US07686439B2
A cartridge is provided for an inkjet print engine. The cartridge includes an elongate body, in turn, defining a plurality of partitions and a pair of mounting posts at either end. An ink storage module assembly includes a row of ink storage modules interleaved with the partitions. A printhead assembly is mounted to the body and includes at least one ink ejection integrated circuit (IC) connected to receive ink from the ink storage modules. An elongate maintenance assembly is mounted between the posts and is configured to cap and clean the IC.
US07686437B2
The invention relates to a cradle unit for receiving a print cartridge to form a print engine. The cradle unit includes a main body defining an opening for receiving said cartridge, the main body having a frame structure including end plates with drive and exit rollers mounted therebetween. The cradle unit also includes a printed circuit board (PCB) pivotally mounted between the end plates for housing control electronics for controlling the operation of the print engine. Also included is a cover assembly for securing said cartridge in the opening, the cover assembly pivotally mounted between the end plates, the cover assembly configured to pivot the PCB into electrical contact with a printhead controller on the cartridge when in a closed position, and to pivot the PCB out of electrical connection with said printhead controller when in an open position.
US07686433B2
An apparatus has an electrode plate having an array of electrodes, a flexible membrane separated from the electrode plate by a gap, the membrane having localized regions corresponding to electrodes in the array of electrodes, and each localized region having a stiffener. A print head has an ink reservoir, a nozzle plate to deliver ink from the reservoir to a print substrate, an ink inlet on an opposite side from the print substrate to provide ink from the reservoir to the nozzle plate, and a flexible membrane arranged so as to draw the ink through the ink inlet when actuated and to dispense the ink through the nozzle plate when released, the flexible membrane having a stiffener. A method of manufacturing a membrane device includes providing an electrode plate having an array of electrodes, forming an air gap adjacent the electrode plate, and forming a membrane of conductive material having localized regions with a stiffener, the localized regions corresponding to electrodes in the array.
US07686427B2
Provided is a nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printer. The nozzle arrangement includes a wafer substrate defining an ink passage and a nozzle plate supported on said substrate by side walls to define an ink chamber operatively supplied with ink via said ink passage, the nozzle plate defining an ink ejection port surrounded by a nozzle rim. The arrangement also includes a heater element bonded to the nozzle plate about said ejection port inside the chamber for thermal ejection of ink from the chamber, wherein the heater element is bonded to the nozzle plate by means of a low thermal product layer to reduce thermal losses from the heater element to the nozzle plate.
US07686422B2
An attaching and detaching device includes a cartridge forcing unit configured to, only when a cartridge holding unit holding an ink cartridge is moved in the dismounting direction of the ink cartridge in association with the turning of a lever arm, force the ink cartridge by leverage in the dismounting direction with respect to the cartridge holding unit.
US07686420B2
A rotatable locking lever is provided in a slider and is movable in a direction intersecting a moving direction of a carriage, and the slider is made to stop in a wiping position by the locking lever being locked by an apparatus main body side when the slider moves to a wiping position. It is possible to regulate an approach amount of a wiper to a recording head with a high degree of accuracy even if horizontal portions are not provided on cam surfaces for restricting a position of the slider mounting the wiper.
US07686413B2
A voltage pulse that keeps the ejection volume within a specified range is selected for a plurality of print element columns, based on the heater rank and ink temperature information that influences the ejection volume during ink ejection. At this time, the voltage pulse is controlled so that the voltage value of the pulse is equal for a plurality of print element columns at any ink temperature and varies according to the ink temperature. This control process enables pulses of the same voltage value to be applied at all times to a plurality of nozzle columns even if these nozzle columns in the print head have different heater ranks. As a result, the ejection volumes of all nozzle columns can be kept within a specified range with high precision over a wide range of base temperature, without requiring complicated circuit configurations.
US07686410B2
An apparatus for printing a liquid crystal alignment layer of uniform thickness on a substrate of an LCD and a method for its use include an ink jet head that prevents the formation of stripes in the alignment layer as a result of variations in thickness of the alignment layer. The apparatus includes an alignment layer ink ejecting unit that includes an orifice unit having a plurality of orifices, and a plurality of control units, each including a piezoelectric element that controls the flow of ink through a corresponding one of the orifices. Each of the orifices includes a plurality of ink ejection passages through which the ink is ejected, and each of the passages terminates at nozzle, or ink ejection hole.
US07686400B2
The invention provides, in one embodiment, a detector for a miner comprising a gamma sensing element and a light sensing element coupled to the gamma sensing element. According to the embodiment, the detector is mounted on a rotary cutter of a boring-type continuous miner such that the gamma sensing element has a view of a geologic formation being mined. A mining control system is also provided, comprising a miner having at least two rotary cutters and a gamma detector on each of the at least two rotary cutters for receiving gamma emissions from a geologic formation. The mining control system also provides an accelerometer and a rate gyro, wherein the accelerometer and the rate gyro correlate the received gamma emissions with positions of the at least two rotary cutters, and a central module that utilizes the correlated readings to determine whether the cutters should be moved.
US07686395B2
A chair comprising a supporting structure having a seat and a backrest, in which the backrest comprises a deformable resting portion made of plastic material which has a non-planar resting surface provided with at least one weakened area which enables an elastic deformation of the resting portion so that the resting portion assumes a configuration bent backwards under the action of a thrust applied backwards by the user, two uprights formed integrally on the lateral sides of the resting portion, and two side connection elements, which connect the backrest to the supporting structure, formed integrally at the bottom ends of the uprights. The backrest is provided with elastic stiffening elements made of a material different from the material constituting the resting portion and arranged only in an area corresponding to the uprights so as to bestow upon said uprights a rigidity to bending higher than that of the resting portion.
US07686388B2
The present invention provides a wire/pipe support device of a motorcycle that can possess a sufficient space for accommodating a wire/pipe without increasing the degree of forming of a vehicle body frame. A wire/pipe support device includes a groove-shaped engaging portion that is engaged with a main frame that constitutes a vehicle body frame of a motorcycle and has a lower surface thereof opened. A groove-shaped accommodating portion receives the wire/pipe thereon and has an upper surface thereof opened. The engaging portion is mounted on the vehicle body frame by engaging the engaging portion with the vehicle body frame from above. The wire/pipe is placed on the accommodating portion. The wire/pipe support device is pushed from above by a fuel tank directly or by way of a cushion member thus preventing the floating of the wire/pipe support device from the vehicle body frame and the rotation of the wire/pipe support device about the vehicle body frame.
US07686369B2
A windshield device provided at a front part of a vehicle body of a saddle ride type vehicle includes an air introduction port provided at a front part of the windshield device and opened toward the front side of the vehicle body. An air blow-off port is provided at an upper part of the windshield device and is opened toward the upper side. An air duct establishing communication between the air introduction port and the air blow-off port through an air passage extends rearwardly upwards. A straightening vane extends sideways in the air passage and is inclined rearwardly upwards so as to be along the air passage. In side view of the vehicle, a first straight line connecting both ends of the straightening vane is disposed at an obtuse angle in relation to a second straight line that is orthogonal to a steering axis and extends to a grounding point of a rear wheel.
US07686365B2
A storage module having at least one exterior panel of a motorized vehicle, at least one door, and at least one inner panel. The door is at least partially formed by at least one of the exterior panels. At least one of the exterior panels and at least one of the interior panels define at least one area to form the storage module.
US07686359B1
An improved extraction tool comprises base member 53, squared head portion 57, adapter socket 66, cylindrical middle portion 60, threaded portion 56, conical transition bit mounting foot 69, drill bit 58, drill bit socket 61 and a plurality of drill bit fasteners 64.
US07686353B2
A cabinet catch (10) consists of an integrally molded plastic clip (14) and bracket (12) for mounting to a portion of a cabinet structure. The clip (14) is manufactured from a first plastic material. The clip (14) is rotatable relative to the bracket (12) about an axis of rotation (20). The bracket (12) is formed from a second plastic material different from the first material. The first and second plastic materials are dissimilar to each other so they do not bond to each other. A method of manufacturing the cabinet catch (10) includes the steps of injection molding the clip (14) with a first plastic material and then injection molding the bracket (12) with a second plastic material different from the first plastic material so that the clip and the bracket (12) are integrally molded.
US07686350B2
Threaded connections including a pin member and a box member and are mismatched. The pin member and the box member have wedge threads formed thereon with a gap formed between pin and box load flanks and/or pin and box stab flanks of the threaded connection. The mismatch may comprise different flank angles and/or different flank profiles between corresponding flanks.
US07686344B2
An electrical insulation system for a linear element forming part of a fluid system subjected to risks of possible external electrical discharges, such as an aircraft fuel system, using an insulating insert (12) between two parts (14, 16) of said linear element, consisting of providing said parts (14, 16) with grooved edges and in forming the insulating insert (12) between them preferably by an injection technique, such that the insulating insert (12) provides an inner duct for the passage of fluid between said parts (14, 16) and covers said grooved edges, assuring the leak-tight joint of the insulating insert (12) with said parts (14, 16).
US07686342B2
A connection system for connecting tubular members to each other includes a rotatable connector sleeve on one of the tubular members. A make-up tool has a curved rack of gear teeth that are engagable with the connector sleeve for causing rotation of the connector sleeve in unison with the rack. The make-up tool includes a power tool having a drive motor that rotates a drive shaft. A pinion gear mounted on the drive shaft engages the teeth of the rack to cause the rack to move in a rotational direction when the drive shaft is rotated. This movement causes the connector sleeve to rotate to make-up or break-out the connection.
US07686331B2
This invention relates generally to abrasion resistant and/or puncture resistant fabrics, coated, layered and/or laminated inflatable fabrics, and methods. More particularly, it concerns airbag cushions to which films, fabrics, layers, and/or coatings have been applied and which exhibit enhanced abrasion resistance and/or puncture resistance. The inventive inflatable fabrics are especially suited for use in automotive restraint cushions that require abrasion resistance and/or puncture resistance (such as side curtain airbags).
US07686330B2
A gas generator has a tubular housing in which a combustion chamber containing a propellant charge, an outflow chamber and a clearance volume are disposed, positioned behind one another axially. A partition disk is provided between the clearance volume and the outflow chamber and has a central opening and an integrally formed tube section which surrounds the opening and extends to its free end away from the clearance volume towards the combustion chamber.
US07686321B2
A highback is provided for controlling a gliding board, such as a snowboard, through leg movement of a rider. The highback is comprised of an upright support member to support a rear region of the rider's leg. The highback includes a textile-like material that extends across a portion of the support member to provide support for a portion of the rider's leg. The support member may have an opening therein with the textile-like material extending across the opening to assist in transmitting forces applied to that region of the support member as the rider presses against the highback during riding maneuvers. The textile-like material may help to distribute forces across a larger area of the rider's leg or boot so as to reduce pressure points against the rider's leg. The textile-like material may include one or more filaments, a fabric, or a fabric-like material that is coupled to the support member to support the rider's leg. The textile-like material may include a mesh fabric.
US07686315B2
A wheel drive assembly and suspension for a vehicle wheel includes a spindle, a wheel drive shaft that rotates relative to the spindle about an axis of rotation, and an electric motor that has a motor output shaft for driving the wheel drive shaft. A motor housing encloses a speed reducing planetary gear set that is driven by the motor output shaft. The motor output shaft and the wheel drive shaft are co-axial. A suspension arm extends in a direction transverse to the axis of rotation. The suspension arm includes a pivot end attached to a vehicle structure and an attachment end that is rigidly attached to the motor housing such that the electric motor is a structural part of the suspension.
US07686314B2
At least one end of a longitudinally extending control link arm includes a laterally extending tubular portion that receives a bushing assembly. The tubular portion is used to pivotally secure an end of the control link arm to a vehicle structure or axle component. The bushing assembly is positioned within the tubular portion such that radial stiffness is distributed away from a center of the tubular portion. This configuration provides a high conical rate and provides auxiliary roll stiffness such that a sway bar is not required.
US07686311B2
Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some embodiments a lateral motion of an imaging device is provided by at least one friction reduction device that provides motion in a direction that is lateral to main wheels of the imaging device.
US07686300B2
A sheet processing apparatus is disclosed which is capable of preventing a motor from losing synchronization when initializing a roller position at power-up time, even if a diagonal feed mechanism does not have a sensor for detecting a position of a diagonal feed roller pair.
US07686296B2
A sheet stacking device includes: an evacuation section for transporting and ejecting sheets; a sheet exit tray for stacking the ejected sheets; an arm supporting member; and a sheet presser arm including a supported end at one end, a free end at the other end which is capable of pressing the sheets stacked on the sheet exit tray directly or via a contact member attached to the free end, and a flexure portion having flexibility between the supported end and the free end. The supported end is attached to the arm supporting member. The arm can apply, by the flexibility of the flexure portion, a pressing force to the sheets stacked on the sheet exit tray and a repulsive force to each of the ejected sheets when a front end of the ejected sheet strikes against the arm.
US07686290B2
Described herein is a system and device for singulating mail pieces during mail processing and sorting. A double inhibit mechanism, mounted opposite a feed belt assembly and having at least two degrees of freedom at its downstream end, can maintain contact with mail in the mail path while separating overlapping mail pieces and allowing only single pieces to pass thereby.
US07686285B2
An environmental chamber includes an ultrasonic nebulizer assembly for controlling the relative humidity within the chamber. The ultrasonic nebulizer assembly is connected in closed-loop fluid communication with an enclosed chamber of the environmental chamber and includes an ultrasonic nebulizer module to generate water vapor that is introduced into the enclosed chamber. The ultrasonic nebulizer module is constructed to be immersed in water within the ultrasonic nebulizer assembly and is readily replaceable by the user. A nebulizer hour timer is provided to monitor the length of time of the ultrasonic nebulizer is operating to provide a precise indication to the user of how much life is left in the ultrasonic nebulizer before it needs to be replaced.
US07686264B2
A sign stand assembly includes a support base with a plate portion defining a locking recess, an upright mast joined to the support base, and at least one leg having a wall defining a hollow interior of the leg. The leg is pivotally attached to the plate portion, and a locking pin carried on the leg, is provided for movement toward and away from the locking recess defined by the plate portion of the support base. An actuator is movable between lock and unlock positions and has a first end portion engaging the locking pin, and an opposed second end portion with a hollow bail member defining a hollow interior for receiving the leg. A fulcrum portion is located adjacent the first end portion and engages the leg, whereby, upon pressing the bail member, the locking pin is retracted to the unlock position.
US07686263B2
A leg device for height-adjustably supporting a supported object includes a leg shaft having a male thread portion, and an ascending/descending body supported on the leg shaft to be capable of ascending and descending. The ascending/descending body includes a base having a fixing part to be fixed to the supported object, a through hole for receiving the leg shaft therein, and an elastic piece, a lock body, and a release body. The lock body has an upper part pivotally assembled onto the base, and a female screw part engageable with the male thread portion. The lock body is pushed by the elastic piece toward the leg shaft inserted into the through hole. The release body has an operating part projecting outward from the base, and a striking part positioned inside the base. The release body can be operated to release the lock body.
US07686261B2
A supporting bracket assembly for supporting a base unit of a portable computer includes a base, a supporting bracket, a locking member, and an operation portion. The supporting bracket is pivotably engaged with the base. The supporting bracket includes a supporting arm with a locking ring. A plurality of locking holes is defined in the locking ring. The locking member is slidably arranged in the base. The locking member includes a positioning post. The positioning post is selectively inserted in one of the locking holes of the supporting arm to lock the supporting bracket. The operation portion is connected with the locking member, and the locking member is driven by the operation portion to slide for locking or unlocking the supporting bracket.
US07686258B2
In a railroad switch for use with intersecting railroad rails and having two switch points interconnected by a switch machine between two switch point assemblies and connected thereto by an operating rod at each end of the switch machine, a system for a greaseless switch point assembly having a mounting clip and a pivot pin for connecting each operating rod to its associated switch point, the greaseless switch point assembly having a bushing proximate a part of the pivot pin that fits within an opening in the mounting clip, and an insertion device extending into the opening proximate the bushing.
US07686255B2
In one aspect, a space vehicle includes a structure configured to expand from a first configuration to a second configuration and at least two equipment compartments attached to the periphery of the structure. The structure includes at least one of an antenna mesh, a light-shielding mesh, an optical reflector mesh and a net.In another aspect, a space vehicle includes an antenna structure configured to expand from a first configuration to a second configuration and at least two equipment compartments attached to the periphery of the antenna structure. At least one of the at least two equipment components include a solar panel, a propulsion system and an antenna feed.In a further aspect, a space vehicle includes a payload element and at least two spacecraft-support structures attached to the periphery of the payload element. At least one of the at least two spacecraft-support structures includes a propulsion system and a tracking, telemetry and control system.
US07686254B2
An improvement to kite control systems for power kites, comprising at least one proportional redirection mechanism, which balances the forces of the main lifting force of the kite and the control handlebar, thus assisting with steering the kite and significantly reducing the effort needed to hold or pull the control handlebar, without taking away the flexibility to instantly depower the kite. A compound pulley system can be used as a proportional redirection device as described in one embodiment, or levers can used as shown in an alternative embodiment.
US07686250B2
The invention is a mount for an electronic display device. The mount comprises a mount member that has a top face and a bottom face. Portions of the mount member are configured to engage portions of a mounting surface within the cockpit of an airplane. The mount also comprises a containment member spaced therefrom the mount member. A joint member is disposed in frictional contact with portions of the respective mount member and containment member. A base member, which may be configured for engagement with a portion of the electronic display device, may be connected to the joint member.
US07686245B2
Apparatus and methods for alleviating rotary aircraft downloads are disclosed. In one embodiment, a rotary aircraft includes an airframe assembly having a fuselage, at least one rotor assembly operatively coupled to the airframe assembly and configured to provide a downwash over at least a portion of the airframe assembly during operation of the at least one rotor assembly, and at least one download alleviation strake operatively coupled to the fuselage, each download alleviation strake extending at least partially along a length of the fuselage and being configured to reduce a downwash download during operation of the at least one rotor assembly. In some embodiments, the airframe assembly includes at least one fuel tank, and the at least one download alleviation strake is coupled to the at least one fuel tank. The download alleviation strake may be pivotably coupled to the at least one fuel tank.
US07686244B2
A paper roll feed mechanism rotates a paper roll including recording paper wound in a cylindrical shape to unwind the paper. The paper roll feed mechanism includes the following components. A supporting mechanism rotatably supports the paper roll. At least one paper feed roller unwinds the paper, serving as the outer surface of the paper roll supported by the supporting mechanism, in the lengthwise direction of the paper. A skew correcting member presses a side surface of the paper roll, supported by the supporting mechanism, in the widthwise direction of the paper. The skew correcting member presses outer part of the side surface of the paper roll in a paper unwinding region.
US07686242B2
A fishing-reel driving device includes a reel body having a shell for accommodating a reel driving mechanism. A holding frame includes an axially extending tubular mount with a coupled surface, and a radially extending web terminating at an anchoring edge to be secured to an anchored edge of the shell. A left side cover includes a peripheral abutment edge to be sleeved on the tubular mount, and a faceplate region extending radially to terminate at an outskirt edge. A tubular tightening member has a tubular coupling surface matingly engageable with the coupled surface, and a surrounding abutment edge to force the peripheral abutment edge to move towards the web. An actuating member is insertable into the shell to be coupled to the reel driving mechanism.
US07686235B2
A check valve assembly has a valve seat for positioning in a passageway between a water supply and an outlet device such as a sprinkler head or a pipe section. A disc valve is located on the water supply side of the valve seat, and a separate actuator is movably mounted on the opposite side of the seat for movement between an operative position extending through the valve seat to hold the valve in the open position, and an inoperative, retracted position. The disc valve is moved by the actuator into the open position when the sprinkler head is located at the outlet. Release or removal of the actuator as a result of removal of the sprinkler head or other outlet device will allow fluid pressure at the fluid supply end of the passageway to urge the valve into the closed position.
US07686229B2
A reader device for locating and tracking multiple tags includes a plurality of closely packed antenna circuits and at least one controller configured to control the plurality of closely packed antenna circuits. The at least one controller is configured to activate one or more of the antenna circuits to generate at least one resonance signal field configured to interrogate at least one tag associated with the one or more active antenna circuits while substantially preventing or reducing cross-coupling of signals between the one or more active antenna circuits and at least one antenna circuit within the at least one resonance signal field to a sufficiently low level, wherein the sufficiently low level substantially prevents misreads from unwanted tags, to thereby track the multiple tags in a substantially controlled manner.
