screw, an adjustment wedge adapted to receive the screw, wherein a position of the wedge is a function of the rotation of the screw and a partially flexible intermediate member between a surface of the wedge and a surface of the cutting insert, wherein the intermediate member is supported on both ends. The disclosure further provides a cutting tool adapted to receive at least one device for adjusting a position of a cutting insert, wherein the device may include an adjustment screw, an adjustment wedge adapted to receive the screw, wherein a position of the wedge is a function of the rotation of the screw and a partially flexible intermediate member between a surface of the wedge and a surface of the cutting insert, wherein the intermediate member is supported on both ends.
US07682091B2
A lens cover device for a camera lens, particularly suited for use with a telephoto lens and hood assembly, comprises a disk-like body member having a plurality of retention members. The retention members provide friction within the filter-thread region of the camera lens. A large handle attached to one face of the cover device enables a photographer to easily cover or uncover the lens whether the lens and hood are in the shooting position or the stored position.
US07682089B2
An adapter couples a length of optical fiber to a hollow probe and to an optical coherence tomography instrument. The length of optical fiber may be greater than the length of the adapter itself. The optical fiber is fixed to an optical coupler at a proximal end of the adapter and may be maintained in a curved configuration by features located in an internal cavity of the adapter. An optical fiber advance mechanism be used to advance and/or retract the length of optical fiber to align it within the hollow probe.
US07682086B2
A roller bearing assembly for supporting a shaft axially and radially in a rack includes a roller bearing with a carrier, a portion of which is supported at the rack with an element with elastomeric properties being interposed between a support for the rack and the portion of the carrier. In order to indicate a roller bearing, which supports the shaft axially and radially, and makes an inclined position of the shaft possible without causing straining of the system of shaft, roller bearing and rack, the element with elastomeric properties, viewed in the tangential (circumferential) direction of the roller bearing, has at least a first region, the stiffness of which is different from that of the remaining tangential (circumferential) region.
US07682082B2
A compact surface self-compensated hydrostatic bearing includes a rotor assembly including a rotor plate having upper and lower fluid restricting faces, a rotor top and bottom, each having bearing surfaces angled with respect to an axis of rotation of the rotor assembly; a stator assembly including a stator top and a stator bottom housing the rotor assembly therebetween, the stator top and bottom having bearing surfaces facing and spaced apart from the rotor top and bottom bearing surfaces forming upper and lower bearing gaps, respectively, therebetween; the stator top and bottom including a lower and an upper fluid restricting surface, respectively, facing and spaced apart from the rotor upper and rotor lower fluid restricting faces, respectively, forming upper and lower restricting gaps, respectively, therebetween; and a fluid supply system configured to supply pressurized fluid to the bearing gaps and into the upper and lower fluid restricting gaps.
US07682079B2
An integrated weight sensing system and method is disclosed for a medical imaging system. In one embodiment, the integrated weight sensing system may include a table assembly, a load cell, and a processor that are implemented in a medical imaging system. The table assembly includes a lifting mechanism used to position a patient within the medical imaging system. The load cell is mechanically coupled to the table assembly and in communication with the processor. The load cell is configured to measure and indicate the weight of the patient and the processor may be configured to adjust imaging parameters based on the weight of the patient. The table assembly may include a device in communication with the load cell and/or processor to display the weight of the patient. Additionally, the table assembly and/or the processor may include an interface for zeroing or recalibrating the load cell.
US07682077B2
A mobile imaging system comprises a motorized drive assembly having first and second drive wheels that are coupled to the motorized drive assembly. A column is coupled to and extends upwardly from the motorized drive assembly and is rotatable around a pivot point. An arm is coupled to the column and includes a radiation source mounted on an outer end thereof. A longitudinal axis extends parallel to the length of the mobile imaging system and is centered between the first and second drive wheels. A controller is configured to determine first and second velocities to drive the first and second drive wheels based on an angle of rotation of the column with respect to the longitudinal axis.
US07682072B2
The method for measurement of thermal conductivity of a honeycomb structure according to the present invention comprises the steps keeping the whole honeycomb structure in a steady temperature state with keeping two ends of the honeycomb structure at given different temperatures; and measuring a thermal conductivity of the honeycomb structure in the steady state. According to the present invention there is provided a method for measurement of thermal conductivity of a honeycomb structure, which can measure the thermal conductivity of a honeycomb structure in the shape of the honeycomb structure per se or in a predetermined block shape without preparing, for example, a test specimen of particular shape.
US07682071B2
A measuring apparatus is provided. The measuring apparatus includes i) a point temperature sensor that has a tip and measures a temperature of an object, ii) a laser that heats the tip of the point temperature sensor by emitting a laser beam, iii) an optical member that is located between the laser and the point temperature sensor, iv) a measuring device that detects and measures a signal from the point temperature sensor, and v) a signal generator that supplies a reference signal.
US07682068B2
The invention relates to mechanical watch oscillators comprising an assembly consisting of a spiral and a temperature compensated balance. The spiral is embodied in a quartz substrate whose section is selected in such a way that the drifts of the spiral and of the balance associated therewith are thermally compensated. The substrate section can be embodied in the form of a section of single or double rotation.
US07682064B2
A backlight assembly includes a receiving container receiving a light guide plate and a lamp and a fixing member holding the light guide plate. The fixing member supports an incident face of the light guide plate, into which a light emitted from the lamp is incident, thereby preventing movement of the light guide plate towards the lamp. Thus, the backlight assembly may fix the light guide plate to the receiving container without reforming the light guide plate, so that the backlight assembly may supply light having uniform brightness to a liquid crystal display panel to improve its display characteristics.
US07682061B2
A display device is provided. The display device includes a display panel comprising a display surface configured to display an image thereon, the display surface having an edge; a light source spaced apart from the display panel to form a space therebetween and configured to emit light to the display panel, wherein the display panel is configured to generate image on the display surface using the light from the light source; and a reflective surface arranged so as to reflect light emitted from the light source and to direct the reflected light to the edge.
US07682056B2
An exterior rearview mirror including a mirror mounting bracket for attachment to a vehicle, and at least one perimeter light with a light source arranged on a thermally conductive carrier (e.g. a printed circuit board) in thermally conductive connection with the mirror mounting bracket. The light source is preferably an LED.
US07682049B2
An LED lamp includes a first heat sink, a plurality of LED modules and a connecting member. The first heat sink has base plate and a plurality of first fins arranged on the base plate. The LED modules are attached to a bottom surface of the base plate. Outer ends of the LED modules are located at a level higher than that of inner ends of the LED modules. The mounting base is alternatively fixed to one of a top and a bottom of the first heat sink so that the LED lamp can be selectively used as a floor lamp or a pedant lamp.
US07682044B2
The invention relates to a slide control for an audio mixer, whereby a slide can be displaced along a defined path in a slit-shaped opening in a front plate. The aim of the invention is to create one such slide control that clearly indicates the function it is carrying out or the parameters it can influence by its position. To this end, an illuminable element is provided, said element extending along the opening.
US07682043B2
A light emitting assembly, and wirelessly controlled light emitting assembly for use in a lighted display having a housing body configured to receive a light emitting device having a plurality of wirelessly controlled light emitting elements. The housing body includes at least one mounting feature arranged and disposed to maintain a relative positioning of the light emitting assembly with respect to another light emitting assembly.
US07682042B2
Disclosed is an illumination device for projecting a substantially uniform light at a remote distance. The illumination device comprises a mounting assembly divided into a plurality of sections, each section comprising a plurality of light emitting sources arranged substantially equi-distant along a circumference of said assembly at an angle to project a light image at the remote distance, an contact plate connected via a central axis with, and fixed to, the mounting assembly, the contact plate providing an electrical contact to each of the light emitting devices, a plurality of lensing assemblies equal in number to plurality of sections axially aligned with the mounting assembly, the lensing assembly aligned with a select one of the light emitting sources in a corresponding section, the light emitting source being positioned in front of a focal point of the lensing assembly, each lensing assembly comprising at least one optically transparent lens determining said lensing assembly focal point, and means for shifting said contact plate and mounting assembly to align a select one of said light emitting devices with a corresponding lensing assembly. In another aspect of the invention, the lens assemblies may be positioned linearly and light emitting sources are positioned along an edge of the mounting assemblies, wherein the LEDs are positioned in front of the lensing assemblies by shifting each of the mounting assemblies.
US07682041B2
An LED projector lamp includes, in succession along an optical axis thereof, a lamp holder, an LED light source, a light-mixing lens and a cover lens. The LED light source has LED chips arranged inside the lamp holder around the optical axis for emitting different wavelengths of light. The light-mixing lens has a structural surface with parallel lines of protrusions facing the cover lens such that such that the emitted light rays of the LED chips that pass through the structural surface are scattered at least one time and then pass through the cover lens. As a result, the emitted different wavelengths of light can be well mixed before going to the outside of the LED projector lamp.
US07682038B2
A portable light is provided having a reflector assembly configured to create multiple modes of light reflection. The reflector assembly surrounds a light source and has first and second reflectors that together define a substantially continuous reflective surface. The second reflector is mounted for axial movement relative to the first reflector. Thus, different modes of light reflection can be produced. In an exemplary embodiment, the second reflector is disposed within a central opening defined by the first reflector, and the reflectors combine to define a substantially parabolic reflective surface, with the light source disposed at a focal point.
US07682036B2
A work light for work or task areas which uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as the source of light. LED clusters are mounted on a circuit board which is located in a housing. The LED work lights may be powered by 3.6 volt, 4.8 volt, or 6.0 volt sources.
US07682033B2
A chemiluminescent illuminated device employing a light-filtering injection molded polygonal shaped container that is scalloped to form an augmented illumination surface. The shaped housing includes a round shaped or form following chemical holding section. The lighting effects generated by the chemiluminescent chemical is enhanced by the polygonal shape and the inherent optical properties.
US07682027B2
An ophthalmic endoilluminator has a power supply coupled to a light source, a controller, a collimation device, an alignment device, a lens, and an optical fiber. The light source has three light emitting diodes. Each of the three light emitting diodes produces a different color light. The controller controls the operation of the three light emitting diodes. The collimation device collimates the light produced by at least one of the light emitting diodes. The alignment device aligns the light individually produced by the three light emitting diodes into a single light beam. The lens focuses the single light beam. The optical fiber for carries the single light beam.
US07682026B2
A system and method for gaze detection of an animate subject, typically a human. The subject's pupils are located in three dimensional space, using red-eye detection techniques and triangulation. Then, the gaze direction is determined based on the shape of the subject's irises.
US07682024B2
A saccadic motion detector comprised an optical system that focuses light reflected or emitted from the subject's eye onto an optical navigation chip, which connects to circuitry configured to convert analog light from the eye to digital representations motion of the eye, including saccadic eye movement.
US07682017B2
Methods and apparatus include a handheld printer manipulated back and forth by an operator during use to print an image. An inkjet printhead of the printer has a plurality of fluid firing actuators arranged in a substantial column. A controller communicates with the printhead to identify active actuators given to fire at a particular time during use to print the image. However, to prevent unsightly print quality from occurring during overlapping adjacent print swaths, for example, certain of the identified actuators are prevented from firing. Especially, actuators in the column further from a center of the column fire less frequently than those closer to the center. A position sensor is also used to locate the printhead relative to the image. The controller correlates the position to the printhead and actuators and fires the active actuators or not.
US07682005B2
A removable ink tank configured to be mounted to a printhead assembly includes a floor having an ink output port A free ink chamber is located above the floor. A suspended ink chamber is located above the floor and around the ink output port. The suspended ink chamber is separated from the free ink chamber. At least one ink suspension body is contained in the suspended ink chamber. A fluid communication port is formed between the free ink chamber and the suspended ink chamber to facilitate a fluid communication between the free ink chamber and the suspended ink chamber. A filter device is positioned to cover the fluid communication port. The filter device has a porosity selected to establish a desired bubbling pressure between the free ink chamber and the suspended ink chamber.
US07682004B2
An ink cartridge includes an ink chamber, an ink supply portion, and a supply chamber positioned adjacent to the ink supply portion. The supply chamber is configured to be in fluid communication with the ink chamber and the ink supply portion, and the ink supply portion is configured to dispense ink from an interior of the ink chamber to an exterior of the ink chamber via the supply chamber. Moreover, the supply chamber has a central axis extending from an open end of the supply chamber to a closed end of the supply chamber, a wall defining a portion of the supply chamber has an opening formed therethrough, and the opening of the wall is offset from the central axis of the supply chamber.
US07682000B2
Piezoelectric actuator, liquid transporting apparatus and method of producing piezoelectric actuator
A piezoelectric actuator of an ink-jet head includes a vibration plate covering pressure chambers, and piezoelectric elements formed on a surface of the vibration plate. Each of the piezoelectric elements has stacked piezoelectric layers; individual electrodes and common electrodes arranged alternately between the stacked piezoelectric layers; and base portions of a supporting member formed on a surface of the uppermost piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric layers. In each of the piezoelectric elements, through holes are formed to extend from a surface of one of the base portions, across the stacked piezoelectric layers, and the individual electrodes are exposed in the surface forming the through hole and the common electrodes are exposed in the surface forming the through hole. Conductive materials are filled in the through holes, respectively. Accordingly, a liquid transporting apparatus in which the structure for electrical connection is simple and easily made is provided.
US07681991B2
A composite ceramic substrate for receiving an ejection head chip for a micro-fluid ejection head and a method for making the composite ceramic substrate. The substrate includes a high temperature previously fired ceramic base having a substantially planarized first surface and at least one fluid supply slot therethrough. A low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) tape layer bundle having at least two LTCC tape layers is attached to the ceramic base at an interface between the LTCC tape layer bundle and the first surface of the ceramic base. The LTTC tape layer bundle has at least one chip pocket therein and at least one of the LTCC tape layers includes a plurality of conductors.
US07681984B2
A scanner unit is revolvable disposed to a recording unit. The recording unit and the scanner unit are coupled with each other with a damper unit including a holder, a rod, and a spring. The damper unit is disposed so that the operating direction of the spring switches in process of the opening and the closing of the scanner unit. A guiding surface capable of abutting on the projection disposed on the rod is provided in the recording unit. The projection abuts on the guiding surface before the operating direction of the spring switches in process of the movement of the scanner unit from its opened position to its closed position.
US07681982B2
An ink jet recording apparatus including: a cartridge mounting portion, on which an ink cartridge having a waste ink containing portion containable a waste ink can be mounted; a waste ink introduction portion, adapted to connect to a waste ink introduction port of the waste ink containing portion of the ink cartridge so as to introduce the waste ink; a waste ink introduction portion holder, supporting the waste ink introduction portion; and a cartridge moving mechanism, operable to move the ink cartridge to a cartridge replacement position, located on an outside of the cartridge mounting portion where the ink cartridge can be attached to or detached from the cartridge mounting portion, and a cartridge use position located on an inside of the cartridge mounting portion, wherein the waste ink introduction portion holder is constructed to move integrally with the ink cartridge between the cartridge replacement and the cartridge use position while the waste ink introduction portion is connected to the waste ink introduction port.
US07681971B2
A drop emitting device that includes a drop generator, a drive signal including a plurality of fire intervals applied to the drop generator, wherein the drive signal includes in each fire interval a bi-polar drop firing waveform or a time varying non-firing waveform.
US07681969B2
A liquid ejection apparatus for discharging a medium on which liquid is ejected by a discharge roller after ejecting liquid on the medium by a liquid ejection head includes a medium pressing roller for controlling floatation of the medium between the liquid ejection head and the discharge roller, the medium pressing roller being provided on a rotatable discharge frame, wherein the liquid ejection apparatus operates by switching between a first mode where the medium pressing roller moves to an upper position by rotation of the discharge frame and a second mode where the medium pressing roller moves to a lower position than the first mode to press the medium downward.
US07681926B2
A union for coupling two or more segments of tubing or optical fiber, having an elastomeric core with two or more tubular sections encased in a through bore of a union body, the ends of the union body bore having compression nuts having through bores for insertion of segments of tubing or optical fiber to be coupled, which, tubular sections, when compressed by the compression nuts, deform radially inwardly to hold and seal the segments of tubing or optical fiber inserted therein.
US07681920B2
A straddle-type vehicle with improved protection of a discharge part on a fuel tank. A seat is at least partially arranged above a fuel tank and is fitted on a front load receiving part and a rear load receiving part which are arranged on the fuel tank apart from each other in the front and rear direction of the vehicle. A fuel pump unit has a discharge part for discharging fuel in the fuel tank and supplying the fuel in to an engine. The discharge part is arranged on the fuel tank between the front load receiving part and the rear load receiving part.
US07681906B2
A collapsible trailer has a trailer frame adapted to support a boat or marine vessel, the trailer frame including at least one longitudinal member and at least a pair of transverse members and at least two wheels, the wheels removably associated with opposed ends of a first of the pair of transverse members and marine vessel support means removably associated with the other of the pair of transverse members wherein the trailer frame is adapted to assume a use condition with the wheels attached for supporting a boat or marine vessel on the trailer and a collapsed condition with the wheels removed in which the trailer occupies less space than in the use condition.
US07681900B2
A quick release structure for a bicycle comprises a positioning post and an engaging member. The positioning post and the engaging member are disposed on the two tubes of the bicycle, respectively. The positioning post includes a stopping block and a spring. When the positioning post is inserted into the engaging member, the stopping block can be used together with the spring to restrict the positioning post in the engaging member, so that the two tubes of the bicycle can be assembled. When the stopping block is pressed, the positioning post can disengage from the engaging member. Hence, the quick release structure for a bicycle can be quickly assembled and disassembled.
US07681896B2
A thrust ball bearing includes an upper case and a lower case. In the upper case and the lower case, annular rings which are formed in the upper case and the lower case, respectively support balls which are rolling elements, and inter-case gaps are formed between the upper case and the lower case in order to reduce sliding resistance and rotational torque. A seal unit is formed on an inner circumferential surface of the lower case. The seal unit is made up of a recess portion which is formed on the inner circumferential surface and a rubber elastic element which is made as a separate element from the lower case and is then fitted in the recess portion. The recess portion is formed into an annular shape along a circumferential direction of the inner circumferential surface.
US07681893B2
A folding support settable between an extended position and a received position is disclosed to include a rack for holding thereon a table machine, a pair of first legs and a pair of second legs respectively pivoted to the rack for supporting the rack above the floor, two first links respectively pivoted to the rack, and two second links respectively pivoted to the second legs and the first links. The first links and the second links are moved with the second legs toward the first legs when receiving the folding support, and at the same time the first links are stopped against the first legs, assuring safety of the receiving action.
US07681888B2
A sealing system for sealing high liquid pressure and containing a wiper lip in either of two forms. The light pressure seal includes a seal casing, a seal body including a lip seal, a snap ring and a plastic back-up ring, and the wiper lip seals on either a radial or an axial surface. The casing may have radial and axial flanges or a radial flange only. The space between the two seals may be filled with grease.
US07681883B2
A diverter assembly includes at least one rotary member disposed along a media transport pathway adjacent a diversion point therealong. The diverter assembly also includes a rotational motion source in operative association with the at least one rotary member. A printing system includes a diverter assembly. A method of transporting sheet media includes utilizing a diverter assembly.
US07681881B2
A sheet aligning device includes a sheet feeder that discharges a sheet in a first direction, a sheet tray on which the sheet is stacked, a sheet jogger that aligns the sheet on the sheet tray in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a sheet detection filler that detects a state of the sheet on the sheet tray. The sheet detection filler detects a position of a topmost sheet in the stack of sheets on the sheet tray and determines an alignment position from where the sheet jogger is to begin alignment of the sheets.
US07681879B2
A sheet feeder is provided with a sheet accommodating portion, an elevating plate and an inclining mechanism. The sheet accommodating portion includes a bottom plate and a plurality of side plates provided perpendicular to the bottom plate, and can accommodate a plurality of sheets. The sheets accommodated in the sheet accommodating portion are successively fed to the outside from the uppermost one. The elevating plate is movable upward and downward and used to stack the sheets in the sheet accommodating portion. The inclining mechanism inclines the elevating plate such that the front ends of the sheets with respect to a sheet feeding direction are inclined downward during sheet feeding.
US07681875B2
A supply tray includes a first tray configured to receive a stack of recording medium thereon, and a second tray configured to receive at least one recording medium thereon, which is different in size or type, or both, from the stack of recording medium received on the first tray. The second tray is disposed in an upper portion of the first tray and is slidable within a predetermined direction. The supply tray further includes a locking mechanism configured to place and to fix the second tray in position with respect to the first tray.
US07681872B2
The sheet processing apparatus is provided with a second folding, conveying roller pair that discharges a folded sheet bundle with its folded portion being the leading edge and a folded bundle tray provided below the second folding, conveying roller pair on which the sheet bundle discharged by the second folding, conveying roller pair is to be stacked and that moves the stacked sheet bundle. Before a succeeding sheet bundle is discharged onto a preceding sheet bundle, the folded bundle tray moves the preceding sheet bundle in the upstream direction with respect to the sheet conveyance direction to place the trailing edge of the preceding sheet bundle at a position upstream of the leading edge of the succeeding sheet bundle. Thus, it is possible to provide a sheet processing apparatus that can stack folded sheet bundles with reliability and to improve the image forming efficiency.
US07681871B2
A handheld, portable cutting board assembly includes a cutting board and a frame configured to support the cutting board within a top portion thereof such that a major surface of the cutting board is exposed for use as a cutting surface. The frame also is further configured to receive and retain the cutting board within a bottom portion thereof for storage.
US07681869B2
The present invention concerns a damping apparatus for the damping of vibrations in tool holders, machine elements and work pieces in machine tools and in other objects that are exposed to unwanted vibrations. The damping apparatus is adapted to be provided in or on the object and includes a substantially cylindrically shaped damping body with a boring going there through and a longitudinal central body that is rigidly connectable to the object that is to be damped. The damping body is connected to the longitudinal central body through elastic elements. The connection is made such that the elastic elements are substantially exposed to shear forces during damping.
US07681868B2
An air spring has a roll-off piston (1) and a rolling-lobe flexible member (2) of rubber or rubber-like material. At least the opening of the rolling-lobe flexible member, which lies opposite the opening assigned to the roll-off piston (1), is closed air tight with an attachment part (3) and the attachment part has a planar connecting region (4) having at least one air connection (7) and an outer rim (11) and a conical region (10) facing toward the rolling-lobe flexible member (2). The rolling-lobe flexible member (2) is tightly vulcanized to the attachment part (3) in a vulcanization region (12) which extends from the side (9) of the outer rim (11) into the conical region (10). The side (9) of the outer rim (11) faces toward the rolling-lobe flexible member (2). The at least one attachment part (3), which is vulcanized to the rolling-lobe flexible member (2), is configured as a head plate (3) complete with all connections (7) and is made of thermoplastic or duroplastic synthetic material.
US07681867B2
This invention relates to a diffuser for an aeration system, including a base, a diaphragm and a valve member attached to the diaphragm. The base is provided with a valve seat for engaging with the valve member to close the inlet of the aerating gas. Furthermore, the diaphragm includes a central portion, a peripheral portion attached to the periphery of the base, and a surrounding web segment interposed therebetween. The surrounding web segment includes a plurality of fibrous filaments which are arranged to form a textured structure with a plurality of pores of a dimension such that the aerating gas, when introduced, is permitted to be bubbled through the plurality of pores, so as to form fine and small bubbles in the water.
US07681864B2
A valve actuator including a body, a rotatable drive screw having an external thread over at least a portion of its length and extending through the body and projecting out at least one side of the body. An internally threaded member is captured on the drive screw on the interior of the body, the member being held against rotation during rotation of the drive screw, so as to cause the member to travel along a length of the drive screw as the drive screw is rotated in both a first and second rotational direction. At least one sleeve having an abutment surface engagable by the member upon a sufficient rotation of the drive screw in one of the two directions. The sleeve surrounds the drive screw and may be axially adjustable relative to the drive screw from the exterior of the body. The sleeve may be threadingly engaged with the drive screw and slidingly carried in the body such that a load created by the threaded member pressing against the abutment surface of the sleeve is transferred from the sleeve to the drive screw as a tensile load.
US07681860B2
An automate fluid flow control system includes a valve member for being sealedly disposed within a fluid chamber to seal a flow of fluid flowing from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet, a relief valve having a fluid passage extended along the valve member for communicating the fluid chamber with the fluid outlet and including a valve stopper sitting on a top opening of the fluid passage to sealedly close the fluid passage, and a powering assembly including an actuator to move the relief valve between a closed position that the valve stopper is sealedly retained to close the fluid passage and an opened position that the actuator drives the valve stopper to unseal the fluid passage for releasing a pressure within the water chamber to allow the fluid passing to the fluid outlet.
US07681856B1
This patent discloses a document holder for a computer monitor. The document holder may include a panel. Attached to the panel may be a bottom extension, a top extension, a left side extension, fasteners having a top arm and a bottom, and a panel movement mechanism configured to permit a user to pitch the panel back and forth and to move the panel up and down. The bottom extension, the top extension, and the left side extension may be moved in and out of slots and positioned to accommodate larger or smaller articles. The fasteners may secure the document holder to the computer monitor.
US07681848B2
A stand for an image display device is provided. In the stand, a supporting member supports the image display device, a connecting member is rotatably coupled to the supporting member, and a base member supports the image display device with respect to a floor. The base member is rotatable in the same direction as the rotation direction of the connecting member for being folded to a back of the image display device. Therefore, a bottom surface of the stand can be folded to the back of the image display device, maximizing the number of image display devices that can be packed into the same containing space.
US07681846B1
A support platform for a video camera allows cushioning of jostling attendant to walking motion so that the video quality is unaffected by the photographer's movements. A sphere of TEFLON polymer floats in a socket plate permitting hand movements about the roll and pitch axes of ±60° and ±360° about the yaw axis without jarring the camera. A second embodiment affords the ability to mount an additional camera to provide shots in a plurality of directions on a single take. Yet another feature of the invention is a hands-free support arm usable with the support platform.
US07681833B2
A turboprop engine includes a power jet mounted coaxially to the engine axis (X-X′), and has a fan case and a gas ejecting system provided with two afterbody half-cowlings (10b) each of which is pivotable around an axis (A2) between open and closed positions, wherein the half-cowlings are connected to the downstream of the fan case through a ‘V-blade/V-groove’ system. In a first embodiment, the pivot axes (A2) make an angle α>3° to the engine axis (X, X′) and a joint plane (Z2-Z2) between the afterbody half-cowlings and the downstream of the fan case makes to the plane (Y, Y′) perpendicular to the engine axis (X, X′) an angle β in such a way that the difference between the angle α and the angle β is less than or equal to 3°. In the other embodiment, the axes are converged to each other in a downstream direction.
US07681831B2
A suspension net is provided for distributing tension forces from a tow rope to an electromagnetic bird used for geophysical surveying. The suspension net allows large transmitter loop sizes, and the net structure generally avoids rope confusions that can occur during lift-up.
US07681819B2
An adjustment mechanism for a rotary disc chipper apparatus includes an axially displaceable shaft attached to a chipper disc, at least one gear disposed in relation to the axially adjustable shaft and a drive member engageable with the at least one gear to produce axial movement of the axially displaceable shaft and the chipper disc.
US07681818B2
A system, which may be used to perform simultaneous grinding and intimate mixing of edible fat-based slurries or emulsions, may include a cylindrical drum having a central longitudinal axis and a curved inner surface and mounted on springs, and a motor and tuned mass coupled to the cylindrical drum to vibrate the cylindrical drum about a center of vibration that is offset from the central longitudinal axis of the cylindrical drum. The system includes at least one pair of partition plates disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical drum to divide the cylindrical drum into at least two process zones, the partition plates of the at least one pair having matching apertures and moveable relative to each other between alignment and misalignment. The system may be used, for example, in chocolate manufacture.
US07681816B2
A wood crusher having a crushing apparatus includes a crushing rotor for crushing target wood to be crushed, a second screen detachably mounted on the outer peripheral side of the crushing apparatus and a screen support member disposed on the outer peripheral side of the second screen and holding the second screen in a position on the outer peripheral side of the crushing apparatus. A link mechanism is coupled to the screen support member, and a hydraulic cylinder is coupled to the link mechanism to advance and retract the screen support member relative to the crushing apparatus with extension and contraction thereof. Time and labor required for work of replacing the sieve member can be greatly reduced as a result.
US07681815B2
A device for chopping food, including ice, has a container with a bearing pin on its bottom. The container is divided into an upper processing zone and a lower collecting zone. For reducing the food, the processing zone accommodates a chopping tool formed by a rotary cutting blade and a tool spindle. A sieve separates the processing zone from the collecting zone. The lower end of the tool spindle is rotatably mounted on the bearing pin. A stirring tool (34) may be provided which is part of the chopping tool and is formed by a rotary stirring blade.
US07681812B2
In a method for sorting shredder residues of metal-containing wastes, e.g., vehicle bodies, the shredder residues are separated into a shredder light fraction and a non-ferromagnetic fraction (shredder heavy fraction). A system is arranged for sorting shredder residues of metal-containing wastes, e.g., vehicle bodies. At least parts of the primary material streams produced during the sorting of the shredder light fraction and the shredder heavy fraction in preliminary processes are fed to a common, main process for final processing, at least a ferromagnetic fraction, a fraction containing non-ferromagnetic metals, a granulate fraction, a fiber fraction, and a sand fraction being produced as end products.
US07681809B2
A device for achieving a controlled low emanation rate of small volumes of liquid solutions, such as single or multi-component solutions, fragrances, or pheromones, for pest and insect management or fragrance enhancement. The device has a housing with an upper chamber to hold a bladder containing desired liquid solution to be released, a lower chamber containing an electro-chemical gas generator, a collector pad for receiving liquid solution from the bladder, and a cap which, when translated downward, activated the gas generator which fills the upper chamber with gas exerting pressure on the bladder which in turn forces the liquid solution from the bladder onto the pad for release to the environment. The gas generator is capable of releasing gases such as hydrogen, oxygen, or carbon dioxide at extremely small, pre-determined, and adjustable rates.