US07686224B2
A diode-laser bar package includes two diode-laser bars mounted on a heat sink with slow-axes of the diode-laser bars aligned. Three spaced apart mounting bosses extend from the front of the heat sink. The package includes two cylindrical lens assemblies. Each lens assembly has an elongated cylindrical lens bonded to a rectangular mounting block. The cylindrical lenses are aligned with the diode-laser bars. Lateral faces of the mounting block are epoxy-bonded to lateral faces of the mounting bosses. Bonding is effected by injecting liquid epoxy between the faces to be bonded though holes extending through the mounting blocks from front to the lateral faces of the mounting blocks. The liquid epoxy is then cured to complete the attachment.
US07686217B2
A retail store has responsive environment apparatus installed which is controlled by processing apparatus. Trigger event sensors coupled to the processing apparatus, are positioned throughout the store. When customers enter and move about the store, the processing apparatus senses various trigger events and in response thereto creates a micro-environment in the vicinity of each customer, catering to the characteristics of that customer. The micro-environment physically moves as the customer moves about the store. The micro-environment is dynamic in that it is engaged in a continual response loop based on the response trigger events of the customer throughout this interactive cycle with the micro-environment.
US07686202B1
A gimbaled-shoulder friction stir welding tool includes a pin and first and second annular shoulders coupled to the pin. At least one of the annular shoulders is coupled to the pin for gimbaled motion with respect thereto as the tool is rotated by a friction stir welding apparatus.
US07686192B1
One embodiment of a dispensing device for viscous products which includes a container, a screw-feed advancing assembly, and a hub assembly. Rotation of the screw-feed assembly causes the hub assembly to advance upwards and thereby advance the product upwards inside the container. The device maintains a separation of the screw-feed advancing assembly below from the product above and allows the user easier access to the product inside the container.
US07686157B2
A belt conveyor includes right and left detection rollers outside ends in a width direction of a belt. Right and left correction rollers are disposed on right and left sides on a rear face of the belt. When one of the detection rollers is pressed by the belt, the corresponding correction roller is inclined from the pressed detection roller down to a center of the belt, thereby correcting the meandering belt.
US07686156B2
A slip tube system is configured to transport a load along a conveying path of an overhead conveyor system. A stationary frame has at least one rotating shaft with a shaft axis extending along the conveying path of the stationary frame, and a movable carriage configured to transport a load along the conveying path. A slip tube is placed on at least one of the least one rotating drive shafts and each slip tube has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of a respective drive shaft, and is in rotational sliding engagement therewith. At least one driven wheel is attached to the carriage to engage with an exterior of the slip tube surrounding the at least one rotating drive shaft to push the slip tube into driving engagement with the rotating shaft, and to rotate the slip tube therewith. The driven wheels are canted with respect to a shaft axis of the drive shaft and slip tube, and the canted contact produces a helical loci of engagement between the exterior of the slip tube and each of the driven wheels. As the drive shaft rotates, traction is developed between the rotating shaft and an inner surface of the slip tube, and between an outer surface of the rotating slip tube and the driven wheels to provide sufficient drive force to propel the carriage and the load along the conveying path.
US07686150B2
This invention disclosed a speed limit device for door, which comprises: an input shaft with one end driven by a door motor, and having the first gear and the second gear configured at the other end simultaneously driving a hollow shaft and a third shaft, and the center of the hollow shaft accommodates and fixes one end of a reel, and the third shaft is connected with an extension shaft; a brake device, which includes an active gear fixed with the extension shaft; a passive gear is pivoted on a hub, and the hub is fixed with the reel and rotating with the hollow shaft; an inert wheel located between the active gear and the passive gear to adjust the passive gear to have the same rotation speed with the hollow shaft; a clutch mechanism, which could restrain the synchronous operation between the passive gear and the hub without any positional difference, and when the rotation speed of the reel has the abnormal change, the clutch mechanism generates the positional difference condition necessary to lock the hub to a fixed object to prevent the rolling door from falling.
US07686142B2
The invention relates to a brake lining carrier plate 1 to hold a friction lining, especially for installation into a vehicle brake system, with holding structures 15, 16 for the friction lining arranged in rows 6 on the lining side 2, whereby each holding structure 15, 16 has a protrusion 3 and a depression 4, whereby the protrusion 3 is made when the depression 4 is formed in the surface 5 through the displacement of material. Said protrusion 3 engages with the friction lining. The holding structures 15, 16 in the rows 6 are arranged in such a way that there is a protrusion 10 at the beginning 8 and at the end 9 of each row 6. In one embodiment, the rows 6 run essentially crosswise to the longitudinal axis 7 of the brake lining carrier plate 1.
US07686135B2
An escape device (10) including a cable (18), a rotatable cable dispensing assembly (22) from which the cable (18) is dispensed under load, a braking mechanism (28) operatively connected to the rotatable cable dispensing assembly (22), whereby a braking response of the braking mechanism (18) is proportional to the rate at which cable (18) is dispensed from the rotatable cable dispensing assembly (22).
US07686130B1
A dual-mode exhaust system includes a housing with an input port attached to the existing muffler exhaust system and positioned downstream thereof. The system further includes a mechanism for selectively distributing vehicle exhaust from the input port to the first and second output ports, upper and lower chambers vertically stacked within the housing, and first and second vertically spaced pendulum arms disposed within the upper and lower chambers respectively and anchored at respective distal ends thereof respectively. First and second vehicle exhaust pipes are coupled to the first and second output ports.
US07686125B2
A linear electromechanical actuator, for a steering system of the ‘center take-off’ type in a motor vehicle comprises: two electric motors each having a stator, and a rotor, a screw mechanism having an axially stationary innerscrew coupled to the rotors of the motor for rotating about an axis, and an outer nut rotationally fixed and axially translatable along the axis, a connection block, axially translatable with the nut, for connecting the nut to two tie rods of the steering system.
US07686124B2
A vehicle steer by wire system which has a steering wheel for setting a desired turn angle of a vehicle wheel, a steering wheel turn sensor for sensing the desired turn angle, a hydraulic steering actuator for turning the wheel, a wheel turn sensor for sensing the current wheel turn angle and a control unit for receiving the desired turn angle and current wheel turn angle signals. An electronically controlled steering actuator control valve means is provided for supplying pressurized fluid to the steering actuator via a steering circuit in response to signals from the control unit to turn the wheel to the desired turn angle. A hydraulic motor connected with the steering wheel is provided to provide steering feedback to the steering wheel via a feedback circuit which includes an electrically controlled hydraulic feedback control valve means which directs fluid to and from the hydraulic motor in response to the signals from the control unit to generate the steering feedback. The steering system has a fail-safe mode in which fluid pressure from the hydraulic motor provides steering of the wheel in the event of a failure to electronically actuate the steering actuator control valve means.
US07686118B2
A seatbelt apparatus (15) includes a seatbelt (14) for restraining an occupant (10) in a seat (13) of a vehicle, an actuator (29) for tightening the seatbelt (14) at various levels of tension and for loosening the seatbelt (14), plural collision prediction devices (38, 39) for predicting occurrence of a collision, and a control device (35) for controlling the actuator (29) so as to exert one of the various levels of tension on the seatbelt (14) depending on the prediction results by the collision prediction devices (38, 39).
US07686112B2
An apparatus for controlling a hybrid vehicle including a first coupling element disposed between an engine and a motor-generator, a second coupling element disposed between the motor-generator and driving wheels of the hybrid vehicle, a sensor for sensing temperatures of the first coupling element and/or the second coupling element and a controller. The controller controls an amount of slippage in either the first coupling element, the second coupling element, or both, depending on the sensed temperatures.
US07686108B2
The parking brakes at the drive wheels of a zero turning radius mower are automatically set when a pair of drive levers used for determining speed, steering and forward or reverse travel are placed in their neutral positions and swung outwardly to widespread, operator dismount positions. When the drive levers are widespread, switches associated with a control circuit are opened, allowing air cylinders to immediately exhaust pressurized air so that tension springs may actuate the brake assemblies to set the brakes. When the drive levers are returned to their operating modes and the ignition is turned on, the control switches are closed, energizing the control circuit to pressurize the air cylinders and release the brakes against the bias of the tension springs.
US07686101B2
An internally rotating nozzle for facilitating drilling through a subterranean formation is rotatably mounted internally within a housing connected to a hose for receiving high pressure fluid. The rotor includes at least two tangential jets oriented off of center for ejecting fluid to generate torque and rotate the rotor and cut a substantially cylindrical tunnel in the subterranean formation.
US07686098B2
In accordance with the present invention, a chain driven reciprocating hammer is disclosed. The chain driven reciprocating hammer includes a chain system for lifting a ram to a drop point. The chain system includes a plurality of sprockets and a chain with at least one mesh link to mesh with the ram. Additionally, the chain driven reciprocating hammer includes an adjustable tandem release sprocket mechanism. Also, the chain driven reciprocating hammer includes a center and clamping mechanism configured to secure a work input.
US07686096B2
A surface brake system for a detachable agricultural implement towed by a tow vehicle is provided. The detachable agricultural implement includes a frame connected by a telescoping tongue assembly at the tow vehicle. The frame and tongue assembly are movably supported by at least one wheel assembly having a circumferential tread surface. The brake system includes a pivot linkage pivotally connected at the frame of the detachable agricultural implement, and a horizontal aligned brake arm attached at the pivot linkage. The brake system further includes an actuator cylinder interconnected between the pivot linkage and the frame. Movement of the actuator cylinder causes the brake arm to engage a brake pad assembly against the outer circumferential tread surface of the wheel assembly so as to restrain movement of the wheel assembly and frame of the agricultural implement as the tow vehicle extends and retracts the telescoping tongue assembly.
US07686089B2
Apparatus, such as a liner, adapted to be hung in a downhole tubular such as casing is described. The apparatus includes one or more circumferentially distributed abrasive portions, arranged to be movable radially outwards by a dimple former or an expander. In an embodiment, the abrasive portions are provided on disks moveable in recesses in the outer diameter of the apparatus being hung. In an embodiment, the apparatus is hung by operating a dimple former provided on the running tool.
US07686086B2
A subsea well assembly has a string of casing with perforations leading to a producing zone and perforations leading to an injection zone. A string of production tubing extends into the casing in communication with the producing formation. A barrier separates the interior of the tubing from the injection zone formation. A subsea Christmas tree is located at the upper end of the well. A subsea separator is connected to a production outlet of the tree for separating waste fluid from the well fluid. A subsea injection pump pumps waste fluid from the separator back to the tree and into the injection formation.
US07686073B1
A spiral wiring tubing string is disclosed. An illustrative embodiment of the spiral wiring tubing string includes a tubing core having a tubing interior, an outer tubing layer encircling the tubing core and at least one wiring cable extending through and along the outer tubing layer. A fluid production system is also disclosed.
US07686061B2
A winding assembly used in conjunction with a door having a counterbalance system operable to offset the weight of the door, the counterbalance system including an axle rotatably supported on a pair of support brackets located at each side of the door and a counterbalance spring adapted to apply a counterbalancing force to the door. The winding assembly including a rotatable driver coupled to the counterbalance spring, the driver having a tool receiving portion, a gear wheel supported on the driver and rotatable therewith, the gear wheel defining a plurality of teeth, wherein at least one of the teeth carries a detent, whereby the detent provides a positive step to the pawl and gives an audible indication of the position of the gear wheel, and a lock assembly used in conjunction with a door system located within an opening defined by a frame, the door system including a door movable between an open position and a closed position, the door being supported on a pair of support brackets at either end of the door, a counterbalance system adapted to apply a counterbalancing force to the door, and a winding assembly adapted to adjust and maintain the counterbalancing force, the locking assembly having a lock bracket coupled to the winding assembly and fastenable to the frame to fix the winding assembly in a selected position, and a catch extending from the lock bracket and adapted to anchor the lock bracket to the frame upon unfastening of the lock bracket.
US07686059B2
A control system for a top down/bottom up covering for an architectural opening includes a head rail and an independently moveable bottom rail and middle rail. A shade material extends between the middle rail and the bottom rail and control systems are provided at opposite ends of the head rail for operating the middle rail independently of the bottom rail. Each control system includes lift spools associated with lift cords that are secured to the bottom rail or middle rail with the lift spools being seated in cradles and rotated by a drive shaft connected to manually operated control elements. Each drive shaft is operatively connected to a braking system in the form of a two-way clutch so the drive shafts can be rotated in either direction to raise or lower a bottom or middle rail, but locked in any selected position.
US07686049B2
The disclosed head cover for golf clubs is designed to be conveniently and rapidly placed upon or removed from a head of a golf club. The head cover may include a head receiving part and a shaft receiving part that extends longitudinally from the head receiving part. The shaft receiving part can have the shape of a bird bill and may comprise facing upper and lower mandibles. The mandibles may be the same length and be formed by two slots which extend in parallel from opposite sides of an end opening to the head receiving part. A fastening member can be provided on each of the upper and lower mandibles and may detachably fasten the mandibles to each other by a magnetic force. The fastening member may include magnets and a metal plate.
US07686045B2
An apparatus and method for forming a flat surface on a workpiece. The apparatus includes a cutterhead, having a plurality of cutting member, configured for forming a plurality of grooves in a workpiece. The cutterhead may be disposed generally at the interface of substantially parallel offset first and a second supports in order to form a plurality of grooves defining a datum or reference plane which may be implemented to orientate the workpiece for forming a flat surface. A plurality of ridges or the like structures defining grooves are included in the second support or as an attachment to the second support in order to support the workpiece from the material forming the interior surface of the grooves so that the workpiece may be orientated with respect to the datum plane. In an additional aspect, a second cutterhead may be included for removing or forming a flat surface which is parallel to the datum plane.
US07686043B2
A container filling apparatus includes a fill nozzle for directing a liquid product into a container and an adaptor including a nozzle interface to engage the fill nozzle for a cleaning operation. An expandable member is configured to expand into a gap between the adaptor and the fill nozzle to form a seal between the nozzle interface and the fill nozzle.
US07686036B1
The valve apparatus includes: a valve body whose one side is combined with the movable oxygen cylinder, which communicates with a discharge port at the other side thereof along a path from one side thereof lengthily therein, to thus discharge out the oxygen of the oxygen cylinder through the discharge port. An opening which opens outwards from an insertion space provided along the path, and a post valve which is installed at the other side of the valve body and controls discharge of oxygen through the discharge port from the oxygen cylinder according to operation of a lever. A charge adapter whose one side is detachably installed in the opening of the insertion space, which charges oxygen supplied from the outside into the oxygen cylinder when the post valve closes the path, and discharges oxygen of the oxygen cylinder through the discharge port when the post valve opens the path.
US07686034B1
Apparatus applies chemicals to condensate water from an air conditioning condensate tray. It has an elongate body and a central cavity enclosed by an encircling wall. The central cavity receives chemicals to prevent the growth of microorganisms. A first tubular member is operatively connected at a first end to an aperture in the wall, and a second end extending outwardly for receiving condensate water from the condensate tray. A second tubular member is operatively connected to a second aperture in the wall opposite the first aperture aligned with the first member so that a cleaning brush may be passed through both members and into the condensate tray. Below the two tubular members a fluid outlet is provided with a connector for joining to a drainage system for draining the chemically treated condensate water from the cavity.
US07686033B2
A connector housing of a valve connector integrally has a tube connecting portion on one axial end thereof, a pipe inserting portion on the other axial end thereof, and a valve housing between the tube connecting portion and the pipe inserting portion. A valve housing houses a valve body and a compression spring that biases the valve body in an axial direction into abutment with a housing inner surface. Anti-rotation ribs are provided integrally on an inner peripheral surface of the valve housing. The anti-rotation ribs abut the valve body so as to restrain the valve body from rotating.
US07686032B2
In a scuba diving first stage pressure regulator soft silicone rubber is bonded to the first stage spring to prevent water from freezing between the coils of the spring thereby assuring unrestricted movement of the spring coils even during freezing conditions. By placing a soft molded material bonded directly to the spring surface through the method of chemical and/or mechanical bonding, a soft pliable silicone rubber encapsulates or cocoons the entire area between spring coils and works as a barrier to prevent water from filling the regions between the spring coils and freezing in cold diving conditions. The thickness and volume of the pliable material silicone is not critical as long as the area between the coils is occupied with enough material to prevent ice from forming and otherwise preventing the spring from deflecting. Further, a radial clearance hole is needed to allow the piston to fit inside the silicone bonded spring hollowed center. Any extra area in the spring hole may be filled with a freeze resistant material such as Teflon or silicone grease.
US07686020B2
The invention provides intrafallopian devices and non-surgical methods for their placement to prevent conception. The efficacy of the device is enhanced by forming the structure at least in part from copper or a copper alloy. The device is anchored within the fallopian tube by a lumen-traversing region of the resilient structure which has a helical outer surface, together with a portion of the resilient structure which is biased to form a bent secondary shape, the secondary shape having a larger cross-section than the fallopian tube. The resilient structure is restrained in a straight configuration and transcervically inserted within the fallopian tube, where it is released. Optionally, permanent sterilization is effected by passing a current through the resilient structure to the tubal walls.
US07686017B2
A fluid flow control valve is disclosed. This valve includes a housing which defines a central passageway having fluid inlet and fluid outlet openings. A pressure responsive element is disposed within the passageway for selectively opening and closing the inlet opening to fluid flow in response to pressure exerted thereon at the inlet opening. A mechanism is provided within the passageway for exerting a bias force against the pressure responsive element sufficient to close the inlet opening to fluid flow absent a pre-established level of pressure exerted on the pressure responsive element in opposition to the bias force. Finally, a retainer device is positioned for removably securing the pressure responsive element and bias force exerting mechanism within the passageway.
US07686011B1
The invention relates to heating units mounted on a window of an existing building. Flue gases are expelled outside of the building without the need for wall modifications or an extra chimney. The actual burn chamber is mounted on a window mounting unit with an interior support which extends into the building thereby heating the air inside the building.
US07686008B2
A multi-deck baking oven including a housing and at least two baking chambers located within the housing, adjacent baking chambers being separated by an insulating layer, at least one of the insulating layers including a hollow partition, wherein each insulating layer dampens the rate of heat flow between the adjacent baking chambers.
US07685993B2
Variable swirl for internal combustion engines. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a first intake valve controlling air flow from a first intake port to a piston cylinder of the internal combustion engine, where the first intake valve has a first lift profile. A second intake valve controls air flow from a second intake port to the piston cylinder, where the second intake valve has a second lift profile different than the first lift profile. The combination of first and second lift profiles causes a variable swirl of air in the cylinder as a function of engine speed.
US07685991B2
An internal combustion engine 10 is provided with cylinders 19 having a predetermined surface finish thereon comprising of at least two differing patterns. The first pattern is designed to provide a predetermined storage volume for oil used to lubricate a piston 22 which is slidingly engaged in the cylinder 19. The second pattern is different to the first pattern in that it provides little or no storage capacity for the oil. The second pattern is applied to the wall 28 of each cylinder 19 at one or more positions where impingement of unburned fuel against the cylinder wall 28 is to be expected. The reduced storage volume of the second pattern reduces the volume of unburned fuel that can be transferred from the cylinder 19 to the oil supply of the engine 10.
US07685989B2
A 2-cycle engine 1 is provided with an ignition device 8; an exhaust control valve 24; and a controller 40 for controlling the ignition device 8 and the exhaust control valve 24. The controller 40 controls spark ignition combustion by activating the ignition device 8 in a high load range, and controls self-ignition combustion of a mixture in the combustion chamber 10 by adjusting pressure in a cylinder chamber 3a with adjustment of the opening of the exhaust port 21 in a low load range. In a low load and low rotational speed range, moreover, there is formed a stratified mixture field, in which the air and the fuel are much distributed in the central portion 10c of the combustion chamber 10 and in which burned gas remaining in the combustion chamber 10 is much distributed in the outer side 10b of the central portion of the combustion chamber 10, so that the self-ignition combustion of the mixture may be performed by forming the stratified mixture field in the low load and low rotational speed range.
US07685987B2
A cylinder liner for insert casting used in a cylinder block is disclosed. The cylinder liner has an outer circumferential surface, and upper, middle, and lower portions with respect to an axial direction of the cylinder liner. A high thermal conductive film is formed in a section of the outer circumferential surface that corresponds to the upper portion, and a low thermal conductive film is formed in a section of the outer circumferential surface that corresponds to the lower portion. The high thermal conductive film and the low thermal conductive film are laminated in a section of the outer circumferential surface that corresponds to the middle portion, thereby forming a laminated film portion. As a result, temperature difference along the axial direction of the cylinder is reduced.