US07681807B2
A sprinkler pressure regulator module has a compact arrangement with a shiftable member having an upper cavity for receiving water flow debris, and a portion of a bypass valve may reciprocate therein. The module includes a stator plate directing water into a drive mechanism, such as a turbine drive mechanism. The shiftable member receives fluid flow from a radially outboard direction and is sealed with a cup portion receiving the shiftable member to define a cup cavity. A module exterior surface is separated from a sprinkler housing to define a vent cavity. A pressure release vent communicates with the cup cavity, a vent channel between the cup portion and the exterior surface, the vent cavity, and the exterior environment. The vent cavity and cup portion provide receptacles for debris deposit. Ribs around an opening of the vent channel with the vent cavity generally prevent debris from entering the vent channel.
US07681800B2
A sensing device for use with a security document having disposed thereon or therein coded data including a number of coded data portions. Each coded data portion is indicative of an identity of the security document, with the sensing device including a housing adapted to be held by a user in use, a radiation source for exposing at least one coded data portion, a sensor for sensing the at least one exposed coded data portion and a processor for determining, using the at least one sensed coded data portion, a sensed identity.
US07681798B2
A first wall is installed on a bottom portion of a housing along an outer peripheral thereof orthogonally to the bottom portion. A second wall is installed opposite to the first wall at a predetermined interval. Between the first wall and the second wall, a first rib parallel with the bottom portion for connecting the first wall and second wall is installed. Further, under the first rib, second ribs orthogonal to the bottom portion for connecting the first wall, second wall, and first rib are installed at fixed intervals. Furthermore, above the first rib, third ribs orthogonal to the bottom portion having the same height as that of the first wall and second wall for connecting the first wall and second wall are arranged so as to be shifted in position from the second ribs.
US07681792B2
A waste disposal system comprises a waste disposal unit, including a processor, a scanner, a network interface coupled to a network, and a remote processing system coupled to the waste disposal unit via the network. The remote processing system includes a database storing user sample preferences, wherein the sample preferences are used to select samples to be provided to the user, and instructions configured to receive scanned information from the waste disposal unit for a first item, determine from the received scanned information that the first item is a sample, receive an indication via the waste disposal unit whether the user wants to order a replacement for the sample, locate replacement options for the sample, transmit the replacement options to the waste disposal unit, and receive from the waste disposal unit an option selection by the user.
US07681790B2
A computer assisted shopping system includes a hand-held scanner for customer scanning of information associated with a product in a retailing facility and a networked system. The networked system stores customer delivery preference information and downloads information from the hand-held scanner, as scanned by a customer, to a register. A product order is generated at the register from the information downloaded from the scanner and the customer delivery preference information, and available delivery dates and times based on inventory availability are determined. Delivery options are provided for the customer based on the available delivery dates and times. A delivery option selection and commitment from the customer close the order.
US07681786B1
A method, that may be implemented on a system, for improved treatment of error conditions in transactions systems, is described. One embodiment includes providing a transaction form to a user in response to receiving a user requests for a transaction form; in response to receiving a form at least partially completed by the user, storing on a data storage unit data entered on the form; informing the user of an error associated with submission of the form; providing the user with a first option of retrying to submit the form; and in response to the user opting to retry submission of the form, reposting from the data storage unit the data from the user previously entered on the form.
US07681780B2
Methods and apparatus for a double folded postcard form having a removable label are disclosed. An example form includes a quadrate sheet having parallel top and bottom edges, parallel first and second side edges perpendicular to the top edge and first and second faces. The example form also includes at least first, second, and third fold lines parallel to the top and bottom edges dividing the sheet into at least first, second, third and fourth panels, the first and fourth panels being substantially the same size and the second and third panels being substantially the same size. There is also an opening in at least one of the first, second, third and fourth panels, a liner attached to the first face of the at least one panel to cover at least a portion of the opening, and a label removably disposed on the liner in the opening. Furthermore, the form includes first adhesive areas provided on the second face of at least one of the first and fourth panels, and on the second face of at least one of the second and third panels for adhering mutually facing portions of the second and third panels together as respective first and second postcard plies when the sheet is double V-folded about the fold lines.
US07681774B2
A bond head assembly for use with a bonding machine includes a wire bonding tool and a link mechanism coupled between the wire bonding tool and the wire bonding machine. The link mechanism includes a frame, a plurality of arm links pivotably connected to the frame, and a tool support member supporting the wire bonding tool and pivotably connected to each of the arm links.
US07681772B2
An apparatus for endoscopic application of surgical staples adapted to attach surgical mesh to body tissue in laparoscopic hernia surgery includes an elongate member defining a longitudinal axis, a cartridge, an anvil, and a control member located in a proximal region of the elongate member. The cartridge is removably supported on a pivotal support system at the distal end portion of the endoscopic section with each staple being configured and adapted to attach the mesh to the body tissue. The anvil provides for individually closing each staple to encompass at least a portion of the surgical mesh and to penetrate the body tissue in a manner to attach the portion of the mesh to body tissue. The control member is axially movable along the longitudinal axis to articulate the cartridge. The control member is also rotatable to rotate the cartridge.
US07681769B2
A backpack having a harness configured to be secured to the torso of a user, and a movable storage compartment pivotably connected at a first end to a first location on the harness. A second end of the storage compartment is releasably secured to a second location on the harness so that motion of the storage compartment with respect to the harness is restrained. The storage compartment is secured to the harness such that it can be released from a stowed position to a frontal location on the harness that is accessible to the user. With the second end of the storage compartment free from constraint, it can be pivoted about its first end from its stowed position to a frontal position on the user, wherein the frontal position allows access to articles contained in the storage compartment without removing the backpack from the user's body.
US07681758B2
In a gas cartridge, inside of an outer can 1 is arranged with an inner bag 2 charged with a gas, and a space between the outer can 1 and the inner bag 2 is charged with a compression gas G2 for pressing to crush the inner bag 2 in accordance with consumption of the gas. The outer can 1 is integrally formed with a deformation introducing portion P1 for producing an initial deformation at the inner bag 2.
US07681749B2
A plastic container for beverages to replace a container having a round flange with a round flange diameter and which is adapted to be conveyed by air along a track with inwardly extending track rails spaced from one another a set distance. The plastic container replacing the replaced container without significant modifications to the conveying system including the inwardly extending track rails of the track. The container including a central axis, an upper mouth portion, a neck portion coaxial to the axis with a diameter, a cylindrical sidewall, a lower base and an anti-rotation flange below the upper mouth portion having a polygonal peripheral edge with a shape including a plurality of flats and a plurality of apexes each located between adjacent flats. Each apex being diametrically opposite one of the flats. The peripheral edge having a diametrical distance between each of the apexes and the flat opposite the apex. The diametrical distance being at most only slightly less than the round flange diameter of the replaced container.
US07681744B2
A merchandising system for articles comprising a base comprising an upper surface having a plurality of ribs, an underside having a plurality of supports formed integrally with the underside of the base, and a first side and a second side. The merchandising system comprises a frame coupled to the base and configured to couple with a shelving system for supporting the base in a substantially horizontal configuration, a first guide and a second guide coupled to the base for supporting articles, and an assembly for advancing the articles that is coupled to the base and provides force on the articles.
US07681736B2
An apparatus for separating a stream of particles with individual sizes smaller than 300 μm and magnetic properties ranging from collective magnetism as in ferromagnetism to paramagnetism to diamagnetism. The apparatus includes a plurality of stages for separating a stream of particles. The apparatus includes a magnetic component producing a magnetic force associated with each stage. The apparatus includes an aerodynamic component producing an aerodynamic force associated with each stage, where the more magnetic component or components of a feed of particles for each stage is separated and either or both the less magnetic product and the more magnetic product of each stage are the feed for separate succeeding stages with each stage and where the magnetic and aerodynamic forces along with gravimetric forces of each stage are chosen to separate more strongly magnetic particles from less magnetic particles.A method for separating a stream of particles with individual sizes smaller than 300 μm and magnetic properties ranging from collective magnetism as in ferromagnetism to paramagnetism to diamagnetism.
US07681733B2
A packaging container for displaying and housing products that is aesthetically pleasing, effective and safe to open. The packaging container may include a substantially tear-resistant housing that encloses a tray that is preferably made from a paper material. The tray is substantially opaque to display graphics and/or to prevent viewing of the contents. The tray is preferably seamless such that it may not be opened without scissors, a knife or the like and, when opened, such opening is readily apparent. A second tray may also be used to create a dual-sided tray for housing the products, wherein the second tray may be substantially opaque or substantially transparent. An insert card may be used within the housing to reinforce the container and may be contained by fold-over edges of the housing.
US07681730B2
A needle (51) particularly well-suited for use in the dispensing of plastic fasteners (21) of the type comprising a filament (15) having a cross-bar (23-1, 23-2) at a first end thereof, each of the cross-bar (23-1, 23-2) and the filament (15) including a first flat side, the first flat sides of the cross-bar (23-1, 23-2) being coplanar. The needle (51) includes a stem portion (53). The stem portion (53) terminates in a tip (57) at its front end and is shaped to define a longitudinal bore (59) and a longitudinal slot (61) for receiving the filament (15) and the cross-bar (23-1, 23-2). The longitudinal bore (59) has a first flat side, and the longitudinal slot (61) has a first flat side, wherein the flat sides are coplanar.
US07681724B2
A multi-compartment housing with a plurality of cavities forms the main part of the housing. The multi-compartment housing has a side portion that has a smooth, continuous surface and a plurality of individual cavities that are perpendicular to a central axis of the multi-compartment housing. The individual cavities have a plurality of plugs capable of being placed in communication with a corresponding individual cavity. The multi-compartment housing also has a sealing bottom that is capable of being secured onto the multi-compartment housing after the plug array has been placed in position and separated from adjacent plugs from the array so as to close off the of the multi-compartment housing and to isolate each plug from adjacent cavities.
US07681722B2
A needle holder that includes a fixed support member having an aperture therethrough, and a movable holding member mounted to the fixed member. The movable holding member contains a slot for receiving a needle and is movable between a first needle blank receiving position which enables receipt of said needle blank within said slot and a second needle blank holding position wherein the needle blank is held against the fixed support member.
US07681720B2
The device for transporting containers comprises a cogged belt which extends along a ring-wound trajectory and is wound on at least a pair of cogged wheels which are rotatable on vertical axes, and a plurality of regularly distanced support means borne on the external surface of the cogged belt, which receive respective containers. The cogged belt bears a plurality of skates constrained to the internal surface thereof which engage with guide means that are solidly restrained to a fixed structure of the device, in order to constitute a lateral constraint which prevents transversal movements and deformation of the cogged belt.
US07681719B2
A transfer tail assembly for use with a conveyor assembly that creates a reduced radius transition from the upper run to the lower run of a continuous conveyor belt used with the conveyor assembly. The transfer tail assembly includes a stationary nose bar over which the continuous conveyor belt passes at the end of the conveyor assembly. The nose bar is supported at the end of the conveyor assembly by a series of support brackets mounted to a cross support. Each of the support brackets is formed from a wear resistant material and contacts the conveyor belt as the conveyor belt passes around the transfer tail assembly. The nose bar, support brackets and cross support are mounted within the tail assembly without the use of any external connectors and thus require no tooling to assemble and disassemble.
US07681716B2
Work conveying apparatus, method for producing work and method for producing image forming apparatus
A work conveying apparatus including at least one movable work conveying device to support a work, a drive device capable of reciprocating by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction, and a latching portion formed on at least one of the working conveying device and the drive device and configured to latch the working conveying device with the drive device and move the work conveying device when the drive device is moved in one direction in the reciprocating direction.
US07681714B2
Gravel is fed into and spread onto the floor of a newly constructed basement by a hanging frame which attaches to a window sill and supports a hydraulically driven conveyor belt with a feed spout at a feed end of the conveyor belt and a guidance belt mounted on top of the conveyor belt. The hanging frame converges to a front post which pivotally supports a frame of the conveyor belt for movement side to side about an upright axis through the feed spout and carries an adjustable brace which raises and lowers the conveyor. A feed chute is located outside the window. The conveyor includes a guide conveyor on top and is driven by a power source and pump located outside the building.
US07681708B2
A device for sorting disks or disk-like members of different identities (e.g., roulette chips) that ejects the disks from a receptacle by means of a rotating wheel with numerous wells, such as multi-chip storage compartments. Ejection of an article from the numerous wells is achieved by an ejector lever making contact with an activated solenoid thus forcing the article at the bottom of the well, in conjunction with the momentum of the rotating wheel, into a receiving space. The disks in the receiving spaces are continually replaced by newly arriving disks, which force the previously positioned disks upwards into a column.
US07681707B2
A drawerless point of sale system includes a point of sale terminal and a currency changer device in communication with the point of sale terminal. The currency changer device is adapted to accept cash in bulk for a cash transaction and includes a housing, a coin accepting tray, a coin sorter, a plurality of respective coin bins, and a coin dispenser. The currency changer also includes a bill accepter/dispenser carried by the housing for accepting, sorting and dispensing bills, and a plurality of bill cassettes carried by the housing and in communication with the bill accepter/dispenser for receiving a respective plurality of similar bills from the bill accepter and for dispensing a respective plurality of bills responsive to said point of sale terminal.
US07681702B2
A main bag (3) stands independently and moves via free swiveling caster wheels 1 at four corners. A free swiveling caster wheel (1) is provided with a wheel (6), a yoke (7) connected to the wheel in a manner allowing the wheel to rotate, a radial bearing (8) with its outer ring (8B) connected to the yoke, a swivel shaft (9) connected to the inner ring (8A) of the radial bearing, and a mount (10) which holds the upper end of the swivel shaft fixed. The rotation axis (11) of the wheel is disposed with eccentricity with respect to the swivel axis (m), which is the center of rotation of the swivel shaft, allowing the yoke to swivel. The yoke and mount have a bend prevention gap (15) established between mutually opposing surfaces in close proximity. When a bending impact load acts on the swivel shaft, the yoke and mount press against each other at the bend prevention gap to support the bending impact force.
US07681687B2
A control console includes a body supporting a plurality of controls, a base, and first and second legs each having a first end pivotably connected to the body and a second end pivotably connected to the base. The legs are shiftable between a first position projecting over a first end of the base, a second position projecting over a second end of the base and a third position between the first and second positions. At least one spring is provided to bias the legs toward the third position, and a motor may included for shifting the legs.
US07681683B2
A seat belt retractor includes a seat belt winding device for winding up a seat belt by actuation of a motor and a control unit. The control unit, under a predetermined condition, repeats a process of stopping the actuation of the motor when an overload of the motor is detected and restarting the actuation of the motor after a lapse of a predetermined time period. The control unit includes a timer for clocking the time period from the start to the stop of the actuation of the motor, a counter for counting up the number of times of starting the actuation of the motor, and a determination module that based on the result of the timer and the counter determines whether or not actuation of the motor, which is stopped by the detection of an overload, is to be restarted.
US07681676B2
An assembly is described for converting an Internal Combustion (IC) vehicle to an IC-electric hybrid vehicle comprising a battery, a battery charger, a controller, an electric motor and a power transmission means involving a flexible rotational speed reduction to connect the motor to a drive shaft of the vehicle. The system can be made available in the form of a kit allowing those skilled in automobile mechanics to perform the conversion. Regenerative braking and provision of AC power from the vehicle can be made available as options.
US07681673B2
A drill bit for cutting a borehole through an earthen formation comprises a bit body having a bit axis. In addition, the drill bit comprises a rolling cone cutter mounted on the bit body and adapted for rotation about a cone axis. Further, the drill bit comprises an insert having a base portion secured in the rolling cone cutter and having a cutting portion extending therefrom, the insert having an initial impact direction. The cutting portion of the insert has a cutting surface comprising a planar surface defining an extension height. Moreover, the cutting portion of the insert comprises an indentation extending at least partially through the upper planar surface, the indentation including a forward facing formation engaging surface and a lower surface defining a depth of the indentation.
US07681671B2
The present invention relates to a borehole drilling apparatus with in-line extending wings and driving method thereof. The drilling apparatus comprises a guide device rotating while moving upwardly and downwardly in a casing to fit into a borehole, extending wings for extending the diameter of a drilled hole, and a pilot bit installed at a lower portion of the guide device to strike the bottom of the borehole, wherein spiral projections formed at a lower surface of the guide device slidably engage with guide grooves formed at a side of the extending wings to each other, and a window is formed at a side of the pilot bit for advancing and retracting the extending wings so that they can spread and return linearly from the center of the pilot bit.
US07681661B2
A cover which covers outer peripheries of fastening screws are disposed on an outer periphery of a hammer case. A stopper which detachably positions and fixes the cover to the outer periphery of the hammer case is disposed.
US07681657B2
A debris guard is provided for an assembly having a variable length cylinder coupled to a housing. The cylinder has a barrel pivotally coupled to the housing and a rod which extends and retracts with respect to The barrel. The debris guard includes a body of flexible material filling a space between the barrel and the wall of the housing and preventing debris from entering the space. The body compresses as the barrel moves toward the housing wall and expands as the barrel moves away from the housing wall. The body of flexible material is bonded to a surface of the barrel and to the wall of the housing. The flexible material is molded and comprises a closed cell elastomeric material.
US07681656B2
A furrow opener apparatus has an arm assembly adapted at a front end thereof for pivotal attachment to a seeder frame. A single disc is rotatably attached to the arm assembly about a disc axis at an angle to the travel. A walking beam is pivotally attached to the arm assembly rearward of the disc about a beam axis transverse to the travel direction. A bias element exerts a force on the arm assembly such that a downward bias force is exerted on the walking beam at the beam axis. A packer wheel is rotatably attached at a rear end of the walking beam, and a gauge wheel is rotatably attached at a front end of the walking beam. The gauge wheel is configured to roll along the ground adjacent to the leading face of the disc, and the packer wheel is configured to roll along the furrow.
US07681654B1
An apparatus and method for isolating a portion of a well bore and providing pressurized fluid thereto includes an upper packer, a lower packer, and a sliding sleeve between them. A seat is defined at the open bottom end of the lower sleeve and a sealing element is configured to seal the seat. A bias force urges the sliding sleeve toward a closed position. The apparatus moves along the bore and the lower packer is set at a desired location, and then an opening force is exerted on the tubing to move the sliding sleeve to the open position. After the lower packer is set and the sliding sleeve is open, the upper packer is set to isolate a portion of the well bore between the packers with the sliding sleeve in the open position to provide a flow path from the tubing string to the formation between the packers.
US07681651B2
Disclosed herein is a method of elongating a setting time of a bridge plug or packer. The method includes, positioning the bridge plug or packer in a desired position within a wellbore, partially setting the bridge plug or packer with a first hydraulic pressure, controlling remotely a rate of application of a second hydraulic pressure, and completing the setting of the bridge plug or packer with the second hydraulic pressure, the second hydraulic pressure being greater than the first hydraulic pressure.
US07681649B2
A slip assembly for gripping pipe during well drilling operations has a housing with a hole for receiving a section of pipe. Pockets in the housing are spaced circumferentially around the hole. Each of the pockets has side walls that face toward each other and are connected to each other by a back wall that has at least one ramp surface. A slip segment is located in each pocket, each slip segment having side edges that engage the side walls of one of the pockets. Each slip segment has a back side with a ramp surface that engages the ramp surface on the back wall of the pocket. Each of the slip segments is movable within its pocket from an upper outward position to a lower inward position in gripping engagement with the pipe.
US07681647B2
Methods of treating a tar sands formation are described herein. Methods for treating a tar sands may include providing heat to at least part of a hydrocarbon layer in the formation from one or more heaters located in the formation. The heat may be allowed to transfer from the heaters to at least a portion of the formation such that a drive fluid is produced in situ in the formation. The drive fluid may move at least some mobilized, visbroken, and/or pyrolyzed hydrocarbons from a first portion of the formation to a second portion of the formation. At least some of the mobilized, visbroken, and/or pyrolyzed hydrocarbons may be produced from the formation.
US07681646B2
For use with a top drive power unit supported for connection with a well string in a well bore to selectively impart longitudinal and/or rotational movement to the well string, a feeder for supplying a pumpable substance such as cement and the like from an external supply source to the interior of the well string in the well bore without first discharging it through the top drive power unit including a mandrel extending through a sleeve which is sealably and rotatably supported thereon for relative rotation between the sleeve and mandrel. The mandrel and sleeve have flow passages for communicating the pumpable substance from an external source to discharge through the sleeve and mandrel and into the interior of the well string below the top drive power unit. The unit can include a packing injection system and novel seal configuration.
US07681639B2
A process to increase the area of microbial stimulation in a process of methane gas recovery in a multi seamed coal bed/methane dewatering and depressurizing production system by first utilizing an underbalanced multilateral drilling technique. At this point in the process one could introduce the microorganisms into the horizontal well bore to achieve a greater area of stimulation of the coal bed than would a vertical well. An even more preferred method would to first drill a series of lateral wells off of the horizontally drilled well bore, so as to increase or maximize the area of coal bed which is being covered. At that point, one would take the steps of what is known in the art of introducing a particular type of microorganism, which would then be injected via the plurality of lateral bores into the coal bed formation, to maximize the area of penetration, which would include, most, if not all, of the area of the coal bed through the series of lateral wells.
US07681637B2
A guide shoe that utilizes an eccentric nose attached to a cylindrical body that has spiraled, ridged blades extending outward from the body. An orientation system is attached between the body and a hollow shaft. The orientation system is designed to allow free rotation of the body and nose about the shaft during the insertion of the tubing into the hole. It does this by providing clearance between a pawl and notches on the cylindrical body. Indexing of the eccentric nose is provided by a slight retraction of the tubing string in the well hole. Friction between the well hole and ridged blade causes the cylindrical body to rotate about the shaft and lock into an oriented position. The guide shoe is attached to the tubing string by a threaded female connection mating to the matching male connection on the tubing string.
US07681625B2
A wet filament winding method and apparatus for producing a consolidated metal matrix composite is described. The methods are directed to winding a softened metal infiltrated fiber bundle and layering the resulting softened metal infiltrated fiber bundle onto a rotating mandrel in a prescribed pattern on the surface of the mandrel to form a consolidated metal matrix composite. Upon cooling, the matrix metal solidifies and the resulting consolidated metal matrix composite may be removed from the mandrel. The consolidated metal matrix composites may be produced in a variety of shapes, such as cylinder, a tapered cylinder, a sphere, an ovoid, a cube, a rectangular solid, a polygonal solid, and panels.
US07681618B2
System for operating a plain blind within a glass-enclosed chamber having a first end fixed to a blind-roller by means of devices that pull on said blind-roller and on the second end of the blind.
US07681609B2
A wood working knife for use in a wood working machine, comprising a knife body having a first cutting edge and an opposed second cutting edge, the knife body having a first clamping surface and a second clamping surface. The first clamping surface has opposed clamping features separated by a middle section, the opposed clamping features and the middle section being sized and shaped such that, upon the knife body being inserted into a clamping assembly, the clamping forces are localized towards the opposed cutting edges and away from the middle section.
US07681608B2
The accumulator and harvesting arms in a front cut felling head are offset to one side of the machine so as to hold a bundle of cut trees more to one side than the other so as to create more room in front of the accumulator arms to the side of the bundle in which to cut and receive a freshly cut tree.
US07681607B2
The present invention is a pump control and distribution system consisting of a pump and reversing flow control valve with a single-handle to control flow direction and flow rate of a liquid. The system can be operated at a rate of 0 to 300 gallons per minute and the flow reversed or stopped with a single motion of the operating handle. The flow rate of the liquid can be precisely controlled in either direction, along with the liquid pressure. This allows the use of a constant speed pump turning in one direction and gives the operator the ability to control the product transfer regardless of viscosity or volume. A purge valve connected to the outlet of the pump is used to remove substantially all retained liquid in the system after transfer of liquid is complete. The system can be mounted to a vehicle for delivery of bulk liquids.
US07681604B2
A system for increasing the overall efficiency of a high pressure gas fueled vehicle and refilling station infrastructure wherein the compression heat of high pressure refueling of an on board tank is absorbed by a temperature dependent melting/solidifying media within the interior of an on board tank and may be dispersed through an external radiator.
US07681602B2
Provided is an inflatable fabric containing two separated fabric layers which are woven at the same time using a weaving machine, and at least one an attachment area where a single layer of fabric is formed. The attachment area is formed from at least a weave pattern of at least 13 yarns, air leakage can be minimized during inflation. The fabric can be utilized for shock-absorbing products such as an airbag when coated with synthetic resins.
US07681599B2
A line pipe for the transport of deep-frozen media, consisting of at least two corrugated metal pipes (2, 4) arranged concentrically and at a distance from one another, an insulation layer (3) being arranged in the annular gap between the two metal pipes (2, 4), the annular gap being evacuated, and a closing valve (10) provided in the outer metal pipe (4) being connectable to a vacuum pump, the closing valve being welded, vacuum-tight, into a smooth-walled metal pipe (9) welded, vacuum-tight, to the exterior of the metal pipes (4). The valve body (10) of the closing valve projects into the interior of the smooth-walled metal pipe (9) and is flush with the outer surface area of the smooth-walled metal pipe (9).
US07681596B2
A fluid isolation valve having a valve body with a first fluid flow port, a second fluid flow port and a fluid drain port with a valve in the fluid drain port. The valve body also defines a fluid flow channel, a drain flow channel and a valve portion, wherein the valve portion is disposed in the valve body to be communicated with the first fluid flow port, the second fluid flow port and the fluid drain port A flow diversion device is also provided and is disposed within the valve portion. The flow diversion device is configurable between a first configuration and a second configuration, such that when the flow diversion device is in the first configuration the first fluid flow port is communicated with the second fluid flow port Consequently, when the flow diversion device is in the second configuration the first fluid flow port is communicated with the fluid drain port. The fluid flow can be decrease or stop by use of the valve within the fluid drain port.
US07681590B2
A process apparatus including a chamber, a pump, and a transportation system set between the chamber and the pump is provided. The transportation system has a pipe, a pressure control valve, and a shielding unit. The pipe has an input end connected to the chamber and an output end connected to the pump to pump fluids out of the chamber through the pipe. The pressure control valve between the input and output ends is disposed on the pipe and has a valve plate to adjust a fluid flow in the pipe. The shielding unit between the input end and the pressure control valve is disposed on the pipe and has a shielding plate to be switched between an original position and a shielding position. The shielding plate at the shielding position permits conveyance of fluids in the pipe and prevents certain liquid particles of the fluids floating in the pipe.
US07681589B2
A retainer for movably securing a valve member within a fluid bore of a pump comprises a retainer head which includes at least one peripheral groove and a retainer hub which is connected to or formed integrally with the retainer head. The valve member is movably coupled to the retainer hub, and the retainer head is movable to position the groove over a radial protrusion in the fluid bore. In this position, the retainer is secured to the pump and the valve member is accordingly movably secured within the fluid bore.
US07681588B2
Pressure regulator with partial volumes for regulating the operating pressure of fluids, in particular adhesives, at the inlet of a consuming device, the first partial volume (14) being connectable to a fluid source and the second partial volume (24) being connectable to the fluid inlet of the consuming device, wherein the second partial volume (24) has a cylindrical section(24a) of variable size, a connecting channel (22) connecting the first (14) and the second (24) partial volumes, a valve disposed in the first partial volume for opening and closing the connecting channel, said valve having an insert (23) and a movable sealing piston (32), the front end of which forms a sealing body (34) for closing the connecting channel and the rear end of which is sealed against the first partial volume. A working piston (54) is disposed in the cylindrical section (24a) for changing the volume thereof, with a front end (59) facing the cylindrical section and the sealing piston, and with a piston rod (56) for moving the sealing piston, said piston rod (56) engaging the front end (59) of the sealing piston and forming an endstop for same. The rear end of the sealing piston and the front end of the working piston are exposed to the pressure of the fluid in the second partial volume (24) while a movable adjuster piston (92) is provided to which compressed air can be applied and which is coupled to the endstop that determines the extent to which the valve opens between its closed and its open positions.
US07681587B2
A protective sleeve for use in connection with valve stems for gas bottles is provided, the protective sleeve being comprised of an elongated body of such length as to extend along at least a portion of the length of the valve stem. A projection extends from an interior surface of the protective sleeve and is adapted to physically engage with an orifice in an opposing surface of the valve stem in locking engagement whereby the protective sleeve is prevented from being easily removed from the valve stem upon being placed thereover due to engagement of the projection with the orifice. At least one tear strip is provided within at least a portion of at least one side surface of the protective sleeve, whereby at least a portion of the side surface of the protective sleeve may be removed by tearing the tear strip so as to permit disengagement and removal of the protective sleeve from the valve stem.
US07681575B2
A patient interface is described which is reduces the pressure of the mask on the users face. The patient interface has a sealing interface having an inner sealing member and an outer sealing member. The inner and outer sealing members are adapted to seal around the facial contours of a user providing a sealed fluid communication to the user's respiratory tract. The inner and outer sealing members are at least continuously in contact with each other around the portions where the sealing interface contacts the users facial contours. The inner sealing member may be provided with cut outs to provide additional flexibility to particular areas, such as the nasal bridge, upper lip or cheek regions and may be provided with a contoured edge to better fit the facial contours of a user.
US07681573B2
A compressed air respirator with prolonged operating time due to rebreathing. The compressed air reservoir includes a compressed air reserve with a connected demand air supply valve, a reversible breathing gas reservoir (4) with a registering device (5) detecting the filling level of the breathing gas reservoir (4), and with an inspiration and expiration line (7, 8) for the user of the apparatus. A valve (6) is connected with the inspiration and expiration line (7, 8) and, on the inlet side, with the compressed air reserve (1) with a demand air supply valve (2) and with the breathing gas reservoir (4) and, on the outlet side, with the ambient air (11) and with the breathing gas reservoir (4). The valve means (6) is cyclically reversed by the registering device (5) in two phases such that depending on the filling level of the breathing gas reservoir (4), the inspiration line (7) is first connected with the compressed air reserve (1) and the expiration line (8) with the breathing gas reservoir (4) during a first phase until the filling level of the breathing gas reservoir (4) reaches an upper reversing point for the valve means (6), so that the inspiration line (7) is connected with the breathing gas reservoir (4) and the expiration line (78) with the ambient air (11) during a second phase until the filling level of the breathing gas reservoir (4) reaches a lower reversing point for the valve means (6) and the latter is again reversed as in the first phase.
US07681557B2
A canister for a vehicle may include a cover member covering a hole formed at a floor panel corresponding to a fuel pump module mounted on a fuel tank, and a main body integrally formed at a lower surface of the cover member, and connected to the fuel pump module through a hose so as to collect evaporation gas generated in the fuel tank and supply the evaporation gas to an intake line.
US07681555B2
A controller for controlling the operation of a fuel injector having a piezoelectric actuator which is operable by the application of a voltage drive profile across the actuator, the controller comprising inputs for receiving data relating to one or more engine parameters and a processor for determining a voltage drive profile for controlling the actuator in dependence upon the one or more engine parameters. The voltage drive profile is arranged to comprise an activating voltage component to initiate an injection event and a deactivating voltage component to terminate the injection event, the activating and deactivating voltage components being separated by a time interval TON. The controller further receives outputs for outputting the voltage drive profile as determined by the processor to the actuator, wherein the processor is arranged to set the time interval TON greater than or equal to a predetermined pressure wave time period (TP) of a pressure wave cycle within the injector.
US07681553B2
A reactive acoustic dampener includes a nested three chambered configuration and connecting tubes that may be fully integrated into the fuel rail of a fuel injection system.
US07681547B2
A method of operating a hybrid powertrain system is provided for a vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine having an engine output to drive the vehicle and a motor having a motor output to drive the vehicle. The motor is operatively connected to the engine and operable to crank the engine. The method includes the steps of reducing compression in at least one engine cylinder and operating the motor to crank the engine. A hybrid powertrain system for a hybrid vehicle is also provided.
US07681543B2
A tappet apparatus cooperates with a valve and a cam. The apparatus includes a case to reciprocate motion of the cam; and a locking unit in the ease, movable between an activated position at which the valve reciprocates motion of the case, and a deactivated position at which the valve is stationary regardless of the motion of the case. The locking unit may include first and second passages in the case; a pin, movable between a first and a second position within the first passage; and a column in the second passage. The pin may be situated in the column when the pin is in the second position. The activated position may be defined by the pin being in the first position, and the deactivated position may be defined by the pin being in the second position.
US07681541B2
A position sensing system uses two sensing elements to sense the rotary position of target wheels mounted on two camshafts. The two sensing elements are mounted in a common sensor housing and preferably the two sensor elements share power and ground wires, and each sensor element has its own signal wire. The wires preferably are contained within a common conduit that extends from the housing to a location outside of the rocker cover. The end of the conduit may support one-half of an electrical connector that terminates the wires from the sensors. Mounting the two sensing elements in a common housing simplifies mounting the sensors on the engine, and reduces the number of wires required to power and derive signals from the two sensors. The target wheels are mounted directly on the camshafts and are positioned along the axis of the camshaft, spaced from the camshaft ends.
US07681527B2
Embodiments of a method and system are described for tracking and managing animals and/or food products. These embodiments can include entering into a computer system identification data for animals and location data for locations occupied by the animals. This data can be collected, for example, by a data service provider and transmitted to a data trustee. The data trustee may filter the data into official data and non-official data. The official data may be sent to an official database. When a public health issue arises, such as an occurrence of mad cow disease, the government may use an identifier for a diseased animal or a location identifier to request a trace report from the data trustee. The data trustee may then use the official data to provide a report showing, for example, which animals have commingled with the diseased animal. Based on this report, other sick or potentially sick animals can be treated, quarantined, or slaughtered. As another example, the disclosed embodiments may be used to facilitate commercial transactions by providing data that validates, for example, an animal's health and food quality.
US07681525B1
An ergonomic horse/animal feeder adapted for receiving a lower portion and jaw of two or more horse heads in a natural headset. The feeder is angular in shape and includes a horizontal bottom, a backside, an ergonomic feed front side, a first side and an opposite second side. A curved lip is disposed around a top of the angular sides. The backside is angled upwardly and outwardly from the horizontal bottom in a range of 60 to less than 90 degrees from the horizontal. A lower portion of the feed front side of the feeder is angled upwardly in a range of 60 to less than 90 degrees from the horizontal. An upper portion of the feed front side is angled upwardly and outwardly in a range of 30 to 60 degrees from the horizontal. This upward and outward angle of the feed front side allows the lower portion of the horse's head and jaw to be received inside the feeder for feeding in the natural headset.
US07681503B1
A projectile is provided for delivering a payload from a smoothbore launcher to a target. The projectile includes an aerodynamic stabilizer, an extender along which the stabilizer can longitudinally translate, and a chamber connected to the extender to contain the payload. The chamber can include a plastic bag for containing a liquid that represents the payload, and a plurality of holes that radially extend through its wall. The stabilizer enhances post-launch directional stability of the projectile by longitudinally translating rearward along the extender to shift center of pressure of the projectile aft of center of gravity of the projectile. The bag ruptures upon contact with the target, thereby disbursing the liquid through the holes. The bag can include malodorant or paint. The projectile can be contained within a gunpowder-loaded shotgun shell for launch.
US07681502B2
A styling pyrotechnic device comprising multiple, two preferred, bearing members with each disposed with multiple locating holes to receive insertion of multiple pyrotechnic tubes; each pyrotechnic tube being erected at a certain inclination; multiple locating holes on each bearing member being arranged in a circle; each circle having its circumference same as or different from that of another circle for multiple pyrotechnic tubes to be erected at different inclinations to produce various styling effects when fired into the skies.
US07681501B1
The invention discloses a container and support stand for conventional road flares, thereby allowing said stand to support flares during use. The device consists of multiple round flare holders or tubes, which are snapped around a central core holder. The core holder will accommodate four (4) to six (6) flares dependent upon the model. Each flare tube has a waterproof cap. To use, a person would select one or more flare tubes from the central core, remove each cap, and slide out the flare. A locking system to prevent the flare from falling all of the way back into the tube is then activated, along with a spring-levered two-foot support stand. The stand is then deployed with the flare ignited and dropped into the tube. When finished, the spent flare can be discarded, a new one placed in the holder, the cap replaced, and the holder snapped back into the central core holder, thus making the device ready for the next use.
US07681498B2
A printer of the present invention includes a print drum around which a master made by cutting a stencil is to be wrapped, an ink feeding device for feeding ink to the master wrapped around the print drum and a pressing member for pressing a sheet relatively to the print drum to thereby print an image on the sheet. The operator of the printer is capable of selecting either one of a usual print mode and a silence print mode that give priority to image quality and noise reduction, respectively.
US07681497B2
The invention concerns a method for feeding and removing a board to/from a gap of a periodically operating press. The board to be pressed is fed grip-supported to the gap of the press from one side and a board pressed in the previous operating cycle is removed grip-supported from the same or from the opposite side during the opening cycle of the press. The movement feeding the board to the press and the movement removing the board from the press are performed at least partially staggered with each other.
US07681494B2
A device to inject solid materials into foods comprising a piston, a sleeve, and a penetrating tip. Embodiments are described with both segmented and unitary sleeves. Deformation of the tip during storage is minimized by biasing members which withdraw the piston from the tip when an embodiment is not in use. A method is described for flavoring foods with solid objects.
US07681492B2
A cartridge for extracting a beverage from an edible substance contained therein by means of a liquid under pressure, the cartridge comprising a main body having a cup portion and a lid portion. The base of said cup portion comprises a cup port defining a passage for the extracted beverage and protruding from the base outwardly with respect to the internal volume of the cartridge. Valve means are fixedly mounted on the internal surface of the cup port and are resiliently openable under pressure of the extracted beverage during a beverage extraction phase. The diameter of the open end of said cup port that is opposite to said cup base is sized so as to allow insertion of the valve means within the cup port. A safety cap is mounted on the external surface of the cup port and partially closes the external open end thereof.
US07681488B2
A pump includes a cylinder, a handle, a piston rod connected with the handle at an upper end and connected with a piston at a lower end, a flexible tube communicated with the cylinder, a nozzle communicated with the flexible tube, a first holding element installed on the cylinder in order to hold the flexible tube and a second holding element installed on one of the handle in order to hold the flexible tube.
US07681484B2
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a blast-resistant panel may include a layer of a pre-cured elastomeric material having a predetermined thickness, a body portion, and a plurality of flanges, each of the plurality of flanges having a substantially equal width and depending away from a same side and at approximately equivalent right angles to the body portion. The blast-resistant panel may also include a plurality of fastener elements for securing the pre-cured elastomeric material layer to a surface of a structure through the plurality of flanges of pre-cured elastomeric material layer.
US07681477B2
The present invention discloses pliers including first and second members having first and second jaw members, respectively, and a first handle and a second handle. The jaws have first and second workpiece engaging surfaces constructed and arranged to generally correspond to first and second surfaces of a standardized workpiece, such as a hexagonal nut. A pivot assembly is provided to interact between the first and second members, which includes a plurality of pivot retaining regions disposed on the first jaw member and a pivot structure disposed within the second member. The pivot structure is engageable at a selected one of the retaining regions to adjust a relative position of a pivot axis between the first and second members so as to adjust an extent of relative spacing between the first and second jaws of the pliers. The second member and the pivot structure are capable of relative movement with respect to one another so that the first workpiece engaging surfaces and the second workpiece engaging surfaces orient themselves into engagement with the first and second surfaces of the standardized workpiece, respectively.
US07681472B2
A shifter for a bicycle transmission that includes a spring element that functions as a preloaded spring for cable-release operations and a detent pawl. The shifter also includes a housing having a detent contour, a cable spool for winding and unwinding a control cable thereon, and an actuator. The actuator includes a release element, a spring seat and a driver. The spring element includes a detent pawl, a base and a spool driver. The detent pawl is engageable with the detent contour to maintain the shifter in a current detent position. The base is supported by the spring seat and the spool driver is operatively engages and rotates the spool.
US07681471B2
A motor-vehicle gear arrangement for a power-assist gearing in a motor vehicle, that includes a gear, a flange arrangement including at least one flange, wherein the gear is located adjacent to the flange in the flange arrangement so as to rotate about a common axis, and at least one connecting element to connect the gear to the at least one flange. This gear arrangement, or a flange for this gear arrangement, is advantageous due to the fact that the ribs are formed on the flange laterally within a plane perpendicularly to the rotational axis so as to reinforce the flange.
US07681464B2
Provided is an apparatus for detecting the tension, moving direction, and length of a connector. The detecting apparatus includes a connector including one end connected inside the movement detecting apparatus and other end disposed at an outer side of the movement detecting apparatus, a tension detector measuring a tension force applied to the connector by detecting a minute change in a parameter of the tension detector when the other end of the connector is pulled away from the movement detecting apparatus, a direction detector measuring a movement of the connector in horizontal and vertical directions in a plane substantially perpendicular to the tension so as to detect a direction of the tension force applied to the connector, and a length detector detecting a length of the connector extended from the movement detecting apparatus by the tension force applied to the connector. When the connector such as a cable is pulled, the detecting apparatus detects information about the pulling conditions of the cable. Therefore, when a user walks with a dog robot by holding the cable of the detecting apparatus attached to the dog robot, the detecting apparatus provides information about the cable-holding conditions to inform the dog robot of user's intention, so that the dog robot can follow the user according to the user's intention. Thus, automatically-movable devices such as the dog robot can be conveniently used by employing the detecting apparatus since the detecting apparatus provides information about user's intention to the devices.
US07681460B2
A system and method for enhancing the accuracy of fuel flow measurement by a fuel dispenser are provided. Pressure sensors positioned in the fuel flow path detect pressure in the fuel flow path and communicate pressure signals to a control system in the fuel dispenser. The pressure signals are used by the control system to enhance the accuracy of the fuel flow rate and fuel dispensed that the control system determines by converting meter signals from a meter. In particular, the pressure signals are used by the control system to determine whether a non-steady state condition exists in the fuel flow path and compensate the fuel flow rate and fuel dispensed due to the non-steady state condition.
US07681456B2
In a particular embodiment, a field device is disclosed that includes a housing defining a fluid cavity and a sensor cavity and having an isolation barrier to isolate the fluid cavity from the sensor cavity. The field device further includes a pressure sensor disposed within the sensor cavity. The pressure sensor includes at least one pressure inlet. The field device also includes a capillary tube extending from the at least one pressure inlet to the fluid cavity through the isolation barrier. The capillary tube includes a lumen having a non-cylindrical shape.
US07681454B2
A device (10, 10′) for checking the play of linkages of vehicles is provided and can include a first device (20) for production of oscillations, which is connected, via an extension element (30), with a contact element (40) for contacting the device (10, 10′) with the component to be tested, and a second device (50) for recording the oscillations produced in the component to be tested. A process for testing the play of vehicle linkages is also provided and can include the steps of producing oscillations with a first device (20), the oscillations being transmitted to a component to be measured via a contact element (40) which is connected via an extension element (30) with the first device (20), and recording the oscillations produced in the component to be measured with a second device (50).
US07681452B2
An inspection head for an air gap inspection device. The inspection head may include a pair of expandable shoes, an inspection device attached to the pair of shoes, and a transducer assembly attached to one of the pair of shoes.
US07681446B2
Provided is a liquid container having an outer surface and an interior container from which the level of liquid in the container is not visible; the liquid container having a detecting unit having a liquid amount detecting means and a liquid temperature detecting means which are inserted into the inner container and detect a liquid amount and a liquid temperature. A unit outer package located on the outer surface of the container displays the liquid amount and the liquid temperature detected by the detecting means. All detecting and display components are included in a single unit.
US07681444B2
A method and apparatus is disclosed that determines the density of one component in a multi-component flow through a conduit. The multi-component flow is separated into two streams (404) where a first stream has essentially all the flow for a first one of the components. The density of the second stream is measured (406).
US07681442B2
In a non-critical pressure region where a pressure ratio [Pm/Pthrup(i−1)] of an intake air pressure Pm(throttle downstream pressure) detected by an intake air pressure sensor to a previous throttle upstream pressure Pthrup(i−1) is greater than a predetermined value B, the previous throttle upstream pressure Pthrup(i−1) is substituted for one of two terms of the throttle upstream pressures Pthrup(i) included in an intake system model so that present throttle upstream pressure Pthrup(i) is calculated. In a critical pressure region where the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the predetermined value B, a physical value f(Pm/Pthrup(i)) using a pressure ratio [Pm/Pthrup(i)] of the intake air pressure Pm to a present throttle upstream pressure Pthrup(i) as a parameter is regarded as a steady value fc so that the present throttle upstream pressure Pthrup(i) is calculated.
US07681441B2
The present invention relates to: self-tuning engine control algorithms using inputs from transducers that measure pressure in the engine cylinders, and from an engine crankshaft rotational position sensor; methods of processing the input signals to “self-tune” or learn accurate values for a) pressure transducer voltage offset, b) crank position encoder error and c) engine compression ratio; improved pressure-ratio-based algorithms for calculating cylinder heat release fraction as a function of crank angle.
US07681431B2
A method of calibrating a scale which enforces exercise requirements. The method includes causing an interface to provide a first indication to place weight on the scale by control circuitry of the scale, receiving weight signals from a load cell by the control circuitry, causing the interface to provide a second indication that exercising has begun and of the level of weight applied by the control circuitry, determining that a minimum recommended calibration weight has been placed on the scale by the control circuitry, and causing an interface to provide a third indication that the minimum recommended calibration weight has been placed on the scale by the control circuitry.
US07681430B2
A medical device crimping system comprises a crimper and a plurality of protective strips. The crimper defines a crimping iris, which has an open state and a closed state. In the open state the cross-sectional area of the crimping iris is greater than in the closed state. The plurality of protective strips extend longitudinally through the crimping iris. Each of the strips is radially offset from one another. The strips protect the stent from direct contact with the crimping blades of the crimper.
US07681421B2
An electrical panel lockout that locks the electrical panel door closed and prevents the panel cover from being removed. Two telescoping hollow tubes extend between two panel screws. Two slots in the ends of the hollow tubes slide under the screw heads of each of the loosened panel screws. The outer hollow tube and inner hollow tube extend across the panel door keeping it locked closed. The shackle of a padlock is inserted into one of the openings of the inner hollow tube to keep the device locked in the extended position onto the panel screws. The screw heads are encapsulated by the device rendering them inaccessible and preventing the electrical panel cover from being removed. Hollow tube extension fittings can be employed to increase the length of the device for use on electrical panels of larger widths. A guide screw attached to the inner hollow tube rides in a slot in the outer hollow tube to keep both tubes from separating.
US07681419B2
A dry cleaning machine includes a tub for holding articles to be cleaned. A door is rotatably coupled to the dry cleaning machine. The door is movable from a closed position wherein access to the tub is substantially sealed, to an open position providing access to the tub. An outlet tube is coupled in flow communication to the tub. A filter assembly is positioned between the tub and the outlet tube filtering dry cleaning fluid channeled towards the outlet tube.
US07681416B2
The production of an optical component from quartz glass, by elongation of a coaxial arrangement of a core rod and a hollow cylinder of a given length, is known. The arrangement is thus introduced into a heating zone with a vertical orientation, such that the lower end begins to partly soften and the component is drawn downwards from the softened part. The hollow cylinder has an inner passage, provided with a restriction in the region of the lower end thereof, on which the core rod is supported. Several methods are disclosed for formation of the restriction in which the inner passage (55) is mechanically machined to a final dimension and, in one version of the method, the restriction in the inner passage (55) is generated by means of softening the lower end face of the hollow cylinder, swaged against a tool and thus folded inwards with formation of a peripheral bead ring.
US07681412B1
A portable beverage cooler contained in a box with tracks that accept rails attached to panels with decorative automobile designs. Panels with the design of one automobile mobile can readily be replaced by panels with the design of another model. Attached the box axles with wheels so that the beverage cooler can readily be moved from place to place.
US07681411B2
Disclosed is an ice making apparatus and method whereby the cleanliness of ice is improved through the use of ozone (O3). The invention utilizes a volute aspirator that is positioned within the intake of a conventional sump pump. The vacuum generated by the pump draws upon both a supply of ozone and water, whereby the ozone is entrained within the water. The presence of the ozone within the water inhibits the growth of bacteria and other contaminates. The ozonated water is then used in the production of ice.
US07681409B2
A refrigerated merchandiser includes a display case defining a product display region having an open-front isolated from the ambient air of the store by means of a downwardly directed inner air curtain of relatively cold refrigerated air and a downwardly directed outer air curtain of relatively warmer air established via an improved curtain air admission assembly. The curtain air admission assembly defines a plenum atop the refrigerated display through which the flow of air substantially reverses direction when passing from a first flow passage to a second flow passage. This reversal of flow direction serves to distribute the air flow more uniformly along the length of the display case.
US07681408B2
The present invention is an automated ice vending machine for delivering ice to consumers. The machine of the present invention includes an insulated enclosure, an ice manufacturing apparatus, a cooling unit, an ice inventory storage bin, an ice agitating device, an incline ice transport device, and a bagger assembly. The present invention also includes a method of vending ice to a consumer.
US07681405B2
An insulated shipping container system for transferring a temperature sensitive product comprising a substantially hollow insulated body having inner walls and outer walls defining a payload cavity to receive a payload and supports to space the payload from the insulated body thereby defining an internal air filled space to facilitate heat transfer. The insulated shipping container system further comprises a heat transfer element cavity configured to receive a heat transfer element and supports to space the heat transfer element from the insulated body thereby defining an internal air filled space to facilitate heat transfer. Also provided are methods for shipping temperature sensitive products and goods comprised of packing and assembling the insulated shipping container system disclosed herein.
US07681401B2
A method of operating a gas turbine is provided, wherein the gas turbine engine is coupled to an electrical grid operating at a standardized grid frequency value, and the gas turbine includes a combustor coupled in flow communication with a plurality of independent fuel circuits and a compressor. The method includes determining a deviation of a grid frequency from the standardized grid frequency value and adjusting fuel flow from a portion of the plurality of fuel circuits while maintaining a substantially constant air flow from the compressor to facilitate controlling a fuel to compressor discharge pressure ratio such that a combustor state does not lag changes in airflow when the combustor responds to the grid frequency deviation.
US07681400B2
A propulsion gas exhaust assembly in an aircraft propelled by hot gases produced along an axis of the aircraft by a gas generator is disclosed. The propulsion gas exhaust assembly includes a transition element emerging in two duct elements each communicating with an ejection half-nozzle, wherein each of the two duct elements forms an elbow downstream of the transition element.
US07681396B2
A steam turbine (10) with heating steam extraction includes a plurality of turbine sections (11, 12, 15, 17, 19, 20) for the high pressure, medium pressure and low pressure ranges, which turbine sections (11, 12, 15, 17, 19, 20) are arranged in each case in a separate casing and connected by a common shaft (28), and which includes one high pressure turbine (11), at least one subsequent medium pressure turbine (15, 17), which is connected on the outlet side to two series-connected heaters (21, 24) of a district heating circuit (27), and one subsequent low pressure turbine (19, 20). Safe control of high volumetric flows of steam is achieved by providing, for heating steam extraction, two medium pressure turbines (15, 17), which operate in parallel, in separate casings, and which are connected on the outlet side in each case to one of the heaters (21, 24).
US07681376B2
A method for manufacturing electronic, electric or other products such as flat-panel display devices, for coping with change of product size and for curbing damage on the products and dust generation by smaller cost of packaging, according to one embodiment, comprising; sequentially placing first products as to be sandwiched by a resin-sheet band and as to be arrayed in a row while forming joined areas as to form receptacles respectively for the first products, thus forming a band-shaped package; winding the band-shaped package around a shock-absorbent core and placing them into an inner box as non-displaceable; placing the inner box in an outer box as to be supported from inner face of the outer box through partitions or spacers; and then transporting or storing in such a state while keeping the resin-sheet face as substantially vertical, as to be used for producing second products.
US07681375B2
A horizontal bag-making machine having a packaging material delivery unit, a product delivery unit, and a folding, sealing, and separating unit for folding the packaging material into a tube, sealing the folded packaging material in the directions transverse and parallel to a conveying direction and for cutting the packaging material into individual bag packages also has a tear-open assistance unit located in the conveying direction between the product delivery unit and the folding, sealing, and separating unit. The tear-open assistance unit produces an overlap of material in the separation region, the overlap of material extending at least approximately transversely to the conveying direction of the packaging material, and releasably fixes the overlap of material in the separation region. The bag packages produced in this way are easy to open yet are still in accordance with stringent hygiene regulations.
US07681370B2
An easily installed, aesthetically pleasing island ceiling system is provided. The system includes a soft fiber panel having a top surface, a bottom surface and an edge extending therebetween. The top surface includes a routed channel which does not extend to the edge of the panel. The system also includes suspension hardware which supports the panel in both the longitudinal and cross axes when suspended from an overhead ceiling or wall.
US07681369B2
The double pane window construction includes an inner peripheral surround captured between two panes of glass immediately adjacent the outer peripheral seal of the assembly. The surround has a width sufficient to conceal the inner surface of the seal from the view when the interior of the assembly is viewed at an acute angle through the glass, but includes a circulation gap between each edge thereof and the adjacent glass pane to allow the air or gas entrapped between the panes to communicate with the seal and any dessiccant material therewith. The surround includes a seal attachment flange for attachment to the seal, and may have a faux muntin pattern formed integrally therewith. The surround and faux muntin grid may be formed of plastic or other suitable material in any practicable size and pattern. The assembly is particularly well suited as a door lite.
US07681362B1
A vented panel connector for a decorative panel system includes a front plate, a pair of spaced-apart vent plates carried by the front plate, a pair of spaced-apart panel flanges extending from each of the pair of spaced-apart vent plates and a plurality of vent openings extending through each of the pair of vent plates between the front plate and the pair of spaced-apart panel flanges.
US07681356B2
A method and apparatus (10) for irrigating a plant, the method including the step of placing an end of a fibrous wick (50) in communication with a source of water (21) with the wick (50) delivering the water to a moisture zone proximal to a subterranean root structure of the plant. The deliver of this water is controlled by constricting the wick (50) to a predetermined degree by means of a constriction member (30) in order that the irrigation of the plant is substantially self regulating.
US07681352B2
An apparatus and method for sealing the barrel of an underwater gun between firings is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a valve that is moved between a sealing and non-sealing state by a valve-actuator. In some embodiments, the valve actuator is driven by gases that result when a round is fired.
US07681336B2
Various exemplary embodiments are provided of wheeled shovels. In one exemplary embodiment, a wheeled shovel generally includes a wheel assembly having an axle and a wheel. The wheeled shovel also includes a frame having an upper portion and a lower portion. The frame may be disposed relative to the axle such that the axle is operable as a fulcrum about which the frame may pivot. A handle may be disposed at about the upper portion of the frame. A shovel blade may be disposed at about the lower portion of the frame. The wheel assembly, frame, handle, and shovel blade may be cooperatively configured so as to enable the wheeled shovel to throw a load of material generally upwardly and forwardly away from the shovel blade in response to a sufficient force applied to the handle for pivoting the frame relative to the axle with a recoil generated through the fulcrum at the axle.
US07681335B2
A snow plow for attachment to a vehicle, the snow plow including a mounting apparatus having a mounting frame, the mounting frame including at least one mounting upright. The snow plow further including a plow blade including a retention apparatus constructed and arranged to slidlingly and disengageably secure the plow blade to the mounting upright(s) when the plow blade is in a working orientation. The plow blade includes a mold board, preferably, a two piece mold board being an aluminum extrusion. The preferred snow plow also includes an attachable biasing member secured between the plow blade and the mounting apparatus such that the biasing member resists upward movement of the plow blade when the plow blade is in a working orientation.
US07681332B2
A post-pedicure shoe according to the present invention includes a sole having front and rear ends and upper and lower surfaces. A foam cushion is situated atop the sole upper layer for comfortably accommodating a person's foot. The shoe includes a toe cover pivotally coupled to the front of the sole and is movable between open and closed configurations. The toe cover includes a configuration for protecting a person's toe nails from debris or contact with the shoe while still enabling the person to walk around. The shoe also includes a plurality of toe separators adjacent the sole front end for keeping the toes from touching one another while the shoe is worn.
US07681327B2
A vacuum belt conveyor of a web forming machine for transferring a threading tail has at least two turning rolls (16, 17) and an air-permeable belt loop (20), arranged around the turning rolls (16, 17). The vacuum belt conveyor also has vacuum means (22) for creating a vacuum effect on both the section of the belt loop (20) conveying the threading tail (23) and in connection with the first turning roll (16) of the turning rolls (16, 17). Arranged in connection with the first turning roll (16) in the travel direction of the threading tail (23) there is at least one cross-directional dividing structure (24) for creating at least two axial vacuum zones (25).
US07681323B2
An exemplary base includes a first elastic element, a second elastic, two first adjustable spacers and two second adjustable spacers. The first elastic element includes two first spaced plates and a first connecting element for connecting the two first spaced plates. The second elastic element includes two second spaced plates and a second connecting element for connecting the two second spaced plates. The first connecting element and the second connecting element are not in a plane. Two first adjustable spacers connect the two first spaced plates and adjust a distance between the two first spaced plates. Two second adjustable spacers connect the two second spaced plates and adjust a distance between the two second spaced plates.
US07681312B2
A substrate, preferably constructed of a ductile material and a tool having the desired shape of the resulting device for contacting contact pads on a test device is brought into contact with the substrate. The tool is preferably constructed of a material that is harder than the substrate so that a depression can be readily made therein. A dielectric (insulative) layer, that is preferably patterned, is supported by the substrate. A conductive material is located within the depressions and then preferably lapped to remove excess from the top surface of the dielectric layer and to provide a flat overall surface. A trace is patterned on the dielectric layer and the conductive material. A polyimide layer is then preferably patterned over the entire surface. The substrate is then removed by any suitable process.
US07681311B2
A multi-tool process station includes a tool sub-station having a plurality of electrically powered tools moveable between an operating position and a ready position; a voltage source spaced therefrom by a distance; at least one controller spaced from the tool sub-station and in communication with the tools; a cable structure extending across the distance and having not more than one outer cable sheath at any point along the distance, the cable structure supplying power from the voltage source to a plurality of the tools and further carrying control signals to the plurality of tools. The cable structure may consist of a single continuous cable, or may comprise multiple cable segments, such as first and second cables connected in series. The tool sub-station may be disposed proximate a vehicle manufacturing line and the plurality of tools comprise at least a plurality of screw spindles.
US07681310B2
A method is provided for fabricating a double-sided wiring board for mounting an electronic component thereon having metal wiring patterns formed both on upper and lower sides of an electrically-insulating board. The metal wiring patterns are electrically connected each other through a through-hole and/or a blind via-hole. The method has the steps of: laminating a metal layer with a support substrate on at least one side of the electrically-insulating board; removing the support substrate from the metal layer so that the metal layer is left on the electrically-insulating board; and forming the through-hole and/or the blind via-hole in the electrically-insulating board.
US07681307B2
Techniques are provided for controlling solder flow in applications where a flexible circuit is soldered to a microelectromechanical structure. A metal layer is formed on a substrate. A solder mask is formed on the metal layer such that portions of the metal layer are covered by the mask and portions are left exposed. A flexible circuit is soldered to the metal layer in at least some of the areas where the metal layer is exposed.
US07681306B2
Formation of a structure with through-holes includes attaching two sub-structures to one another. The resulting structure may be used in a sub-assembly for various types of micro components and may serve as a lid or base of a housing that encapsulates one or more micro components. The techniques may provide greater flexibility in the shape of the through-holes and may reduce costs compared with other known techniques.
US07681305B2
An ignition wire includes a conductive core, an insulation layer surrounding the core, an insulating jacket surrounding the insulation layer and a coating layer which is grafted and bonded to at least a portion of an exterior surface of the insulating jacket. The coating layer and insulating jacket are preferably formed of silicone materials. The coating layer is operative to provide enhanced resistance to heat and abrasion, as well as other benefits to the exterior surface of the insulating jacket. The coating layer may be transparent and provide an aesthetically pleasing clear coat, or may be tinted or colored to produce various other cosmetic or decorative characteristics to the outer surface of the ignition wire. The coating layer provides these enhanced protections without the diminishing electrical or mechanical performance properties of either the insulation layer or the insulating jacket. The coating layer is also adapted to provide protection to a cosmetic layer which may be applied to the exterior surface of the insulating jacket.