US07685984B2
A switchable valve train member, such as a deactivating valve lash adjuster or a deactivating hydraulic valve lifter, including a pin housing slidably disposed within an axial bore in a body. A transverse bore in the pin housing contains a retractable locking pin that engages a feature in the body including a locking surface whereby the body and the pin housing are locked together for mutual actuation by rotation of a cam lobe. A lash ring at the outer end of the body includes a portion extending into the axial bore that limits the travel of the pin housing within the body and thereby sets the internal mechanical lash in the switchable member. The axial thickness of the lash ring may be varied between assemblies to compensate for manufacturing variation in the components and is secured to the body in any of various configurations.
US07685971B1
A comfort adapter for electronic collars that replaces the standard post electrodes normally found on electronic training collars with a plurality of acorn nut electrodes. This design ensures proper electrical contact with the dog's skin while increasing the comfort of these collars on small dogs, which have smaller necks. The adapter can be utilized with different types of electronic training collars, such as those used to facilitate training, to curb aggressive behavior and barking, and to confine dogs by means of an invisible fence.
US07685967B2
A feed cake assembly includes at least a first portion formed from a first feed material combination and at least a second portion formed from a second feed material combination, the first portion and second portion being fused together to form the feed cake assembly. The first portion is preferably a seed cake portion formed from a first feed material combination and the second portion is preferably a flavor blend portion formed from a second feed material combination.
US07685966B2
A lidded pet food dish uses wireless technology to independently and selectively open one of a plurality of lidded food compartments for access by a pet. The dish discriminates between pets by means of a tag worn by each pet to allow or prevent access to a given food compartment. Electronic circuitry for this functionality is operable by any wireless technology and provides for manual system override by the pet owner as well as remote control capability.
US07685964B2
A device for wetting cable-ends includes a stand supporting a control, a bath-container with a bath, and a conveyor unit for conveying to the cable-end a wetting agent which forms the bath. The conveyor unit has a drive, a pump unit, a conveyor-pipe, and a nozzle with throttle. The pump unit conveys the wetting agent through the conveyor pipe to the nozzle with the wetting agent flowing through an exchangeable throttle that determines the shape and size of the free jet of the wetting agent.
US07685951B2
Apparatus for controlling the placement of seeds deposited by a seed placement device in a furrow. The apparatus comprise a guide member connected to the seed placement device adjacent an exit of the seeds from the placement device adapted to urge seeds discharged from the exit toward a sidewall of the furrow. The guide member of the present invention acts to stop seeds from bouncing off the sidewalls of the furrow and into the centre of the furrow. The guide member organizes the seeds to create one or more seed rows where the seeds are optimally positioned and prevents seeds from ending up in the middle of the furrow. If a fertilizer row is present below the seed furrow, this prevents damage to the seeds by preventing them from being too close to the fertilizer. The guide member also stops the seeds from being swept back into the central region of the furrow with the loose soil that flows back into this area after the knife implement has passed.
US07685948B2
A track traveling toy, including: a track; at least a part of the track being made to be a double track; and automotive vehicle stopping sections which are respectively provided on railway tracks of the double track, wherein an automotive vehicle entering the railway track on one side operates the stopping section of the railway track on the one side to stop the automotive vehicle on the railway track, and operates the stopping section on the other railway track to release a stopping state of an automotive vehicle on the railway track.
US07685947B2
A cable railway system has a valley station and at least one mountain station. Transport vehicles such as cable cars are moved along a carrying and conveying cable and they are uncoupled from the cable in the stations and moved through the stations along a guide rail. The passengers board and disembark from the cable cars in entry and exit areas. Switches are disposed along the course of the guide rail for selectively moving a first group of cable cars along a first guide path and a second group along a second guide path through the entry and exit area. A common entry and exit area for the passengers is associated with the two groups of vehicles and disposed between the two guide paths. Entry and exit doors of the first group of vehicles open on a first side of the same and entry and exit doors of the second group of vehicles open on a second side, such that they face the common entry and exit area.
US07685931B2
A compact and lightweight personal pod making system is provided. The pod making system has a base for receiving a pod packaging material and a sealing tool pivotably connected to the base. The system can be used at home, in the office and even outdoors. A pod package assembly that can be used in conjunction with the personal pod making system is also provided. The pod package assembly can include a cup-like holder that is hingedly connected to a cover so that it is relatively easy for users to align the cover when sealing the pod.
US07685930B2
A system for selectively delivering different beverages having different foam levels by injection of a fluid under pressure into a capsule that contains a beverage-forming substance. The capsules include a chamber containing the substance and a beverage dispensing structure adapted to retain a certain extraction pressure in the chamber before allowing the beverage to flow out of the capsule. The system is characterized in that first and second capsules are provided for selective use in the system, with the first capsule having a first beverage dispensing structure configured and positioned therein to retain a first extraction pressure in the capsule, prior to the complete delivery of the beverage, and the second capsule having a second beverage dispensing structure configured and positioned therein to retain a second extraction pressure in the capsule, prior to the complete delivery of the beverage. The first extraction pressure is higher than the second extraction pressure so that a greater amount of foam is created upon delivery of the beverage from the first capsule as compared to that created by the second capsule. This allows a user of the system to select a cartridge that produces a beverage with the desired foam content.
US07685920B2
The illustrative embodiment of the present invention is a launch system that includes a closure that, in use, is attached to one or both ends of a missile canister. The closure is blown off of the canister before there is any contact between it and the nose of the missile. The closure incorporates an actuation mechanism that releases the closure when there is a rapid increase in pressure within the canister, such as when the booster of a canistered missile fires. The actuation mechanism is not, however, responsive to the magnitude of the pressure within the canister. As a consequence, the closure will not release if there is a slow build-up of pressure within the missile canister.
US07685915B2
In a band saw, blade drift is corrected and straight line cuffing of an object is easily performed. A cuffing auxiliary device in the band saw used to correct a shift of a cutting line when the cutting line is shifted from a straight line in the band saw for cutting a work by using a flexible steel band. The cutting auxiliary device in the band saw has a laser projector attached to a band saw main body side and projecting a laser beam so as to be overlapped with the shifted cutting line when the work is straightly cut by the flexible steel band on the working board and the cutting line is shifted from the straight line; and a working board fixing portion for fixing the working board to a receiving portion of the band saw main body side in a place which the straight line of the laser beam projected from the laser projector and a mark on the working board are aligned.
US07685913B2
There is provided an apparatus for producing a cross-sectional angular surface along a substrate, such as a flexible electrostatographic imaging member belt. The apparatus may include a support body, and a blade support member connected to the blade support body. The blade support member comprises a cutting blade having a straight blade edge. The cutting blade may be positioned at an angle relative to a plane of an associated substrate to be cut.
US07685902B2
An industrial robot including a parallel kinematic manipulator of an object in space. The manipulator includes a stationary platform, a movable platform for carrying the object, and at least three arms connecting the platforms. Each arm includes a first arm part connected to the stationary platform for manipulating the movable platform.
US07685901B2
A device for movable support for an input/output unit, especially a flat screen, which is electromotively pivotable from a lying non-use position into an upright position of use and vice versa and which in the non-use position is covered by a cover. The movement of the cover is coupled with the movement of the input/output unit by means of a cam plate as coupling element.
US07685895B2
A substrate inspection device includes a substrate rotating device for holding a substrate on a holding surface and causing rotation, a disk having a disk body rotatably supported on a base and three lift cams fixed to an upper side of the disk body and formed with cam faces that are inclined surfaces inclined in the rotational direction, and a lifter having a lifter body with a support surface on which the substrate is mounted and guiding in the vertical direction and lifter driven sections respectively projecting to and fixed to a lower side of the lifter body, where lower sides of the lifter driven sections respectively contact the cam faces in a sliding manner at contact points, and if the contact points are moved to an upper side of the inclined surfaces the support surface becomes higher than the holding surface.
US07685891B2
A torque sensor having a sensor element, wherein the sensor element is manufactured in accordance with the manufacturing steps of applying a first current pulse to the sensor element, wherein the first current pulse is applied such that there is a first current flow in a first direction along a longitudinal axis of the sensor element, wherein the first current pulse is such that the application of the current pulse generates a magnetically encoded region in the sensor element.
US07685887B2
An air flow meter includes a tube having an exterior surface and an interior surface, which defines an interior space. A collector is disposed within the interior space of the tube and a plurality of transmission pins protrude from the interior surface of the tube. The plurality of transmission pins are configured to create ions when a voltage from a high voltage power supply is applied to the plurality of transmission pins. The collector is configured to collect the ions created by the plurality of transmission pins and output a collector signal.
US07685878B2
Two transducers to be rotated around a circumferential location on a cylindrical body for structural testing of the body are carried on a mounting and drive apparatus including a magnetic attachment which can be manually brought up to a pipe from one side only for fixed connection to the pipe on that side at a position axially spaced from a weld. A collar shaped support for the pair of transducers is formed of a row of separate segments which wrap around the pipe from the one side and is rotated around the axis of the pipe to carry the transducer around the circumferential weld. The segments carry rollers to roll on the surface and are held against the pipe by magnets. The transducers are carried on the support in fixed angular position to track their position but in a manner which allows slight axial or radial movement relative to the pipe.
US07685855B2
A vertically oscillating working device 2 has a body to be oscillated 23 having an inner space that is formed by a cover member 21 and a vehicle wheel 22, which is a body to be worked, and receives working materials 25 in it and also has oscillating means for vertically oscillating the body to be oscillated 23. The working materials 25 are allowed to collide with the vehicle wheel 22 by the oscillation, and thereby the vehicle wheel 22 is worked. With the working device 2, a casting can be oscillated together with hardening materials, and excellent mechanical properties can be uniformly added to a predetermined portion of the casting by the oscillation without changing the position of the casting.
US07685840B2
A method of minimizing distortion in a glass sheet manufacturing process wherein the stress in a parent sheet of glass is measured along each edge of the sheet. The stress data is then used to develop a distortion predictor for predicting the in-plane distortion which sub-sheets of the parent sheet are likely to exhibit when the parent sheet is cut into pre-determined sizes. The in-plane distortion may be predicted based on criteria established by the glass manufacturer, or supplied by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM).
US07685831B2
There is a problem in that it is inconvenient to use a conventional communication pad since a user cannot diversely adjust a direction of the communication pad. The present invention relates to a communication pad mounting structure of a refrigerator. In the present invention, a front of a door of a refrigerator is formed with a seating space. The upper and lower portions of the seating space are formed with slots elongated from side to side, respectively. The holder for supporting a communication pad is mounted in the seating space tiltably from side to side. To this end, there are provided a pair of links, wherein an end of the links is connected to the slot to pivot and move along each slot, and the other end of each of the links is pivotably connected to a side of each of the upper and lower surfaces of the holder. According to the present invention with such a structure, the communication pad which is supported by the holder can be tilted to a desired position according to a position of the user.
US07685823B2
An apparatus and method of providing a gas turbine combustor having increased combustion stability and reducing pressure drop across a gas turbine combustor is disclosed. A plurality of vanes is fixed to a flow sleeve radially between the flow sleeve and a combustion liner. The plurality of vanes serve to direct a flow of air entering the region between the flow sleeve and combustion liner in a substantially axial direction, such that components of tangential velocity are removed thereby providing a more uniform flow of air the combustion chamber and reducing the amount of pressure lost due attempting to straighten the airflow by pressure drop alone.
US07685822B1
A rotary cup fuel injector for use in a gas turbine engine, the rotary cup injector being rotatably secured to the rotor shaft and positioned radially inward of the combustor, the rotary cup injector having a front face with a parabolic shape and a rear face with a slanted and flat shape. The front and rear faces of the injector form a thin film of fuel on the surfaces and—because of the high rotational speed—produce fine droplet's of fuel to be injected into a combustion chamber. The two faces inject fuel into two combustion zones of the combustor.
US07685815B2
A system and method for driver-initiation of regeneration of a diesel particulate filter using a service brake pedal in a motor vehicle to reduce the risk that the vehicle will become unattended during on-going regeneration.
US07685813B2
Partial denitrations are made practical by an SCR catalyst placed downstream of a NOx adsorber. The SCR catalyst permits partial denitrations to be extended to where a favorable fuel penalty rate presented by driving conditions can be utilized to a sufficient extent that the benefit of the favorable conditions is not offset by the increased start-up fuel penalty associated with conducting opportunistic partial denitrations. Regenerations, including both denitration and desulfations, can be initiated selectively based on a fuel penalty calculation. Examples of such calculations lead to methods in which opportunistic regenerations are based on low oxygen concentrations, condition existing while shifting gears, and throttling events for a diesel engine with a throttled air supply. The methods flexibly take advantage of driving conditions to reduce fuel penalties associated with regenerations. In one embodiment, driving conditions include future conditions predicted based on GPS and map data.
US07685810B2
When an abnormality occurred in a SCR device is detected, the output of an engine is restricted. To this end, in one embodiment, at the time of an abnormality occurrence, a map adopted for calculating a fuel injection quantity is switched from that for a normal time (S407). Further, as the abnormality to be detected, the clogging of an injection nozzle, the dilution of urea water stored in a tank, or the like is adopted.
US07685807B2
A rocket engine system includes a combustion chamber defining a centerline axis, an oxidizer supply, a first fuel delivery circuit connected to a fuel supply, a second fuel delivery circuit connected to the fuel supply, and an injector assembly positioned at the combustion chamber. The injector assembly includes a faceplate having a plurality of openings therethrough, a first injector element connected to the first fuel delivery circuit and extending into one of the openings in the faceplate, and a second injector element connected to the second fuel delivery circuit and extending into another of the openings in the faceplate. Annular oxidizer outlets are formed at the openings in the faceplate and connected to the oxidizer supply to deliver oxidizer to the combustion chamber.
US07685806B2
An aircraft engine is provided with at least one pulse detonation device connected to an engine exhaust nozzle portion with a plurality of supersonic injectors. The flow from the pulse detonation device is passed through the supersonic injectors into the primary engine flow path. The injector flow is injected at a velocity such that the injected flow penetrates into the primary flow path. This injected flow creates a virtual obstacle for the primary flow, and their interaction creates a virtual surface or an aero-lobe, thus controlling the nozzle exit area to reduce engine noise.
US07685796B2
Automatic machine for closing containers, including an automatic corking unit, a conveyor including an inlet section for feeding containers to be corked towards the automatic corking unit and an outlet section for moving apart the corked containers from the corking unit, an injection unit arranged upstream of the corking unit, arranged for injecting inert gas in the head portions of the containers to be corked, a casing defining a chamber which contains the injection unit and the corking unit and a feeding system of inert gas for maintaining within said chamber an inert gas atmosphere.
US07685791B2
A structural member and method with an improved arm connection is provided that allows quick connection of an arm to the structural member. Bolts are inserted through aligned apertures in first and second thru-vangs, as well as an abutting arm bracket. A securement member is inserted through an aperture in the bolts that is transverse to the bolts. Last, an arm is secured to the arm bracket for support of electrical conductors strung thereon.
US07685790B2
The floor member is a laminated structure in the form a floor tile or a floor plank. A bottom portion of the floor member is formed with a plurality of moisture dispersal pathways that lead toward peripheral side edges of the bottom portion. The moisture dispersal pathways permit any moisture that develops between a floor base and the bottom portion of the floor member that is installed on the floor base to flow in the moisture dispersal pathways toward at least one of the peripheral side edges of the bottom portion, for passage beyond the one peripheral side edge of the bottom portion. Adjacent tiles of a floor tile installation have communicable moisture dispersal pathways such that moisture is not entrapped below the floor member and can migrate through the communicable pathways to an outermost peripheral side edge of the floor tile installation for dissipation of moisture into the ambient air.
US07685789B2
Construction element for forming a reinforced concrete slab (2), consisting of the combination of at least a hardened concrete layer (3), at least a number of reinforcement elements (4) and elements (5) extending at least partially from the concrete layer (3) and defining cavities (6), whereby these elements (5) are designed to be covered with concrete (7) at a later stage characterised in that the above-mentioned elements (5) defining the cavities (6) consist of elements (5) which can be mutually nested as such.
US07685783B2
A kit of parts having batts (200) of insulation, and one or more batts (200) have partially divided segments (200a), wherein each of the segments (200a) has an R value and thickness and has length and width dimensions of, at least somewhat greater than 9.5 inches by at least somewhat greater than 14.5 inches to fill band joist cavities between spaced apart joists (106); and the batt (200) is either three segments (200a) in length or four segments (200a) in length, or is folded at intervals of the three segments (200a) in length or four segments in length (200a), and the batt (200) has a width of either one segment (200a) or two segments (200a), and the segments (200a) of the same batt (200) are partially divided from one another and remain in the batt (200) until separated at the point of use or installation.
US07685782B2
A muntin clip has a bar support adapted to be connected to a muntin bar end and a base member adapted to be connected to a spacer frame. The bar support has a plurality of flexible support members attached thereto, which are adapted to contact the opposed interior walls of the muntin bar end and deform in response to such contact. The base member has two flexible members forming a flexible latching structure which is adapted to deform when inserted into the spacer frame. The muntin clip to be used with muntin bars and spacer frames having a range of different dimensions and configurations.
US07685776B2
A sealing system connects a panel to a frame and includes an anchor and a pair of opposing docking collars. The anchor extends from the frame or panel, and the opposing docking collars are disposed within a guide portion in the other of the frame or panel. The sealing system has an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration. In the unlocked configuration, the panel moves relative to the frame along a plane substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the anchor. In the locked configuration, the anchor is positioned between the docking collars, and the anchor is engaged by the docking collars to prevent movement of the panel relative to the frame along the plane.
US07685774B2
A closing system for moving a sealing system between an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration includes first and second inner control members and first and second outer control members. The sealing system connects a panel to a frame and includes an anchor disposed between first and second opposing docking collars. The first and second inner control members are respectively connected to the first and second docking collars, and the first and second outer control members are respectively disposed proximate to the first and second inner control members. The first and second outer control members move relative to the first and second inner control members along a line substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of one of the control members, and movement of the first and second outer control members relative to the first and second inner control members along the line generates forces against the first and second inner control members towards the anchor when the sealing system moves from the unlocked configuration to the locked configuration.
US07685773B2
A sliding window assembly includes two rectangular sash frames each enclosing an insulated glass panel unit and supported by a surrounding main support frame. At least one of the sash frames is supported for horizontal movement, and horizontally extending interlocking members are formed on the adjacent upper and lower horizontal frame members of the sash frame and main support frame. The interlocking members have interfitting horizontal hook portions positioned to permit each movable sash frame to move freely between a closed position and an open position. The interfitting hook portions are effective to engage and interlock each other in response to a substantial positive or negative windload or such a windload after an impact which breaks the glass panel unit, to limit deflection and prevent permanent deformation or release of the sash frame.
US07685763B1
A device for holding fish to remove a fish hook from the mouth of a fish, the device comprised of a first hollow cylindrical member, a connecting member attached to a first end of the first hollow cylindrical member, a second hollow cylindrical member attached to a first side of the connecting member, and a third hollow cylindrical member attached to a second opposed side of the connecting member. A gap is located within the second and third hollow cylindrical members, and two dowels are attached to the inside surfaces of the second and third hollow cylindrical members. The second end of the first hollow cylindrical member is fitted over a fishing rod holder. A fish is pulled within the second or third hollow cylindrical member until the fish head is wedged between the dowels at which time the fish hook can be removed from the mouth of the fish.
US07685762B2
A device for reducing the catch of unwanted species of organisms in fishing trawls which allows the retention of shrimp and the escape of fish from the trawl. The device features a longer, smaller diameter cylinder nested within a shorter, larger diameter cylinder in such a way as to create a continuous escape opening around the entire circumference of the net. The trawl bag is attached to the downstream end of the outer cylinder and the trawl body is attached to the upstream end of the inner cylinder. Flow blocking plates, set at an approximate 45° angle ahead of the escape opening, create an area of reduced water flow in and around the escape opening. Fish naturally move into the slower water flow and into the escape opening. Fish then move out of the trawl. Shrimp, being weaker in their swimming abilities are unable to move into the slower water areas and are therefore carried into the trawl bag and are captured.
US07685761B2
A trigger activating tactical light grip includes a Picatinny rail mount to assemble the grip to the firearm, a tactical light mount to mount the tactical light and a grip to provide a place for holding the gun. In the grip, there is a trigger to initiate movement for a connecting rod, and the connecting rod is to deliver the movement of the trigger, a tunnel for the connecting rod to slide along, a circular shaft to assemble the trigger, and a fixing pin to keep the connecting rod to be contacted with the tactical light switch. When a user provides pressure with a finger on the trigger, it pivots on the circular shaft and leads the connecting rod to slide along the tunnel. As a result, the connecting rod exerts pressure to the switch of the tactical light and then the aim of activating the tactical light is accomplished.
US07685754B1
A wind resistant sign enabled with a release mechanism providing for the sign pivoting from a starting point about an axis when the sign is exposed to a user determined threshold wind speed and a mechanism for returning the sign to its starting point when the wind speed decreases below the threshold. The sign pivot is the sign support and can be horizontal or vertical. The sign release mechanism can be as simple as a frangible locking element which is broken under sufficient wind velocity, a lock requiring a human operator to open, a lock controlled by a sensor, such as an anemometer, or a locking element responsive to a radio signal from a remote location. The return mechanism can be as simple as a spring for small signs, or a torque unit, such as a motor, for signs up to hundreds or thousands of kilograms.
US07685753B2
An illuminated, shallow weatherproof signage character has individual three dimensional back-lighted/front/side and/or silhouette-lighting, with frosted areas of plastic, with virtually no limitation on the size or number of individual characters, which may be moulded or machined from solid plastic, which is U/V protected. Miniature, preferably LED lamps are concealed in the character. The life of the LED lamps is extended by limiting the applied voltage and the “on” time. The signage characters are usually elevated from their supporting surface, to effect back-lighting. Colored LED's or a RBG LED, can be used selectively to color the plastic signage.
US07685735B2
An electronic calipers is provided with an adjustable digital display. In an embodiment the calipers includes an elongated body and a display member that pivots or rotates relative to the elongated body. The display member may include a base member, which is coupled with the elongated body for translational movement along at least a portion of a length of the elongated body, and a display coupled with the base member for pivotal movement between a first orientation and a second orientation. In other embodiments, the calipers includes a display portion that rotates on the body portion through an angle of about 360°. In some embodiments the display portion may be a generally annular-shaped member that rotates and/or translates on the elongated body.
US07685728B2
A method and apparatus for determining the comfortable footbed shape for a person. The apparatus comprises a rear platform for supporting the rear of a foot, a front platform for supporting a forefoot, the height of at least one of said front and rear platforms being adjustable relative to the height of the other one of said platforms and fixable at a selected height relative to the other platform; and a supporting surface for accommodating the plantar surface of a foot, the supporting surface comprising a length of flexible material fixable mounted to and extending between said front and rear platforms. The apparatus can adjust the aforementioned components to various settings with a view to determining the plantar foot shape and the perceived comfort in any chosen posture.
US07685721B2
A breast implant selector system including a breast width selector for selecting breast width input information, a breast tissue type selector for selecting breast tissue type input information in response to breast width input information selected with the breast width selector, and an implant size selector for selecting implant size input information in response to the breast tissue type input information selected with the breast tissue type selector. A result indicator provides a result characterizing at least one suggested breast implant as a function of the input breast width, breast tissue type, and implant size input information.
US07685700B2
A compensating unit for a tool unit for inserting an element into a workpiece, in particular a setting unit for inserting a joining element into a workpiece. The tool unit is fastened to a mounting and being mounted, oriented in an axial direction, in such a way that, during the machining operation, a compensating movement in a plane oriented at least approximately perpendicular to the axial direction is made possible.
US07685698B2
A magnet rotor includes a drive arm with a rotary shaft and a hollow cylindrical-shaped permanent magnet bonded by a light curable resin. The drive arm is composed of a light transmitting resin, and the permanent magnet is an anisotropic magnet with an axis of easy magnetization. During fabrication, the light curable resin is applied to the rotary shaft, and a hollow portion of the magnet is fitted to the rotary shaft. While holding the magnet in a position where a direction of the axis of easy magnetization corresponds to a magnetic field direction, the drive arm is irradiated with light to cure the resin and bond the drive arm and the permanent magnet.
US07685696B2
The invention relates to a method for the manufacture of a sensor element and to a sensor element. In the method, both surfaces of a sensor film are provided with metallic electrodes. The sensor element is produced by cutting it from a larger amount of sensor element material. In the manufacture of the sensor element material, the electrodes are produced as a continuous process from roll to roll and the sensor element material is formed by laminating as a continuous process from roll to roll. At least the signal electrode consists of repeated electrode patterns (41) which are at least partially connected to each other via one or more narrow connecting strips (42), and a sensor element of a desired length and/or shape is produced by cutting the material across the region of the connecting strips.
US07685692B2
A process for skiving a substrate is described, wherein the substrate is skived with a roller or a device or apparatus including the roller. The roller provides a cleaner skive than previously known methods without damage to underlying materials.
US07685691B2
A method of producing a countertop upon a workspace furnishing such as floor cabinets by casting a polymer-modified cementitious casting compound thereupon has some of the following steps. Given the workspace furnishing, temporarily attaching edging forms or flow checks around all the free edges of the top deck thereof, both of which the forms the and flow checks operate to check the flow of the casting compound at least to the height of a given rise. Following that, pouring a polymer-modified cementitious casting compound over the countertop to the height of the given rise and as checked within the edging forms and flow checks. The edging forms have depending-flange relief cavities that descend below the plane of the deck that give the hardened casting compound an appearance of a virtual thickness that disguises in part the actual thinness of the rise over the deck.
US07685687B2
Methods of making metal/dielectric/metal structures include casting copper slurry onto a fugitive substrate to form the first electrode and subsequently casting dielectric and copper slurries onto the first electrode, removing the fugitive substrate and co-firing the structure, wherein the dielectric comprises glass in an amount that is less than 20% by weight of the total inorganic composition and the dielectric achieves substantially complete densification. Alternatively, a metal tape and a dielectric tape, comprising glass in the above amount, may be formed and laminated together to form a metal/dielectric/metal green tape structure, which is co-fired, such that the structure achieves substantially complete densification.
US07685674B2
An attachment (10) for an inlet pipe (14) to a wet scrubber or other device comprises a sleeve (16) having an open end (18) adapted to be detachably connected to a flanged end (12) of the inlet pipe (14). A shaft (30) is moveable within the sleeve (16), and a scraper (34) is attached to one end of the shaft (30). The shaft (30) forms part of a pneumatic cylinder (40) attached to the other end of the sleeve (16). In use, the shaft (30) is reciprocally moved to cause the scraper (34) to dislodge particulates deposited within the pipe (14). Heated gas such as nitrogen or dry air is injected into the sleeve (16) to prevent scrubbing liquid from condensing within the sleeve (16) and thus inhibit particulate deposition therein.
US07685664B2
A mattress configured to support a patient including a foot section having a leg portion, a heel pressure relief portion, and a raised calf support portion positioned intermediate the leg portion and the heel pressure relief portion.
US07685662B2
A pneumatic control valve and power reserve in the form of pressurized gas in a pressurization chamber, for elastically deforming a diaphragm without closing off two admission (2) and respectively discharge (3) orifices of said valve and able to place the opening of the valve by depressurization of said pressurization chamber 5 is disclosed. The valve may be used for total and rapid deflation of a therapeutic mattress having a plurality of compartments that are inflated with air, including at different pressures.
US07685660B2
A patient transport cot comprises a height adjustment component coupled to the patient transport cot and configured to raise or lower the cot to a plurality of heights. The patient transport cot further comprises a mechanical height indicator, which comprises at least one height setting, wherein each height setting corresponds to a target cot height. The mechanical height indicator further comprises a moving height marker configured to move with the cot as the cot is raised or lowered, wherein the cot is adjusted to the target cot height when the moving height marker is aligned with the height setting.
US07685649B2
A protective garment, such as a surgical gown, includes a garment body defining sleeves. A cuff may be secured at respective ends of the sleeves. An elastic fiber layer is disposed on the sleeves beginning at the sleeve or cuff. The elastic fiber layer has a high friction surface such that an end of a glove pulled over the elastic fiber layer is inhibited from rolling or sliding back over the elastic fiber and down the sleeve. The elastic fiber may be formed of a polyolefin or other polymers according to known processes and may include a dye or colorant that may be used to indicate the fluid protection level of, for example, a surgical gown.
US07690023B2
A secure software execution mechanism appropriate for software circulation is provided. At a sender site 312, an executable file 332 and a data file 334 processed by the executable file are encapsulated. The remaining two files 336 and 338 do not physically exist in a pot 320 at the sender site, and an archive file 320 is transferred to a receiver site 314. At the receiver site 314, intangible files 336 and 338 within a pot may be mapped to a file 354 in a local file system or a file 356 within another pot 350 and processed using a file 334 in a pot or the mapped file 354 or 356 by executing a program 332, in conformity with the specification of a security policy 340.
US07690022B2
A cable distribution system with distributed architecture that can accommodate both digital and analog subscribers. Each home has at least one Room Interface Unit (RIU), one for each television. There is a local service module associated with a group of RIUs (e.g., one for every ten RIUs). There is also a local headend in the vicinity. The local headend has a block of integrated tuner/receiver/decoders that can be controlled to tune in a selected video channel. The selected video channels and a group of standard channels are multiplexed and sent to the local service modules where a group of programmable converters (one for each RIU) place the channel selected by its corresponding RIU at a predetermined frequency. Each of the RIUs associated with a particular local service module receive the corresponding channel. Depending upon whether the subscriber has subscribed to digital or analog service, they will have either a digital or an analog RIU. The analog RIU may include a bandpass filter while the digital RIU may include one or more IRDs. Forward and return DOCSIS channels are also provided.
US07690017B2
Apparatus, methods, and systems for centrally and uniformly controlling the operation of a variety of devices, such as communication, consumer electronic, audio-video, analog, digital, 1394, and the like, over a variety of protocols within a network system and, more particularly, a control system and uniform user interface for centrally controlling these devices in a manner that appears seamless and transparent to the user. In a preferred embodiment, a command center or hub of a network system includes a context and connection permutation sensitive control system that enables centralized and seamless integrated control of all types of input devices. The control system preferably includes a versatile icon based graphical user interface that provides a uniform, on-screen centralized control system for the network system. The user interface, which includes a visual recognition system, enables the user to transparently control multiple input devices over a variety of protocols while operating on a single control layer of an input command device. In an alternative embodiment, the control system also enables gated signal pass-through control while avoiding signal jamming.
US07690016B2
A television receiver is connected to a multi-directional antenna having multiple receiving directions for receiving a television signal by making one receiving direction active, and comprises a clock, a tuner, a memory for storing a receiving direction table having content containing channel numbers and a best receiving direction, and a microprocessor for controlling the receiver.Based on the time measured by the clock, the microprocessor renews the content of the table at a preset time, and outputs, to the antenna, a control signal to command a receiving direction for receiving one channel based on the renewed content of the table.The receiver can properly adapt to the variations in time of the receiving conditions of terrestrial broadcasts based on the renewed content of the table, and can automatically renew the content of the table in a time zone when a user does not view a television program.
US07690011B2
A method and system for detecting automatic ad detection is presented in which video streams are modified such that features cannot be automatically recognized or statistical parameters and fingerprints derived from the video stream cannot be matched against fingerprints of known video segments in a database.
US07690007B2
A dynamic link library (DLL) in a computing device is provided in the form of a first part and an extension part. The first part has selected entry point ordinals by which an application program may link to first functions. The application program may only link to further functions via the extension part of the DLL.
US07690006B2
A software interface (26) is provided to enable television settop middleware (14) and operating system (OS) software (16) to control and interact with core settop system software (20) in a subscriber television terminal to facilitate the provision of desirable digital television services, including authentication and authorization.
US07689999B2
A system and method for sharing a set of resources among a plurality of processes, comprising creating a version of a resource for each one of the plurality of processes that requires access to the resource wherein a version of the resource is one of: 1) a representation of the resource at a particular point in time; and 2) a transformation of the resource; making each of the created versions available to the plurality of processes; and notifying a process in the plurality of processes when a resource in the set of resources upon which the process requires access is updated.
US07689987B2
Several embodiments of the present invention provide a means for reducing overhead and, thus, improving operating efficiency in virtualized computing systems. Certain of these embodiments are specifically directed to providing a bypass mechanism for jumping directly from a first stack in the guest operating system to a second stack in the host operating system for a virtual machine environment. More specifically, certain embodiments of the present invention are directed to a system for and method of eliminating redundancy in execution of certain virtual machine commands and executing host environment equivalents by using bypass mechanisms, thereby bypassing redundant software layers within the guest and host stacks. For some of these embodiments, the bypass mechanism operates at a high-level component of the stack or, alternatively, the bypass mechanism operates at a low-level component of the stack.
US07689983B2
A processing program, apparatus and method wherein each component has version information showing the version of the component and a version compatible information table showing with which one of the past self versions the component has a compatibility. Information showing with which version there is the compatibility or information with which version range there is the compatibility is shown in the version compatible information table. When the reference destination component is referred to from the reference source component, the presence or absence of the compatibility between the version designated by the reference source component and the version of the reference destination component is checked by using the version compatible information table. If a plurality of compatible components exist, the component of the latest version is selected as a reference destination component.
US07689979B1
Modification of source code reduces a launch time associated with an application program so that the application program more quickly responds to input from a user after startup. One technique of modifying source code includes converting globally defined variables in the source code to local static variables associated with respective newly created functions. Inclusion of the globally defined variables in the source code impacts application launch time because a compiler creates initialization code associated with the globally defined variables that must be run at launch time to initialize the variables in case they are used by functions in the application program. On the other hand, local static variables are initialized when the function that contains them is first called. Thus, use of local static variables in respective newly created functions in lieu of globally defined variables reduce application program launch time.
US07689977B1
Open multi-processing reduction implementation in cell broadband engine (CBE) single source compiler
The present disclosure is directed to a method for providing an OpenMP reduction implementation. The method may comprise creating an aggregate of at least one reduction variable in a parallel region or a work-sharing construct; defining a pointer variable, the pointer variable pointing to a dynamic array of the aggregate; creating an initialization routine, an outlined routine and a reduction accumulation routine; replacing the parallel region or the work-sharing construct with a runtime routine, the runtime routine taking a plurality of arguments including an address of the initialization routine, an address of the outlined routine, an address of the reduction accumulation routine, an address of the pointer variable, and a size of the aggregate; and executing the runtime routine when the at least one reduction variable is in the parallel region or the work-sharing construct.
US07689970B1
A graphical user interface that enables a user to create and specify the properties of custom storage classes is disclosed. The characteristics of each storage class are specified via parameter settings accessible from the graphical interface. Each custom storage class designed through the interface is defined by a combination of parameter settings. A code preview window in the graphical interface displays salient aspects of the source code references to model data given the selected parameter settings. The display is shown dynamically and adjusted to reflect subsequent changes in parameter settings.
US07689969B1
A method is provided for obfuscating code generated from a block diagram model in a graphical programming environment. The obfuscation may be removed through the use of a password. Incorporating the obfuscated code in a block diagram allows for code to be generated from the block diagram incorporating the obfuscated code.
US07689964B2
A method for modeling a circuit includes receiving a netlist that defines a plurality of connections between a plurality of circuit elements and identifying a subset of the connections. The method also includes routing the identified connections with a first group of wires having a first wire width and routing at least a portion of the remaining connections with a second wire width. The second wire width is smaller than the first wire width. The method further includes replacing the first group of wires with a third group of wires having the second wire width.
US07689961B2
Increase power line noise immunity in an IC is provided by using decoupling capacitor structure in an area of the IC that is typically not used for routing, but filled with unconnected and non-functional metal squares (fills). In one embodiment, a method includes providing a circuit design layout; determining a density of a structure in an area of the circuit design layout; and in response to the density being less than a pre-determined density for the structure in the area, filling in a portion of the area with at least one capacitor structure until a combined density of the structure and the at least one capacitor structure in the area is about equal to the pre-determined density. Power line noise immunity is increased by increasing decoupling capacitance without enlarging the IC's total size by using a (fill) area that would normally be filled with unconnected and non-functional metal shapes.
US07689957B2
Statistical timing analysis techniques can be used to lead to the construction of robust circuits in a consistent manner through the entire design flow of synthesis, placement and routing. An exemplary technique can include receiving library data for a design including timing models. By comparing implementations of this data, a robust circuit can be defined based on a set of criteria, which can include worst negative slack, endpoint slack distribution, timing constraint violations, and total negative slack. At this point, statistical timing analysis can be used to drive logic changes that generate improved robustness in the design. The statistical timing analysis can use a static timing delay associated with the arc in statistical timing analysis as a mean and a specified percentage of the mean as the standard deviation.
US07689956B2
First, a yield is calculated by employing conventional SSTA. Next, an independent LL set is determined, the independent LL set being a subset having sets of delay element sets that only include gates and nets not being shared by two or more paths. Next, a yield is calculated by employing SSTA while using only the independent LL set. Thereby, it is understood that the actual yield is between the yield obtained by employing the conventional SSTA and the yield obtained by employing the SSTA using only the independent LL set.
US07689948B1
Methods and systems for the integration of models and accurate predictions to score the circuit design, which translates to a more accurate and less complex yield prediction. In the present inventive approach, the computer-implemented methods and systems use at least one processor that is configured for performing at least predicting a physical realization of a layout design based at least in part on one or more model parameters, determining one or more hotspots associated with the layout design, determining a score for each of the one or more hotspots associated with the layout design, and categorizing the one or more hotspots according to at least the score in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the methods or the systems further use at least one processor for the act of determining one or more hotspots by using at least the design intent or the manufacturing information.
US07689947B2
Finite state machines are provided to run instances of user-defined routines within a computing system. The finite state machines and updates to the finite state machines are user-defined and are checked for compliance with one or more prescribed schemas by a finite state machine engine. Compliant finite state machine specifications are interpreted for the plurality of states and transitions that constitute the finite state machine. Requested instances of a finite state machine specification are initiated by the finite state machine engine, which creates proxies to monitor the current state of any given requested instance.
US07689943B2
A method, system and computer program product for performing parametric reduction of sequential designs is disclosed. The method comprises receiving an initial design including one or more primary inputs, one or more targets, and one or more state elements. A cut of the initial design including one or more cut gates is identified, and a relation of one or more values producible to the one or more cut gates in terms of the one or more primary inputs and the one or more state elements is computed. The relation is synthesized to form a gate set, and an abstracted design is formed from the gate set. Verification is performed on the abstracted design to generate verification results.
US07689942B2
A graph-based iterative method is provided for selecting component modifications in an integrated circuit design that reduce the power consumption to a minimum while still meeting timing constraints. Channel-connected components are represented as nodes in a timing graph and edges in the timing graph represent directed paths. From the timing graph, a move graph is constructed containing a plurality of move nodes. Each move node represents a change to one of the components in one of the timing graph nodes. A given timing graph node can result in a plurality of move nodes. Move nodes can be merged into group nodes, and both the move nodes and group nodes are assigned a weight based on the change in power and timing effects of the associated components changes. These weights are used to select move nodes or group nodes. In general, a set of move or group nodes is selected representing the maximum cumulative weight and the components changes associated with the nodes in the set are performed on the integrated circuit design. Moves that cause timing violations are reversed. The node weights are updated following components changes and the selection of node sets is repeated iteratively until the power consumption converges to a minimum.
US07689926B2
Described is the selective exclusion of content returned in a requested screen capture operation, wherein exclusion may be determined by a window category and the requesting application program. For example, a magnification program will not received content captured from its own layered window or from any other layered magnification windows. A registration mechanism obtains and maintains a window handle for any window registered for exclusion. A screen capture mechanism uses the information to determine whether to exclude the content of windows when returning the captured screen content. Exclusion may be accomplished by enumerating areas that are not covered by any layered window and copying those areas to a screen representation buffer or the like, and separately enumerating areas that are covered by at least one layered window. A covered area is only copied to the screen representation when it does not correspond to an excluded window.
US07689910B2
A method, apparatus and program storage device for delimiting words is provided and requires adding an extensible vocabulary markup to a plurality of markup languages, wherein the plurality of markup languages comprises a knowledge representation, and processing a provided term from one or more vocabularies for use in the knowledge representation.
US07689909B1
A system and method that enables a user to efficiently manage graphical information is disclosed. In one embodiment, tools are provided that enable a user to creatively assemble, chronicle and modify photo album pages having a variety of graphical elements.
US07689908B2
A method of viewing a high resolution display on a low resolution development system display for a digital device includes selecting a target device and identifying an image form for the selected device. An image form displays a realistic form of the selected target device. A form factor is selected which represents the display capabilities of the target device. The image form size is adjusted such that the developer may see text in proper proportion to the image form so as to simulate the look of the high resolution display of the target device. Object code for the target device is generated which contains the proper font size to correspond to the image form and font on the development display.