US07681304B2
A method for fabricating membrane electrode assembly includes providing an anode side diffusion layer structure and a cathode side diffusion layer structure with a layer of membrane electrolyte therebetween. The diffusion layer structures include diffusion segments, which are coupled to each other by a first engaging member having one or more portions configured for engagement with a feed or aligning mechanism. Also, one or more of the segments of the diffusion layer structures may be connected to other segments or the first engaging member by one or more bridges. Bridges of each diffusion layer structure may be offset to avoid electrical contact with each other in response to diffusion layer structures being assembled with each other and with the layer of membrane electrolyte.
US07681300B2
A device for centering a work piece with respect to a centerline of a tool includes a radially-stationary component rigidly secured with respect to the tool such that the radially-stationary component and the tool are concentric. A biasing mechanism is biased away from the radially-stationary component to apply substantially equally-distributed radial force at a periphery of the work piece to thereby center the work piece with respect to the tool. A method of broaching a work piece having an inner and an outer diameter includes machining the outer diameter and then applying circumferentially-distributed radial force to the inner diameter or the outer diameter to thereby center the work piece with respect to a broach tool. After the applying step, the method includes broaching the inner diameter of the work piece using the broach tool.
US07681298B2
A method for the manufacture of a component assembly comprising a sheet metal part and a functional element attached to it by a riveting process or by a riveting and piercing process or by a press-in process, wherein the sheet metal part is provided with an imprint, is wherein the imprint is produced prior to attachment of the functional element and consists of a sequence of regions which are raised and recessed relative to one another and wherein, during the attachment of the functional element this is pressed against the sheet metal part in such a way that the imprint of the sheet metal part leads to a complementary shaping of the functional element in the region of the functional element which comes into contact with the imprint. A sheet metal part and a functional element are also claimed.
US07681292B2
There is provided a seat cover for accommodating a child safety chair upon a seat. The seat cover comprises a lower protective member which is disposable upon a seating portion of the seat. This lower member can accommodate the child safety chair when positioned in a rearward-facing direction to prevent it from permanently compressing the seating portion. The seat cover further comprises an upper protective member that is disposable against a seat-back portion of the seat. This upper member is selectively attachable with and detachable from the lower member. By doing so, the upper member can further prevent the chair from permanently compressing the seat-back portion when it is repositioned in a forward-facing direction and placed in contact therewith.
US07681289B2
A fastener for fastening together two lace segments includes a base, a pull unit, and two clamp units. The base has an intermediate portion, and two openings disposed on two opposite sides of the intermediate portion. Each of the openings is adapted to permit one of the lace segments to extend therethrough. The pull unit includes a middle portion fixed to the base, and two opposite pull members extending outwardly from the middle portion. The clamp units are respectively connected to the pull members and are disposed above the openings. Each of the clamp units defines a through hole adapted to permit one of the lace segments to extend therethrough. The clamp units are movable toward the openings to effect clamping and are movable away from the openings when the pull members are pulled away from the base.
US07681277B2
An automotive wiper includes a frame supporting a blade. The frame is attached via an adapter to a wiper arm that presses and moves the wiper against and across the windshield. The wiper also includes a tension spring that is inserted along a rail portion of the blade for evenly distributing load along the blade onto the windshield. The adapter is disposed in the direction of a vertical axis (H) of the frame at a central portion thereof. The frame is offset by an adjustable angle θ from a horizontal axis (S) of the adapter taken at a sectional view of the wiper, whereby the frame is offset by an angle θ1 from its vertical axis, due to an offset of the frame and the adapter when the blade is pressed in its entirety against a windshield of a vehicle.
US07681264B2
A cushion comprising an array of individual suspension elements arranged in a pattern wherein one embodiment the longitudinal axis of each suspension element in the array is positioned at a right angle or parallel to the longitudinal axes of the adjacent suspension elements. Each suspension element has a displaceable load-bearing surface, a first end wall, a second end wall, and an optional bottom wall, with load-bearing surface and recited walls defining an inner chamber. The material thickness of the load-bearing surface generally is greater than the material thickness of the end walls whereby the end walls deflect outwardly toward the load-bearing surfaces of adjacent support elements under load. The load-bearing surface can have a substantially arch-shaped, elliptical or rectangular cross-section and may be constructed from different materials to make a composite suspension element. The bottom wall of the suspension element may have a small vent opening of a predetermined size to allow a controlled release of air from the inner chamber under load to enhance the viscous feel of the cushion. The cushion also includes a cover enclosing the array of suspension elements.
US07681261B1
The swaddling blanket is preferably fabricated from a soft material. The blanket includes a double-layered back portion having a reinforced head area. A pocket member is attached to the front layer of the back portion to accommodate the infant's legs. Double-layered, tapered tie members are attached to the back portion. The tie members are utilized to secure the infant in the blanket.
US07681259B2
A ready to assemble, expandable headboard that is capable of fitting different size mattresses and is packaged compactly so that a store and the resulting customer can easily carry the packaged headboard. A ready to assemble headboard and kit where the headboard is expandable yet easily assembled to result in a cushioned, fabric slipcovered headboard with a custom look.
US07681257B1
A head shield device having a frame and a replaceable lens. An engagement axle having an large dimension and a small dimension is attached to the frame. The lens defines an aperture with a neck and an enlarged inner body. The small dimension of the axle is adapted to pass through the neck and rotation of the axle to the large dimension locks the lens in place on the frame. The axle rotation is controlled by a control device located on a tab assembly forming the engagement axle.
US07681248B2
A rolling knee support comprises a base with a detachable knee pad. The base includes a knee pad receiving portion and roller attachment portions. Each of the roller attachment portions has a caster mounted thereto. The knee pad is detachably mounted to the knee pad receiving portion. A strap extends from the rolling knee support for attachment of the rolling knee support to a wearer's knee area. An outer cover may be placed on the knee pad when the knee pad is detached from the rolling knee support.
US07685645B2
Methods, systems, computer program products, and methods of doing business whereby document components are secured or controlled using “security containers” which encapsulate the components (and other component metadata). A “security container” encapsulates the component (i.e., content) that is to be controlled within a higher-level construct such as a compound document. The security container also contains rules for interacting with the encapsulated component, and one or more encryption keys usable for decrypting the component and rules for authorized requesters.
US07685634B2
A system and method for unlocking storage drives during the transition from a low power state to an operational state in a computer system is disclosed. During initiation of the computer system, a password for each password-protected storage drive is saved to a memory location in the computer system. During the transition from a low power state to an operational power state, the password associated with each password-protected device is retrieved from the memory location on the basis of the unique identifier associated with each storage drive and applied to the storage drive for the purpose of unlocking or making the storage drive accessible.
US07685633B2
Implementations of the present invention relate to a communication framework that is readily adaptable to a wide variety of resources intended to be accessible through a firewall. In general, a communication framework at a gateway server can provide a specific connection to a requested resource in accordance with a wide range of resource and/or network access policies. In one instance, a client requests a connection to a specific resource behind a firewall. The communication framework authenticates the connection, and quarantines the connection until determining, for example, that the client is using an appropriate resource features. If appropriately authenticated, the communication framework can pass control of the connection to an appropriately identified protocol plug-in processor, which facilitates a direct connection to the requested resource at an application layer of a communication stack.
US07685631B1
Protecting a user against web spoofing in which the user confirms the authenticity of a web page prior to submitting sensitive information such as user credentials (e.g., a login name and password) via the web page. The web page provides the user with an identifiable piece of information representing a shared secret between the user and the server. The user confirms the correctness of the shared secret to ensure the legitimacy of the web page prior to disclosing any sensitive information via the web page.
US07685627B2
A method and system for unified diagnosis of a network incident is provided. The unified diagnostics system is comprised of a monitoring tool, a network layer including a firewall, and a policy engine. The monitoring tool is invoked by a user in order to diagnose a network incident. The network layer and the policy engine generate various events that provide a history of their processing, and the monitoring tool collects these events. When the user attempts a network activity that fails, the network layer places an event notification in a notification queue. Then the monitoring tool analyzes the event notifications to identify events that are related to the same network incident. After analyzing the network incident and event information, the user can take the necessary action to correct the problem that caused the incident.
US07685623B2
The invention concerns an audio/video signal distribution system, comprising audio/video signal sources (MGT, DVD, C, HIFI) and audio/video signal receivers (TV1, TV2, TV3, TV4), and a central processing and multiplexing unit (MDS, MDS′). The invention is characterized in that it comprises a twisted pair service network (PS) for routing said audio/video signals from the sources to the processing and multiplexing unit and a twisted pair distribution network (P, D) for routing the processed multiplexed audio/video signals from the processing and multiplexing unit to the receivers.
US07685622B2
A television signal receiving system is operative to optimally tune to one or a plurality of television channels and provide one or plurality of optimum television channel signals to one or a plurality of television signal receivers. The television signal receivers are operative to request a particular channel of a television signal processor. The television signal processor is coupled to an antenna array. Television signals from the antenna array are processed in accordance with the principles of the subject invention to provide optimum television channel signals. The optimum television channel signals are demodulated then remodulated before being distributed to the various television signal receivers.
US07685617B2
A method for selectively and multiply routing a media stream input to a media appliance is provided. The method includes receiving the media stream. Further, the method includes distributing the media stream onto a plurality of individual media paths within the media appliance. Furthermore, the method includes routing the media stream on at least a first one of the media paths to a first media processor within the media appliance, while simultaneously routing the media stream on at least one other of the media paths to at least one additional media processor within the media appliance.
US07685610B2
A disk device includes a driving unit and a restricting mechanism that are disposed in a housing. The driving unit moves between a withdrawal position and a driving position. The withdrawal position is separated from an outer peripheral edge of a disk that is positioned in the housing, and the driving position is where the disk is rotationally driven. When the driving unit is at the withdrawal position, the restricting mechanism restricts movement of the driving unit toward the driving position.
US07685608B2
A system and a method are disclosed for a data processing apparatus (200) is described which comprises a plurality of application programs (206, 210) configured to utilize an availability status of a user; and a presence engine (208). The presence engine (208) is configured to receive data representative of the availability status of the user and generate one or more representations of the received availability status suitable for one or more of the plurality of application programs (206, 210). The one or more representations of the received availability status are made available to the corresponding one or more of the plurality of application programs (206, 210).
US07685607B2
The invention provides an embedded processor architecture comprising a plurality of virtual processing units that each execute processes or threads (collectively, “threads”). One or more execution units, which are shared by the processing units, execute instructions from the threads. An event delivery mechanism delivers events—such as, by way of non-limiting example, hardware interrupts, software-initiated signaling events (“software events”) and memory events—to respective threads without execution of instructions. Each event can, per aspects of the invention, be processed by the respective thread without execution of instructions outside that thread. The threads need not be constrained to execute on the same respective processing units during the lives of those threads—though, in some embodiments, they can be so constrained. The execution units execute instructions from the threads without needing to know what threads those instructions are from. A pipeline control unit which launches instructions from plural threads for concurrent execution on plural execution units.
US07685606B2
A system and method reduces the power consumption by putting the system in sleep and use mobility context receiving device continue to monitor the context and wake up the system when discover the trigger state. After the system waked up, the application executes the job that is triggered by said trigger state. Said job might include reminder, TODO-List warning, e-mail retrieval, computer system or network login, control other appliances, etc. Said mobility context receiving device may also automatically interrupt the said application while the system is powered on. Said mobility context receiving device includes wireless communication interface or positioning device. Said application might be a person sensitive reminder, a TO-DO list warning system, automatic login and e-mail retriever, and automatic appliance controller, proximity sensitive file manager, etc.
US07685601B2
Methods and apparatus provide for allocating a first stack module in response to a first function call of a software program running on a processing system; and allocating a second stack module in response to a second function call of the software program, wherein the second stack module is non-contiguous with respect to the first stack module.
US07685600B1
A computer-implemented method for referencing a mutable out-of-line monitor for a shared object in read-only memory, comprising creating a lockword with a pointer field set to zero and a pre-set inflated bit when the object is stored in read-only memory. An out-of-line monitor table is referenced when encountering the lockword with the pointer field set to zero and the pre-set inflated bit. The desired monitor referenced in the out-of-line monitor table is identified based on the address of the lockword.
US07685589B2
Systems and methods to synchronize file loading operations are described. In one aspect, file loading operations are divided into multiple loading levels. The loading levels are incremental with respect to one another. The loading levels are executed in a sequential order. Each loading level includes operations that are independent and distinct of operations of all other loading levels. The systems and methods load a file to an allowed loading level. The allowed loading level includes operations associated with one or more of the multiple loading levels.
US07685587B2
Commercial data processors are available that include a capability of extending their instruction set for a specified application, i.e. of introducing customized functional units in the interest of enhanced processing performance. For such processors there is a need for automatically forming the extensions from high-level application code. A technique is described for selecting maximal-speedup convex subgraphs of the application dataflow graph under micro-architectural constraints.
US07685585B1
Creating explicit control flow in an implicit control flow development environment. A set of explicit functions is defined in a library associated with the implicit control flow development environment. Each of the explicit functions in the set is associated with a sequence of implicit functions, such that by calling the explicit function, the sequence of selected implicit functions are called to programmatically perform the task defined by the explicit function. Property types may be designated for the explicit functions, wherein the property types are used by the sequence of implicit functions in performing the task. The explicit functions are exposed to a developer using the implicit flow development environment. The developer selects the desired explicit functions and properties for creation and execution of the application.
US07685576B2
A method and device with instructions for testing a software application include creating a system model for the software application, wherein the system model includes an activity diagram, and applying one or more test annotations to the activity diagram to control test generation for testing the software application. Further, test annotations and the system model are processed to create one or more test cases, and the software application is tested using a test execution tool that uses the test cases.
US07685567B2
Architecture that extends existing types including constructed and sealed types using extension methods. Extension methods are static methods that can be invoked using instance method syntax. Extension methods are declared by specifying the keyword “this” as a modifier on the first parameter of the methods. Extension methods have all the capabilities of regular static methods. In addition, once imported, extension methods can be invoked using instance method syntax. Also disclosed are rules for importing extension methods, and extension method invocations. Extension methods are imported through using-namespace-directives. In addition to importing the types contained in a namespace, a using-namespace-directive imports all extension methods in all static classes in the namespace. In effect, imported extension methods appear as additional methods on the types that are given by their first parameter and have lower precedence than regular instance methods.
US07685564B2
In order to enable persons without particular programming knowledge to themselves write their own computer programs, there is proposed a computer-supported method of producing and/or executing program code, with at least one visualization surface for the representation of establishable objects, by way of which information, in particular data, are inputted and outputted when executing the program code, wherein objects of the visualization surface are writingly and readingly accessed by means of the produced program code. The method according to the invention is distinguished in that program components of the category run and function are provided for selection, and in addition instructions for interconnecting program components which regulate the call-up of the program components and their serial or simultaneous execution. The invention also concerns a corresponding system with an execution environment for carrying out such a method.
US07685560B2
An exposure process monitoring method capable of performing quantitative monitoring of an exposure amount and a focusing position which are major process parameters during exposure using a Levinson phase shift mask in semiconductor lithography processes is disclosed. During exposure using the Levinson phase shift mask, the focus position is influenceable by optical intensity distribution characteristics so that it can vary from its minus (−) to plus (+) directions by in a way depending upon the pitch width and line width of a line-and-space pattern. In such case, there exist a pattern in which the cross-sectional shape of a resist changes from a forward taper to reverse taper and a pattern in which the sectional shape changes from the reverse to forward taper.
US07685556B2
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a mask data correction method used when forming a photomask used in a photolithography process, comprising correcting mask data on the basis of simulation performed by using information including nonuniformity of an illumination luminance distribution in an exposure apparatus which uses the photomask formed by using the mask data obtained by the correction result.
US07685554B1
Determining data rates and data types in a an electronic design. In one embodiment, an electronic design is created in a memory arrangement in response to user input. The electronic design includes a plurality of functional blocks and a plurality of nets connecting the functional blocks. In response to user input, an output data rate and an output data type of data output from at least one of the functional blocks are determined. The input data rate and input data type to each functional block coupled via a net to the at least one functional block are equal to the output data rate and output data type, respectively, from the at least one functional block. For each functional block, an output data rate and output data type are determined as a function of the input data rate and the input data type of the functional block.
US07685550B2
In a method for designing integrated circuits comprising replacement logic components, a plurality of logic cells and a plurality of filler cells which fill interspaces between the logic cells are positioned on a chip area. In this case, some or all of the filler cells represent replacement logic components for the integrated circuit and have been or are interconnected or wired in such a way that they form capacitances in the integrated circuit.
US07685547B1
Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer program products for computing an exact minimal automaton to act as an intermediate assertion in assume-guarantee reasoning. In one embodiment, the computing an exact minimal automaton is performed by using a sampling approach and a Boolean satisfiability. The methods described herein may be used as part of a tool for formal verification.
US07685546B2
A verification supporting apparatus includes an acquiring unit that acquires a first verification-item list for a verification target, a functional specification of the verification target, and a sequential specification of the verification target; a keyword extracting unit that extracts a keyword about the verification target from the first verification-item list; a creating unit that creates a second verification-item list in which each of the verification items is formed with the functional description and the sequential description about an output action of the verification target; and a converting unit that converts the first verification-item list into a third verification-item list having a same format as the second verification-item list, based on the second verification-item list and the keyword.
US07685536B2
A system, method and apparatus is provided for automatic refresh of webpages. In one embodiment, the invention is a method. The method includes detecting a series of refresh requests for a first webpage exceeding a predetermined threshold within a period of time less than a predetermined time threshold. The method also includes setting a proposed refresh time to an interval of a set of predetermined intervals. The interval is the interval nearest to an average interval for the series of refresh requests within the series of predetermined intervals. The method additionally includes querying a user to begin an autorefresh for the first webpage. The method further includes receiving authorization to autorefresh the first webpage. The method also includes initiating autorefresh of the first webpage.
US07685535B2
An information processing apparatus includes: a display section provided with a screen capable of displaying a content of an application; a user-input processing section for acquiring an instruction input from a user; and a screen-hierarchy control section for managing a screen hierarchical order of each application when contents of a plurality of started applications are displayed in the display section. When one of at least two applications of a plurality out of the applications is set to be a master application and the other of the applications is set to be a slave application, the screen-hierarchy control section disposes and links the slave application at an immediately lower level than that of the master application in the screen hierarchy, and performs screen-hierarchy control such that the master application and the slave application are moved in the screen hierarchy in a state being linked at the time of updating the screen hierarchy.
US07685517B2
According to this invention, bookbinding data containing pages created by respective applications can be constructed regardless of the type of application. Even when one or more desired pages contained in bookbinding data are selected, image editing is designated, but a non-image page exists in the selected pages, the non-image page can be excluded from editing targets, and the process can shift to image editing. For this purpose, when a plurality of pages are selected and image editing is designated, whether each selected page is an editable image page is determined. An editable page is temporarily stored. After all the selected pages are determined, an image editing application is activated to edit stored editable image pages.
US07685516B2
The invention relates to aspects in connection with the automatic generation and processing of signature files. The signature files are generated in paper form on the basis of documents (28) that comprise a personal signature (34) and also control information items (30) assigned to the signature (34) and/or the documents (28). The documents in paper form (28) are scanned in within the scope of a batch processing operation in order to generate signature files that contain the personal signatures (34) in an electronically processable form and also representations of the respectively assigned control information items (30). The control information items (30) contained in a signature file are identified and interpreted document-wise. Then the signature files are automatically processed as a function of the content of the assigned control information items (30).
US07685501B2
A receiving apparatus has two or more reception antennas, a data reproducer, and a likelihood information generator. The receiving apparatus operates selectively in a first reception mode and a second reception mode depending on the features of signals sent from a transmitting apparatus. In the first reception mode, the receiving apparatus reproduces data and generates likelihood information. In the second reception mode, the receiving apparatus reproduces data using the likelihood information generated in the first reception mode.
US07685499B2
An XOR circuit, a RAID device which can recover several failures and method thereof are provided. A Galois field data recovery circuit having two or more sets of Galois Field engine circuits which are used in the XOR circuit, is one which can generate high efficient parity engine and high efficient flow data route and which at the same time correct the three or more failures during operation of the RAID device.
US07685489B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes: an input/output cell that is included in a path captured during propagation delay testing and that has an output-stage buffer on an output bus; and a terminal connected to the output bus and an input bus of the input/output cell. An external load or a testing device is connectable to the terminal. The input/output cell has a switching part that is capable of switching between a first path that loops back at an output side of the output-stage buffer and a second path that loops back at an input side of the output-stage buffer. The first path is selected during normal operation and the second path is selected during the propagation delay testing.
US07685488B2
Logic level crossings in an integrated circuit are detected. According to an example embodiment, a reset signal is provided to a flip-flop (314) as a function of a logic level of an integrated circuit. A logic level crossing condition of the integrated circuit is indicated as a function of the reset condition of the flip flop. In one implementation, the flip-flop is reset when the logic level is different than an expected logic level. In another implementation, a pair of flip-flops (414, 418) are implemented such that only one flip-flop is reset at a particular logic level; if the logic level crosses, both flip-flops are reset. The aforesaid condition of both flip-flops being reset is used to indicate the logic level crossing.
US07685485B2
Techniques are provided for isolating failed routing resources on a programmable circuit. Failing test patterns and the test logs are fed to a Statistical Failure Isolation (SFI) tool. The SFI tool extracts failing paths from the test patterns. A statistical analysis is performed on interconnect resources related to failing paths. The resources on the paths are then tallied to create a histogram of resources. These resources are then be fed into an Adaptive Failure Isolation (AFI) tool to auto-generate verification patterns. A tester uses the verification patterns to isolate failed interconnect resources.
US07685483B1
Systems and methods are disclosed herein to provide test features for integrated circuits. For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an integrated circuit includes an input signal path adapted to route an address signal for a configurable memory. An input multiplexer, coupled to the input signal path, is controllable to route a first test signal provided via the input signal path for at least one memory configuration that does not use the input signal path for the address signal.
US07685481B2
A system and method for defect analysis are disclosed wherein a defect data set is input into the system. A radius value is selected by a user, which is the maximum number of bits that bit failures can be separated from one another to be considered a bit cluster. When a defect data set is received, the system and method start with a fail bit and search for neighboring fail bits. The specified radius is used to qualify the found fail bits to be part of the bit cluster or not. If a minimum count of fail bits is not met, the system and method will stop searching and move to the next fail bit. If a minimum count of fail bits is met, the search continues for the next fail bit until the maximum fail bit count specified by the user is reached. Aggregation is provided such that once bit clusters have been classified, the number of clusters that have the exact match or partial match to each other is counted. The user may set the partial match as a threshold count to establish a match.
US07685479B2
On a test apparatus for a telecommunication network a plurality of quality rules are defined as a function of the results of counts of events for a plurality of test parameters. The events relating to the plurality of test parameters during the performance of a test are counted. A plurality of statistics are created from the results of the counts. The statistics and quality rules which belong together are compared. A display is generated on a display unit in accordance with the results of the comparisons showing success or failure for each test run. Details of errors that caused any failure may be displayed using a drill-down technique so that test runs may be run rapidly without requiring expert knowledge of the test apparatus.
US07685478B2
A system and method are disclosed for testing operation of a memory card within an electronic host device. The system includes a flat flexible cable, or strip, for electrically coupling between the memory card slot in a host device and a test assembly. The test assembly may have a card slot for accepting an external memory card, and a debug header for receiving a cable connected to a debug apparatus such as a logic analyzer and/or an oscilloscope.
US07685474B2
A computer running a host operating system in a host virtual machine includes a support operating system running in a support virtual machine. A support module running in the support operating system identifies and remediates defects associated with the host operating system. A monitoring module running in the support operating system identifies a defect associated with the host operating system and notifies the support module responsive to identification of the defect. A user interface is provided for the support module. The user interface can be through a web server or a support button associated with an input device of the computer. The user interface can be supported through input/output virtualization hardware of the computer. A host agent module executing in the host operating system can interact with the support module to remediate a defect associated with the host operating system.
US07685466B2
A system is provided with a basic input/output system (BIOS) with the ability to intervene, when a suspend process is initiated in response to an AC failure condition to place the system in a suspended to memory state, to initiate a number of data transfer operations to save a persistent copy of an operational state of the system. The BIOS is further equipped to check one or more times whether the data transfer operations are completed, and causing a processor of the system to operate in a reduced power consumption mode at least one time period while the BIOS is not performing the checking.
US07685453B2
The present disclosure relates to circuit protection within an information handling system and a media resource unit. In one form, an information handling system can include a first external input power port and an information handling system docking interface operable to be coupled to a media resource unit interface of a media resource unit. The media resource unit can include a second external input power port. The information handling system can also include a protection circuit including a first terminal and a second terminal. The first terminal can be coupled to the first external power port and operable to receive input power from the second external power port of the media resource unit. The second terminal can be coupled to the information handling system docking interface and operable to output protected power to the media resource unit interface.
US07685448B2
A computer system sleep/awake circuit includes an infrared sensor for detecting a presence or absence of a user before a display of the computer system, and outputting a corresponding detecting result; a time circuit connected to the infrared sensor for receiving the detecting result and outputting a corresponding result after a certain delaying time; and a control circuit connected to both the infrared sensor and the time circuit for receiving the detecting result from the infrared sensor and the delayed result from the time circuit, and electrically connected to a control board of the computer system for outputting a corresponding control signal to control sleep/awake states of the computer system.
US07685447B2
A circuit breaker includes separable contacts, an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts, a current sensor structured to sense current flowing through the separable contacts, a microprocessor cooperating with the sensor and the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts, and a power supply structured to at least power the microprocessor. The microprocessor includes a configurable clock and a routine structured to reduce current consumption from the power supply through modulation of the configurable clock.
US07685442B2
A bus management tool that allows communication to be maintained between a group of nodes operatively connected on two busses in the presence of radiation by transmitting periodically a first message from one to another of the nodes on one of the busses, determining whether the first message was received by the other of the nodes on the first bus, and when it is determined that the first message was not received by the other of the nodes, transmitting a recovery command to the other of the nodes on a second of the of busses. Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention also provide for a bus recovery tool on the other node that re-initializes a bus interface circuit operatively connecting the other node to the first bus in response to the recovery command.
US07685441B2
Methods and apparatuses provide voltage regulation for a processor. Control or configuration parameters for a voltage regulator (VR) are provided digitally over a configuration bus to a VR controller. The parameters may be provided directly from a storage element, or via a processing element or processor core. Based in whole or in part on the parameters, the VR controller provides an output control signal to affect a power output from a power converter to the processing element. In one embodiment, the VR controller is integrated onto the same IC as the processing element.
US07685433B2
Movement of a living object is measured by a movement sensor carried by one living object at a time for forming one measurement signal per one living object. The measurement signal is compared with a predetermined reference signal which may be measured from a known living object in a similar way. A recognition operation is performed based on the comparison between the measurement signal and the predetermined reference signal, the recognition operation resulting in recognition or non-recognition.
US07685429B2
To generate and verify signature data using a known signature algorithm whose safety is ensured from the viewpoint of calculation quantity and ensuring the authenticity thereof over a long time period. A message to be signed is transmitted, a padding-data item is added to the message, and a signature-data item of the message with the padding-data item added thereto is generated by using a hash function and a public-key cryptosystem. The addition step and the generation step are performed a predetermined number of times by using the signature-data item, as the padding-data item, and the signature-data items generated the predetermined number of times and the padding-data items added the predetermined number of times are externally transmitted with the message.
US07685427B2
A system for loading digital watermarks automatically includes an application server (4). The application server includes a main controller. The main controller includes: a document fetching module (401) configured for fetching a document to be printed, and for accessing a document DRM header of the document fetched; a watermark downloading module (402) configured for downloading a digital watermark corresponding to the document; and an integrating module (403) configured for transforming the document into a graphical file and integrating the graphical file with the downloaded digital watermark. A related method is also disclosed.
US07685426B2
A method of managing content, and in particular, managing content on the Internet retrieves a web page that includes an image and detects whether the image included within the web page is embedded with a digital watermark. It generates an indicia associated with an image included in the web page that is embedded with a digital watermark. The indicia indicate to the user which images include watermarks. The watermarks may be used to convey links to related web pages or specific information about the images, such as usage rights and licensing information. Variations of this method create image bookmarks to web pages including images using thumbnails of those images. A content management system comprises a first program for retrieving web pages including images. It also includes a second program for extracting an image from a web page, creating a thumbnail of the image, and forming an image bookmark linking the thumbnail to the web page that the image has been extracted from. The thumbnails are used to create a visual index to corresponding web pages from which the images originated on the Internet. A method of visual indexing of content on a network, such as the Internet, retrieves a web page, extracts an image included on the web page, generates a thumbnail of the image, and creates a link between the thumbnail and a location of the web page from which the image has been extracted.
US07685418B1
Methods and apparatus for providing protection of pre-designed electronic components or modules (“intellectual property”) provided on target hardware devices are described herein. According to various embodiments, the component and the target hardware device include mechanisms for providing a first sequence and a second sequence respectively. While the component is running on the target hardware device, a comparator accesses and compares the first sequence with the second sequence. The comparator may either be included with the component or the target hardware device. If the first and second sequences match, a function of the component is allowed to operate with the target hardware device; otherwise, the function is prevented from operating with the target hardware device. As such, unauthorized use of intellectual property can be controlled.
US07685415B2
An exclusive encryption system is established using multiple computing devices. The exclusive encryption system allows for the exclusion of certain plaintext (e.g., by one of the computing devices) and ciphertext (e.g., by another of the computing devices) while at the same time maintaining the privacy created by the encryption (e.g., so the other computing device cannot see the plaintext). The exclusive encryption system may be implemented as part of a serverless distributed file system with directory entries (e.g., file names or folder names) being the plaintext, or alternatively as part of other systems.
US07685398B2
An intelligent system for determining an optimal partition size on an information handling system. The system provides customers with an improved customer experience by offering a partition that is sized only as large as needed according to optional/locked/trial data downloaded for that system.
US07685397B2
An apparatus and method for managing stacks in a virtual machine are provided. The apparatus includes a first memory which checks the space of a stack chunk and allocates a frame pointer if at least one of a push and a pop are performed in a virtual machine; and a second memory which is connected with an external bus, and stores frame pointers copied from the first memory via the external bus.
US07685393B2
A method of snap-shot data training to determine the optimum timing of the DQS enable signal in a single read operation is provided. This is accomplished by first writing a Gray code count sequence into the memory and then reading it back in a single burst. The controller samples the read burst at a fixed interval from the time the command was issued to determine the loop-around delay. A simple truth table lookup determines the optimum DQS enable timing for normal reads. Advantageously, during normal read operations, the first positive edge of the enabled DQS signal is used to sample a counter that is enabled every time a command is issued. If the counter sample changes, indicating timing drift has occurred, the DQS enable signal can be adjusted to compensate for the drift and maintain a position centered in the DQS preamble. This technique can also be applied to a system that uses the iterative approach to determining DQS enable timing on power up. Another embodiment of the invention is a simple, low latency clock domain crossing circuit based on the DQS latched sample of the counter.
US07685386B2
A data storage resynchronization system is provided. The system includes a primary site having a primary server, primary storage unit, primary replication agent, and a primary storage controller. Data is written to primary pages on the primary storage unit upon receiving a command to do so from the primary server. A secondary site has a secondary server, secondary storage unit, secondary replication agent for receiving a command from the primary replication agent to write the data at the secondary site and secondary storage controller. Data is written to secondary pages on the secondary storage unit upon receiving a command to do so from the secondary replication agent when the secondary and primary pages correspond, and means for comparing corresponding pages and sending primary pages to the secondary replication agent for replacement of corresponding secondary pages at the secondary site where page-change indicators of the corresponding pages do not match.
US07685382B2
A media server (e.g., a virtual tape server) implements a method for a dynamic media format conversion of physical volumes stored within a media library (e.g., a tape library). The method involves a recall of volume data in a media format f as stored in one or more source physical volumes of a source media, and an automatic premigration of the recalled volume data in a media format f to one or more target physical volumes of a target media. The media format f is different in one or more aspects from the media format f.
US07685379B2
A system, method, and apparatus for a cache memory to support a low power mode of operation.
US07685375B2
A portable storage system for connecting to a host, the portable storage system includes a storage device for storing information and a switch. The switch includes a get mode wherein the host sees only the free space in the storage device and not the part storing the information. Optionally, the portable storage system includes a give mode wherein the storage medium shows an empty space to the host and any file or directory is marked as shared and wherein the host sees a file-system whose size equals the amount of empty storage space on the storage device and an owner mode showing all of the stored information to the host and enabling the owner of the system to uncheck a shared flag on a storage device that received from another user that added files.
US07685373B2
A system and structure for snooping cache memories of several snooping masters connected to a bus macro, wherein each non-originating snooping master has a cache memory, and wherein some, but less than all the cache memories, may have the data requested by an originating snooping master and wherein the needed data in an non-originating snooping master is marked as updated, and wherein a main memory having addresses for all data is connected to the bus macro. Only those non-originating snooping masters which may have the requested data are queried. All the non-originating snooping masters that have been queried reply. If a non-originating snooping master has the requested data marked as updated, that non-originating snooping master returns the updated data to the originating snooping master and possibly to the main memory. If none of the non-originating snooping masters has the requested data marked as updated, then the requested data is read from main memory.
US07685371B1
A data processing system can establish or maintain data coherency by issuing a data flush operation. The data processing system can be configured as a host executing one or more independent processes using one or more lower level devices. The lower level devices can be viewed as peer devices. Any of the host or the plurality of peer devices can be configured to initiate the flush operation. A device can determine whether the initiator of a flush operation is the host or a peer device. The device can perform a flush limited to local memory, or a subset of all available memory, if a peer device initiates the flush operation.
US07685370B1
A data processing system can establish or maintain data coherency by issuing a data flush operation. An agent can initialize a first flush operation by writing to a flush register. The agent can determine that the flush operation is complete by reading a status indicator from a status register. Additional agents can independently issue flush operations during the pendency of the first flush operation. A second flush instruction and any additional flush instructions that issue during the pendency of the first flush operation set a flush pending indicator in a status register. Once the first flush operation completes, the host performs all pending flush operations in a single second flush operation. The status indicator does not indicate a completed flush operation for the first flush operation until all flush operations are complete. Multiple co-pending flush operations are collapsed into at most two flush operations.
US07685366B2
Provided are a system, and article of manufacture, wherein a first storage unit is coupled to a second storage unit. The first storage unit and the second storage unit are detected. A determination is made that the first storage unit is capable of responding to a write operation faster than the second storage unit, and that the second storage unit is capable of responding to a read operation at least as fast as the first storage unit. Data is written to the first storage unit. A transfer of the data is initiated from the first storage unit to the second storage unit. The data is read from the second storage unit, in response to a read request directed at both the first and the second storage units.
US07685365B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to transactional memory execution utilizing virtual memory. A processor includes a local transactional cache and a resource manager. The resource manager responsive to a transactional memory transaction request from a requesting thread determines whether the local transactional cache is capable of accommodating the transactional memory transaction request and, if so, the local transactional caches performs the transactional memory transaction. However, if the local transactional cache is not capable of accommodating the transactional memory transaction request, data for the transactional memory transaction request is overflowed into an application's virtual address space associated with the requesting thread.
US07685361B2
A virtualization method for a storage system recognizes one or more logical devices located in a first and second storage apparatus and defined in a host apparatus as being connected to a channel, based on an inquiry command sent from the host apparatus when the channel comes on-line; detects one or more logical devices among the one or more logical devices defined in the host apparatus as being connected to the channel and located in the first and second storage apparatus, based on the recognition result; sets, based on the detection result, one or more virtual volumes in the first storage apparatus, respectively corresponding to the one or more logical devices in the second storage apparatus; and sets a first logical path between each of the set one or more virtual volumes and each of the corresponding one or more logical devices in the second storage apparatus.
US07685357B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device transmits/receives data to/from a data input/output terminal every j bits (e.g., eight bits). Each of memory cells in a memory cell array can hold data of n bits in correspondence to 2n threshold levels. A write data conversion circuit generates write data from bit data input from the same data input/output terminal in a set of a plurality of data of j bits input at different timings.
US07685353B2
A bus bridge is connected to a primary bus and a secondary bus, and relays data between a master and a target which are each connected to a different one of the primary and secondary buses. The bus bridge includes a primary bus interface, a secondary bus interface, a data FIFO, and a register block. The register block, which can be written by the master, includes two registers corresponding to the primary and secondary buses. Relay information showing the number of entries of data to be relayed from the target to the master is registered in a register corresponding to a bus to which the target is connected. In a read transaction, the primary bus interface or the secondary bus interface reads data from the target until data of the amount shown by the registered relay information is stored in the data FIFO.
US07685348B2
A server system includes a plurality of printed circuit assemblies including at least one host processor card. A management card is coupled to the plurality of printed circuit assemblies. The management card is dedicated to monitoring and managing operation of the server system, including monitoring and managing on-line insertion and removal of the printed circuit assemblies in a compact peripheral component interconnect (cPCI) server system.
US07685346B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for arbitrating requests from multiple agents based on an arbitration list to select an agent to receive an arbitration grant, determining whether the selected agent is associated with a grant counter that is at a value of zero, and if so dynamically reordering the arbitration list so that the selected agent is demoted to the lowest portion of the arbitration list. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07685338B2
A non-volatile storage subsystem solution is provided for embedded applications. The storage subsystem is preferably designed to communicate with the host system using a signal interface, such as a USB or SATA interface, that uses substantially fewer signal lines than the IDE interface traditionally used for embedded applications. Thus, the amount of board real estate used to carry interface signals in the host system is reduced. To further reduce board real estate, the host system may include a processor that includes an integrated controller (e.g., a USB or SATA controller) corresponding to the host-subsystem signal interface. The storage subsystem may plug into, and lock to, an internal connector on a circuit board of the host system.
US07685335B2
An enhanced fibre channel adapter with multiple queues for use by different server processors or partitions. For a non-partitioned server, the OS owns the adapter, controls the adapter queues, and updates the queue table(s). An OS operator can obtain information from the fibre channel network about the fibre channel storage data zones available to the physical fibre channel adapter port and can specify that one or more zones can be accessed by a specific processor or group of processors. The processor or group of processors is given an adapter queue to access the zone or zones of storage data. This queue is given a new World Wide Port Name or new N-Port ID Virtualization identifier, to differentiate this queue from another queue that might have access to a different storage data zone or zones. For a partitioned server, one partition owns the adapter, controls the adapter queues, and updates the queue table(s). The partition management tool can obtain information from the fibre channel network about the fibre channel storage data zones available. A system operator can assign one or more storage zones under a fibre channel storage adapter to a partition. Each partition that has access to a zone or zones under an adapter is given an adapter queue to access the zone or zones. This queue is given a new World Wide Port Name or new N-Port ID Virtualization identifier, to differentiate this queue from another queue that might have access to a different storage data zone or zones.
US07685322B2
Port number emulation for wireless Universal Serial Bus (USB) connections is provided. Virtual USB port numbers are emulated and associated with external devices that are wirelessly connected to a host device. The associations are maintained in a data structure. When a wireless external device connects with the host device after a period of disconnection, the emulated port number associated with the wireless external device is identified. The virtual port number is provided to a software component in the host device so that the external device can resume interaction with software components in the host device across enumerations. In one example implementation, the virtual USB port numbers are provided to a plug and play manager, which handles the wireless USB devices in a manner similar to wired USB devices.
US07685307B2
A method and apparatus for binding a first wireless communication unit installed on a first asset and a second wireless communication unit installed on a second asset, wherein the first asset is connected to the second asset by electrical power lines. The method and system can be used for binding a wireless communication unit of a tractor and a wireless communication unit on a trailer. The method monitors the current in the auxiliary power connection between the assets. By transmitting and detecting power pulses through the auxiliary power line, the wireless communication units can ensure that the two assets are attached and therefore it would be proper to establish a wireless connection between the two wireless communication units. The number of power pulses can be used to identify differing devices. Such method can also be used to detect an open fuse or circuit breaker. In the case of an open fuse, voltages can be used in place of power pulses to complete the binding process.
US07685306B2
Streaming content navigation techniques are described. In an implementation, techniques are described to provide a non-modal message when navigation is attempted to a stream of content that is not permitted for consumption by a client device. In another implementation, techniques are described to provide an alternate content stream when sequential navigation between streams of content is attempted.
US07685301B2
Methods and apparatus for implementing peer-to-peer relay. In one implementation, a method of building a redundancy list in a peer system in a peer-to-peer relay network includes: receiving a first message including first identification information at a first peer system from a second peer system connected to said first peer system in a peer-to-peer relay network; storing said first identification information; receiving a second message including second identification information at said first peer system from a third peer system connected to said first peer system in said peer-to-peer relay network; comparing said second identification information with said first identification information; building a redundancy update message; and sending said redundancy update message to said third peer system.
US07685299B2
A method for providing communications network security can include receiving a round-trip network latency for a client specifying an open port duration. A port can be opened to receive a request from the client. The port can be closed when an amount of time at least as great as the open port duration has passed since the opening of the port.
US07685283B2
The invention comprises a computer-implemented process for managing computing resources provided to customers in an on-demand data center. The process comprises: providing a shared computing environment; providing to each customer one or more logical partitions of computing resources within the shared computing environment; allocating at least one processing engine to each logical partition; modeling a selected customer's resource utilization as a beta distribution; iteratively selecting a random resource utilization value from the beta distribution and, for each logical partition, calculating a processing engine differential; for each iteration, calculating a collective processing engine differential until the collective processing engine differential converges on an optimal processing engine differential; and adjusting the number of processing engines by the optimal processing engine differential to achieve an optimal free pool size.
US07685280B2
A method, system and computer program product for communicating requests to multiple destinations in a business transaction are disclosed. A mass request is communicated to a processing center, the mass request including an identification portion and a content portion. The identification portion is used to obtain a parent attribute common to requests to all destinations. The content portion is parsed to generate multiple content strings corresponding to the multiple destinations. The parent attribute and each content string is combined to generate an individual request to a respective destination.
US07685276B2
A method for providing automatic, personalized information services to a computer user includes the following steps: transparently monitoring user interactions with data during normal use of the computer; updating user-specific data files including a set of user-related documents; estimating parameters of a learning machine that define a User Model specific to the user, using the user-specific data files; analyzing a document to identify its properties; estimating the probability that the user is interested in the document by applying the document properties to the parameters of the User Model; and providing personalized services based on the estimated probability. Personalized services include personalized searches that return only documents of interest to the user, personalized crawling for maintaining an index of documents of interest to the user; personalized navigation that recommends interesting documents that are hyperlinked to documents currently being viewed; and personalized news, in which a third party server customized its interaction with the user. The User Model includes continually-updated measures of user interest in words or phrases, web sites, topics, products, and product features. The measures are updated based on both positive examples, such as documents the user bookmarks, and negative examples, such as search results that the user does not follow. Users are clustered into groups of similar users by calculating the distance between User Models.
US07685275B2
Network interaction analysis is disclosed. Traffic is monitored including a network interaction. Monitoring includes monitoring at least one of TCP, HTTP, or IP layer information. The network interaction is analyzed based at least in part on a source of a transaction determined from the layer information.
US07685269B1
Embodiments of a system and method for providing service-level monitoring for applications in SANs. Embodiments may identify what applications are running on which hosts in a SAN, automatically identify which paths the applications use through the storage infrastructure to reach their storage, and may monitor SAN components of the paths. One embodiment may provide a task group monitor that monitors groups of SAN components and reports problems detected on group members at the application level. Embodiments may proactively monitor SAN infrastructure including the hardware and/or software components of storage, hosts, fabric, etc. needed for scheduled application tasks such as backup tasks and may alert the operator when problems are detected. Thus, embodiments correlate detected infrastructure problems directly to the applications that are affected, allowing these problems to be addressed at the application level, and prior to scheduled execution of tasks. One embodiment may be implemented in a SAN management system.
US07685268B2
Generally, systems and methods permit customized delivery of messages to a user depending on the specific requirements of a user interface. A processing layer between a business object and a user interface may determine, for a received message, an appropriate rule for the target user interface. The message rule may be applied, and depending on the rule, the message may be delivered to the user.
US07685267B2
A communication module for a measuring instrument may include a first interface, a second interface, and an integrated web client. To the first interface a measuring instrument can be connected, whereas to the second interface a database can be connected. The communication module is configured to receive at the first interface a measurement value and to forward it to the second interface by the web client.
US07685264B2
Systems and methods for a readily discoverable, consolidated UI of frequently modified system settings are provided. In one aspect, systems and methods may be deployed to efficiently adjust mobile settings. In one embodiment, tiles configured to represent the an application and further having at least one icon, the status of the application, and a user-selectable display element, such as a button, for positioning within each tile are produced, wherein the user can adjust the aspect with a single input. In yet another embodiment, the user may select another user-selectable user display element to view and adjust further aspects of the application in a secondary menu. Another aspect of the invention relates to a method that may be instituted to determine which applications and/or elements of applications are to be displayed within the menus.
US07685261B1
Extensible architecture for the centralized discovery and management of heterogeneous SAN components
An extensible architecture for centralized discovery and management of heterogeneous Storage Area Network (SAN) components. A SAN management server may be provided for communicating with the heterogeneous SAN components to perform centralized discovery and management of the SAN. The server may manage a data repository for storing data objects representing the components of the SAN. The SAN management server may include one or more explorers for communicating with SAN components to perform one or more discovery or management operations. Each explorer may be added to the system as a separate module. The SAN management server may receive SAN management commands and select and sequence one or more of the explorers to perform one or more SAN component discovery or management operations. The SAN management server may convert data obtained from the heterogeneous SAN components into a common data model.
US07685257B2
A system and method is provided for designing (or re-architecting) a personal digital assistant (PDA) as a portable thin client of a network. The portable thin client is a small, stateless, “plug and work” computer whose main function is to process all input and output for the user, as well as to manage communication with at least one server. All other computational tasks (or services) for the user of the PDA are performed on the server which is shared amongst a community of thin clients. As a result of re-architecting the PDA as a portable thin client, there is no need to download application(s) and operating system(s) running the application(s) to the PDA because the server—through the network—provides these services. In addition, no data is lost when a PDA is faulty or has to be changed. Moreover, in one embodiment, the portable thin client (or thin client PDA) includes smart card capabilities so that an enterprise (or business organization) can pool its PDAs with the users of the PDA on a need-to-use basis.
US07685254B2
A runtime adaptable search processor is disclosed. The search processor provides high speed content search capability to meet the performance need of network line rates growing to 1 Gbps, 10 Gbps and higher. The search processor provides a unique combination of NFA and DFA based search engines that can process incoming data in parallel to perform the search against the specific rules programmed in the search engines. The processor architecture also provides capabilities to transport and process Internet Protocol (IP) packets from Layer 2 through transport protocol layer and may also provide packet inspection through Layer 7. Further, a runtime adaptable processor is coupled to the protocol processing hardware and may be dynamically adapted to perform hardware tasks as per the needs of the network traffic being sent or received and/or the policies programmed or services or applications being supported. A set of engines may perform pass-through packet classification, policy processing and/or security processing enabling packet streaming through the architecture at nearly the full line rate. A high performance content search and rules processing security processor is disclosed which may be used for application layer and network layer security. Scheduler schedules packets to packet processors for processing. An internal memory or local session database cache stores a session information database for a certain number of active sessions. The session information that is not in the internal memory is stored and retrieved to/from an additional memory. An application running on an initiator or target can in certain instantiations register a region of memory, which is made available to its peer(s) for access directly without substantial host intervention through RDMA data transfer. A security system is also disclosed that enables a new way of implementing security capabilities inside enterprise networks in a distributed manner using a protocol processing hardware with appropriate security features.
US07685247B2
A message publishing system operative to process a message from a sender in a first format has a central processor; at least one sender account, at least one storage area configured to store at least a first portion of the message, and software executing in the central processor. The processor is configured to identify the sender of the message as an authorized sender based on information associated with the message in comparison to data in the sender account, wherein the identification is dependent upon the first format. The processor is configured to convert at least a second portion of the message from the first format to a second format. The processor is also configured to publish the converted second portion of the message so as to be viewable in the second format only if the sender has been identified as an authorized sender.
US07685236B1
An instant messaging (IM) system has an IM server connected to a communication network, and logic operable on the IM server enabling a first user to browse contacts associated with a second user. In some cases the first user can add and list contacts accessed by browsing the contacts associated with the second user.
US07685232B2
System and method for performing Collaborative Filtering while preserving complete user anonymity are provided. Each of a group of client devices sends a rating vector anonymously to a server. The cells in each rating vector correspond to a set of items, and selected cells have ratings provided by the user associated with the corresponding client device for the corresponding items. The server aggregates all the rating vectors into a rating matrix, and factorizes the rating matrix into a user feature matrix and an item feature matrix through approximation, such that the rating matrix equals the product of the user feature matrix and the item feature matrix. The item feature matrix is sent to the client devices. Each of the client devices calculates its own user feature vector based on its rating vector and the item feature matrix, and provides personalized recommendations on selected items based on the client's user feature vector and the item feature matrix.
US07685231B2
A method and system are herein disclosed for registering a member at a targeted web-based information management system using a reduced amount of member and system interaction to confirm and establish the member's contact information. Generally, the method may communicate permission to solicit a potential member to the information management system. In one embodiment, the member previously communicated permission to receive solicitations from other systems to another web-based information management system. The method may communicate the permission from another web-based system to the present system. The permission may include member identification and/or demographic data. The method may communicate a solicitation message from the system to the member, the solicitation message comprising at least a portion of the member identification data. The member may then communicate a confirmation message to the targeted web-based information management system, wherein the confirmation message is in reply to the solicitation message and includes the portion of the member identification data. Using the confirmation, the system may then match the portion of the member identification data from the confirmation message to the portion of the member identification data from the confirmation message.
US07685223B1
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for network wide discovery of service ports of a gateway device in a storage area network (SAN) that are available for use by hosts on a first particular network segment, for example, for accessing storage devices in the SAN. The hosts of the first Internet Protocol (IP) network segment implement an IP and not a fiber channel protocol, while devices in the SAN (and possibly other hosts on other network segments) implement a fiber channel protocol. The particular network segment may also be isolated from other network segments that are each in communication with a different gateway device or set of service ports than the first network segment. In general, available ports are discovered with respect to a particular network segment, such as the first network segment. That is, only the service ports that are capable of communication with the first network segment are discovered to be available for the hosts of such first network segment. Other service ports are not capable of communication with the first network segment. For example, these service ports are configured to communicate with another network segment that is isolated from the first network segment. These other service ports are not discovered to be available to hosts on the first network segment.
US07685219B2
Various embodiments include a parallel coordinate rotation digital computer (CORDIC) technique, according to which multiple elements in a vector representing a received multiple input multiple output (MIMO) signal may be processed in parallel. The result is a reduction in the computational complexity of the MIMO detection technique as measured by the required resources and the latency. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07685218B2
A method of adding high frequency content to an input signal to form an augmented signal, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an initial signal having a first predetermined lower spectral range; (b) utilizing the initial signal to form synthesized high frequency components of the initial signal; (c) filtering the initial signal with a low pass filter and filtering the synthesized high frequency components with a high pass filter (d) combining the filtered signals to form the augmented signal.
US07685217B2
A channel-select decimation filter capable of operating in multiple bandwidth modes includes a first low pass filter stage, a variable gain stage, a subtraction module a second low pass filter stage and a down-sampling module. The first low pass filter stage includes a first programmable delay module for filtering input signals to produce first low pass filtered signals. The variable gain stage applies a programmable gain to the input signals to produce gained input signals. The subtraction module subtracts the first low pass filtered signals from the gain input signals to produce first stage signals. The second low pass filter stage includes a second programmable delay module for filtering the first stage signals to produce channel-selected signals. The first programmable delay module, second programmable delay module and programmable gain are programmed to implement one of the multiple bandwidth modes.
US07685214B2
A method for conversion between a decimal floating-point number and an order-preserving format has been disclosed. The method encodes numbers in the decimal floating-point format into a format which preserves value ordering. This encoding allows for fast and direct string comparison of two values. Such an encoding provides normalized representations for decimal floating-point numbers and supports type-insensitive comparisons. Type-insensitive comparisons are often used in database management systems, where the data type is not specified for values to compare. In addition, the original decimal floating-point format can be recovered from the order-preserving format.
US07685211B2
A method for deterministic file content generation of seed based files is comprised of extracting a seed value from a seeded file signature, passing the seed value to a seeded content generating function to produce a set of generated content, and appending the set of generated content to the seed file signature to produce a seed-based file. A delta offset may also be included in the seeded file signature, the delta offset indicating where modified content is to be substituted within the generated content.
US07685209B1
An annotation method for annotating content includes displaying a set of suggested keywords on an editing interface page configured to receive one or more annotations for the content. A request is received via the editing interface page to annotate the content with at least one keyword from the set of suggested keywords. Association information is generated that associates the at least one keyword with the content.
US07685207B1
Disclosed herein is an adaptive Internet-based product control system that utilizes web technology to gather and present asset control data in an environment with constantly changing requirements due to various third party demands and/or funding restrictions. The present system tracks third party assets, provides real-time data regarding current status, and assists in returning the assets to the customer in a more timely fashion. The system can adapt to constantly changing user requirements by use of a Cold Fusion database interface to a set of data files that can be constructed and reconstructed on-the-fly. Multiple third party structures are supported with one central data file that handles the security logs and one central tasking data bank for tracking specific third party funding/tasking. The system also interfaces with bar code readers to gather of asset data and to upload it at a later time.
US07685200B2
A method of ranking and suggesting objects, such as tags, is described in which a group of objects are suggested to a user in relation to a particular information object, such as a web page or file. A user either selects one of the suggestions or enters an alternative object and on receipt of data identifying the particular object selected by the user, the group of suggestions is updated based on whether the object selected by the user was one of the suggestions or not. The updating of the group may also be based on other factors, such as ranking parameters associated with each of the objects.
US07685185B2
A system is disclosed for synchronizing partially-replicated collections using the concept of item-set knowledge and move-out notifications. Move-out notifications are provided to allow removal of changed items from replicas when the change in the item takes that item outside of the interest set of the replicas.
US07685184B2
A method performed by a processor allows an individual to update or maintain a database including a core and an extension. The core contains core tables including general data and the extension contains extension tables including specific data. The core tables and the extension tables have the same primary keys and the specific data are an extension of the general data. The method includes receiving an input from the individual for modifying the database, modifying the core using the received input, and automatically modifying the extension to reflect the modifying of the core.
US07685177B1
A method and system for locating and eliminating orphan files within a secondary storage device. The method includes identifying a secondary file on a secondary storage device, the secondary file being associated with file identification data, identifying a placeholder file on a primary storage device, the placeholder file being associated with an offline reference, and determining if the offline reference of the placeholder file validly references the secondary file.
US07685173B2
A computer system executing a method for tracking custom computer application development profiles in a data processing system comprising a first, second and third database tool connected to each other; a data bank connected to each database tool; and a security and authorization interface connected to the data processing system. The first database tool, or security and authorization profile change request database, comprises a first set of protocols which create and edit the profiles, and allows requestors an ability to view the documented progress of queries of the profiles. The second database tool, or profile requirement worksheet, comprises a second set of protocols which gather requirements of the profiles and identify the data. The third database tool, or Profile Matrix, comprises a third set of protocols which track modifications of the profiles and allows tracking capability of the tasks required to gather and implement changes to the profiles.
US07685160B2
The present invention relates to a system and methodology to assist users with data access activities and that includes such activities as routine web browsing and/or data access applications. A coalesced display or montage of aggregated information is provided that is focused from a plurality of sources to achieve substantially one-button access to user's desired web or data source information/destinations in order to mitigate efforts in retrieving and viewing such information. Past web or other type data access patterns can be mined to predict future browsing sites or desired access locations. A system is provided that builds personalized web portals for associated users based on models mined from past data access patterns. The portals can provide links to web resources as well as embed content from distal (remote) pages or sites producing a montage of web or other type data content. Automated topic classification is employed to create multiple topic-centric views that can be invoked by a user.
US07685159B2
A content framework system and method. The content framework system comprises a content infrastructure, a content flow management system, and a content association tool. The content infrastructure comprises content management system. Each of the content management systems comprises content. The association creation tool is for generating a first set of associations metadata linking the content management systems together. The user interface system is for visually rendering the content and the first set of associations metadata.
US07685153B2
A personal connection network analysis apparatus includes: event history holding means for holding histories of events related to organization members; relation calculation means for extracting, from the event history holding means, histories of events common to both a first member of the organization members and second members of the organization members and calculating a relation between the second members based on the extracted histories of events; and network information holding means for holding the calculated relation as link information between nodes of a personal connection network unique to the first members, the nodes being respectively indicative of the second members in the personal connection network unique to the first member.
US07685151B2
A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer usable program code are provided for associating historical events with a user. A historical event is identified for association with the user. A determination is made as to whether the historical event has been certified by a trusted authority in response to identifying the historical event for association with the user. A historical object is created for the historical event if the historical event has been certified by the trusted authority and associated with the user.
US07685148B2
A distributed computing system conforms to a multi-level, hierarchical organizational model. One or more control nodes provide for the efficient and automated allocation and management of computing functions and resources within the distributed computing system in accordance with the organization model. The model includes four distinct levels: fabric, domains, tiers and nodes that provide for the logical abstraction and containment of the physical components as well as system and service application software of the enterprise. A user, such as a system administrator, interacts with the control nodes to logically define the hierarchical organization of distributed computing system. The control nodes are responsible for all levels of management in accordance with the model, including fabric management, domain creation, tier creation and node allocation and deployment.
US07685144B1
Techniques are disclosed for automatically generating and maintaining personal data, such as an address book, a financial portfolio, a discussion groups or blogs book, or other types of personal data stores, based on a person's structured search data and/or usage data (e.g., browsing) and/or other sources of personal data (e.g., emails the user receives). Related metadata can also be used in the generating and/or maintaining of the personal data. Dynamic personal data ranking and/or autocomplete functions are also provided, which can be used in conjunction with the automatic generation and maintenance of the user's personal data, to further ease the user's burden in managing and/or handling such data.
US07685138B2
A system, method, and computer program product to improve XML query processing efficiency with virtual cursors. Structural joins are a fundamental operation in XML query processing, and substantial work exists on index-based algorithms for executing them. Two well-known index features—path indices and ancestor information—are combined in a novel way to replace at least some of the physical index cursors in a structural join with virtual cursors. The position of a virtual cursor is derived from the path and ancestor information of a physical cursor. Virtual cursors can be easily incorporated into existing structural join algorithms. By eliminating index I/O and the processing cost of handling physical inverted lists, virtual cursors can improve the performance of holistic path queries by an order of magnitude or more.
US07685131B2
There is disclosed configuring of clustered web services nodes accessing a common database, including implementing a data virtualization layer at each node to abstract an instance of the database from a web service application. In one embodiment, at each node is performed creating a first, data virtualization entity bean having all read and write operations of an application-developed (master) entity bean, creating a second entity bean that carries only the read operations of the master entity bean and addresses the replica instance, receiving an operation request at the first entity bean, and routing a request to either the master entity bean or the second entity bean depending upon the requested operation to access the respective database instance. In another embodiment, at each node is performed implementing an empty database instance having a schema matching the common database, identifying a relevant partitioning in a query utilizing the empty database, and routing the query to a respective partitioned database instance.
US07685129B1
Determining when to migrate a data set includes providing performance criteria for the data set, measuring performance of the data set to provide a measured performance of the data set, and, if the measured performance indicates that the data set is not performing according to the performance criteria, choosing a new location for migrating the data set and migrating the data set to the new location. Migrating the data set may include moving the data set to a new location irrespective of whether other applications are accessing the data set. Choosing a new location may include analyzing each of a plurality of locations to determine if a projected performance thereof is according to the performance criteria. Determining when to migrate a data set may include adjusting the performance criteria after the data set has been made operational.
US07685128B2
Addressed is a system and method for remote data caching and replication by local copy maintenance of remote data within a SAN file system. Distributed Storage Tank (DST), an extension to a SAN file system, provides for transparent SAN client access of local copies by importing, exporting, and storing data using network file access protocols as well as by providing assurance of metadata and file content validity. A Remote Access Agent (RAA) handles protocol implementation and conversion necessary for communication with remote data sources. Controlled by a consistency policy, consistency is maintained by RAA fetching and updating local copies if modifications have occurred to a file since it was first stored as a local copy in local storage. Additionally, RAA returns metadata pertaining to the requested data. A SAN client obtains metadata corresponding to the requested data and utilizes it to directly access locally stored copies of remote data.