US07689904B2
Operations included in creation of an electronic document having a plurality of predefined fields include receiving an input that a user makes under guidance of an input area in a graphical user interface (GUI). The input includes a character string and is made to create an electronic document in a computer system. A field with which the first character string is associated is determined. A template has a template input area for each of several predefined fields. The template is displayed in the GUI with an entry corresponding to the string entered in the correct input area. A GUI includes the input area and a template display area. Upon determining that the first character string is associated with a first predefined field, the first character string is entered in the template input area for the first predefined field. The string can also be used for template selection.
US07689889B2
A Content Addressable Memory (CAM) or Ternary CAM (TCAM) provides error detection and correction (EDAC). EDAC codes are chosen based on logical and physical properties of the CAM/TCAM. An entry in the CAM/TCAM comprises a plurality of groups, each group comprising a plurality of storage bits. Writes to the storage bits are encoded to enable EDAC. Lookup data is divided into lookup groups of one or more bits, and is applied to corresponding groups of entries to be searched. In one embodiment, storage bits in a group are first decoded to detect and/or to correct errors and then compared with a lookup group to produce a hit indication. In another embodiment, storage bits in a group are logically combined with a lookup group to produce a hit indication, wherein a correctable error in the storage bits does not affect correctness of the hit indication.
US07689888B2
A decoding apparatus and method is disclosed by which the decoder error occurrence probability is suppressed and a high decoding performance can be achieved. An ABP decoding apparatus diagonalizes a parity check matrix, updates LLR values, decodes the LLR values and then adds a decoded word obtained by the decoding to a decoded word list. The ABP decoding apparatus repeats the decoding procedure as inner repetitive decoding by a predetermined number of times. Further, as the ABP decoding apparatus successively changes initial values for priority ranks of the LLR values, it repeats the inner repetitive decoding as outer repetitive decoding by a predetermined number of times. Then, the ABP decoding apparatus selects an optimum one of the decoded words from within a decoded word list obtained by the repeated inner repetitive decoding. The invention is applied to an error correction system.
US07689885B2
An integrated circuit is disclosed. In one embodiment, for each clock domain there is at least one clock driver which is situated in the integrated circuit and which drives circuits situated in the clock domain. Each clock driver in the clock domain contains a clock input and an enable input, and its output outputs the clock received at the clock input if an enable signal is applied to the enable input. The clock driver receives a clock derived from the signal at the functional clock input, and the enable signal is connected in line with the values stored in the signal sequence registers if there is a signal change at the scan clock input when the scan chain shift mode has been switched off.
US07689883B2
The present invention relates to a test control circuit controlling a test of an internal circuit and a semiconductor memory device including the same. The present invention provides a test control circuit having: an encoding unit encoding test mode signals input from the external and transferring them to global lines; a decoding unit decoding the signals transferred from the global lines; and a test mode enable signal generating circuit generating test mode enable signals controlling a test mode enable by combining the output signals of the decoding unit and an address designating a test mode item code.
US07689880B2
There is provided a test apparatus including a plurality of test signal feeding sections that are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of memories under test, where each of the plurality of test signal feeding sections feeds a test signal designed to test a corresponding one of the plurality of memories under test to the corresponding memory under test, a plurality of defect detecting sections that are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of memories under test, where each of the plurality of defect detecting sections detects a defect in a corresponding one of the plurality of memories under test, a plurality of first calculating sections that are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of memories under test, where each of the plurality of first calculating sections calculates a remedy solution for a corresponding one of the plurality of memories under test and the remedy solution remedies the defect in the corresponding memory under test by replacing a defective storage cell in the corresponding memory under test with a backup cell of the corresponding memory under test, and a second calculating section that takes over, from one or more of the plurality of first calculating sections which have not finished calculating the remedy solutions, the unfinished remedy solution calculations, in response to a start of calculations by the plurality of first calculating sections for remedy solutions for a different group of memories under test, and performs the remedy solution calculations.
US07689878B2
A new test pattern which consists of performing “very small jumps” and “very big jumps” within the matrix. The “very small jumps” are controlled by the row decoder, and have the effect of sensitizing the resistive open defects which lead to slow-to-fall behavior in the word line. A “very small jump” means that the memory position of two consecutive accesses remains in a unique sub-cluster until all rows in that sub-cluster have been tested, remains in the same cluster until all rows in that cluster have been tested, remains in the same U section until all rows in that U section have been tested, and finally, remains in the same Z block until all of the rows of that Z block have been tested. The “very big jumps” are intended to cover the class of resistive open defects which leads to slow-to-rise behavior, and is intended to mean that two consecutive memory accesses must never stay in the same subcluster, at the same cluster, or at the same U section.
US07689874B2
A method for monitoring the correct operations of a data processing device including changing a subsystem from an authorized state to an unauthorized state, executing the partial operating sequence, and resetting any subsystem state from the unauthorized state to the authorized state.
US07689873B1
Errors occurring in computing clusters and other computing systems can impact system performance. Each error has an error type and each error type has a base cost estimating importance of correcting the error. Each error type also has a confidence indicating the level of agreement between those who fix the errors and those who assigned the base cost. An error type's actual cost is produced using the base cost and confidence. An error cascade map contains estimates that one error will cause another. An error type that causes other error types has a cascade cost. Upon detecting an error type, a repair order can be generated, depending on the cost involved. Repairs are then performed. Feedback mechanisms and correlations can be used to update the confidences and the error cascade map.
US07689870B2
A method and system for creating trace triggers from non-concurrent events, the system comprising: a trace trigger mechanism including: a plurality of multiplexers for breaking down a plurality of signals into a plurality of groups of signals; a pattern match mechanism for matching the plurality of signals to form a plurality of events, and a trace array trigger control block to perform one or more functions on the plurality of independently controlled events in order to create flexible trace trigger controls from non-concurrent events to control the starting and stopping of a data gathering function such as is used to capture trace data.
US07689866B2
The invention includes a method and apparatus for injecting dynamic faults in a circuit device. The apparatus includes a first register adapted with selection data identifying selected ones of a plurality of outputs of the circuit device and/or selected ones of a plurality of error registers of the circuit device, a second register adapted with dynamic fault data for propagation toward the selected ones of the outputs of the circuit device and/or the selected ones of the error registers of the circuit device, and a controller for applying the selection data to the first register and the dynamic fault data to the second register in a manner for providing a dynamic fault on each of the selected ones of the outputs of the circuit device and/or each of the selected ones of the error registers of the circuit device.
US07689862B1
Cluster unaware application failover in a clustered environment. A cluster typically includes a shared disk and at least two nodes referred to as an “active node” where the application is processed, and a “passive node” capable of processing the application in the event of an “active node” failure. The method includes identifying active node failures using a cluster manager, activating application resources from the shared disk, transferring the application resource services to the passive node, and processing the application from the passive node.
US07689860B2
Integrating content into a storage system with substantially immediate access to that content. Providing high reliability and relatively easy operation with a storage system using redundant information for error correction. Having the storage system perform a “virtual write,” including substantially all steps associated with writing to the media to be integrated, except for the step of actually writing data to that media, including rewriting information relating to used disk blocks, and including rewriting any redundant information maintained by the storage system. Integrating the new physical media into the storage system, including accessing content already present on that media, free space already present on that media, and reading and writing that media. Recovering from errors during integration.
US07689846B1
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates temporarily increasing the operating frequency of an electronic circuit, such as a computer system, beyond a maximum sustainable operating frequency. Upon receiving a request to operate at a higher frequency, the system determines the thermal energy level of a cooling system for the circuit. If the thermal energy level is below a threshold level for the thermal capacity of the cooling system, the system increases the operating frequency of the circuit to a frequency that is greater than the maximum sustainable operating frequency for a period of limited duration. This period of limited duration is short enough to ensure that a temperature increase, caused by increasing the operating frequency, does not raise the operating temperature of the circuit above a maximum operating temperature.
US07689845B2
A system may include acquisition of a supply voltage information representing past supply voltages supplied to an electrical component, acquisition of a temperature information representing past temperatures of the electrical component, and control of a performance characteristic of the electrical component based on the supply voltage information and the temperature information. Some embodiments may further include determination of a reliability margin based on the supply voltage information, the temperature information, and on a reliability specification of the electrical component, and change of the performance characteristic based on the reliability margin.
US07689841B2
A USB circuit device prevents reverse current while complying with USB specifications. A USB circuit device includes a connector unit to which a USB device is connected; a power supplying unit supplying power with the USB device through the connector unit; a switching unit flowing current induced into the connector unit from the USB device, into a ground selectively; and a controller controlling the switching unit to flow the current induced into the connector unit, into the ground if a level of the power provided with the USB device by the power supplying unit is less than a predetermined value. Accordingly, there is provided a USB circuit device for preventing reverse current from an external device and capable of protecting the circuit from over current with satisfaction to a USB specification.
US07689837B2
At the time of migrating encrypted data into another storage apparatus, decrypt this data after migration is simplified, and security against tapping, falsification and the like is maintained when a calculation method of encrypted data is re-written into another calculation method, and also access performance is improved. In a storage system 100 which is provided with a storage apparatus having a volume 120 and which is accessible from a host computer, it is made possible to execute the data migration when a storage apparatus provided with a mechanism capable of decrypting the encrypted data is chosen as a migration destination of this data, and also to keep holding surely the encrypted data by updating and saving again an encryption method applied to a encryption of the encrypted data into another method by internal processing of the apparatus even when the apparatus and the encryption method become obsolete.
US07689821B2
A network processor or other type of processor includes an interface comprising a plurality of signal lines, and interface circuitry adapted to receive clock signals for respective interface clock domains of the processor. The interface circuitry comprises a plurality of sampling registers clocked by respective ones of the clock signals. The interface circuitry is configurable in a variety of different configurations, each providing a different association between designated subsets of the signal lines and the clock domains of the processor.
US07689817B2
A data processing system supports a virtualization enabled (VE) operating mode. An operating system (OS) is launched during a boot process. However, a trap agent is launched before the OS is launched. The trap agent may intercept an attempt to transition the data processing system to virtual machine (VM) operating mode. In response to intercepting the attempt to transition the data processing system to VM operating mode, the trap agent may automatically determine whether the program that requested the transition is an authorized program. If the program is not authorized, the trap agent may prevent the program from transitioning the data processing system to VM operating mode. In one embodiment, the trap agent is launched before the data processing system selects a boot device. In another embodiment, the trap agent is launched before executing any code from any third-party option ROMs. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07689809B2
A system comprises a master processor and at least one slave processor. A state of the master processor comprises a first plurality of variables and a state of the slave processor comprises a second plurality of variables. The system comprises a parallel mode of operation wherein data are processed by the master processor and the slave processor and a serial mode of operation wherein data are processed by the master processor. In case of an interrupt or exception occurring in the parallel mode of operation, the system performs the steps of saving at least a portion of the first plurality of variables and the second plurality of variables to a buffer memory and switching the system to the serial mode of operation. If the interrupt or exception is occurring in the slave processor, at least one of the first plurality of variables is set to a value of at least one of the second plurality of variables. A system includes a master processor having a first state, a slave processor having a second state, and a buffer memory. The system is operable to switch from a parallel mode to a serial mode responsive to an interrupt or exception and save the states to the buffer memory. Responsive to the interrupt or exception occurring in the slave processor, the system sets at least one variable in the first state to that of a variable in the second state. Responsive to the interrupt or exception occurring in the master processor, the system saves a first return address from the first state and the second state to the buffer memory and replaces the first return address with an address of a trampoline instruction. The trampoline instruction switches the system to the parallel mode of operation and reads the second state and the first return address from the buffer memory.
US07689807B2
A mass storage controller includes a packet filter module for receiving a packet containing an updated sector of a remote file allocation table from a host device. The packet filter module is further operable for scanning the updated sector contents to determine their state. The updated sector is written to a local file allocation table of a local device when the state of the updated sector contents match a first state. An original sector of the local file allocation table corresponding to the updated sector is retained when the state of the updated sector contents match a second state.
US07689799B2
Method and apparatus for specifying and identifying logic volumes in computer systems that store logical volumes on multiple storage elements are disclosed. The logical volume identifier may be unique with respect to all other logical volumes stored on the storage elements. The logical volumes may be conventional logical volumes, partitions, or hyper volumes.
US07689795B2
An integrated circuit (IC) module allows volatile data generated by applications to be stored within volatile data files in the volatile memory. A file system tracks the location of all data files as residing in either volatile memory or nonvolatile memory and facilitates access to the volatile data files in volatile memory in a similar manner to accessing nonvolatile data files in nonvolatile memory. The file system exposes a set of application program interfaces (APIs) to allow applications to access the data files. The same APIs are used to access both volatile data files and nonvolatile data files. When an application requests access to a data file, the file system initially determines whether the application is authorized to gain access to the data file. If it is, the file system next determines whether the data file resides in volatile memory or nonvolatile memory. Once the memory region is identified, the file system identifies the physical location of the data file.
US07689792B2
For a storage system having plural control units to which plural disk devices are connected, in the method for creating replication in a volume of the disk devices connected to different control units, when receiving update I/O of a replication source during an initial copy for replication, the reflection of update to the replication destination is performed on an extension of the same I/O. When a pair is divided after the completion of copying, the update position is retained on the differential bitmap disposed in the individual control units, and the differential bitmap is merged to one of the control units at a time of resynchronization to perform copy processing.
US07689784B2
Methods and apparatus provide for loading at least one software program module from a storage medium into a local memory of a processor for execution, the storage medium containing a main module and a plurality of sub-modules of the software program; and updating an address table, copies of the address table being located in at least one of the storage medium and the local memory, and the address table having at least one entry for each of the modules, each entry including at least one of: (i) a destination address representing an address within the local memory of a processor at which the corresponding module is disposed, and (ii) a source address representing an address within the storage medium at which the corresponding module originates.
US07689779B2
Access to a memory area by a first processor that executes a first processor program and a second processor that executes a second processor program is granted to one of the first processor and the second processor at a time. Access to the memory area by the first processor and the second processor are cyclically uniquely allocated (e.g., t≡[(ad mod m)=o]) between the first and the second processor by the first and second processor programs.
US07689772B2
The number of ways in an N-way set associative sequential cache is modulated to trade power and performance. Way selection is restricted during the allocation based on address so that only a subset of the N-ways is used for a range of addresses allowing the N-ways that are not in use to be powered off.
US07689769B2
Data for storage by holographic data storage is arranged in an intermediate data storage as data segments which are replicas of holographic storage segments. Files of data are aggregated into the data segments, and a destaging control determines the destaging of the data segments to the holographic data storage in accordance with a plurality of policies, such as whether a segment is full, a time threshold has been reached, or whether a threshold number of segments are “open”. The intermediate data storage may be arranged into a number of partitions at least equal to the number of sources having input to the data destaging system, the partitions comprising integral multiples of the data segments.
US07689765B2
A control apparatus of a storage unit having a first and a second communication ports for conducting communication with a computer, a first and a second processors that control respectively the first and the second communication ports, first and second storage devices that store respectively a first and a second queues for storing commands sent from the computer respectively to the first and the second communication ports, and a first nonvolatile memory that the first processor accesses, the first and the second processors executing the commands stored respectively in the first and the second queues to thereby control the communications with the computer, comprising a unit causing the second processor to implement execution of the command stored in the first queue; and a unit changing data stored in the first memory while the second processor is being caused to implement execution of the command stored in the first queue.
US07689763B2
The invention provides a system and method for reducing pin count in an integrated circuit (IC) when interfacing to a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM). The SDRAM has a plurality of address lines and a plurality of data lines. The method includes connecting together the plurality of data lines and the plurality of address lines. The IC interfaces to the SDRAM through the connected plurality of address lines and the plurality of data lines.
US07689756B2
An apparatus, system and method to facilitate I2C communication between a host device and a slave device where the slave device shares a common physical address with another slave device on the I2C bus. The apparatus includes a detection module to detect an incoming address on the I2C bus, a translation module to translate the incoming address to an outgoing address, and a communication module to communicate data between the host device and the slave device where the outgoing address matches the physical address of the slave device. In this manner, the present invention avoids address conflicts between commonly addressed slave devices while reducing costs, components, and complexities traditionally associated with dynamic addressing techniques and other prior art solutions to address conflicts.
US07689754B2
A storage router (56) and storage network (50) provide virtual local storage on remote SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) to Fibre Channel devices. A plurality of Fibre Channel devices, such as workstations (58), are connected to a Fibre Channel transport medium (52), and a plurality of SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) are connected to a SCSI bus transport medium (54) The storage router (56) interfaces between the Fibre Channel transport medium (52) and the SCSI bus transport medium (54). The storage router (56) maps between the workstations (58) and the SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) and implements access controls for storage space on the SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64). The storage router (56) then allows access from the workstations (58) to the SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) using native low level, block protocol in accordance with the mapping and the access controls.
US07689750B2
Handling interrupts within an information handling system including entering into an interrupt management mode in response to receiving an interrupt, identifying at least one source of the received interrupt in accordance with an ordered list of a plurality of possible interrupt sources, dispatching an appropriate interrupt handler to resolve the identified at least one source of the received interrupt, noting a frequency of occurrence of each indentified at least one source generating a received interrupt over time, and recording the ordered list of possible interrupt sources in response to the noted frequency, wherein the possible interrupt sources with higher frequencies are placed in the beginning of the ordered list.
US07689748B2
Embodiments of a system and method for handling interrupts are described herein. In an embodiment interrupts from various client components in a system (also referred to as clients) are processed by an interrupt handler component uniformly. The various clients signal interrupts in different manners. For example, some clients signal interrupts in a level-based manner, and some clients signal interrupts in a pulse-based manner. In an embodiment, all interrupts received by the interrupt handler are formed into an event message according to a uniform format regardless of the manner in which the interrupt is signaled. The event message includes all information necessary for a host processor interrupt service routine (ISR) to service the interrupts without reading hardware registers. Event messages are stored in an event buffer for access and handling by the host. The event buffer is managed by the interrupt handler.
US07689747B2
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to augmented interrupt controllers (AICs) and to synthetic interrupt sources (SISs) providing richer interrupt information (or “synthetic interrupts” or “SIs”). The AIC and SIS provide efficient means for sending and receiving interrupts, and particularly interrupts sent to and received by virtual machines. Several of these embodiments are specifically directed to an interrupt controller that is extended to accept and deliver additional information associated with an incoming interrupt. For certain such embodiments, a memory-mapped extension to the interrupt controller includes a data structure that is populated with the additional information as part of the interrupt delivery. Although several of the embodiments described herein are disclosed in the context of a virtual machine system, the inventions disclosed herein can also be applied to traditional computer systems (without a virtualization layer) as well.
US07689724B1
An apparatus, system and method of sharing device data from a peripheral device by at least a first and a second computer where the peripheral device coupled with the first computer. The apparatus includes a device emulator coupled between the first computer and the second computer, the device emulator adapted to pass the device data from the first computer to the second computer in a format used by the peripheral device. Device data is received at the first computer, and it is determined whether the device data should be processed by the first computer, and the device data is passed to the device emulator for transmission to the second computer. In a method implementation, the determining operation may examine whether the first computer is the intended target of device data. The device data may be received at the device emulator and the device data may be encoded in a format used by the peripheral device, and transmitted in the format to the second computer. In this manner, the data from the device is shared by the first and second computers, as if the second computer has been connected to the device.
US07689721B2
A scheme for message folder synchronization. In one embodiment, a method may comprise: automatically detecting arrival of a message at a messaging server for a user; storing the message in a first folder of a first folder system associated with the user at the messaging server; processing at least a portion of an instance of the message for transmission to the user's mobile data communication device over a wireless network; receiving a status signal from the mobile data communication device indicating that the message has been moved from a first folder at the mobile data communication device to a second folder of a second folder system associated with the user at the mobile data communication device; and responsive to the status signal, moving the message from the first folder of the first folder system at the messaging server to a second folder thereat corresponding to the second folder of the second folder system.
US07689714B1
A system and method for load-balancing routing of a computation within a multiprocessor system. The computation includes multiple branches of execution, not just a linear sequence of steps, and thus cannot be efficiently routed by existing minimum-delay routing schemes. The cost of a single step of the computation is calculated, possibly using a ratio of outgoing data rates from the step to the incoming data rate. That cost may then be scaled for different branches of execution of the computation leading to or from that single step. For example, the calculated cost may be multiplied by each branch's probability of being executed.