US07685118B2
A system, method and computer program product for solving a problem based on ontology methods for data/knowledge presentation and processing, may be implemented in a linguistic processing module. The basic components of the linguistic processing module may be a linguistic knowledge base (KB), an ontology KB, and/or an expert KB. The problem solved may include a user or an inventor problem. The method may include storing a user query which may include a structured, or a non-structured description, parsing a non-structured query to create a structured query including a formal semantic representation of the query, semantically expanding the formal semantic representation, searching the expert KB using the formal semantic representations to local solutions for the problem, and semantically sorting the solutions to produce a list of solutions of the problem.
US07685116B2
A method and system for transparently processing a search query by displaying a search query interpretation or restatement inside a search box. Upon receiving a natural language input from a user, the method converts the natural language input to a search query interpretation of the natural language input. Then, the method displays the search query interpretation to the user inside a search box, executes a search based on the search query interpretation and displays a search result to the user. The system includes a user interface to receive a search query input from a user, a restatement engine to convert the search query input into a search query interpretation, a search box to display the search query interpretation to the user, and an execution engine to execute a search based on the search query interpretation and provide a search result for display to the user.
US07685109B1
Method and apparatus for repartitioning and replication of a searchable index in a searchable data service. The searchable data service may provide a searchable index to a backend data store. The searchable index may be repartitioned, and a partition may be moved to another storage node, to allow the searchable index to grow beyond the limits of a single storage device. Repartitioning may also be performed to provide load-balancing of write requests. Partitions may be replicated across two or more storage nodes to provide redundancy, data durability, data availability and load balancing of read requests among the storage nodes and/or across data centers. In one embodiment, a lazy replication mechanism may be used in the replication of partitions. In one embodiment, replication may be performed using an anti-entropy protocol to replicate a partition, and a gossip protocol to update the replicated partition.
US07685105B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide indexing, organizing, storing and/or retrieving of environmental information regarding a proposed environment-modifying project, including information about an environment-modifying natural event or construction project (“project”); a natural, constructed or socioeconomic feature in the area of the project (“setting”); a change to the setting brought about by the project (“impact”); or a feature designed to ameliorate a potential environmental impact of the project (“mitigation”). The environmental information is indexed with metadata that may be hierarchically organized and made available to a reviewer in a controlled vocabulary or a user-defined vocabulary.
US07685098B2
A program product, an apparatus, and a method of estimating a join size by generating partial join estimates and combining the partial join estimates. In particular, robust formulas are provided that may result in more consistent estimates and fewer inaccuracies. Inconsistencies and inaccuracies are generally present in conventional join size estimation techniques, however, consistent with the invention, consistent join size estimates may be generated resulting in improved access plan selection during optimization.
US07685097B2
A method of aggregating and disseminating time sensitive information. A data source is searched to identify recently-posted information items matching predetermined selection criteria. A respective relevance score is calculated for each identified information item. A respective urgency rating is determined for each identified information item. Each information item is triaged using the urgency rating, and disseminated to at least one client based on the triage result.
US07685095B2
Techniques are provided for executing database statements, or portions thereof, in parallel without using slave SQL to communicate to each slave the operations to be performed by the slave. Techniques are provided for incorporating within a shared cursor the code fragments that govern both sides of the interaction between a query coordinator (QC) and remotely-located slaves. Further, techniques are provided for the QC to communicate with each slave on how and which portions of the execution plan to execute and when. A state-transition engine for slave execution under the control of the query-coordinator is also provided.
US07685085B2
Preferred embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for facilitating user thinking about an arbitrary problem, as well as providing capabilities to output to and interface with external or additional computer systems, resources, or devices, or any combination thereof. The system includes first logic to facilitate user specification of a problem structure, second logic to facilitate user specification of a conclusion structure, third logic to facilitate specification of a knowledge structure, related to the arbitrary problem. The system further includes output and interface logic to accomplish interfacing with a plurality of external or additional computer systems, information sources, resources, or devices.
US07685084B2
Various embodiments are directed to a system and method providing associative matching of terms. Candidate terms are selected for building one or more associative matching models from one or more selected candidate sources. Associativity is defined to give editors the ability to label sample associative term pairs from the one or more candidate sources. The editors label sample candidate term pairs as being related. Features are determined that can differentiate associative from non-associative pairs. The selected features are used to build a model. The model is applied to determine whether a received query-candidate pair are associative.
US07685080B2
Techniques are disclosed that implement algorithms for rapidly finding the leave-one-out (LOO) error for regularized least squares (RLS) problems over a large number of values of the regularization parameter λ. Algorithms implementing the techniques use approximately the same time and space as training a single regularized least squares classifier/regression algorithm. The techniques include a classification/regression process suitable for moderate sized datasets, based on an eigendecomposition of the unregularized kernel matrix. This process is applied to a number of benchmark datasets, to show empirically that accurate classification/regression can be performed using a Gaussian kernel with surprisingly large values of the bandwidth parameter σ. It is further demonstrated how to exploit this large σ regime to obtain a linear-time algorithm, suitable for large datasets, that computes LOO values and sweeps over λ.
US07685070B2
A method and system, suitable for using an original entertainment file for playing as a ring tone on a communication device (104), is provided. The method includes decrypting (304) a part of the original entertainment file using an authorization key upon receiving an incoming call signal. The part of the original entertainment file is played (306) until the incoming call signal is acknowledged. The method further includes decrypting (308) a remaining part of the original entertainment file using the authorization key after the incoming call signal is acknowledged. The remaining part of the original entertainment file is then encrypted (310) using a local authorization key to form a second entertainment file. The second entertainment file is then stored (312) in the communication device.
US07685069B1
A method of generating a financial market index. The method includes selecting a plurality of constituent securities to comprise the index and determining a weight for each of the securities based on at least one forecasted parameter that is determined for each of the plurality of constituent securities that comprise the index. The method also includes generating the financial market index based on the weights.
US07685062B2
Procedure for the calculation of interests for entrustments of money comprising: memorization of quantities of money K indicative of the possible amounts of credit granted; memorization of an additional remuneration M indicative of the requirements of the lender for granting the loan; processing of an additional amount of money L indicative of the risk of loss borne by the lender; and mathematical combination, according to a given formula, of the aforementioned quantity of money K, extra yield M and amount of money L, in order to obtain a quantity of money B that, asked of the borrower, allows the lender to obtain an average return of (K+M).
US07685060B2
A system is provided that includes a party file having a plurality of party records with each of the plurality of party records having party information relating to one of a plurality of parties. Also included is an account file having a plurality of account records with each of the plurality of account records having account information relating to one of a plurality of accounts. Each of the plurality of account records also includes a link to at least one of the plurality of party records. Finally, a transaction file is included having a plurality of transaction records with each of the plurality of transaction records having transaction information relating to one of a plurality of transactions. Each of the plurality of transaction records includes a link to one of the plurality of account records.
US07685049B1
A client device coalesces data received from an exchange, and provides a client application such as a graphical user interface with the opportunity to process fewer, but up-to-date, data updates from an exchange when a large volume of prices becomes available. Accordingly, the trader can be assured of receiving updated information that are fed to the client applications at a rate that is cohesive with that client device's processing speed.
US07685045B1
A merchant financial transaction requiring authorization type batch processing system uses a bid system whereby two or more merchant processors bid on some or all of a batch of authorized financial transactions such that the merchant bidding the lowest discount rate structure for a give portion of a batch, processes the batch. If a portion of the batch or the entire batch receives no bids, a default merchant processor processes that portion or whole batch respectively.
US07685039B1
Cost-based methods of exchanging/transferring intellectual property (IP) among parties are provided that include royalty rates and mark-up rates based on a common factor. The common factor of an embodiment includes the cost of a component material of a product. The IP includes at least one of technology, patents, and trade secrets. The methods include a first company that transfers IP to a second company. The first and second companies, in effecting the transfer, establish a royalty rate that is a first percentage of a cost of a component material of the products and a mark-up rate that is a second percentage of the cost of the component material.
US07685037B2
A transaction authorization system (200) includes a client terminal (20) in the form of a computer (22) running a network browser. The computer (22) is connected to the internet (24). The system (200) also includes an account administration server (26) which is connected to the internet (24) and which hosts a web server which may be accessed by the network browser running on the computer (22). The system (200) further includes an account database (30) which stores a record of the status (i.e. disabled or enabled) of an electronic on line bank account. The system (200) is configured to enable a user, via the computer (22), to set the status of the account in the database (30). When a transaction request is issued to a merchant (201) the authorizing institution is able to interrogate the database (30) to determine the status of the account and thereby to authorize or decline the transaction.
US07685031B2
Systems and methods are provided for evaluating financial information, including systems and methods with computational/evaluation capability to process data sets comprising financial data. In one of the implementations, the systems and methods may be utilized for asset accounting. A calculation module may be provided that includes an evaluation engine that operates internally on a flat, generic data structure that is independent of the particular application. The externally-defined data structure of the data set may be mapped onto the internal data structure. Further, rules-based modules may provide information related to the client-defined rules. A user interface may enable a user to receive back the evaluated financial information, for a specified time period, the financial information being responsive to an original user request entered via the user interface. As a result, the evaluation engine can be used for a variety of different applications.
US07685026B1
A system for tracking and dispensing medical items (830) includes one or more computers and associated data stores including information concerning authorized users, patients, medical items that have been prescribed for patients, medical items available, storage locations for medical items and events associated with receiving, dispensing and providing medical items to patients. The system also provides for tracking medications from time of receipt by a pharmacy, through storage and compounding therein, to the storage locations from which the medical items are taken to be administered, to dispensing to medical personnel for administration and finally to patients. Further, returning, restocking and other activities affecting the disposition of medications are also tracked to assure that reliable information is recorded concerning the disposition of medical items.
US07685019B2
The present invention relates to systems and methods for the optimized delivery of one or more advertisements from a group of advertisements. The method of the present invention comprises receiving a request for one or more advertisements and retrieving advertisements responsive to the request received. Click through data associated with the one or more advertisements is retrieved and is normalized using a normalization algorithm. The normalized click through data is used to assign weights to the one or more advertisements. Tracking codes are generated for the one or more advertisements to track user interactions with a given advertisement. Advertisements are distributed according to the one or more advertisements' associated weights with associated tracking codes in one or more formats to one or more locations through which advertising may be conducted.
US07685017B2
Promoting efficient communication among users. Uses having a symbol of the same network resource are led to the same virtual space. Specifically, intermediary server 2 converting ID of merchandise icon and ID of virtual space for chat is provided. When user terminal 1 obtained a merchandise icon reports merchandise icon ID to the intermediary server 2, ID of a virtual space corresponding to the merchandise icon is returned to the user terminal 1. A user can share information on each merchandise by participating in this virtual space. Namely, users having a common purpose can chat with each other.
US07685016B2
A software method for analyzing relationships between individuals can include the step of establishing a recordation framework for recording relationships between individuals. At least one relationship based on organization structure can be recorded using the established framework. Additionally, at least one relationship based upon project-specific collaborations can be recorded using the framework. At least one relationship based upon social interactions can also be recorded using the framework. The recorded relationships can be queried to determine a set of organizational, project-specific, and social relationships for a defined group of individuals.
US07685013B2
A system and method for providing project management tools to support construction, renovations, maintenance and other projects. The system automates the creation, processing and approval cycles of the numerous documents involved with each project. The system provides standardized work processes through processing templates. The system provides automated control and management of the process. The system allows project initiation and funding approval by clients throughout the corporation via a desktop browser coupled to a corporate Intranet. A software application embodying the present invention and its underlying technology are appropriate for a paper intensive area. It reduces the approval cycle of projects. It automates the creation, processing and approval cycle of documents by routing documents electronically for on-line approval.
US07685010B2
A method, system, computer program product, and related business methods for concisely communicating real-time business information to end users in an enterprise network is described. An integrated business system having at least ERP and CRM functionality is accessed via a browser-based user interface. A plurality of portlet windows are simultaneously displayed within a browser window, each portlet window occupying a relatively small area therein. The portlet windows are selected and arranged according to a customizable user profile for each user, and include reporting portlets displaying up-to-date business results retrieved from the integrated business system. Each reporting portlet further comprises report access links associated with at least one of the business results that, when selected by the user, invoke browser-based displays of up-to-date business data underlying those business results. Preferably, in accordance with a user-customizable alert setting stored in the user profile, regular electronic mail messages are sent to the user communicating up-to-date versions of those business results. Preferably, data labels that identify business items within the browser-based user interface and on the electronic mails are expressed in a business vernacular tuned to each user according to customizable business vernacular settings in their user profiles.
US07684999B2
A user-based monitoring system includes a remote user-based subsystem with at least one display and at least two microprocessor-based units in communication with each other. The microprocessor-based units are selected from a data management unit, a personal computer, a handheld device or a user monitoring device. The subsystem is configured to facilitate collection of user-related data. The system also has at least one central server remotely located from and configured for two-way communication with the user-based subsystem so that it can receive and deliver signal communications to and from the user-based subsystem. The system also has at least one authorized user computer remotely located from, and configured for two-way signal communication with, the central server to receive user-related data collected by a remote user-based subsystem and allow an authorized user to communicate with the central server. The system is suited, amongst others, for monitoring remotely the health of a system user.
US07684988B2
A system and method of testing and tuning a speech recognition system by providing pronunciations to the speech recognizer. First a text document is provided to the system and converted into a sequence of phonemes representative of the words in the text. The phonemes are then converted to model units, such as Hidden Markov Models. From the models a probability is obtained for each model or state, and feature vectors are determined. The feature vector matching the most probable vector for each state is selected for each model. These ideal feature vectors are provided to the speech recognizer, and processed. The end result is compared with the original text, and modifications to the system can be made based on the output text.
US07684985B2
A technique is disclosed for disambiguating speech input for multimodal systems by using a combination of speech and visual I/O interfaces. When the user's speech input is not recognized with sufficiently high confidence, a the user is presented with a set of possible matches using a visual display and/or speech output. The user then selects the intended input from the list of matches via one or more available input mechanisms (e.g., stylus, buttons, keyboard, mouse, or speech input). These techniques involve the combined use of speech and visual interfaces to correctly identify user's speech input. The techniques disclosed herein may be utilized in computer devices such as PDAs, cellphones, desktop and laptop computers, tablet PCs, etc.
US07684975B2
The invention can include a token list generating unit 11 for decomposing a natural language text to be processed into tokens that are components of the natural language text and registering them on a token list, and a token string selecting unit 13 for selecting optimum token strings for composing the natural language text to be processed on the basis of the token list generated by the token list generating unit 11. The token list generating unit 11 registers, on the token list, tokens among the tokens obtained by decomposing the natural language text to be processed except tokens decomposable into smaller tokens according to conditions imposed on the morphological analysis.
US07684974B2
Embodiments of the invention include a system for displaying an audit diagram. The system includes a monitor capable of electronically displaying the audit diagram. The monitor includes a text equivalent constructed from an input text, and a conversion representation including an operator indicator, a result arrow, and a rule arrow.
US07684964B2
Embodiments of model and system state synchronization are presented herein. An exemplary model of a distributed system includes a plurality of instances where an instance includes an instantiation of a type that includes property values and relationships in the model of the distributed system and includes an associated version history to link each version of an instance to a change request for the distributed system. Other exemplary methods, systems, devices, etc. are also disclosed.
US07684958B2
By repeatedly obtaining acceleration data, a gravity direction acceleration acting in a gravity direction of a housing and a horizontal direction acceleration acting in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the gravity direction are calculated. By using a first coefficient, a first step count in accordance with a change in the gravity direction acceleration is calculated and by using a second coefficient which is different from the first coefficient, a second step count in accordance with a change in the horizontal direction acceleration is calculated. Based on a predetermined condition, one of the first step count and the second step count is selected as a user's step count.
US07684955B2
A system and method for sensing position of an oscillating moving element. The inventive position sensor includes a first arrangement for sampling the position of the element at first positions thereof and providing samples in response thereto and a second arrangement for calculating other positions of the element using the sample of the first position. In the illustrative application, the first arrangement includes an LED and a photodiode and the moving element is a piston of a long-life cryogenic cooler. A processor receives samples from the photodiode and solves an equation of motion therefor. The equation of motion is P(t)=A·sin(ωt+θ)+B, where P(t)=the position of the element; A=position waveform amplitude; B=position waveform DC Offset; ω=angular frequency of operation; t=time; and θ=position waveform phase.
US07684952B2
Method for subsurface exploration. In one implementation, the method may include receiving a gamma value at a subsurface interface, wherein the gamma value is a ratio of Vp/Vs at the subsurface interface. Vp is the average P wave velocity and Vs is the average S wave velocity. The method may further include receiving a converted wave reflection coefficient at the subsurface interface. The converted wave reflection coefficient is a function of a density contrast at the subsurface interface and a shear velocity contrast at the subsurface interface. The method may further include determining a P wave incident angle such that the converted wave reflection coefficient is a function of substantially only the density contrast at the P wave incident angle. The P wave incident angle is referred to herein as θ. The method may further include calculating the density contrast based on the converted wave reflection coefficient at θ.
US07684951B2
A method and a device for detecting a pulse-type mechanical effect at a system component, include continuously recording an operating noise in the system component with a sensor disposed at the system component and converting the operating noise with the sensor into a measured signal subjected to a mathematical transformation. A sliding mean is calculated by determining quantiles from determined transformations and an evaluation function, which displays an application of the pulse-type mechanical effect on the system component, is derived from the sliding mean.
US07684948B2
A method for forming an electrical connection with head gimbal assembly. At least a portion of an unmounted head gimbal assembly is placed on a surface. The unmounted head gimbal assembly includes a flexible portion, the flexible portion includes contact pads, and the surface includes electrical contacts and slots. A section of the flexible portion is pushed against the surface, and the contact pads are interconnected with the electrical contacts using a clamp assembly controlled by a computer. The clamp assembly includes a clamp with pins, and the interconnecting includes engaging the pins with the slots, rotating the clamp towards the surface, and clamping the contact pads against the electrical contacts.
US07684947B2
A method for matching an actual characteristic curve or diagram that characterizes the operating mode of a hydrodynamic component to a set characteristic curve or diagram is provided. The method includes a set characteristic curve or diagram of the hydrodynamic component is stored in a writable/readable memory storage unit a set manipulated variable being assigned to each operating point; the current actual characteristic curve is determined from the operating parameters that characterize the individual operating states and, for each operating point, is compared with the given set characteristic curve or diagram, a correction of the set manipulated variable being carried out for the respective operating point in the event of a deviation beyond a preset range of tolerances; and, in the event a deviation does not occur, the current set value is set as the new set value and read into the memory storage unit as a set manipulated variable.
US07684946B2
Weigh-in-motion (WIM) systems for weighing moving vehicles, the systems having the ability to automatically determine and periodically apply calibration factors to WIM scale readings. Auto-calibration may include transferring both WIM and static weight readings for the same vehicle to a database, associating the weight readings, collecting a number of such weight readings, and analyzing the differences between the WIM and static weight readings to calculate WIM scale calibration factors. The calibration factors may be based on vehicle characteristics such as vehicle weight, vehicle class and/or vehicle speed at the WIM scale.
US07684945B2
In a method for the calibration of a yaw rate measurement in a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle features at least one device for determining the yaw rate, a camera system which is oriented in the forward direction, and, if applicable, a steering angle sensor or a lateral acceleration sensor. At least one initial calibration is carried out at a standstill and at least one second calibration is carried out when the motor vehicle is moving. The second calibration uses image data of the camera system, which detects the environment in front of the motor vehicle, to predict the course of the roadway lane on which the vehicle is driving, from which the yaw rate is estimated.
US07684937B2
Equipment extracts components of spatial frequency that need to be evaluated in manufacturing a device or in analyzing a material or process out of edge roughness on fine line patterns and displays them as indexes. The equipment acquires data of edge roughness over a sufficiently long area, integrates components corresponding to a spatial frequency region being set on a power spectrum by the operator, and displays them on a length measuring SEM. Alternatively, the equipment divides the edge roughness data of the sufficiently long area, computes long-period roughness and short-period roughness that correspond to an arbitrary inspection area by performing statistical processing and fitting based on theoretical calculation, and displays them on the length measuring SEM.
US07684932B2
A mass spectrometer includes an ion detector, an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter, and a decimator. The analog-to-digital (A/D) converter is configured to receive and sample an analog signal from the ion detector thereby providing a first plurality of samples at a first rate. The decimator is configured to receive the first plurality of samples and to transmit, at a second rate, a second plurality of samples that are based on the first plurality of samples. The decimator is further configured to dynamically adjust the second rate so that memory requirements for the mass spectrometer are reduced.
US07684928B2
A navigation apparatus acquires geographic information from a server apparatus. When the navigation apparatus does not store any geographic information that provides a continuous route from the starting point to a destination point, it transmits data of the starting point and destination point to the server apparatus to acquire therefrom geographic information that provides a continuous route from the starting point to the destination point. This efficient acquisition of geographic information realizes reduction of communication time and communication costs.
US07684910B2
A vehicle email notification system and method in which regional-specific information such as seat belt laws and dynamic vehicle information such as remaining oil life is obtained and incorporated into periodic email messages that are sent to the owner or other authorized subscriber. The regional-specific information is determined based on residence information for the vehicle, such as its garaged address. The email notifications are triggered by different events, some of which are independent of the vehicle (e.g., a monthly trigger), and others of which occur at the vehicle, such as a mileage or low oil life trigger. The notification system builds and sends to the subscriber an email message that contains the regional-specific and dynamic vehicle information and identifies any detected vehicle condition for which action is needed.
US07684908B1
A vehicle diagnostic system including a processor, a user interface including a display device and an input device both coupled to the processor for interactive control thereof and thereby, and a local storage library connected to the processor for storing at least one application to be performed on a vehicle. The processor is programmed to request vehicle identification information from a user through the display device, create a particular configuration identifier containing the vehicle identification information entered by the user through the input device, store the particular configuration identifier in the local storage library, retrieve at least one application from the library as the application is selected by the user through the input device, and provide the particular configuration identifier to the application.
US07684905B2
A system for verifying the integrity of a train having a predetermined length including: a device for communicating and synchronising with a detector of a circuit, detecting the presence/absence of a train, an odometer providing an odometric reference at the start of occupation of the circuit and when the circuit is left by the train, a first processor calculating the distance travelled by the train on the basis of the difference between the two odometric references, a second processor calculating a minimum estimate of the length of the train that is equal to the calculated distance travelled less the algebraic length of the detection circuit, information mechanism indicating that the train is integral when the calculated length of the train is greater than the predetermined length of the train less the length of a wagon.
US07684902B2
A method of managing a power state of devices in a home entertainment system using a wireless home entertainment hub comprises obtaining a registration of a plurality of devices, where the plurality of devices includes at least one sink device and at least one source device. A selection of one of the source devices is received for presentation of program content to a user in the home entertainment system. A subset of the at least one sink device is determined for presentation of the program content to the user based on the selection of the source device. Each sink device in the subset of the at least one sink device is ensured to be active.
US07684901B2
An automatic method of which days/hours represent good candidates for reducing demand to achieve potential savings and the amount of demand reduction that can be achieved with a tolerable level of disruption to status quo operations. Demand interval data including utility usage rate (UUR) values is received from one or more utility monitoring devices, and are sorted in descending order. A percent difference is calculated for each UUR value relative to the previous one, and a cumulative percent difference accumulates the percent differences from the preceding rows. The average cumulative percent difference is divided by the total number of UUR values in the measured period to produce a ratio. The standard deviation of time is determined, and from those demand data associated with ratios greater than a ratio threshold and standard deviations less than a standard deviation threshold the demand reduction amount and the number of control hours are determined.
US07684896B2
A method for estimating joint load at a joint of a segment. The method comprises the steps of receiving kinematic data, determining a modified acceleration using at least the kinematic data, estimating a joint load using at least the modified acceleration; and determining simulated kinematic data for the segment using at least the joint load. The present disclosure thus addresses the problems with conventional inverse dynamics analysis by providing a forward dynamics solution for estimation of joint loads that is stable, guaranteed to converge, computationally efficient, and does not require acceleration computations. According to one embodiment, a joint load is estimated using an approach of closed form dynamics.
US07684885B2
A wireless digital audio system includes a portable audio source with a digital audio transmitter operatively coupled thereto and an audio receiver operatively coupled to a headphone set. The audio receiver is configured for digital wireless communication with the audio transmitter. The digital audio receiver utilizes fuzzy logic to optimize digital signal processing. Each of the digital audio transmitter and receiver is configured for code division multiple access (CDMA) communication. The wireless digital audio system allows private audio enjoyment without interference from other users of independent wireless digital transmitters and receivers sharing the same space.
US07684881B2
The innovation disclosed provides a system and/or method that facilitates optimizing a human machine interface (HMI). An interface component can facilitate receipt of data associated with an industrial automation environment. A human machine interface (HMI) component can be communicatively coupled to the interface component to include a capture component that collects a portion of transient data associated with the industrial automation environment, wherein the portion of transient data is utilized by the human machine interface component.
US07684878B2
System and method for providing a programmable power supply. The programmable power supply may include a programmable hardware element (PHE) that couples to a power supply (DC-DC converter) and which in turn couples to a linear regulator. The PHE may implement a PID control algorithm that receives a measurement of the output power and may use PID and/or non-linear control to ensure that the power supply and the linear regulator maintain similar power levels. The PHE may be configured based on a graphical program, thus enabling fast and efficient modifications to the programmable power supply.
US07684876B2
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or method that facilitates enabling efficient load allocation within an industrial automation environment. A controller with a processing capability can be associated with an industrial automation environment. A balance component can distribute a portion of a load to the controller based upon an evaluation of at least one of the load or the processing capability.
US07684867B2
Systems and methods are provided for applying electrical stimulation and/or introducing one or more stimulating drugs to the brain to treat or prevent aphasia, including through use of at least one system control unit (SCU) for controlling electrical pulses delivered via electrodes implanted in the brain and/or for producing drug infusion pulses to targeted areas in the brain.
US07684855B2
A medical device system includes a brain monitoring element, cardiac monitoring element, therapy module and a processor. The processor is configured to activate the therapy module upon detection of a cardiac event in the cardiac signal. The processor is further configured to monitor the brain signal and communicate to the therapy module to change the cardiac triggered therapeutic output to the brain based upon the brain monitoring. A method of treating a person with a neurological disorder is also provided.
US07684843B2
A sensor assembly is provided that includes a frame having two or more structural supports. A coating is provided over the frame. The coating has at least one deformable region disposed between the two or more structural supports. As least one optical component is disposed within the at least one deformable region such that the at least one optical component can move relative to the two or more structural supports. A biasing component is attached to an end of the frame such that at least two different portions of the coated frame are biased closed in the absence of a sufficient opening force. The sensor may be placed on a patient's finger, toe, ear, and so forth to obtain pulse oximetry or other physiological measurements. A skeletal frame and a method for manufacturing a skeletal framework are also provided.
US07684841B2
A device for measuring the concentration of a biological constituent based on infrared radiation emitted by a subject's eardrum with the influence of the eardrum's thickness taken into account is provided.The biological constituent concentration measuring device includes: a detecting section for detecting infrared radiation emitted by an eardrum; an acquisition section for acquiring thickness information about the thickness of the eardrum; and a computing section for figuring out the concentration of the biological constituent based on the infrared radiation detected and the thickness information acquired. The infrared radiation emitted by the eardrum is subject to the influence of the subject's eardrum thickness. Therefore, by calculating the biological constituent concentration based on not only the infrared radiation detected but also the eardrum thickness information, the biological constituent concentration can be measured highly accurately.
US07684840B2
A system for in vivo analysis which includes agglutinative particles capable of interacting with at least one analyte so as to cause an optical change; and at least one in vivo imaging system (220, 230, 240) configured for detecting the optical change in vivo. The system may be incorporated within an ingestible capsule (100).
US07684836B2
The invention provides a portable terminal device of the foldable type wherein a manipulation-side cabinet and a display-side cabinet each comprises a front cabinet segment and a rear cabinet segment joined thereto. The manipulation-side cabinet has its front cabinet segment connected at an end portion thereof to a hinge mechanism and has its rear cabinet segment engaged with the front cabinet segment thereof. The display-side cabinet has its rear cabinet segment connected at an end portion thereof to the hinge mechanism and has its front cabinet segment engaged with the rear cabinet segment thereof.
US07684828B2
A method for, and a mobile terminal configured for, outputting an image together with a background sound are provided. The method for outputting an image in a mobile terminal comprises the steps of setting at least one image and a corresponding background sound, and detecting when a user selects an image for which the background sound was set and outputting the selected image and the corresponding background sound simultaneously. Since the background sound is played simultaneously with the display of the wallpaper, it can satisfy the user's demand for distinctiveness and expression of individuality.
US07684818B1
A dispatch translation server (DTS) translates messages between a first dispatch communication network that uses a first protocol and a second dispatch communication network that uses a second protocol. The messages relate to the setting up of a dispatch communication session, controlling the channel floor of the dispatch communication session, and terminating the dispatch communication session. With regard to controlling the channel floor, dispatch translation server (DTS) translates messages when both the first and second dispatch communication networks use explicit floor control; when the first dispatch communication network uses implicit floor control and the sending party resides therein and the second dispatch communication network uses explicit floor control; when the first dispatch communication network uses explicit floor control and the sending party resides therein and the second dispatch communication network uses implicit floor control; and when both the first and second dispatch communication network use implicit floor control.
US07684812B2
A method of updating channel information by a mobile station (MS) that is in power saving mode is disclosed. More specifically, the method includes the MS which receives status information of a first channel descriptor and transmission frame information which includes when the first channel descriptor is to be transmitted. Furthermore, the MS compares status information of the first channel descriptor with status information of a second channel descriptor. Here, the second channel descriptor is stored in the MS. Lastly, if the compared status information are different, the MS receives the first channel descriptor according to the transmission frame information.
US07684807B2
Systems and methods wirelessly communicate data over a plurality of cellular channels by requesting an allocation of cellular frequency channels from a mobile station to a base station; allocating available frequency channels in response to the request from the mobile station; and bonding the available frequency channels to communicate data.
US07684806B2
Some embodiments of the invention provide devices, systems and methods of point to multipoint communication. For example, an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a resource allocator to allocate a wireless communication channel resource to one or more stations of a wireless communication system based on a net benefit function that takes into account an overhead incurred by controlling the allocation of said channel resource.
US07684804B2
The present invention is directed to an improved network and system for a wireless communication system. The improved business method, operations method, network and system of the present invention includes the steps of delivering cellular services to the mass market, reducing peak capacity, increasing overall capacity utilization, improving capital utilization, providing an “all-you-can-eat” pricing model, and designing capacity based upon where the users live, work, and play.
US07684787B2
A method, apparatus, and computer-readable media for routing a message service message in a wireless device is disclosed. According to a method, routing messages in a wireless device includes receiving routing preferences from one or more applications operating with a wireless device. The method further includes receiving a message, and routing the message to designated locations for the one or more applications. The locations may include an application or set of applications, or a memory unit associated with one or more applications. Another method includes determining a routing parameter from the message by parsing at least one routing parameter from message content. Routing the message further includes comparing the at least one routing parameter with the routing preferences.
US07684786B2
A method and system for establishing or handling a connection between a first and a second network element connected to different networks such as GPRS/UMTS and IP-based networks is provided. The connection is established by means of at least one third network element such as a SGSN or GGSN arranged in one of the networks. The third network element is adapted to send, when receiving information on an establishment of a connection, a request to a fourth network element which may be a Call State Control Function (CSCF), a Policy Control Function (PCF), or a Call Processing Server (CPS). The request requests permission for establishing a requested type of connection, or requests a check of a connection parameter, and specifies the first and/or second network element and/or the connection or connection type to be established. The fourth network element returns a response specifying a permission for establishing a connection or connection type, or specifying a connection parameter.
US07684784B2
A system having transmitters, receivers, transceivers, actuators, sensors, input/output rack, and/or a computer with application specific software and/or hardware, for secure communication and control. The system may use frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) and encryption. Schedules for FHSS and encryption keys may be varied in variously elaborate ways. The system may utilize a distributed control system to manage the transmission and reception of signals, control operations, FHSS scheduling, changing of keys, and information.
US07684780B2
A semiconductor device includes a first analog circuit (53) adapted to a first performance, and a second analog circuit (55) realizing a second performance higher than the first performance by cooperating with the first analog circuit. It becomes possible to switch circuit characteristics appropriately in accordance with a requested performance while suppressing an increase of a circuit scale, by operating the first analog circuit and interrupting a power supply to the second analog circuit when the first performance is requested, and by operating the first analog circuit and the second analog circuit together when the second performance is requested to thereby share the first analog circuit.
US07684777B2
Adjacent channel rejection device, receiving apparatus and method of operating a receiving apparatus
In a receiving apparatus comprising a quadrature mixer (5) for mixing a radio-frequency signal with a local oscillator signal to in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) signal components at an intermediate frequency, a polyphase filter (9) for band pass filtering the IQ signal components, and an analog-to-digital converter (13) for converting the IQ signal components into digital form, and in which receiving apparatus adjacent channel interference may occur due to IQ signal component mismatching in the quadrature mixer (5), there is provided an adjacent channel rejection device connected between the quadrature mixer (5) and the polyphase filter (9). The device comprises an analog compensation circuit (33a; 33b; 33a-b) for compensating for the IQ signal component mismatching.
US07684775B2
A radio frequency receiver 30, 32, includes a first component block 12, 16, 18, 20; a second compensating component block 22, 22a-22b, 34; and control circuitry 26 operable for controlling the state (e.g., load, bias, gain) of the first component block. When the control circuitry 26 causes a change in the state of the first component block that is expected to induce a DC offset in a signal, the control circuitry 26 changes the state of the second component block to compensate for an estimate of the DC offset. Preferably, the second component block is a filter 22, 22a-22b, 34, that temporarily changes from a nominal cutoff frequency to an elevated cutoff frequency so that voltage will settle quickly and accurately at an estimated voltage, the estimated voltage being predetermined and based on the state change to the first component block. A method is also described for practicing the invention.
US07684769B2
In circumstance of a wearable computing system, in order to effectively transfer data between electronic devices using electric property of human body, minimization, low power, and high-speed are required. Human body data communication apparatus and module using broadband signaling technology is provided to perform high-speed peer-to-peer data communication with a signal electrode and low power. The apparatus and module have a direct coupling interface with a single electrode without an antenna and a sensor, and a transmitter transmitting digital signal without modulation, and a receiver recovering a clock and data by detecting a broadband pulse signal.
US07684761B2
A closed-loop signalling method controls multiple transmit beams. The method also includes transmitting a plurality of beams from a first transceiver via a plurality of transmission channels to a second transceiver, evaluating, at the second transceiver, characteristics of the plurality of transmitted beams received at the second transceiver. The method also includes deriving, at the second transceiver, beamforming information for being fed back from the second transceiver to the first transceiver based on the evaluated characteristics. The beamforming information is usable for controlling, at the first transceiver, the transmitting of the plurality of beams. The method also includes selecting, at the second transceiver, at least one set of beamforming information for being fed back from the second transceiver via a feedback path to the first transceiver. The method also includes calculating, at the first transceiver, additional beamforming information which was not contained in the feedback path, based on the beamforming information being fed back.
US07684754B2
The present invention relates to systems and methods that facilitate wireless device communications and configuration. A detection component identifies N devices that are coupled together via a biological medium, N being an integer, wherein the medium includes direct or indirect touching to a device or devices. After biological contact, a configuration component initiates a configuration between a subset of the devices. Although configurations and/or other communications can be conducted through a medium such as the human body, the present invention can employ an initial touch to identify respective devices whereby other electronic configuration sequences commence without further device contact. Other aspects include chain touching between users and/or devices to facilitate contact between the devices. Location detection components can also be provided to identify when users are present near a device, the detected presence to commence further automated procedures, and/or the location detection components can enable devices to identify other devices in a crowded wireless environment.
US07684753B2
In a MIMO delay spread (OFDM) system or a MIMO single carrier (non-OFDM) system wherein a transmitter transmits signals to a receiver through multipath fading channels, an equivalent frequency-domain MIMO multipath channel matrix is used to estimate the maximum mutual information regarding the relationship between transmitted signals and received signals. It is possible to compute the upper bound of the maximum mutual information at least based on the total energy of all resolvable paths in the fading channels. The upper bound or the changes in the upper bound can be used to adjust the transmission parameters used in data transmission. The transmission parameters include the modulation order in the modulation process, the code rate and the puncturing rate.
US07684745B2
An image heating apparatus including an endless belt for heating an image on a recording material; a supporting member for supporting the belt; a coil for induction heat generation in the belt; control means for controlling a position of the belt in a widthwise direction by inclining the supporting member so as to maintain the position of the belt in the widthwise direction within a predetermined target range; and suppressing means for suppressing a variation of a distance between the belt and the coil with a variation of inclination of the supporting member.
US07684743B2
A fixing device includes a magnetic flux generating section having a coil which generates a magnetic flux when applying current, a fixing roller having a heat generating layer having a thickness of 100 μm or less formed along an outer peripheral surface of the fixing roller for generating heat through electromagnetic induction by the magnetic flux, a capacitor connected in series to the coil to constitute a series resonant circuit, and high frequency power supply circuits for applying voltage having a certain drive frequency to the series resonant circuit so as to make the fixing roller generate heat through the magnetic flux generating section. An image is fixed onto a sheet, which is transported in a state of being in pressure-contact with the outer peripheral surface of the fixing roller, by heat from the heat generating layer of the fixing roller.
US07684741B2
An endless belt is extended over extending rollers, and carries a toner image transferred from an image carrier or a transfer sheet. The endless belt includes a front-side reinforcing member and a rear-side reinforcing member, and a guide member for preventing meandering fixed over an approximately entire circumference on the rear-side reinforcing member. The extending rollers include a step portion provided in an end area in an axial direction facing to the rear-side reinforcing member, which has a diameter smaller than a center area in the axial direction. The front-side reinforcing member has a width wider than a width of the rear-side reinforcing member.
US07684733B2
An electrophotographic photosensitive member rotatably supported in an image forming apparatus. The electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a substantially cylindrical body and a photosensitive layer formed thereon and having a latent image forming area. The photosensitive layer is, when incorporated in the image forming apparatus, pressed harder at a middle portion than at end portions in an axial direction of the latent image forming area, and a thickness at the middle portion is larger than at the end portions. The photosensitive layer may have a dynamic indentation hardness larger at the middle portion than at the end portions.
US07684731B2
An image forming apparatus is described as including a door member for opening and closing an opening provided in a main body member; a hinge mechanism; and a lock mechanism. The hinge mechanism may include a first hinge hole and a second hinge hole which are provided in at least one of the door member and the main body member, and are arranged substantially coaxially while being spaced from each other, a hinge shaft inserted across the first hinge hole and the second hinge hole, and a spring unit which presses the hinge shaft against inner peripheral surfaces of the first and second hinge holes. The first hinge hole may be smaller in size than the second hinge hole.
US07684729B2
An image-forming machine includes a photosensitive material drum, a developer mounted on a machine body so as to move in a direction to approach, and separate away from, the photosensitive material drum along guide means arranged in the machine body, and a protection cover that opens and closes a portion of the peripheral surface of the photosensitive material drum. The protection cover is supported by the machine body so as to rotate between a closed position and an opened position. An arm member is rotatably arranged in the machine body being drive-coupled to the protection cover so as to open and close the protection cover. An end of the arm member is so positioned as to be present on a locus of motion of the developer.
US07684721B2
In an image forming device which acquires image information of a document and forms an image on a recording sheet, an image forming device body has a first reading unit and a processing unit, wherein the first reading unit acquires image information of a document and the processing unit forms an image on a recording sheet based on the image information. An image input device has a second reading unit which acquires image information of a document. The image input device is arranged in the image forming device body at a position lower than a position of the first reading unit.
US07684711B2
An optical transmission system comprises two optical fibers carrying optical signal traffic between two terminals, and a plurality of optical repeaters coupled to the two fibers each repeater having a permanently connected passive high loss loop back circuit between the two fibers. One terminal includes a transmitter, which launches a pulsed supervisory signal on a dedicated supervisory wavelength into one optical fiber, and a receiver, which detects a portion of the supervisory signal looped back from each repeater in order to identify the existence and location of faults in the transmission system. The pulsed supervisory signal is of sufficiently short duration such that portions of the signal returned from each repeater do not overlap with one another and interference with the counter-propagating traffic is avoided by utilizing a dedicated supervisory wavelength. Each return pulse is integrated sequentially by a single detector and processed by heterodyne reception and synchronous demodulation.
US07684707B2
Generating oscillator signals with which selected signals may be mixed. Such oscillator signals may be generated by dividing a pilot tone, such as a 120 MHz pilot tone found on many cable TV systems. Oscillator signals for demodulating received selected signals may be similarly generated.
US07684703B2
There is provided a wavelength division multiplexing transmission system and apparatuses used therein, in which a remote apparatus to be newly added to a station apparatus autonomously sets a wavelength to be used in the remote apparatus, thereby avoiding the need for presetting a wavelength to be used in the remote apparatus. The remote apparatus includes wavelength determining means that determines an available wavelength on the basis of an optical signal received from the station apparatus. The wavelength determining means may determine the wavelength of an unreceived optical signal as the available wavelength or may determine the wavelength of a received optical signal as the available wavelength, and may set that wavelength as a transmission and reception wavelength to be used in the remote apparatus.
US07684700B2
The invention relates to an optical transmitting device. Particularly, the invention provides a loss-of-signal detecting device that detects a loss of an optical signal received by a terminal station or a relay station, in the order of an SD and an SF. The loss-of-signal detecting device includes: an optical input unit that outputs received-optical-power reduction information and a LOS alarm based on a measuring of received optical power of an optical input signal; a synchronizing unit that extracts a synchronous clock contained in the optical input signal, and outputs an LOL alarm when the clock is asynchronous; and a loss-of-signal detecting unit that determines the presence or absence of the received-optical-power reduction information, sets the LOS alarm valid based on the output of the LOL alarm when the received-optical-power reduction information is present, and immediately sets the LOS alarm valid when the received-optical-power reduction information is absent, thereby detecting a loss of signal based on a valid LOS alarm.
US07684696B1
It is desirable to provide an improved system for describing the impact of a change in routing on the performance of wavelengths traversing the links in a optical communication network. It is also desirable that such a system be computationally simple. The present invention accomplishes these aims by providing a mechanism for the development of a set of metrics that describe the impact of different fiber types and lengths bearing a number of wavelengths, on one of the wavelengths propagated by a given input power. These metrics permit the prediction of a wavelength's behaviour by simple calculations. Accordingly, the need for full non-linear simulation is obviated, thereby improving the speed, efficiency and flexibility of optical layer routing algorithms.
US07684689B2
A digital camera module includes an image capture device, a lens unit, a housing for receiving the lens unit and positioning the lens unit with respect to the image capture device, and a focus mechanism disposed on the outside of the housing and operative to move the lens unit along an axis when the lens unit is rotated about the axis. In one embodiment, the focus mechanism includes a ramp formed on the housing and a complementary ramp formed on the lens unit. In another embodiment, the focus mechanism includes a thread set formed on the outside of the housing for engaging a complementary thread set on a sleeve of the lens unit. In still another embodiment, the focus mechanism includes an inclined groove and a groove follower. The external adjustment mechanism prevents the image capture device from being contaminated by particulates generated during focusing.
US07684685B2
An image stabilizer that stabilizes images by moving a correcting lens for stabilizing images formed by a lens system in a first direction and a second direction which are perpendicular to an optical axis of said lens system and which are perpendicular to each other, includes a driver which is provided at one side of the correcting lens and which moves the correcting lens in the first direction and the second direction.
US07684684B2
An image sensing apparatus performs focus control based upon image data of a region corresponding to a focus control region, the image data being a part of one screen of image data. The apparatus includes a camera-shake detector for detecting camera shake, and a focus detection zone designating unit for changing the focus control region with respect to the screen.
US07684683B2
A welding apparatus is provided with a lamp unit having a light source such as a halogen lamp and a multiple reflection surface. The light source applies incoherent electromagnetic waves that belong to a visible region and a near-infrared region in which a wavelength is 500 nm (nanometer) or more. The multiple reflection surface reflects and collects the light from the light source in the shape of a desired dot or line. The housing and the transparent cover are superimposed, and the light from the light source is collected by the multiple-reflection surface on the portion where the housing is superimposed on the transparent cover.
US07684679B2
An image recording apparatus includes a JPEG CODEC that produces JPEG data by compressing image data. Markers SOI and EOI are embedded in produced JPEG data, and such the JPEG data is recorded into a magnetooptical disk by a disk drive. Upon completion of recording a plurality of frames of the JPEG data, each frame of the JPEG data is read out into a work area of an SDRAM, and the markers SOI and EOI are detected from the read JPEG data. Index information of each frame of the JPEG data is generated on the basis of the detected markers SOI and EOI. Generated index information is recorded following a last frame of the JPEG data.
US07684673B2
The aspects of the present invention provide a computer implemented method, system, and computer usable program code for managing programming for a digital video recorder via a network. The method includes receiving user instructions at a content manager, wherein the content manager receives the user instructions through a network. The method also includes executing the user instructions to schedule recording of content for the user. The method further includes responsive to a plurality of users designating the content, storing only a single instance of the content designated by the plurality of users to form common stored content. The method is also responsive to a request to view the content from a user in the plurality of users, transmitting the common stored content to the user in the plurality of users over the network.
US07684649B2
To improve accuracy of determining the average brightness level and maximum and minimum levels of the brightness signals for the entire screen.There are included a differential operation circuit that detects and differentiates rise or breaking edges in horizontal and vertical synchronous signals of an input image signal, thereby outputting horizontal and vertical differential signals synchronized with the horizontal and vertical synchronous signals, respectively; a sample window circuit that detects the beginning and ending positions of horizontal and vertical intervals to produce sample window signals established in any desired vertical and horizontal positions on the screen in accordance with the horizontal and vertical differential signals; and a brightness signal output circuit that outputs sampled brightness signals when the sample window circuit is operative.
US07684644B2
Disclosed is a variable-length image compression arrangement which represents successive distinct image data values (220, 221) of an image using corresponding non-decreasing Palette values (215, 222), and which incorporates (915, 1025) into the encoded data stream information recording the position in the encoded data stream at which each Palette value bit representation length increase occurs.
US07684638B2
This invention provides a dynamic image adjusting apparatus for dynamically adjusting the contrast of a first image signal which includes a plurality of pixels. The adjusting apparatus includes a first transformation module, an operation module, and a second transformation module. The first transformation module receives the first image signal for generating a plurality of adjusting signals, wherein each pixel of the first image signal corresponds to one of the plurality of adjusting signals. The operation module is coupled to the first transformation module and receives a first set of adjusting signals of the plurality of adjusting signals to generate a first gain curve. The second transformation module is coupled to the operation module and the first transformation module, and generates a second image signal according to the first gain curve and the plurality of adjusting signals.
US07684636B2
This invention has as its object to provide an edge correction apparatus which can execute base clip processes optimal to different noise levels depending on the level of an input signal. To this end, an apparatus has a high-frequency extraction circuit for extracting a high-frequency signal equal to or more than a predetermined frequency from an input signal, a suppression circuit for suppressing signal components equal to or less than a suppression level from the extracted high-frequency signal, a setting circuit for setting the suppression level in correspondence with the signal level of the input signal, and a high-frequency emphasis circuit for emphasizing the high-frequency signal suppressed by the suppression circuit.
US07684633B2
A system and method for controlling the work flow or processing of scanned images is disclosed. The system and method identify appropriate image processing techniques, particularly techniques well-suited to enable image compression yet maintain image quality so as to facilitate the storage and transmission of scanned image data.
US07684625B2
A split image generation portion generates split images. A split projected waveform generation portion generates split projected waveforms from the split images respectively. A projected waveform synthesizer portion generates projected waveforms by combining the split projected waveforms. A feature volume extraction portion extracts feature volumes from the generated projected waveforms. A feature volume correlation portion correlates feature volume data of a target image with feature volume data of a reference image. A correction value calculation portion calculates correction values in accordance with geometrical distortion between the reference image and the target image on the basis of a result of the correlation and generates an n-dimensional lookup table. An image collation portion collates the target image with the reference image in consideration of the geometrical distortion by using the lookup table.
US07684624B2
A system for capturing images of a target area on which information is recorded includes a boom assembly adapted to extend outwardly from a generally vertical surface. At least one digital camera is mounted on the boom assembly at a location spaced from the surface. The at least one digital camera is oriented so that the field of view thereof encompasses a target area on the surface. A controller is in communication with the at least one digital camera. The controller conditions the at least one digital camera to acquire an image of the target area. The image acquired by the at least one digital camera is conveyed to the controller and is processed to determine if an obstacle blocking the target area is in the captured image. If so, the captured image is not further processed and additional images are acquired until an image of the target area is captured without the obstacle therein.
US07684613B2
In a method for aligning three-dimensional shape data obtained by performing a three-dimensional measurement of an object, photogrammetry of the object with a target mark is performed to obtain a three-dimensional position and a normal vector of the target mark by a calculation, and the three-dimensional measurement of the object is performed to obtain a three-dimensional position and a normal vector of the target mark. Then, determined is a correspondence between the three-dimensional position of the target mark obtained by the photogrammetry and the three-dimensional position of the target mark obtained by the three-dimensional measurement, by using the three-dimensional position and the normal vector of the target mark obtained by the photogrammetry and those of the target mark obtained by the three-dimensional measurement, and three-dimensional shape data obtained by the three-dimensional measurement is aligned based on the correspondence between the three-dimensional-positions of the target marks.
US07684607B2
A system for automatic detection of authenticity of security documents by measuring reflected components of incident energy in three or more optical wave bands. The system involves the use of UV-visible light source, an optional near infra red light source, photodetectors and associated sensing circuitry. Photoelectric signals generated by photodetectors from the reflected energy received from a security document are used to verify its authenticity under UV-visible along with optional near infra red illumination. The process involves measurement of energy reflected as photoelectric signals from a security document in at least three optical wavebands by suitably located photodetectors with appropriate wave band filters and the electronic signal processing to distinguish between a genuine document from a fake one for ultimate LED indicator display and audio-visual alarms, hence the detection of fake security document.
US07684606B2
An image processing apparatus includes an area specifying unit that specifies a closed area emitting fluorescence in a fluorescence image as a cell area in a cell population including a number of dispersed cells. The fluorescence image is generated from fluorescence emitted by the cell population irradiated with a scanning laser beam. The apparatus also includes a nucleus data removing unit that removes data corresponding to a nucleus in the cell area; an overlapping cell specifying unit that specifies an overlapping cell area where cells overlap, based on a fluorescence intensity of a cytoplasm portion corresponding to an image where the data corresponding to the nucleus is removed; and an analyzed image generating unit that generates an analyzed image where data of the overlapping cell area is removed from the fluorescence image.
US07684597B2
An image processing method of obtaining a image proper for diagnosis from a radiation image having signals corresponding to an irradiation dose of radiation having passed through a radiographed object, comprising: an image processing step of conducting an image processing on an image processing condition including at least one or more parameters having a preliminarily-set default value; an image processing condition adjusting step of adjusting the image processing condition; an adjustment result recording step of recording the adjustment result of the parameters in the image processing condition adjusted in the image processing condition adjusting step; a parameter changing step of renewing the default value of at least one of the parameters in the image processing condition based on adjustment results of plural time adjustments recorded in the adjustment result recording step.
US07684594B2
A method and an apparatus estimate an object part location in a digital image using feature value analysis. The method according to one embodiment accesses digital image data representing a region including an object part of a digital image; accesses reference data including class data of classes relating to predetermined positions of the object part in predetermined regions, and features that discriminate among the classes; calculates feature values for the features in the region using pixel values within the region; and determines a location estimate of the object part using the feature values and the reference data.
US07684591B2
A information processing apparatus and method is disclosed wherein an image of a predetermined region can be picked up and a desired moving body in the predetermined region can be tracked readily to pick up an image of the moving body. A sensor image acquisition module acquires a sensor image. A moving body detection module detects moving bodies existing in a predetermined region based on the sensor image. A tracking object designation module designates one of the detected moving bodies. When a moving body is designated by the tracking object designation module, an image pickup mode changeover module sets the image pickup mode to a continuous tracking mode in which the designated moving body is tracked to pick up an image of the moving body. The invention can be applied, for example, to a monitoring system.
US07684589B2
A method and apparatus for processing raw image data to create processed images. Raw image data is acquired. The raw image data is decomposed by a data decomposer into N subsets of raw image data. The number N is based on a number of available image generation processors. The N subsets of raw image data are processed by at least one image generation processor to create processed image data. If more than one image generation processor is available, the image generation processors perform image processing on the raw image data in parallel with respect to each other.
US07684588B2
A system that generates an electronically readable image file that represents an image. In one embodiment, the system comprises an image input, an encoding module, and a tag module. The image input obtains color information representative of an image. The encoding module encodes the color information representative of the image into an image file by encoding the color information into a format associated with the image file. The tag module inserts a tag into the image file, wherein the tag is an object to be rendered, and conveys information about the generation of the image file.
US07684587B2
A method and system of communicating visual communication quality information, includes extracting reduced-reference (RR) feature data from visual content, embedding the RR feature data in the visual content; and transmitting the visual content with the embedded RR feature data. Visual communication quality is assessed by receiving visual content which includes visual content data and a first set of embedded RR feature data, retrieving the first set of RR feature data from the visual content data, and generating a second set of RR feature data from the visual content data. The second set of RR feature data corresponds to substantially identical features of the visual content data as that used to generate the first set of RR feature data. The first set of RR feature data is compared to the second first set of RR feature data to determine a quality of the visual content based upon the comparison.
US07684579B2
The present invention provides a hearing device comprising a first component (10) with a housing (11) comprising at least one electronic module, said housing (11) being adapted to be carried outside of or at the human body and a second component (20) to be inserted either partially or fully into an ear canal of a human body, said second component (20) comprising a shell (21). The hearing device further comprises connecting means connecting both mechanically and electrically said first and said second component (10;20), comprising a tube (30) with electric wire arranged within the tube (30) and two fasteners (31;32) being arranged at each end of said tube (30). Said first fastener (31), being adapted to detachably connect said second component (20) with said connecting means, comprises a receiving housing or compartment, adapted to contain at least a part of a receiver (23) to be placed within said second component (20). By providing a detachable fastener (31;32) at least at one end of the tube (30) acting as connecting means between the first and second component (10;20) of the hearing device, the connecting means may be easily detached from either the first or the second component (10;20) of the hearing device.
US07684576B2
A transducer (14) for producing a force which excites an acoustic radiator, e.g. a panel (12) to produce an acoustic output. The transducer (14) has an intended operative frequency range and comprises a resonant element which has a distribution of modes and which is modal in the operative frequency range. Parameters of the transducer (14) may be adjusted to improve the modality of the resonant element. A loudspeaker (10) or a microphone may incorporate the transducer.
US07684574B2
A reflective loudspeaker array is cooperatively operable with an acoustically reflective planar surface to provide a constructive combination of direct and reflected sound waves that produces a uniform sound field. The uniform sound field provides a controlled sound field in the vertical and horizontal direction, and also provides uniformity from distances close to the reflective loudspeaker array to far way. The direct and reflected sound waves are advantageously and constructively combinable to generate a focused beamwidth of soundwaves. The reflective loudspeaker array includes a plurality of loudspeakers coupled to a surface of the reflective loudspeaker array. The surface may be formed to include at least one curve with a radius of curvature. The reflective loudspeaker array may be placed adjacent an acoustically reflective planar surface such that a frontal plane of a loudspeaker adjacently located closest to the acoustically reflective planar surface is aligned perpendicularly, and a frontal plane of a loudspeaker spaced away from the acoustically reflective planar surface is not aligned perpendicularly.
US07684564B2
The present invention comprises fast new methods for computing high-precision solutions of Frobenius equations that arise in elliptic-curve cryptography. In particular, this invention may be used to accelerate the computation of the number of points on an elliptic curve over a finite field. The advantage over methods in prior art is that the invention is faster than previously known methods. The methods enable optimally fast canonical lifting of elliptic curves defined over finite fields, optimally fast pre-computations to determine an efficient representation of intermediate quantities, and optimally fast lifting of finite-field elements to compute multiplicative representatives. Furthermore the invention enables rapid computation of norms and traces amongst other applications.
US07684554B1
The present invention is directed to a method and system for routing communications. A plurality of communication devices are coupled to a communications network. Each communication device has a device identifier. A user-programmable database associates each of a plurality of user identifiers with a device identifier. A call-routing switch arrangement is coupled to the communication network through a portal communication device having a portal identifier. A user designates a destination user identifier when making a communication. The call-routing switches the call, directing the call to a destination device identifier responsive to the user-programmable database association between the destination user identifier and a device identifier. According to the present invention, communications are directed to users and are routed to associated equipment, a user identifier serving as a virtual extension number. Users remotely program the database to direct their calls to communication devices at various geographic, voice mail and e-mail destinations.
US07684546B2
Methods, apparatus, computer program products and other embodiments model a system's channel and noise characteristics using one or more Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) by modeling the state dynamics for one or more lines and associated profiles and by learning from the line history. Besides channel and noise characteristics, user data activity also can be modeled using an HMM, where all channel, noise and user data activity can be modeled jointly using HMMs as long as the joint states are properly defined. In multi-line systems, multiple lines (for example, a set of lines in a DSL system binder) may be modeled jointly. After learning channel, noise, user data activity and/or other dynamics using HMM techniques and methods, system operation and/or configuration parameters can be controlled based on the estimated HMM, providing flexible solutions for virtually any channel, noise, user data activity and/or other dynamics.
US07684540B2
An apparatus and method for determining the phase fraction of a fluid collected downhole is shown comprising an x-ray generator, a filter, a sample cell, and a radiation detector. The filter produces a radiation spectrum with a high energy portion and a low energy portion. Filtered radiation is passed through a sample fluid and the resulting attenuated radiation signal is used in calculating the phase fractions of oil, water, and gas in the sample fluid. In one embodiment, a second reference radiation detector measures the radiation directly from the x-ray generator and this measurement is used in normalizing the fraction result. The ratio of the high energy signal to low energy signal of the reference detector is used in controlling the input voltage of the x-ray generator thus ensuring a stable spectrum.
US07684538B2
An X-ray scanner comprises an array (12) of X-ray detectors (16) arranged in cylindrical configuration around an imaging volume (28), and a multi-focus X-ray source (20) which extends in a helical configuration around the outside of the detector array (12). A helical gap (24) in the detector array (12) allows X-rays from the source (20) to pass through the patient (26) in the imaging volume (28), and onto the detectors (16) on the opposite side of the scanner. The source (20) is controlled so that the X-rays are produced from a number of source points along the helical locus (23) to produce a tomographic image. As the patient is stationary and the source point varied electrically, the scanning rate is sufficient to produce a series of images which can be displayed as a real time three-dimensional video image.
US07684530B2
A method for synchronized transmission of audio data streams in a bus system, for example, based on the IEEE 1394 Standard, and a circuit system for performing said method including at least one data source and at least one data sink. The data source includes at least one clock or timer unit and at least one generator unit. The generator unit is connected to the clock or timer unit and receives at least one data frequency.
US07684523B2
A method of determining at least one channel for channel response in a wireless communication system is disclosed. More specifically, the method comprises receiving a plurality of signals from a transmitting end, wherein the signals comprise a plurality of pilot symbols and a plurality of data symbols, determining weight value of each pilot symbol, assigning the determined each weight value to each pilot symbol, and demodulating each data symbol by using respective information of the weight value corresponding to each pilot symbol.
US07684522B2
Method and system for determining a log-likelihood ratio (LLR) corresponding to each bit of a symbol
Methods and systems for determining a Log-Likelihood Ratio (LLR) corresponding to each bit of a symbol are provided. The symbol comprises a predefined number of bits based on a predetermined constellation. The methods and systems include expanding the predetermined constellation. The predetermined constellation comprises a plurality of constellation-points wherein each constellation-point has a unique X co-ordinate and Y co-ordinate. Also, the expanded predetermined constellation further comprises points corresponding to each combination of the X co-ordinate and the Y co-ordinate of the constellation-points. The methods and systems further include calculating the LLR corresponding to each bit of the symbol based on the expanded predetermined constellation.