US07689709B2
Systems and techniques are disclosed for transmitting a message through an application integration system without having to converting the message from a format that native to both a sending application and a receiving application. A computer-implemented method for transmitting a message from a sending application through an application integration system includes determining a receiving application of the message, and determining a file format used by the receiving application. If the file format used by the receiving application is substantially identical to a file format used by the sending application, the method includes wrapping the message in a markup language file envelope according to a markup language used by the application integration system. The message is then routed in the markup language file envelope to the receiving application.
US07689708B1
A storage server includes various components that monitor and control the data flow therebetween. If an egress (downstream) port becomes congested, that information is propagated upstream to the egress components such as the port manager, the traffic manager processor, and the egress storage processor, which are each configured to control their data flow to prevent dropped data frames. In addition, the egress storage processor can communicate the congestion information to the ingress storage processor, which further propagates the congestion information to the ingress components such as the traffic manager processor and the port manager processor. The ingress port manager processor can then direct the ingress port to stop accepting ingress data for the storage server to process until the congestion has been addressed.
US07689707B2
A data processing system having first and second data processing apparatuses and a data communication network supporting HTTP communications to which the first and second processing apparatuses are connected and a method of exchanging electronic files between the first and second processing apparatuses.A Web server is provided running a Web application implementing a Web service accessible by the first and second processing apparatuses through Web browsers. The Web application receives a file from the first processing apparatus, and sends it to the second processing apparatus without storing it in a Web server local file. The first processing apparatus accesses the Web service via the respective Web browser, and uploads a selected file from a file system local thereto to the Web server; under responsibility of the Web application, the uploaded file is received at the Web server and, upon request by the second processing apparatus, is sent thereto.
US07689704B2
A method for automatically creating a complete first data path between a user interface device (UID) and a system device. The UID and the system device are coupled to a set of UID switches. The method includes providing a switch command server (SCS), which is in electronic communication with the set of UID switches. The method also includes receiving at the SCS a switch/location agnostic connectivity indication (SLACI), which is generic with respect to switch-specific command syntax. The SLACI is also received from a SLACI-origination device that is location agnostic with respect to the set of UID switches. The method further includes transmitting, automatically in response to a triggering condition, a first set of switch commands from the SCS to the set of UID switches to connect the UID and the system device connect along an available data path to form the complete first data path.
US07689697B2
A server connectable to a device through a network is disclosed. The server includes a designation section and a transmission section. The designation section designates a first time interval for which the device repeatedly reconnects the server. The transmission section transmits an information corresponding to the designated first time interval to the device while the server is being connected to the device.
US07689690B2
The present invention provides a method for identifying a serialization bottleneck in a computer system (FIG. 1). The method comprises the steps of providing statistical data with regard to the actual response time (FIG. 2) of a computing resource, providing statistical data with regard to an expected response time of the computing resource and applying a mathematical formula to the actual response time to derive a relationship between the actual and expected response time. The relationship between the expected response time and the actual response time provides an indication of the presence of a serialization problem in a computing system.
US07689687B2
Devices in a process control system communicate by data messages over a communication medium segment. Each device includes a communication controller that automatically time stamps events associated with received and transmitted messages.
US07689686B2
Various actively probing techniques on a network allow an estimation of the sustainable capacity available in the network. One implementation probes the network using two probe sequences having different loads. Probe estimates associated with each sequence are used to estimate the sustainable capacity in the network. Another implementation probes the network using two probe sequences, in which either the probe packet size or the inter-probe gap are different between the sequences. Calculation of a delay trend for each sequence leads to estimate of the maximum network capacity and the background load on the network. Yet another implementation uses a windowing technique to probe the sustainable capacity in the network. The window size is increased until the network is saturated. The number of bytes transferred within the window during a given time period is an estimate of the sustainable capacity of the network.
US07689683B2
An object management device using at least partially the object in the virtual space, which is divided into ordered partial space regions, as a target of management, wherein the object used as the management target has an ordering key which is defined in relation to an order related to a partial space region and calculated by a client device, and by using this ordering key, the object which is used for management is selectively defined among objects as candidates for the target of the management.
US07689681B1
A system and method for facilitating controlled use of a remotely accessible device for compensation is described. At least one device remotely accessible over a network and capable of performing a function ancillary to a primary function performed for a subscriber through use of the at least one device is identified. A subscriber of the at least one device is compensated in exchange for performance of the ancillary function relative to the primary function.
US07689678B2
A method and apparatus is provided to restore the configuration of a network device. A configuration manager in a network device saves a version of the configuration of the network device by storing the configuration data in an format that conforms to a standard markup language such as the extended markup language (XML). The format includes a sequence of corresponding tags and values that represent the content of the internal data structures in the memory of the router that comprise the saved version of the configuration. At the time of restoration, an parser is used to parse the values from the tags and the configuration manager restores the contents of the internal data structures in the memory of the router to the parsed values in accordance with the corresponding tags.
US07689664B2
An application download server comprises a download request object and a configuration parameter object. The download request object receives a download request from a remote terminal. The download request identifies a requested application for download to the remote terminal. The configuration parameter object returns a configured application package to the remote terminal. The configured application package comprises installation files corresponding to the requested application and configuration files. The configuration files comprise a parameter value for each of a plurality of configuration parameters needed for operation of the requested application on the remote terminal.
US07689659B1
A classifier is implemented to determine the number of message transfer agents (MTAs) through which an email message has traveled. If the number of MTAs through which the email message has traveled is below a predetermined threshold and the email message is not otherwise authenticated, the classifier will designate the email message as abusive.
US07689654B2
A system and method for sending email. The method includes the steps of receiving: an email address including a destination domain from a user; prior to sending a message to the destination domain, determining whether the destination domain will receive email; and providing an indication to the user that the email may not be deliverable to the address. In one embodiment, the step of determining includes maintaining a list of problematic destination domains and checking the destination domain against said list.
US07689653B2
An apparatus and method is provided for a configuration of client work stations for instant messaging, wherein a participant intending to send a particular segment of chat content can elect to send the segment in an “off the record” mode. Content sent in this mode can be viewed but cannot be copied or saved by other instant messaging participants. The apparatus usefully includes a mode select device operable by the participant at a given station to designate each of a succession of chat content segments generated at the given station to be either for unrestricted use, or for off the record use, selectively. The apparatus further includes a component for applying a first use control message to each of the off the records segments sent from the given station to one or more of the other stations. A content control device located at a station receiving the off the record segments is responsive to the applied first use control messages to prevent the receiving station from retaining or otherwise propagating any of the received off the record segments.
US07689652B2
Email spam filtering is performed based on a combination of IP address and domain. When an email message is received, an IP address and a domain associated with the email message are determined. A cross product of the IP address (or portions of the IP address) and the domain (or portions of the domain) is calculated. If the email message is known to be either spam or non-spam, then a spam score based on the known spam status is stored in association with each (IP address, domain) pair element of the cross product. If the spam status of the email message is not known, then the (IP address, domain) pair elements of the cross product are used to lookup previously determined spam scores. A combination of the previously determined spam scores is used to determine whether or not to treat the received email message as spam.
US07689649B2
Perception of a personalization item in an instant messaging communications session may be enabled by perceiving an identifier corresponding to an intended instant message recipient designated by an instant message sender system, accessing personalization items corresponding to the perceived identifier, and making perceivable the personalization items corresponding to the received identifier to the instant messaging sender system for rendering in an instant messaging application running on the instant messaging sender system, where the personalization items are made perceivable prior to communication with the intended instant message recipient.
US07689644B2
In order to distribute multicast packets, using different multicast addresses and avoiding fault points, a backup server is installed close to a master and converts backup multicast packets and sends them as master multicast packets to the client. At this time, backup multicast packets are delayed and sent while the delay is determined from an allowable retransmission time, a one-direction delay to the client, a time required to detect linkage problems, and a time required to establish backup paths and so on.
US07689635B2
An area efficient data shifter/rotator using a barrel shifter. The invention is a circuit, which uses a single barrel shifter and is controllable to implement either a left or right shift or rotation of bits of a digital data word. The circuit is dynamically controllable to implement left or right shift of bits of the digital data word (both logical and arithmetic) and rotation (to the left or right) of bits of the word. The proposed circuit produces the required output in a single cycle.
US07689634B2
A file system designed according to a convention which permits the addition of new attributes (potentially of new types not defined earlier) for any desired set of files. In one embodiment, addition of an attribute for a file requires rewriting of attributes (of other files) stored following the added new attribute. In an alternative embodiment, the convention permits an attribute to point to another location at which the storing of new attributes is continued.
US07689626B2
A common logging system (a “virtual logging system”) that presents to one or more log clients the appearance that each log client is interacting with a dedicated logging system. In reality, the virtual logging system is multiplexing virtual log streams, including log records, for each log client into a single transactional log. In particular, the invention is directed at a scheme for mapping virtual identifiers that a client uses in connection with the client's own records to physical identifiers that represent the physical location of the client's records in the single transactional log
US07689623B1
A method of externally sorting large files in a computer system is presented. The contents of the input file to be sorted are investigated in order to identify presorted portions thereof. The presorted portions of the input file as thus identified are incorporated as sorted strings into an external sortwork file, by rearranging directory information rather than physically transferring data. If merging is necessary, the data may then be merged by a procedure wherein blocks of sorted data to be merged are incorporated into an output (sortout) file, by rearranging directory information rather than physically transferring sorted blocks to the sortout file. As a result of the process, portions of sorted data incorporated into the sortout file may physically remain in external storage space allocated to the input file, and/or in external space allocated to sortwork, thereby eliminating or reducing reading and writing from disk during sort-merge processing.
US07689622B2
Techniques for analyzing and modeling the frequency of queries are provided by a query analysis system. A query analysis system analyzes frequencies of a query over time to determine whether the query is time-dependent or time-independent. The query analysis system forecasts the frequency of time-dependent queries based on their periodicities. The query analysis system forecasts the frequency of time-independent queries based on causal relationships with other queries. To forecast the frequency of time-independent queries, the query analysis system analyzes the frequency of a query over time to identify significant increases in the frequency, which are referred to as “query events” or “events.” The query analysis system forecasts frequencies of time-independent queries based on queries with events that tend to causally precede events of the query to be forecasted.
US07689617B2
A method performed in a system involves, at a node within the system, receiving an input from a user, determining that the input contains an unknown word, presenting at least one response to the user, and based upon at least one additional input from the user, learning one or more associations for the unknown word.
US07689611B2
In an information processing system including a central processor for generating commands to process storage data stored and for executing a sequence processing and a storage subsystem including a plurality of storage media for transferring data between the plural storage media according to commands from the central processor, a data recovery method recovers data to a predetermined state upon occurrence of a failure in a sequence of processing executed by the central processor. Before execution of a sequence of processing, the central processor issues to the storage subsystem a saving request to save in the plural storage media a copy of data stored in either one of the storage media used in the sequence of processing. In response to the saving request, the storage subsystem saves a copy of data of the storage media.
US07689603B2
A file server device is provided which has less chance of error in changing directory settings information. A file server device that has access to a client computer and a disk array device receives a directory settings file, and writes the directory settings file in a specified shared directory. The file server device chooses, as a migration destination candidate, a volume whose settings information matches new settings information of the shared directory which is set as specified in the directory settings file. The file server device migrates information in the shared directory whose settings information is changed to the volume chosen as a migration destination candidate.
US07689602B1
A data management system or “DMS” provides data services to data sources associated with a set of application host servers. The data management system typically comprises one or more regions, with each region having one or more clusters. A given cluster has one or more nodes that share storage. When providing continuous data protection and data distribution, the DMS nodes create distributed object storage to provide the necessary real-time data management services. The objects created by the DMS nodes are so-called active objects. The distributed object store can be built above raw storage devices, a traditional file system, a special purpose file system, a clustered file system, a database, and so on. According to the present invention, the DMS active object store provides an indexing service to the active objects. In an illustrative embodiment, any object property that has a given attribute is indexed and, as a result, the attribute becomes searchable. The DMS provides hierarchical distributed indexing using index trees to facilitate searching in a highly efficient manner.
US07689598B2
A method and system of synchronizing files between a central site and a plurality of remote sites is disclosed. The method and system comprises providing a list of files to the plurality of remote sites by the central site, prior to a callback time of the remote sites and reporting which of the files are missing by each of the plurality of remote sites to the central site. The method and system further includes determining within the central site which of the files needs to be sent to each of the plurality of remote sites. Accordingly, a system and method in accordance with the present invention helps deliver content from a central site to multiple remote sites. A system and method in accordance with the present invention uses the DMD in conjunction with a software client described below to maintain the file synchronization between the central server and remote site servers.
US07689595B2
A method of and system for capturing and updating travel directions in a user's local address book application. The method comprises the steps of determining a current location profile of the user, calculating a user trajectory using that profile and an intended destination, and adding the current location profile and the intended destination into a historical database. The user's local address book is checked for an entry for the address of said intended destination; and if that entry is not in the address book, the entry is created in the address book. That entry is then checked to determine if a direction/map field of the entry contains directions/map information. If the entry does not contain this information, then this information is mined from a network source and added to the address book. This direction/map information is then displayed.
US07689592B2
A method and system for determining a plurality of coefficients of an objective function of a mathematical programming model. Attributes of the model are identified. A first set of coefficient values determining a first solution and initially representing the plurality of coefficients is determined by employing a specified ranking of the attributes. A prevailing solution is initialized to the first solution. Additional sets of coefficient values are generated, each set determining a corresponding additional solution of the model. The additional solutions are evaluated (e.g., by the Analytic Hierarchy Process) to provide a ranking of the solutions, where the ranking is dependent upon the attributes. The ranking of the additional solutions is used to select a second solution. The prevailing solution is set to the second solution if the second solution exceeds a sum of the prevailing solution and a specified tolerance.
US07689581B2
A method for generating a schema mapping. A provided mapping M12 relates schema S1 to schema S2. A provided mapping M23 relates schema S2 to schema S3. A mapping M13 is generated from schema S1 to schema S3 as a composition of mappings M12 and M23. Mappings M12, M23, and M13 are each expressed in terms of at least one second-order nested tuple-generating dependency (SO nested tgd). Mapping M13 does not expressly recite any element of schema S2. At least one schema of the schemas S1 and S2 may comprise at least one complex type expression nested inside another complex type expression. Mapping M13 may define the composition of the mappings M12 and M23 with respect to a relationship semantics or a transformation semantics.
US07689580B2
Methods and apparatus for creating a search framework that provides a semantic interface for searching transactional applications are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for enabling at least one transactional application to be searched includes creating a canonical object associated with the transactional application and indexing data associated with the transaction application. The method also includes creating an index store using information associated with the canonical object. The index store is associated with the indexed data. Finally, a semantic engine is interfaced with the index store.
US07689575B2
Methods, devices, and systems are directed towards managing a database using moderator determined attributes, and a contributor employable bitmask. In one embodiment, the database is employable for use in managing a weblog (blog). The bitmask is configured to enable contributors of a content item to modify selected options of an attribute for the provided content item. In one embodiment the bitmask is stored in the database and is associated with the content item in the database. By enabling a contributor to directly control options associated with an attribute for the content item, changes to selected attributes of the database's content may be made with minimum interaction with a database administrator. For example, in one embodiment, the contributor may directly control anonymity associated with the provided content item, access to the provided content item, and how the provided content items is displayed.
US07689573B2
In a system in which a DB is built in a virtualization environment, a management server obtains DB processing information such as a DB processing execution plan and a degree of processing priority from a DBMS, predicts data to be accessed in the near future and the order of such accesses based on the information, instructs to read into caches of storage devices data to be accessed in the near future based on the prediction results, and reads the data that will be accessed in the nearest future into a cache memory within the management server.
US07689570B2
Properties of real nodes are selected by which to organize the real nodes as leaf nodes in a tree graph. A number of virtual nodes are provided, each representing a value of a selected property for at least one of the real nodes. The virtual nodes and real nodes are organized into the tree graph, the virtual nodes positioned along branches starting at a root node and ending at a real node, the virtual nodes in a unique path from the root node to a real node representing the values of the selected properties for the real node. The tree graph is displayed, and can be reconfigured by dragging and dropping a virtual node to a different level in the hierarchy of the tree graph.
US07689566B1
Methods and systems for defining the partitioning between operating system environments are provided. In this method, network resources, devices, and pseudo-filesystems, etc. can be partitioned. This method provides the capability to support services from native and foreign operating environments without colliding on fixed resources. This method simplifies the task of supporting multiple different operating environments. By assigning each operating environment to its own zone, multiple instances of a single operating environment or multiple different operating environments can be simultaneously supported on a single operating system kernel.
US07689564B2
Various embodiments of the invention are directed to closely integrating functionality between an internet server and a WebDAV tool. Areas of specific focus in this document include delegation of duties between the internet server and the WebDAV tool, efficient management of a resource's content-type, support for segregation of a namespace into separate virtual roots, and determinations of whether to invoke certain processing extensions to handle requests for a given HTTP verb.
US07689549B2
Techniques for executing flashback queries using domain indexes in a database system are provided. In one technique, a flashback parameter of the flashback query is not included in a call-out invocation of domain index routines that implement a domain index. A call-back query execution unit nonetheless retrieves, for call-back queries issued by the domain index routines, call-back query results that reflect the state of a database in the database system as of the time specified in the flashback parameter. In another technique, a call-out invocation of domain index routines includes the flashback parameter of a flashback query. The domain index routines issue call-back queries that require the retrieval of data which reflects the state of a database as of the time specified in the flashback parameter, which are executed by the call-back query execution unit.
US07689540B2
A first query and a second query, both of which were submitted by a first user to identify information that satisfies a single information need of the first user, are received. The first query and the second query are stored in association with one another and based on a chronological order in which the first query and the second query were submitted by the first user to generate a first query reformulation path. A query is received from a user and more than one query reformulation path is accessed. The received query is compared with queries included in the accessed query reformulation paths to identify a relationship between the received query and a query included in a relevant query reformulation path. One or more prevalent end points is determined based on the relevant query reformulation path and at least one of the prevalent end points is presented to the user.
US07689533B1
A method and apparatus of identifying and using storage properties within a file system. In particular, the invention exposes the storage property of an underlying storage volume i.e., mirrored storage, RAID storage, standard storage, archival storage and the like, to the user such that the user may select a volume with appropriate storage capabilities for their files. Furthermore, the storage property of a storage volume is used as a file property within the file system such that files may be organized using the storage property. In another embodiment of the invention, altering the storage property that is used as a file property, automatically moves the file from one storage volume type to another storage volume type in accordance with the selected storage property.
US07689532B1
Peer-to-peer file sharing is increasing in popularity on the Internet, faster than any product known in history. Although file-sharing can enable massive piracy, it has many advantages for distribution of information including scalability. Alternatively, file-sharing can be sabotaged with falsified files and used to distribute viruses. To this end, a solution that maintains the scalability of file-sharing and promotes reliability is proposed. The solution involves embedding data within the file or content and using the data to identify the content, demonstrate its completeness and lack of viruses, and verify the file can be shared. The embedded data can be checked when the file is registered with the database for sharing, and before or while the file is being uploaded and/or downloaded. Ideally, the embedded data is added at the time of creation for the file. The embedded data may include a watermark and be linked to other copy management systems, such as those proposed in DVD and SDMI. Finally, the embedded data can be used to enable purchases of files that owners do not have rights to share.
US07689530B1
Disclosed are, inter alia, methods, apparatus, data structures, computer-readable media, and mechanisms, for identifying matches to a series of regular expressions, with the series of regular expressions including a first regular expression followed by a second regular expression, which avoids the potential overlap of characters used in matching the first and second regular expressions, while allowing individual deterministic finite automata (DFAs) to be used, whether standalone or as a merged DFA, which decreases the number of states required to represent the series of regular expressions. This potential overlap of characters can be avoided by adding marking states in a merged DFA as “divergent” in order to mask (e.g., ignore) a matching of the second regular expression for the potential overlap, or by using another DFA corresponding to the second regular expression for use during this divergent period.
US07689524B2
An intelligent personalized agent monitors, regulates, and advises a user in decision-making processes for efficiency or safety concerns. The agent monitors an environment and present characteristics of a user and analyzes such information in view of stored preferences specific to one of multiple profiles of the user. Based on the analysis, the agent can suggest or automatically implement a solution to a given issue or problem. In addition, the agent can identify another potential issue that requires attention and suggests or implements action accordingly. Furthermore, the agent can communicate with other users or devices by providing and acquiring information to assist in future decisions. All aspects of environment observation, decision assistance, and external communication can be flexibly limited or allowed as desired by the user.