US07684521B2
Typical communication systems operate with a single channel decoder, and hence would have to settle for the performance from the single channel decoder regardless of the conditions of the communications channel. The present invention uses a hybrid channel decoder comprising multiple channel decoders, each configured to optimize the quality of the re-constructed signal for different channel conditions. Therefore, the desired decoder can be selected as conditions of the communications channel, or the data signal, change over time, so as to optimize the re-constructed data signal. In embodiments, the data signal is a speech signal.
US07684518B2
A circuit is provided which generates a first output signal and a second output signal. The circuit includes a reference signal input having a reference value, a first positioning circuit, and a second positioning circuit. The first positioning circuit generates the first output signal responsive to a first differential input signal and the reference signal, and the second positioning circuit generates the second output signal responsive to a second differential input signal and the reference signal. In one implementation, the positioning circuits may be reversed peak detectors. A minimum value of the first output signal and a minimum value of the second output signal are positioned along a common axis at values greater than or equal to the reference value.
US07684513B2
An amplifying method and apparatus generates a plurality of constant envelope signals from an input signal and generates a plurality of pilot signals associated with the generated plurality of constant envelope signals, respectively. The plurality of pilot signals have predetermined amplitudes, predetermined phases, and predetermined frequencies, respectively, and the phases and frequencies are different from each other. The plurality of pilot signals are added to the generated plurality of constant envelope signals, and the sum is amplified. An amplitude or phase of one of the generated plurality of constant envelope signals is corrected using signal components included in the amplified plurality of constant envelope signals.
US07684509B2
A communication system for transmitting encoded signals over a communication channel is disclosed. The system includes a transmitter, which has a source that is configured to output a message signal, and an encoder that is configured to generate a code word in response to the message signal. The code word has a construction that is based upon a single dimensional binary code and that specifies a space-time overlay having a predetermined constraint. The transmitter also includes a modulator that is configured to modulate the code word for transmission over the communication channel. Further, the transmitter includes multiple transmit antennas that are configured to transmit the modulated code word over the communication channel. The system also includes a receiver, which may include multiple receive antennas. The receiver is configured to receive the transmitted code word via the multiple receive antennas.
US07684501B2
The present invention provides apparatus and methods for carrier frequency offset and phase compensation, which can compensate the phase rotation of an OFDM symbol resulted from carrier frequency offset between the receiver and transmitter of an OFDM System. The apparatus and method for carrier frequency offset compensation generates an estimated carrier frequency offset according to a phase error between estimated frequency responses of two consecutive received OFDM symbols within the pilot subchannel, and calculates an accumulated phase rotation, according to the estimated carrier frequency offset, for compensating the received OFDM symbol. On the other hand, the apparatus and method for phase compensation generates an estimated residual phase error according to the pilot signal of a frequency offset-compensated OFDM symbol and the original pilot signal transmitted by the transmitter, and compensates the frequency offset-compensated OFDM symbol or a following one according to the estimated residual phase error.
US07684492B2
A method for recovering a lost block of an image processing system, which includes determining characteristics of a lost block by using a cost function with respect to the lost block, and recovering the lost block by applying an error concealment method that is best suitable for the characteristics of the lost block. Because an image is restored by applying the most suitable error concealment method according to characteristics of the lost block, error restoration performance of a receiving end is improved and the closest image of an original image can be reproduced.
US07684488B2
A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.
US07684477B1
A serial interface for a programmable logic device includes receiver and transmitter portions, and an automatic speed negotiation module to adjust the data rates of both portions. The speed adjustment may be accomplished by adjusting the widths of the data paths in both portions. The speed adjustment occurs on receipt of a control signal generated elsewhere on the programmable logic device, or generated by the module. One reason for generating the control signal is the detection of data errors in the received data, or the detection of a delimiter pattern in the received data signifying that a remote device is about to change its data rate.Similarly, before changing its data rate, the module may insert a delimiter in the data in the transmitter portion. After receipt or transmission of a delimiter pattern, the module may wait for a predetermined delay period to elapse before changing the data rate.
US07684473B2
Techniques for detecting and demodulating a signal/transmission are described. Signal detection is performed in multiple stages using different types of signal processing, e.g., using time-domain correlation for a first stage, frequency-domain processing for a second stage, and time-domain processing for a third stage. For the first stage, products of symbols are generated for at least two different delays, correlation between the products for each delay and known values is performed, and correlation results for all delays are combined and used to declare the presence of a signal. For demodulation, the timing of input samples is adjusted to obtain timing-adjusted samples. A frequency offset is estimated and removed from the timing-adjusted samples to obtain frequency-corrected samples, which are processed with a channel estimate to obtain detected symbols. The phases of the detected symbols are corrected to obtain phase corrected symbols, which are demodulated, deinterleaved, and decoded.
US07684468B2
A wireless communication device is provided. The wireless communication device executes digital processing for a received UWB signal with use of an A/D converter having an adequate sample rate and resolution, and thus can obtain precise reception timing information. Since the sample rate of an A/D converted output is high, a timing detection circuit is formed of two-stage matched filters. The former-stage chip matched filter calculates the correlation between an input signal and a template signal. When a correct transmission pulse signal has arrived, the chip matched filter outputs to a frame matched filter an indication as to the presence of a pulse and reception timing. The latter-stage frame matched filter calculates the correlation value between a received frame signal and a spreading code to thereby determine whether the received frame is correct or incorrect, and adequately changes a threshold value of the chip matched filter.
US07684463B2
A frequency-division multiplexing transmission apparatus for transmitting data in a frequency spectrum specific to both symbol and mobile station, is disclosed. The apparatus encodes transmission data, modulates the encoded data, compresses the time domains of each symbol of the modulated transmission-symbol sequence, repeats the symbols a specified number of times, rearranges each of the symbols of the obtained repetitive-symbol sequence so that they have the same arrangement as the transmission-symbol sequence, generates each phase that changes at a speed specific to each symbol of the transmission-symbol sequence, performs phase rotation specific to the symbols for each symbol of the rearranged repetitive-symbol sequence, generates phase that changes at a speed specific to a mobile station, performs phase rotation specific to the mobile station for the symbol sequence for which the phase rotation was performed, and transmits the phase-rotated symbol sequence.
US07684462B2
System and method for providing frequency control to a power converter. The system includes a pseudorandom signal generator configured to generate a digital signal. The digital signal is associated with at least an N-bit datum, and N is a positive integer. Additionally, the system includes a digital-to-analog converter configured to receive the digital signal and generate a first control signal, an output signal generator configured to receive the first control signal and generate at least a first output signal associated with a frequency, and a pulse-width-modulation generator configured to receive at least the first output signal. The N-bit datum represents a pseudorandom number.
US07684460B2
A surface emitting laser device can further improve the light emission efficiency thereof to enlarge the degree of freedom of the device. The surface emitting laser device includes an active layer 103, a photonic crystal layer disposed to be adjacent to the active layer, an electrode 108 disposed on the photonic crystal layer, and a plurality of light emitting regions regulated by the electrode. The photonic crystal layer is configured to include a first photonic crystal region 104 disposed just under the electrode, and having a periodic refractive index structure for resonance of light within a plane, and a second photonic crystal region 105 disposed just under the light emitting region, and having a periodic refractive index structure for emitting light in a direction perpendicular to the plane.
US07684454B2
An improved VECSEL device is provided in which the gain of each of the quantum well layers can be increased in a periodic gain structure. A vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) device comprising: a substrate; a bottom DBR mirror formed on the substrate; a multiple quantum well layer formed on the bottom DBR mirror and comprising: a plurality of quantum well layers; first and second strain compensation layers sequentially formed above and below each of the quantum well layers to gradually relieve the strain of the quantum well layers; a capping layer formed on the multiple quantum well layer; an optical pump radiating a pump beam to the surface of the capping layer; and an external cavity mirror separated from and facing the bottom DBR mirror.
US07684452B1
Various circuits and methods are provided for driving a laser. A laser driver circuit is configured to generate a modulated current through a laser. Also, a peak current source is employed to generate a peak current that is differentially applied to the laser to enhance a transition rate of the laser.
US07684450B2
Various embodiments described herein relate to a laser source for producing a pulsed laser beam comprising a plurality of ultrashort optical pulses having a variable repetition rate. In one embodiment, the laser source comprises a fiber oscillator, which outputs optical pulses and a pulse stretcher disposed to receive the optical pulses. The optical pulses have an optical pulse width. The pulse stretcher has dispersion that increases the optical pulse width yielding stretched optical pulses. The laser source further comprises a fiber amplifier disposed to receive the stretched optical pulses. The fiber optical amplifier has gain so as to amplify the stretched optical pulses. The laser source includes an automatically adjustable grating compressor having dispersion that reduces the optical pulse width. The grating compressor automatically adjusts this dispersion for different repetition rates.
US07684449B2
A cladding is provided at an outer periphery of a solid-core doped with rare earth ions, and a metal layer is formed to be adjacent to the cladding to provide an optical fiber for a fiber laser device. The metal layer having an inner metal layer and an outer metal layer is disposed along an entire length of the optical fiber for a fiber laser device. An exciting light is incident to the optical fiber for a fiber laser device, and the exciting light is reflection-excited to emit a high power laser oscillation light. A monitoring current is constantly flown into the metal layer. When the disconnection of the optical fiber for a fiber laser device is detected based on the monitoring current, the energization of the optical fiber for a fiber laser device is stopped.
US07684445B2
A guard interval length detector is introduced. The guard interval length detector includes a delay conjugate multiplier capable of delaying a plurality of input signals to provide delayed input signals and multiplying each of the plurality of input signals with a complex conjugate of a corresponding one of the delayed input signals to provide multiplied signals, a phase detector capable of determining phase values corresponding to the multiplied signals, and a period detector capable of detecting a period according to the phase values, and determining a guard interval length of the input signals according to the period.
US07684441B2
A data alignment algorithm that automatically aligns data from multiple monitoring devices to the same zero-crossings at the same point in time. Cycle-by-cycle frequency data is received from each monitoring device and a cross-correlation algorithm is performed to determine a correlation coefficient between a reference monitoring device and another monitoring device. The data of the other monitoring device is shifted by one cycle and another correlation coefficient is calculated by the cross-correlation algorithm. The data of the two monitoring devices is aligned at the point at which the maximum correlation coefficient is calculated or the point at which the correlation coefficient exceeds a threshold value. The clocks of the monitoring devices can also be synchronized at the same point of alignment.
US07684440B1
The present invention provides a method and an apparatus to facilitate the use of larger-than-Ethernet-standard frames having different sizes in a network, such as an extended local area network, where the network can include at least one network element that cannot transfer data as larger-than-Ethernet-standard frames. In one embodiment, a method for formatting data for transportation over a network comprises identifying a network element capable of using data formatted as a non-standard frame, such as a jumbo frame. Then, the method provides for determining a non-standard frame size that is useable by the network element. More generally, the technique is applicable to any LAN infrastructure comprised of devices supporting a variety of frame sizes, so that any device may discover the largest frame size that is supported to any other device within the same network.
US07684436B2
Various services for a mobile communication network or an IP network are implemented by processing necessary information suitably in accordance with a service type so as to exchange the information to a service control device and transmitting the results of the service process by the service control device to the mobile communication network or the IP network, for a service request from the mobile communication network or the IP network. A gateway device of the present invention retains a signal defining various rules or policies received from the service control device, judges a service type and a destination requested from the service request signal by the various rules or policies for the service request signal transmitted from a communication terminal of the mobile communication network or the communication terminal of the IP network, performs protocol conversion on the service request signal in accordance with the service type, and transmits the service request signal to the corresponding destination.
US07684432B2
A data network may be operated between a routing gateway for a subscriber and a data service provider providing a data service. More particularly, the data network may receive from the data service provider an identification of the routing gateway, an identification of the data service provider, and data flow characteristics of the data service for a session of the routing gateway using the data service provided by the data service provider. Responsive to receiving the identification of the routing gateway, the identification of the data service provider, and the data flow characteristics for the data service, the data flow characteristics of the data service for the routing gateway may be saved at the data network and forwarded to the routing gateway. Related data networks, data service providers, routing gateways, and computer program products are also discussed.
US07684431B1
A packet switch arbitration system and method for arbitration in a packet switch. In one aspect, a method of issuing grants to an ingress port is disclosed in which a first grant request and burst signal are activated at an ingress port having more than one word available for transfer through the switch. A first grant is issued to the ingress port on a first interval. A subsequent grant is issued to the ingress port on a subsequent interval, where the subsequent grant is issued before the ingress port has validated the first grant request.
US07684429B1
A method includes transmitting a first frame having a first class of service and determining whether the first frame was successfully transmitted. An attempt count is incremented for the first class of service. When the first frame is not successfully transmitted, a second frame is transmitted having a second class of service before retransmitting the first frame when the second class of service is higher than the first class of service. Pending frames for the first class of service are discarded when at least one of the attempt count exceeds a predetermined attempt threshold and the first class of service falls below a predetermined discard threshold.
US07684427B2
A switching matrix has a first number of inputs and a second number of outputs as well as a conductor arrangement and controllable switching elements by means of which the inputs can be connected with the outputs. The controllable switching elements are fashioned such that at least two independent control signals are required to trigger a switching event.
US07684418B2
A gateway (1) interfaces between application providers (APs, (4)) and at least one aggregate AP (3) which in turn is linked to multiple APs (4). The gateway (1) manages cascading of access control rights by the APs (4) to reflect links via aggregate APs (3). On the other side the gateway (1) is linked with mobile network enablers (10-15) for communication with users. The gateway (1) performs convergence by conditionally processing or rendering content with multiple content and/or bearer formats. Internally, the gateway (1) comprises a CORBA middleware mechanism (20), and multiple services (21-23) communicating with each other via the middleware mechanism.
US07684415B2
A plurality of partial networks can work independently from each other, and each partial network connects together several nodes including a connection node for transmission of audio signals. A connection network connects respective connection nodes of the respective partial networks so as to connect the plurality of the partial networks with each other through the connection nodes. The connection node of the partial network operates when the audio signal is transmitted from the partial network to the connection network, for forwarding the audio signal from a transmission channel used for carrying the audio signal in the partial network to another transmission channel to be used for carrying the audio signal in the connection network, and operates when the audio signal is transmitted from the connection network to the partial network, for forwarding the audio signal from a transmission channel used for carrying the audio signal in the connection network to another transmission channel to be used for carrying the audio signal in the partial network.
US07684411B2
An apparatus for limiting Virtual Private Network (VPNv4) prefixes per VPN in an inter-autonomous system environment are presented. A limit on the number of VPNv4 routes per VPN for a Route Distributor (RD) or a group of RDs associated with a VPN is defined, at an Autonomous System Border Router (ASBR). When the number of received routes at the ASBR exceeds the limit, then a soft notification is sent to a neighboring ASBR and routes exceeding the limit are discarded at the ASBR.
US07684409B2
A method and system for efficiently delivering messages from a service provider to individual receiving devices in a unidirectional, multi-channel communications system that provides parallel distribution of information from the service provider to the receiving devices. The messages are transferred from the service provider to the receiving device only on an agreed-upon channel at an agreed-upon time, wherein each message is tagged with an address corresponding to the receiving device by the service provider and then transmitted by the service provider to the receiving device on the agreed-upon channel with the receiving device filtering the agreed-upon channel to detect the address and decode its messages. The agreed-upon channel and the agreed-upon time of message transfers are coordinated between the service provider and the receiving device prior to transferring the message from the service provider to the receiving device.
US07684406B2
A computer network system comprising a plurality of client hardware elements forming a computer network (414); a server network segment (412); and a router (416) for interconnecting the computer network (414) with the server network segment (412); the computer network (414) being assigned at least one first access address range, and the server network segment (412) being assigned at least one second access address range and at least one third access address range, wherein the at least one second access address range is separate from the at least one first access address range and the at least one third access address range represents at least a sub-range of the at least one first access address range, and wherein the router (416) is set up to only route addresses within the same access address range.
US07684399B2
An optical transmission network is inherently asynchronous due to the utilization of a variable overhead ratio (V-OHR). The network architecture makes extensive use of OEO regeneration, i.e., deals with any electronic reconditioning to correct for transmission impairments, such as, for example, FEC encoding, decoding and re-encoding, signal reshaping, retiming as well as signal regeneration. The optical transmission network includes a plesiochronous clocking system with intermediate nodes designed to operate asynchronously with a single local frequency clock without complicated network synchronization schemes employing high cost clocking devices such as phase locked loop (PLL) control with crystal oscillators and other expensive system components. The asynchronous network operation provides for asynchronous remapping or remapping of any client signal utilizing any type of transmission protocol where the line side rate or frequency is always the same frequency for the payload signal and the local frequency at an intermediate node is set to a local reference clock in accordance with the payload type and its overhead ratio, i.e., the overhead ratio is varied to meet the desired difference between the line rate or frequency and the desired client signal payload rate or frequency for the particular client signal payload type.
US07684383B1
A method and system for dynamic call type detection for circuit and packet-switched networks. A network endpoint, such as a gateway, will receive an incoming signal and make an examination of the signal to detect characteristics of the signal. Upon detection of a characteristic of the signal, the gateway will generate a data packet, identifying the characteristic, and send the packet to a receiving network endpoint. The initial gateway will continue to examine the incoming signal and continue to send packets identifying characteristics of the signal as more characteristics are detected. The receiving gateway may then begin reproducing the signal in part by generating a signal that has the characteristics as indicated by the data packets. Once the initial gateway no longer receives the incoming signal, and determines that an event has occurred, the gateway will send a packet to the receiving gateway to inform it of the event.
US07684380B2
A method is provided for transmitting wireless signals in a network comprising a network coordinator and one or more remote devices. The available transmission time is divided into a plurality of superframes, each of which is further divided up into a beacon duration, one or more management time slots, one or more guaranteed time slots, and one or more asynchronous time slots. Each of the management time slots, guaranteed time slots, and asynchronous time slots are assigned to one of the one or more remote devices. The network coordinator sends a beacon to the one or more remote devices during the beacon duration. The device or coordinator assigned to the current guaranteed time slot sends frames of isochronous data in the current guaranteed time slot. The device or coordinator assigned to the current asynchronous time slot sends frames of asynchronous data in the current asynchronous time slot.
US07684377B2
A wireless local area network (WLAN) transceiving integrated circuit includes a WLAN interface, an input buffer, an input buffer controller, and a processor. The WLAN transceiving integrated circuit may also include an output buffer, an output buffer controller, a transcoder, and/or an audio Coder-Decoder (CODEC). The WLAN transceiving integrated circuit is installed in a WLAN device that services voice communications. The input buffer receives packetized audio data from the WLAN interface. When the input buffer satisfies a buffer vacancy threshold, the processor and the input buffer controller cooperatively operate to fill at least a portion of the input buffer with packetized audio data. The processor copies packetized audio data from the input buffer and fills the input buffer with the copied packetized audio data to maintain an audio pattern in the input buffer. The input buffer controller fills the input buffer when the processor is available and after copying/filling is no longer effective. The processor operates to maintain the audio pattern when additional packetized audio data is received by the WLAN interface. These operations are also performed for the output buffer, which receives packetized audio data from the transcoder and writes the packetized audio data to the WLAN interface.
US07684373B2
For coverage determination and system switching, a terminal obtains pilot strength estimates for base stations in first and second wireless communication systems (e.g., packet data system and voice/data system) and received signal quality estimates for at least one serving base station in the first system. The terminal derives various metrics based on the received signal quality estimates and pilot strength estimates. The terminal may perform handoff to the second system if weak coverage is detected for the first system, a received signal quality metric (Q) for the first system is below a Qth—dn threshold, and a pilot strength metric (V) for the second system exceeds a Vth—dn threshold. The terminal may perform handoff to the first system if good coverage is detected for this system, metric Q exceeds a Qth—up threshold, or a maximum pilot strength metric (M) for the first system exceeds a Mth—up threshold.
US07684368B2
An architecture for the dynamic assignment of links in a multi-user communication system. A plurality of information channels are provided in a forward communication link of the communication system for carrying channel information of the plurality of information channels from a transmitter to a plurality of corresponding receiving devices. The channel information in corresponding select ones of the plurality of information channels is varied dynamically in response to link conditions of the associated receiving devices to more efficiently utilize the channel bandwidth.
US07684358B2
A method for providing an interactive data service between a base station and a mobile station in a mobile communication system including at least one mobile station, the base station communicating with the mobile station, and a server connected to the base station. The base station simultaneously transmits data transmitted from the server, to one or more mobile stations over a forward common channel. A particular mobile station receiving a service through the common channel transmits reverse transmission data over a dedicated channel.
US07684351B2
A technique triggers optimization of a traffic engineering (TE) label switched path (LSP) that spans multiple domains of a computer network from a head-end node of a local domain to a tail-end node of a remote domain. The technique is based on the detection of an event in the remote domain (“event domain”) that could create a more optimal TE-LSP, such as, e.g., restoration of a network element or increased available bandwidth. Specifically, a path computation element (PCE) in the event domain learns of the event and notifies other PCEs of the event through an event notification. These PCEs then flood an event notification to label switched routers (LSRs) in their respective domain. Upon receiving the notification, if an LSR has one or more TE-LSPs (or pending TE-LSPs), it responds to the PCE with an optimization request for the TE-LSPs. The PCE determines whether a particular TE-LSP may benefit from optimization based on the event domain (i.e., whether the TE-LSP uses the event domain), and processes the request accordingly.
US07684349B2
A method and system for transparently controlling infrastructure service methods in a service oriented architecture by enabling a higher level application component that is a consumer of infrastructure services to be alerted both before and after an infrastructure service is executed, by either that component or from an external source, such as another higher level application component. The pre-execution event enables a higher level application component to run additional business logic, change arguments passed to the infrastructure service before the call to the infrastructure service, or completely cancel execution of the infrastructure service method and route execution flow to other business logic. Since higher level application components can also be alerted after infrastructure service execution, they can also introduce additional business logic at that point, and/or change the return value passed from the service call. The system advantageously provides transparent control over behavior of infrastructure services without requiring large amounts of code to be added to providers and consumers of such services.
US07684334B2
In a method of processing a call in response to a connection request that includes reported bandwidths in both upstream and downstream directions, a communication node on the calling side (1) manages available bandwidths in upstream and downstream directions on a per-path basis; (2) searches for a path having upstream/downstream available bandwidths, which are greater than the upstream/downstream reported bandwidths; (3) if such a path can be found, accepts the call connection request as a call communicated in both directions on this path; (4) if such a path cannot be found, searches independently for a path having an available bandwidth greater than the upstream reported bandwidth and a path having an available bandwidth greater than the downstream reported bandwidth; and (5) if these two paths can be found, accepts the call connection request as a call communicated on the separate paths on a per-upstream- and downstream-direction basis.
US07684332B2
A system for adjusting the window size of a TCP packet on a packet network including a sending network element in communication with a receiving network element for transmitting and receiving data packets between the sending network element and the receiving network element on the packet network, wherein at least one of the sending network element and the receiving network element is configured to determine network performance information of the packet network; concatenate the network performance information into the data packets; and adjust the window size of the TCP packet based on the network performance information. A method for adjusting the window size of a TCP packet on a packet network is also included.
US07684331B2
Scheduling packet transmission. A plurality of data packets is received, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of data packets is associated with one media unit and comprises different quality information. Profit-to-size ratios or distortion-to-size ratios for the data packets are determined. A plurality of schedules of the data packets are determined utilizing dynamic programming for a plurality of data rates based at least in part on the profit-to-size ratios or distortion-to-size ratios.
US07684322B2
A flow admission control module for IP traffic types monitors network topology and usage. A new flow is not admitted if it is determined that the flow would push the utilization of available bandwidth reserved for the traffic type on a link in the associated path beyond a predetermined threshold. The admission control module may, as a result of dynamic changes to network topology capacity, re-compute the link utilization for effected active flows. The admission control module may also account for protection regimes in flow admission calculations.
US07684308B2
A system controlling recording on an optical disc is provided. A first counter performs a bit count according to provided channel bit clock signals. A second counter performs a sector count responsive to the bit count obtained by the first counter. The Land/Groove switch predicts machine uses the result of bit count and sector count to predict the land/groove switch point. The processor uses the physical ID (PID) to determine the track type of a sector at which a recording operation initiates. The power controller determines a recording power for the recording operation according to the Land/Groove switch predict machine.
US07684303B2
A method for recording a unique ID to a read-only optical disk adopts the 1-7 PP modulation technique and provides in a plurality of predetermined positions postscript areas each having a predetermined postscript pattern. The postscript pattern takes a form of 3T (pit)-2T (land)-3T (pit) and has a length of 8T (largest code length of a modulated bit string). Modulated bit strings before and after the 3T-2T-3T postscript pattern are formed so that the pit-land-pit postscript pattern complies with the rule of the variable-length modulation even when it is replaced as a whole with a pit-only pattern. Further, the land in the middle will not physically change when irradiated with laser light having a reading-level power, but will be melted with a power higher than the reading-level one.
US07684301B2
Recording information is disclosed in which an information recording medium is irradiated with a recording energy beam that is power-modulated into at least a record power level and a record-ready power level lower than the record power level. The information is recorded on the recording medium in the form of length and interval of a mark portion. When forming a mark portion of a predetermined length, the radiation energy of the energy beam is increased as compared with when forming a mark portion of a different length before or after the first pulse of an energy beam pulse train including at least a pulse for forming the mark portion.
US07684297B2
A method, an optical record carrier and an apparatus for writing information to an optical record carrier include reading a write strategy from the optical record carrier which has at least two write strategies, and forming pits and lands by controlling a radiation source with the read write strategy. The method further includes determining which of the at least two write strategies is the most optimal one by reading an indication present on the optical record carrier. The most optimal write strategy is used to form the pits and the lands. If an apparatus for writing information to an optical record carrier is capable of applying two or more write strategies stored on the optical record carrier, then the apparatus reads the indication and applies the write strategy which is the most optimal one.
US07684296B2
There is provided an information recording/reproducing apparatus for recording or reproducing an information to or from an information recording medium having a plurality of recording layers stacked on a substrate which can always perform stable spindle rotation control irrespective of an error of a desired frequency value or the like, and which includes an optical head for recording or reproducing an information to or from the recording layers by use of an optical beam; a spindle motor for rotating the recording medium; and a drive voltage holding circuit for holding a drive voltage of the spindle motor when the optical head performs switching between the recording layers for recording/reproducing.
US07684293B2
A write once optical recording medium and a method and apparatus for storing and recovering defect management information to and from the write once optical recording medium are provided. The recording medium includes at least one recording layer, and a data area on the recording layer. The data area includes at least one spare area and a user data area. The spare area contains at least one replacement cluster, each of the replacement clusters storing therein address information of a corresponding defective cluster.
US07684286B2
The invention relates to a track-jump control device, and in particular, to a track-jump control device for determining track-jump timing in an optical disc drive. A track-jump control device of a PUH comprises an L/G position indicator, a header alignment controller, and a jump controller. The L/G position indicator calculates an amount of sectors between the current position and an upcoming L/G switch point to generate a distance value. The header alignment controller controls the destination position locating in a safe area between two headers, and then generating a jump enabling signal. The jump controller coupled to the L/G position indicator and the header alignment controller determines track-jump timing according to the distance value and the jump enabling signal.
US07684280B2
Dividing memory used for storing histogram data into multiple banks is disclosed to allow for phased RMW cycles. Although the same address lines are provided to each bank, address control logic ensures that each successive RMW cycle is handled by a different bank, so that another RMW cycle can be started in one bank while the previous RMW cycle is still being performed in another bank. By staggering or phasing the starts of the RMW cycles in a wraparound fashion, each histogram bin is spread out over multiple banks, but testing can proceed faster than if only a single bank was used. After the histogram data has been captured, the areas of memory in each bank associated with a particular bin can be added together to compute the total count for that bin.
US07684274B2
In a method and apparatus for reading a logic state stored in an 8 transistor memory cell (8TMC), a differential sense circuit includes a differential input circuit having a pair of differential inputs and an output. An output signal is provided at the output and is indicative of a difference between two signals received at the pair of differential inputs. The difference is in accordance with the logic state read from the 8TMC. A sense amplifier is coupled to the output, the sense amplifier being operable to amplify the output signal that is greater than a threshold and switch the output signal to a voltage level corresponding to the logic state. The difference between the two signals measurable over a configurable time period is greater than a corresponding change in any one of the two signals measured over the same period, thereby improving the performance of the 8TMC.
US07684272B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a sense amplifier SA, a pair of bit lines BLT, BLB, a transfer switch SW provided between the sense amplifier SA and the pair of bit lines BLT, BLB, a precharge circuit PC that precharges the sense amplifier SA and the pair of bit lines BLT, BLB at the same potential, and a control circuit CTL. The control circuit CTL sets the transfer switch SW in the off state in the state before data is written or read, and turns on the transfer switch SW when writing or reading data via the pair of bit lines BLT, BLB. With this arrangement, a defective current flowing to the sense amplifier SA can be decreased, even when a word line WL and a bit line BL are shortcircuited.
US07684263B2
A method and circuit for implementing an enhanced static random access memory (SRAM) read and write performance ring oscillator, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. A plurality of SRAM base blocks is connected together in a chain. Each of the plurality of SRAM base blocks includes a SRAM cell, such as an eight-transistor (8T) static random access memory (SRAM) cell, and a local evaluation block coupled to the SRAM cell. The SRAM cell includes independent left wordline input and right wordline input. The SRAM cell includes a read wordline connected high, and a true and complement write bitline pair connected low. In the local evaluation circuit, one input of a NAND gate receiving the read bitline input is connected high. A control signal is combined with an inverted feedback signal to start and stop the ring oscillator.
US07684260B2
A flash memory device includes a data input/output pad and a core region in which a plurality of unit cells are arranged. A data input buffer is configured to receive command and address data through the data input/output pad and transfer the received command and address to the core region. A data output buffer is configured to output the data through the data input/output pad, and a data input controller is configured to detect an outputting of the data and disable the data input buffer.