US07689522B2
In embodiments of the present invention, a method and system for recording and mapping information and data is described. The system (or intellect map) comprises paths of steps of thought organized into structures comprising two or more paths. The structures each comprise a relatively small number of predefined points of entry and exit wherein the exit and entry points can be but do not necessarily comprise the same intersection points. In some embodiments, a plurality of structures can be connected to each other by way of appropriate entry and exit intersection points with or without intervening connecting paths to form complex structures.
US07689518B2
A system and method for instantly printing PC postage before establishing a postage meter account. The method includes the steps of a meter vendor obtaining a first meter license from the Post for a first meter; loaning the use of a first meter licensed in the customer's zip code to a customer; requesting a second meter license for the customer; initializing the first meter for use by the customer; and transferring the first meter to the Customer's meter license when the second meter license is received. Alternatively, when the second meter license is received a second meter is assigned to the customer and the first meter is reassigned to the meter vendor.
US07689513B2
Methods for licensing functionality after an initial transaction are provided. One such method is directed to licensing after an initial transaction of a customer obtaining a supply item including the step of prompting the customer to acquire a usage license for the supply item.
US07689508B2
Providing for a mobile communication device (MCD) credit account and credit transactions by way of such an MCD is described herein. As an example, a credit account sponsored by a financial or commercial entity can be associated with a unique ID of an MCD. The MCD can interface with another electronic device and initiate credit transactions, such as commercial purchases, credit transfers, currency conversions, and the like, via the interface. Further, rules provided by the sponsoring entity can guide such transactions, enforcing credit limits, for instance. A management component can then synchronize transactions conducted by the device with a server of a financial institution over a remote communication interface, such as the Internet or a cellular/mobile communication network. Accordingly, a mobile device can replace a traditional credit card in transacting credit business.
US07689507B2
Computer-implemented methods and systems for managing consumer transactional accounts provides a temporary line of credit with an installment option that a consumer can use for specific occasions or life events. The account remains open for only a limited period of time during which interest does not accrue. Thereafter, the account automatically expires, interest begins to accrue on the amount charged on the account, and an invoice is sent to the consumer with a number of payment options.
US07689506B2
According to one embodiment, the invention relates to a system and method for evaluating the creditworthiness of an account holder of a credit account comprising the steps of determining, at least once a day, whether a first data set relating to the creditworthiness of the account holder has been received from a credit reporting organization; determining, at least once a day, whether a second data set relating to transaction activity of the credit account has been received; periodically receiving from a credit reporting organization a third data set relating to the creditworthiness of the account holder; periodically receiving a fourth data set relating to the historical activity of the credit account; and using the first and second data sets, to the extent they have been received, and the third and fourth data sets to determine a measure of creditworthiness.
US07689500B2
A method and system for facilitating trading of financial instruments in a market are provided. The system comprises a server and an interface. The interface is configured to enable buy orders and sell orders to be entered. Each order has a price, a volume, and an entry time and relates to a respective futures contract. The server is configured to match received buy orders having a first price to received sell orders having the first price. The match is effected by ensuring that the prices match, and then using the volume and entry time for each buy order and each sell order to assign a volume weight and a time weight, and then using the volume weights and the time weights to determine each match. The server uses the matches to complete respective trades. The volume and time weights may be adjusted based on market conditions.
US07689495B1
A computerized system and method electronically conduct trades in securities, display information corresponding to orders, match the orders, and price the matched orders on the basis of volume-weighted-average price (VWAP). Orders are matched of buyers and sellers who wish to trade designated quantities of securities at a price based on the VWAP for the security in question determined with reference to a defined time period, which is set in advance of order matching, and may consist of an entire trading day on the market on which the security is traded or a portion thereof as determined by the trading parties and/or the disclosed system. VWAP trading is facilitated by displaying, over an output device, orders entered on the “buy” side and “sell” side. Trades of matched orders are continuously and/or non-continuously executed and the trades priced after the close of the relevant defined time period at the calculated VWAP.
US07689494B2
The present disclosure relates to household portfolio simulation and analysis to provide retirement income. In particular, it discloses advanced technologies for modeling, simulation and analysis of potential economic futures, as applied to household retirement prospects. Improved modeling may capture factors such as concrete objectives of participants' priorities among objectives, risk adversity and starting conditions that impact tax consequences of transactions. Improved modeling may address consistency among similar factors, tax consequences in simulation periods and transactions in real estate and private investments. Improved analyses may apply a margin of safety and/or risk budget analysis to a household portfolio to produce a meaningful presentation.
US07689492B2
A financial product. The financial product includes an underlying portfolio component, a fixed income component, and a scale-in component. The underlying portfolio component includes an initial investment allocation into an alpha-generating portfolio. The fixed income component is structured and arranged to generate a predictable rate of return and includes an initial investment allocation into a fixed income portfolio. The scale-in component is structured and arranged to increase the investment allocation into the underlying portfolio component when a cumulative return of the alpha-generating portfolio exceeds a threshold amount.
US07689488B2
Methods, systems, and computer program for interacting with simulacrum members of a buyer simulacrum. Persistent storage is configured to store collective qualifications of the simulacrum based on the individual qualifications of the simulacrum members, while a simulacrum broker is configured to present the collective qualifications to third parties. Thus, the broker provides a dynamic representation of the collective financial information, credit, insurance, trustworthiness, knowledge, skills and experience of a simulacrum or virtual buyer. The broker further enables an entity, such as a simulacrum employer or seller, to interact with the simulacrum as if that simulacrum were a single entity, rather than a collection of individual members.
US07689473B2
An enhanced shopping system for facilitating grocery shopping and in-store advertising is disclosed. The system utilizes uniquely changes (1) the way grocery retail industry captures and retains customers, (2) how customers organize their shopping efforts in grocery stores, (3) the approach to advertising and reaching customers, and (4) the information available to retailers and merchandisers related to customer (a) shopping patterns, (b) responses to merchandising and advertising, and (c) specific impact of discounting/coupons.
US07689470B2
Disclosure includes selecting a merchant from a plurality of merchants, enabling a trial mode for the merchant, during the trial mode, receiving an indication of a first order for the merchant, forwarding the indication of the first order to the merchant, allocating a first payment for the first order to the merchant, requesting an acceptance of a membership status from the merchant, and receiving an indication of the payment for the first order.
US07689466B1
At least one listing comprises a plurality of sublistings, each of the sublistings being associated with one of a plurality of advertisers. A response subsystem is configured to provide the listing in a response. A forwarding subsystem configured is to forward a request for information to one of the advertisers.
US07689461B2
A printing apparatus and method for printing receipts and for controlling the cutting of each receipt in succession from a recording medium such as print paper at an appropriate position determined from the print data received from a host computer. The printing apparatus 50 prints first print data representing transaction information with a paper cut command appended thereto and second print data representing additional information from print data received from a host computer 40. A first control unit 521 prints the first print data and delays executing the paper cut command added to the first print data when first print data is received from the host computer. When print data is received while execution of the paper cut command is delayed, a print data detection unit 522 determines the type of print data received based on the presence or absence of an identifier in the received print data. If the received print data is recognized as second print data, a second control unit 523 prints the received second print data and then executes the paper cut command. If the received print data is determined not to be second print data, the second control unit 523 executes the paper cut command before printing the received print data.
US07689459B2
A transaction card system includes a transaction cared with a display tag for displaying short term information, the character display having optical states that are stable without power and viewable from one side of the display tag and an array of electrical contacts for electrically addressing the character display from the other side of the tag, a contact window through which the contacts are accessible, machine readable data on the card, and long term information printed on the transaction card; a transaction card writer having a reader for reading the machine readable data and having means for updating the short term information displayed on the transaction card; and a central computer connected to the transaction card writer having a data base and a central processor for receiving the information read by the magnetic card reader and generating display commands for the transaction card writer.
US07689457B2
Computer-implemented processes are disclosed for clustering items and improving the utility of item recommendations. One process involves applying a clustering algorithm to a user's collection of items. Information about the resulting clusters is then used to select items to use as recommendation sources. Another process involves displaying the clusters of items to the user via a collection management interface that enables the user to attach cluster-level metadata, such as by rating or tagging entire clusters of items. The resulting metadata may be used to improve the recommendations generated by a recommendation engine. Another process involves forming clusters of items in which a user has indicated a lack of interest, and using these clusters to filter the output of a recommendation engine. Yet another process involves applying a clustering algorithm to the output of a recommendation engine to arrange the recommended items into cluster-based categories for presentation to the user.
US07689455B2
A device, system and method for data monitoring, collection and analysis. A method may include creating one or more context insight records representing an indication of a behavior of a service based on raw footprint data related to use of said service by a population of users, and analyzing said one or more context insight records to detect a dynamically defined anomaly of said service.
US07689444B2
A partially-automated system and method of generating insurance pre-applications that reduces data entry and processing errors. Rules-based software applications are used to generate insurance product options for insurance applicants. The fulfillment of each insurance application is outsourced to a service provider which reduces insurance broker involvement in the application process. A central control hub houses computer hardware and software for storing data and transmitting information between the hub and external workstations to facilitate monitoring and completion of each insurance application and placement of insurance policies. Insurance brokers may be partially or wholly reimbursed for the fee associated with each insurance pre-application.
US07689437B1
A method for assisting an individual to monitor, control and modify certain aspects of the individual's physiological status according to a preset physiological status goal comprising establishing the goal according to certain preselected physiological parameters, affixing a physiological monitoring device in proximity to the body of the individual, generating data indicative of one or more measured parameters of the individual using said device, and using the one or more measured parameters to determine status information indicative of the relative degree of achievement of the individual's performance with relation to the physiological status goal and providing the status information to the individual. Alternatively, the method may comprise providing, to the individual, information indicative of a suggested change in the individual's performance to assist the individual in the achievement of the physiological status goal.
US07689424B2
This invention relates to a distributed speech recognition method comprising at least one user terminal and at least one server which can communicate with each other by means of a telecommunication network. The inventive method comprises the following steps consisting in: at the user terminal, attempting to associate a saved form with the signal to be recognized and, independently of said step, transmitting a signal to the server, indicating the signal to be recognized; and, at the server, attempting to associate a saved form with the signal received.
US07689419B2
A method and apparatus are provided for training parameters in a hidden conditional random field model for use in speech recognition and phonetic classification. The hidden conditional random field model uses parameterized features that are determined from a segment of speech, and those values are used to identify a phonetic unit for the segment of speech. The parameters are updated after processing of individual training samples.
US07689418B2
A system and method for verifying user identity, in accordance with the present invention, includes a conversational system for receiving inputs from a user and transforming the inputs into formal commands. A behavior verifier is coupled to the conversational system for extracting features from the inputs. The features include behavior patterns of the user. The behavior verifier is adapted to compare the input behavior to a behavior model to determine if the user is authorized to interact with the system.
US07689415B1
Methods and systems for handling speech recognition processing in effectively real-time, via the Internet, in order that users do not experience noticeable delays from the start of an exercise until they receive responsive feedback. A user uses a client to access the Internet and a server supporting speech recognition processing, e.g., for language learning activities. The user inputs speech to the client, which transmits the user speech to the server in approximate real-time. The server evaluates the user speech in context of the current speech recognition exercise being executed, and provides responsive feedback to the client, again, in approximate real-time, with minimum latency delays. The client upon receiving responsive feedback from the server, displays, or otherwise provides, the feedback to the user.
US07689412B2
A method of automatically extracting synonymous collocations from monolingual corpora and a small bilingual corpus is proposed. The methodology includes generating candidate synonymous collocations and selecting synonymous collocations as a function of translation information, including collocation translations and probabilities. Candidate synonymous collocations with similarity scores that exceed a threshold are extracted as synonymous collocations. The extracted collocations can be used later in language generation by substituting synonymous collocations for applications such as writing assistance programs.
US07689410B2
A lexical semantic structure for modeling semantics of a natural language input on a computer is described. A set of lexical semantic categories is selected to model content of the natural language input. A methodology associates content of the natural language input to one or more categories of the set of lexical semantic categories.
US07689409B2
After prestoring first character strings that occur frequently in words of languages and second character strings that are a typical therein, a device for automatically identifying the language of a text from a plurality of languages extracts words from the text and constructs all of the character strings contained in each extracted word. Each string in an extracted word is compared to the first and second strings of a particular language. If the word contains a first string, a score of the language is increased by a coefficient depending in particular on the position of the first string in the word. If the word contains a second string, the score is decreased by a coefficient associated with the second string. The highest of the scores corresponding to the predetermined languages identifies the language of the text.
US07689407B2
A method of learning a second language through the guidance of pictures that enables users to learn multiple languages through computers.After users input a plurality of words, a picture/text interface will display the plurality of input words, a plurality of output words, and a plurality of pictures. The plurality of output words represent the plurality of input words in another language, and the plurality of pictures represent the plurality of input words.
US07689397B2
A method for black oil delumping is disclosed which comprises: converting a black oil wellstream into a compositional wellstream thereby enabling the composition and component molar rates of a production well in a black oil reservoir simulation to be reconstituted.
US07689393B2
A simulation system (30) for simulating an operation of an automotive vehicle includes an input (34) providing vehicle information and path information and a controller (38) having a vehicle computer model therein. The controller (38) is programmed to determine a rear side slip angle of a vehicle computer model; when the rear side slip angle is greater than a threshold, determine a look ahead scale factor; when the rear side slip angle is greater than the threshold, increase a look ahead point as a function of the look ahead scale factor; determine a steering wheel angle input to the computer model by comparing the look ahead point and the intended path; operate the computer model with the steering wheel angle input; and generate an output in response to the vehicle model and the initial steering wheel input or the first steering wheel input.
US07689388B2
An easy and cost-effective method of generating high fidelity simulation service loads. This invention, however, provides a simple but theoretically sound approach to conducting an accelerated simulation test, while obtaining a reasonable acceleration rate for the test. The method includes the steps of developing a service load history database; combining multiple time series models; adjusting the change of each time series model creating an accelerated service load model; regenerating a random vibration load data; and feeding the load data to drive an actuator for a high fidelity random vibration simulation test.
US07689384B1
A performance management system and method for generating a plurality of forecasts for one or more electronic devices is presented. The forecasts are generated from stored performance data and analyzed to determine which devices are likely to experience performance degradation within a predetermined period of time. A single forecast is extracted for further analysis such that computer modeling may be performed upon the performance data to enable the user to predict when device performance will begin to degrade. In one embodiment, graphical displays are created for those devices forecasted to perform at an undesirable level such that suspect devices may be subjected to further analysis.
US07689372B2
A process is disclosed for operating a measurement device of the vibration type in which at least one exciter arrangement excites the system to vibration and from the vibration parameters, a measurement quantity of a measurement medium in a tube system is determined. A time-dependent force f(t)=F sin(ωt)+g(t) with at least one sinusoidal component with an adjustable frequency ω can be used which acts on at least one vibration-capable part of the measurement device of the vibration type. A response signal of the vibration-capable part, (e.g., its time dependent velocity v(t)=V sin(ωt+ψ)+h(t)) can be measured, and a phase shift Ψ between the response signal and the force f of a signal component which oscillates with a frequency ω is determined. The phase shift Ψ can be used as the input for a frequency controller so that the excitation frequency is automatically adjusted as a function of Ψ.
US07689371B2
Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer program products for collecting and communicating temperature and volume data directly from a dispenser for use during a book to physical reconciliation process. The temperature and volume readings can be received directly from a dispenser by at least one of a retail system and a central inventory management system. The method can include collecting flow data indicative of a volume of a liquid product dispensed from the dispenser at a plurality of times during a defined time interval and collecting temperature data indicative of a temperature of the liquid product dispensed from the dispenser at the plurality of times during the defined interval. Once collected, the temperature data and the flow data can be transmitted to at least one of a retail system and a central inventory management system.
US07689370B2
The present invention provides systems and methods for determining the viscosity of a lubricating fluid in a process on line. The method of the present invention obviates the need to accurately control the temperature of the lubricating fluid in the system when taking fluid viscosity measurements.
US07689363B2
A resistivity imaging apparatus includes: a first sensor electrode disposed on an electrode pad and positioned at a first standoff; a second sensor electrode disposed on the electrode pad and adjacent the first sensor electrode, the second sensor electrode positioned at a second standoff; and a return electrode disposed on the electrode pad, wherein the sensor electrodes and the return electrode are configured for injecting current into a formation and receiving a signal from the formation. Other embodiments, methods and computer program products are disclosed.
US07689362B2
A method for estimating an impedance of a material behind a casing wall in a borehole, the method comprises exciting the casing wall with an acoustic pulse, and measuring by means of a transducer an experimental acoustic waveform (W) reflected from the casing wall. The method further comprises initializing an impedance parameter (Zin), computing an inverse casing response (Rcas−1) as a function of the impedance parameter (Zin) and a casing thickness parameter (Casin), and deconvoluting the experimental acoustic waveform with the inverse casing response to obtain a transducer response (T). An iterative loop is performed, comprising the computing of an inverse casing response and the deconvoluting of the experimental acoustic waveform by varying the impedance parameter until the transducer response becomes compact in the time domain. The estimated impedance (Zcem) is obtained from the impedance parameter when the transducer response is compact.
US07689359B2
There is provided a running support system for a vehicle, which supports running of a vehicle by using a radar and image recognition means as obstacle detecting means, and in which appropriate support control based on a result of detection performed by each control means is set. A result of obstacle detection performed by a millimeter wave radar (21) is checked against a result of obstacle detection performed by image recognition means (22). Then, a starting condition for the running support control is changed depending on whether an obstacle has been detected by both the millimeter wave radar (21) and the image recognition means (22), or an obstacle has been detected by only one of the millimeter wave radar (21) and the image recognition means (22). Thus, the control support is performed based on an inattentive condition of a driver.
US07689357B2
The invention relates to a closed loop hybridizing device comprising a Kalman filter bank, a virtual platform, a device to calculate pseudo-measurements estimated a priori. The Kalman filter bank comprises a principal Kalman filter adapted to the calculation of corrections to be applied to inertial measurements starting from all available pseudo-measurements, and n secondary Kalman filters adapted to the calculation of corrections to be applied to inertial measurements from a sub-set of available pseudo-measurements. The corrections originate from either the principal Kalman filter when no pseudo-measurement is erroneous or the secondary Kalman filter not affected by an erroneous pseudo-measurement. The corrections are applied simultaneously to inertial measurements and to the input to all other Kalman filters in the Kalman filter bank. In particular, the invention applies to a hybridizing device using information provided by an inertial unit and a satellite navigation system, for example a GPS system.
US07689355B2
A method, system, and computer program product that enables a direction service to automatically inform the requester or user of the directions of advertisement associated with the various businesses and/or landmarks situated on a directional map generated by the service. The service provider of the navigational service enhances the directional offerings to include advertisements associated with specific businesses and/or points of interest within the service's mapping database. When a generated route/direction includes landmarks (e.g., one or more of the businesses or other point of interest), which have an associated advertisement, the service displays (or outputs via audible or other means) the advertisement to the user, along with the directions. In this way the user is provided an output that includes the directions, landmarks (businesses and/or points of interest) along the routes, as well as an output of the specific advertisement associated with each of these landmarks.
US07689353B2
Disclosed are a navigation system and/or a point information display method and a program. The navigation system consists mainly of: a stream receiver that receives broadcast streams; a data decoder that samples a data signal from the received streams and decodes the data signal into character string information; a matching block that performs matching to compare a predetermined keyword, which is associated with position information specified in map information data, with stored keywords and searches a keyword consistent with the keyword contained in the character string information; a position information searching block that searches position information associated with the keyword contained in the character string information and detected to be consistent with a stored keyword by the matching block; and a display unit that displays the detected position information while superimposing it on a display image.
US07689337B2
A method of cooperative vehicle control in which a high level controller includes a high level algorithm that manages the overall control strategy of the vehicle and decides which vehicle subsystems to control, with what timing and with what authority. Depending on the given situation at hand, including existing or potential conflict between sub-algorithms in the high level controller, the status of the various subsystems and the effectiveness of additional change of these subsystems, desired intervention speed, and environmental repercussions in the total vehicle system, the high level controller may decide to use differing control strategies to meet performance characteristics of the total vehicle system as well as maintain control of vehicle stability, traction characteristics and overall body motions.
US07689335B2
Start/stop decision circuit receives main and sub IG instruction signals from a hold circuit and a sub line, respectively, and if the signals match in logic, the start/stop decision circuit follows the main IG instruction signal's logic to determine whether an ignition switch is turned on/off. If the main and sub IG instruction signals attain the high and low levels, respectively, and a logic discrepancy is thus caused, and a condition is established for speculating that the vehicle is parked and therefrom a decision is made that the vehicle system will be stopped with high probability, then the start/stop decision circuit determines that the ignition switch is turned off, and start/stop decision circuit detects that the hold circuit has an ON failure and subsequently the start/stop decision circuit stops the vehicle system.
US07689323B2
A method and system is provided for optimizing the performance of a power generation and distribution system that monitors the performance of a power system, detects disturbances and calculates statistical information, uses historical performance data and economic factors to analyze and control the production of power.
US07689319B2
A communication robot control system displays a selection input screen for supporting input of actions of a communication robot. The selection input screen displays in a user-selectable manner a list of a plurality of behaviors including not only spontaneous actions but also reactive motions (reflex behaviors) in response to behavior of a person as a communication partner, and a list of emotional expressions to be added to the behaviors. According to a user's operation, the behavior and the emotional expression to be performed by the communication robot are selected and decided. Then, reproductive motion information for interactive actions including reactive motions and emotional interactive actions, is generated based on input history of the behavior and the emotional expression.
US07689317B2
A medical item inventory system includes a plurality of different types of stored medical items. The system includes medical item dispenser devices which can be selectively operated to dispense requested medical items to authorized users. The system can monitor the medical item inventory to automatically determine a low supply of a particular medical item type. In response to a determination of a low supply of a particular medical item type, the system automatically electronically places a purchase order to a supplier of the particular medical item type. The purchase order includes the particular medical item type, a requested quantity, and a requested delivery date. The requested quantity and delivery date can both be calculated by the system based on a rate of use of the particular medical item type.
US07689315B2
A semiconductor equipment control system and method is provided. The semiconductor equipment control system preferably includes semiconductor equipment having a process recipe stored therein and a host connected to the semiconductor equipment through a network. The host preferably includes a database in which a reference recipe is stored and is preferably configured to receive and compare a final modification time of the process recipe with a final modification time of the reference recipe. When the final modifications times are equal, the host is preferably configured to instruct the semiconductor equipment to perform a process according to the process recipe. When the final modification times are different, the host is preferably configured to check a recipe body of the process recipe against a recipe body of the reference recipe to determine if the process recipe is within an established tolerance. If the process recipe is within tolerance, the host may instruct the semiconductor equipment to perform the process according to the process recipe. If the process recipe is not within tolerance, the host preferably interlocks the process. Using this semiconductor equipment and control method, unconditional checking of the process recipe body can be eliminated, thereby resulting in significant time savings and a more efficient manufacturing process.
US07689312B2
A method, computer program product, and system for handling an error that occurs during processing of a job in a manufacturing system are provided. The method, computer program product, and system provide for determining a first location in the job where a first subsystem of the manufacturing system is currently processing, identifying a second location in the job where a second subsystem of the manufacturing system completed processing before the error occurred at the second subsystem, the second subsystem being connected in series to and downstream from the first subsystem, and providing a controller-generated repositioning instruction for the first subsystem based on the first location and the second location.
US07689309B2
The dynamic response characteristics of an electro-hydraulic (EH) physical plant is represented by a model. The model includes a series of second order transfer functions, one for each operating point, of the EH physical plant. Command pressure, overshoot, rise time, damping coefficient, natural frequency and gain parameters are determined in developing each transfer function. The model can be used to advance the time in which the design and development of a control system for the EH physical plant can begin.
US07689307B2
In a digital audio mixer, a link group assigner assigns one or a plurality of link groups exclusively to channels of the digital audio mixer. An operating data setter sets a value of an operating data element for each of concerned channels to the same value when the operating data element is placed in a link state and when the same link group is assigned to the concerned channels. An operating data changer operates when a value of an operating data element of one channel is changed to a specific value and when the operating data element is placed in the link state, for changing a value of a corresponding operating data element of another channel belonging to the same link group as the one channel to the specific value. An image data output unit displays a screen containing graphic symbols representing the respective channels. Graphic symbols representing channels belonging to different link groups are represented in different display forms, and graphic symbols representing channels that do not belong to any link group are represented in a common display form, which is different from the display forms of the graphic symbols representing the channels belonging to the link groups.
US07689300B2
When causing manual movement of a moving section of a machine tool, shape data of the moving section is made to move in a movement direction that has been input manually, and it is confirmed whether there is no interference with shape data of a surrounding interfering object. If interference occurs, a position returned a specified distance from the position where interference occurs is made a stop position, the moving section is moved to this stop position, and stopped at that position.
US07689296B2
A method includes predicting measurements or states to be used by a controller to control a process. The predicted measurements or states are generated using a model of the process. The method also includes providing the predicted measurements or states to the controller such that the controller uses the predicted measurements or states at a sampling rate of the controller. In addition, the method includes updating at least some of the predicted measurements or states using measurements associated with a characteristic of an item from a sensor. The model may represent a discrete time model, and the method may also include generating the discrete time model using a continuous time model of the process. The measurements could be received from a plurality of sensors, where at least two of the sensors have different sampling times.
US07689292B2
An operational status display for a nerve stimulator is located remote from the nerve stimulator. In one embodiment the display comprises a stand-alone discrete component that can be placed as desired by the nerve stimulator needle. In another embodiment, the display comprises an integral part of the nerve stimulator needle. The display can be alphanumeric or can comprise one or more discrete signal lights or other visual indicia. Color can be used to provide information regarding levels (intensity) of current, or the energy being provided to the needle and/or being delivered to the patient. In some embodiments these displays also provide information regarding the presence or absence of current and/or the polarity of the electricity then being provided to the nerve stimulator needle.
US07689288B2
Decoupling circuits are provided which transfer energy induced from an MRI pulsed RF field to an energy dissipating surface. This is accomplished through broadband filtering or by resonant filtering. In a passive component network for an implantable leadwire of an active implantable medical device, a frequency selective energy diversion circuit is provided for diverting high-frequency energy away from a leadwire electrode to a point or an area spaced from the electrode, for dissipation of high-frequency energy.
US07689287B2
Methods which are useful to aid in smoking cessation. The methods generally comprise applying an electrical current to the subject in the vicinity of two or more acupuncture points selected from acupuncture points in or on the arms and hands of the subject. Suitable points include the Hegu acupuncture point (LI-4), a point on the opposite side of the hand to the Hegu acupuncture point, the Wai guan acupuncture point (SJ-5), and the Nei guan acupuncture point (PC-6).
US07689277B2
Systems and methods are described for treating metabolic syndrome and/or Type 2 diabetes, and/or one or more of their attendant conditions, by neural stimulation. In one embodiment, an implantable pulse generator is electrically coupled to a peripheral nerve, such as the splanchnic nerve. Neural stimulation configured to either block transmission or stimulate transmission of the peripheral nerve may be used to treat metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes.
US07689274B2
A system includes a port to receive brain activity data of a user, a processor to detect a beginning time of a user nap based upon the brain activity data, and a user interface to notify the user when a predetermined nap time has elapsed. A method of monitoring a user somnolence level receives brain activity data from a user, and determines a somnolence level from the brain activity data. If the somnolence level is sleep, the system determines if a nap has progressed to a waking point, and if the nap has progressed to a waking point, alerts the user.
US07689272B2
Electrical signals originating in the brain are measured and analyzed. In one embodiment, this technology serves to assess brain functioning as a means to evaluate cognitive functioning, to detect cognitive deficits such as those brought about by Alzheimer's, and to assess the efficacy of treatments for cognitive disorders. In another embodiment, which is an improvement on technology previously patented by the inventor, this technology serves to detect information in the brain as a means of detecting participation in specific organizations, acts, or criminal activity. In a third embodiment, this technology serves to evaluate the effectiveness of advertising, educational and training presentations by detecting the attention, information processing, and memory-related responses to these presentations as revealed by brain waves.
US07689256B2
Methods and apparatus for limiting communication capabilities in mobile communication devices are disclosed. In one illustrative example, an operating variable of a mobile communication device is detected to be within one of a first range of values, a second range of values, and a third range of values. The mobile device operates in a full communication state if the operating variable is detected to be within the first range of values, a first limited communication state if the operating variable is detected to be within the second range of values, or a second limited communication state if the operating variable is detected to be within the third range of values. When receiving a communication request for establishment of a voice call or for communication of a user data message, the mobile device permits or prohibits the communication depending on the communication state, and preferably depending on whether the communication request is for a non-emergency or emergency communication. In one preferred embodiment, the operating variable is a temperature of the mobile device.
US07689248B2
The specification and drawings present a new method, apparatus and software product for listening assistance to a user of a phone terminal with a headset or a hearing aid for selective listening of a local acoustic source in a noisy environment by said user utilizing a combination of said phone terminal and said headset. The method for the listening assistance comprises of placing the phone terminal near a desired local acoustic source, switching a mode of the phone terminal to a listening mode, providing to the headset or to the hearing aid a signal (e.g., a wireless signal) generated by the phone terminal in response to an acoustic signal from the local acoustic source, and providing to the user an output acoustic signal generated by the headset or by the hearing aid in response to that signal thus providing said listening assistance to the user.
US07689239B2
A system, method, and apparatus for establishing headroom for a mobile station operating in a wireless communication system by determining (230) a communication channel variance condition and establishing (245) a headroom value based on the communication channel variance condition. The headroom value may be further revised by determining (260) if a battery condition in a mobile station relates to a low battery level and increasing (265) the headroom value in order to decrease the maximum data rate. Modifications to headroom allow data rates to be tailored to specific channel variance conditions and battery conditions.
US07689234B2
A method and device for transmitting at least one short messaging service message to at least one wireless device are disclosed. The method comprises receiving at least one short message service message request associated with a short message service message. The short message service message is destined for reception by a wireless device (106). Prior to receiving the request, a short message service center (114) determines if a wireless device (106) is registered with a registrar (210) associated with a session initiation protocol network for communicating over a packet data network (102). The short message service message is transmitted to the wireless device (106) through the session initiation protocol network communicating over the packet data network (102) in response to the request and with the determination that the wireless device (106) is registered with the registrar (210).
US07689224B2
A method and apparatus for generating connectivity is described. The method includes a server broadcasting a beacon including the server's address. The method further includes each client that receives the beacon rebroadcasting the beacon. The result is that each client receiving the beacon knows a way to reach the server.
US07689219B2
Reject code handling is utilized for a more time-efficient selection of data-capable networks. One illustrative method for use in selecting a wireless communication network for communications involves the steps of causing a request for data connectivity to be transmitted through a first wireless network; reattempting the request for data connectivity through the first wireless network one or more times if a reject code comprising a non-critical error is received in response to the request for data connectivity through the first wireless network; and attempting to select a second wireless network for communications without reattempting the request for data connectivity through the first wireless network one or more times if a reject code comprising a critical error is received in response to the request for data connectivity through the first wireless network.
US07689215B2
A method of compressing uplink control information in a wireless communication system where an MSS scans neighbor BSs upon request from a serving BS and transmits neighbor BS information to the serving BS. In the method, the serving BS broadcasts a neighbor advertisement message including the BS ID of at least one neighbor BS about which the serving BS wants to acquire information, and the BS ID of the at least one neighbor BS. The MSS then scans a channel from the at least one neighbor BS and transmits a scanning result along with a BS index of the at least one neighbor BS to the serving BS.
US07689209B1
A wireless communication network comprises antenna systems, a mobile switching system, and a monitoring system. The antenna systems exchange user communications with mobile user devices in a wireless communication format. The mobile switching system has software to control operations. The mobile switching system routes the user communications between the antenna systems and network communication systems. The monitoring system determines that a software lock should be implemented for the mobile switching system, and in response, transfers a software lock instruction to the mobile switching system. The mobile switching system receives the software lock instruction and subsequently receives a request for a software modification. The mobile switching system denies the request for the software modification in response to the software lock instruction.
US07689208B2
A communication system, upon receiving an instruction to transfer deferrable data, determines whether an air interface is congested and, when the air interface is congested, defers a transfer of the deferrable data or transfers the deferrable, lower priority data as higher priority data. When, during a transfer of deferrable data, the system determines that the air interface is congested, the system may terminate the call and save a state of a partially completed deferred data transfer. Subsequent to the termination of the call, the system establishes another data connection over the air interface and transfers any remaining, not yet transferred deferrable data. In order to discourage subscribers from transferring higher priority data as lower priority data, the system may further restrict a transfer of lower priority data to designated time periods while allowing a transfer of higher priority data during the designated time periods and other time periods.
US07689206B2
A method of facilitating the initiation of an outgoing phone call on a handheld electronic device including receiving a request to initiate the outgoing phone call and determining whether additional user action is required in order to initiate the outgoing phone call. If it is determined that additional user action is required, the method further includes: (i) displaying a prompt on the handheld electronic device that indicates that the additional user action must be taken in order to initiate the outgoing phone call, and (ii) providing an alert, such as an audible signal, that is separate from the prompt. Also, a handheld electronic device including a display, a processor, and a memory in electronic communication with the processor. The memory stores one or more routines executable by the processor for implementing the described method.
US07689202B2
A method and system for providing personal and emergency service hailing. A profile database stores profiles with individualized distance thresholds for each of a number of wireless devices. A wireless message proximity request is received from a requesting wireless device. Distances between a location of the requesting wireless device and locations of each of other wireless communications devices is computed and compared to individualized distance thresholds stored for the requesting wireless communications device. A set of wireless devices consisting of wireless devices that satisfy the individualized distance thresholds for the requesting wireless communications device is identified and a wireless message proximity response is sent to the requesting wireless communications device. The wireless message proximity response identifies the set of wireless communications devices that satisfy the at least one individualized distance threshold.
US07689201B2
A cellular phone having a telephone communication unit and a data communication unit is provided with the function of notifying a user of emergency data communication immediately even when the emergency data communication was received while a call was in progress. There is provided a communication terminal equipment according to the present invention, which includes a data communication unit which receives emergency data communication, a display unit which displays the contents of the received data communication thereon, and a communication unit which communicates with a base station by phone or the like. The communication unit establishes a call link through a cellular phone network, and the data communication unit allows received data to interrupt a call upon emergency, displays it on the display unit and notifies a user that emergency data has been received.
US07689190B2
A technique includes generating an analog voltage to control a frequency for an oscillator. The analog signal is converted into a digital signal, and the frequency is controlled in response to the digital signal.
US07689183B2
A transmitter controlling output power to generate a ramp and a method thereof. The transmitter comprises a baseband module, a transmitter module, and a power amplifier. The baseband module receives a power control level, determines a scaling factor according to the power control level, determines a difference between an upper power limit and lower power limit according to a position on the ramp, and calculates a control signal according to the scaling factor, the lower power limit, and the difference. The transmitter module transmits data. The power amplifier coupled to the baseband module and the transmitter module, outputs the data with the output power according the control signal.
US07689181B2
In a circuit arrangement for regulating a DC signal component of a signal that is input to a frequency mixer, the regulation comprises a detector which detects the DC component of the input signal. A comparator compares the DC component with a reference value, and drives an apparatus for influencing the DC component based on the comparison.
US07689172B2
Systems and methods that are adapted to avoid radio frequency interference, electromagnetic interference, and/or electromechanical interference originating from modules, peripherals and interconnects of an electronic device, such as a mobile terminal, that are generating unintentional radiation (e.g. memory cards, camera flashes, data buses etc.) and coupling to the radios of the same electronic device are disclosed. The systems may include a controller unit that schedules the operation of the components to avoid concurrent operation of radios and sensitive peripheral devices which may interfere with each other during concurrent operation.
US07689165B2
A method and system for communicating within a wireless communication network (200) is provided. The communication between Portable Subscriber Units (PSUs) (104 and 106) by using a Vehicular Repeater (110) over a conventional communication link (102) is attempted (404). If the conventional communication link attempt fails (406), the communication is initiated directly from one PSU (104) to at least one other PSU (106) by using a direct channel link (202).
US07689163B2
Via a mobile communication network, a transmission apparatus receives position information representing a current position of a reception apparatus. Based on the received position information, the transmission apparatus generates notice data indicating that it is necessary to correct preprogrammed program information identifying a program which has been preprogrammed for viewing or preprogrammed for recording and being generated at the reception apparatus, and transmits the generated notice data to the reception apparatus. Accordingly, a transmission apparatus is provided which generates information that allows preprogramming of a broadcast program for viewing or recording to be properly performed at the reception apparatus side, or which generates a correct broadcast program table, and transmits the generated information or program table to the reception apparatus.
US07689162B2
A process is described to build physical layer frames with a modcode adapted to the signal quality of a destination terminal. Data packets assigned to the same modcode may be sent in the same frame, although packets associated with higher modcodes may be used to complete a frame before switching to the applicable higher modcode for construction of subsequent frames. After an interval, the order of progression is restarted with an out of order packet above a threshold age. Flow control filtering mechanisms and a variable reliability margin may be used to adapt dynamically to the current data traffic conditions.
US07689157B2
The invention is to improve a toner diffusing efficiency in a toner container, thereby increasing a toner containing capacity. The toner container includes plural screws which diffuse the toner in plural directions and diffuse the toner in different positions. A toner filling efficiency in the collecting container is improved by providing plural toner diffusing points within the toner container.
US07689143B2
A device for driving a pin that fastens a printer cartridge drum to a printer cartridge at least on one end of the printer cartridge drum, the device comprising a device body defining a device body recess and a shaft configured to be inserted in the device body recess and to be moved within the device body recess, wherein the movement of the shaft within the device body recess is configured to drive the pin and alter the attachment of the printer cartridge to the printer cartridge at the at least one end of the printer cartridge drum.
US07689142B2
An image forming apparatus capable of suppressing drop in the write positional accuracy of the optical write while improving the maintenancability of the photosensitive bodies and the peripheral devices thereof, having a printer comprising four processing units each holding, in the inner part thereof, a photosensitive body for supporting a latent image on an endless moving surface, an optical write unit that is movable between an operate position where a write operation is performed for writing latent images on the surface of each of these photosensitive bodies and a retreat position where this write operation is not performed, and a support body for supporting each of the photosensitive bodies of the processing units and the optical write unit, the support body being configured as an integrally molded part by being united at the location for supporting each of the photosensitive bodies of the processing units and the location for supporting the optical write unit from (front-side panel and rear-side panel).
US07689129B2
A parallel computation apparatus as a multiprocessor includes functional modules as a plurality of processors having an optical communication function and capable of mutually cooperating, and an optical transmission line interconnecting the plurality of processors. Among the plurality of functional modules, the first functional module having a first information processing capacity has a function of determining whether information processing of a first information processing amount can be completed based on the first information processing capacity, and outputting a second information processing amount obtained by subtracting an information processing amount based on the first information processing capacity from the first information processing amount to at least one of the other functional modules.
US07689118B2
An image capture apparatus has an electronic view finder assembly. The assembly has a casing including inner and outer casings; an accommodation spacing, an opening, a cover, an eye cup portion, a stopper, and a dust prevention cushion. The accommodation spacing accommodates the inner casing held in the same extension direction as the outer casing. The opening is provided in the outer casing for insertion of the inner casing into the accommodation spacing. The cover closes the opening. The eye cup portion is attached to a rearward end of the outer casing. A stopper stops forward movement of the inner casing accommodated in the accommodation spacing in the state of the opening closed by the cover. The dust prevention cushion is interposed in a compressed state between overall circumferential peripheries of respective rearwardly facing and forwardly facing wall faces of the inner and outer casings in the state where the forward movement of the inner casing is stopped by the stopper.
US07689098B2
A method and apparatus are provided for creating and recording management information for digital data streams, and for reproducing data using the management information. According to an embodiment, the method for recording a digital data stream being received, comprising: (a) recording received stream units of a digital data stream along with their arrival time references representing the arrival times of the received stream units on a recording medium; (b) grouping the received stream units into stream object units of a predetermined size, such that the maximum search time for a stream object unit is almost uniform among the recorded stream object units; and (c) creating and recording reproduction management information regarding the stream object units.
US07689097B2
A method and apparatus for recording time information for received digital data streams are provided. The method includes recording first time information and second time information on a recording medium. The first time information is part of management data for managing presentation data and the second time information is time information of the presentation data. The format of the first time information coincides with the format of the second time information.
US07689096B2
An information processing apparatus for mitigating the processing load of its CPU to increase the transfer rate at recording and enhance the usage efficiency of recording media. A host CPU determines whether an information signal supplied from the apparatus is a moving picture signal according to an instruction entered by user through a key operation block or according to the information included in the supplied information signal. If the supplied information signal is found to be moving picture information, the CPU detects free blocks each made up of a plurality of clusters by referencing the FAT information of a hard disk and records the moving picture information in unit of detected free blocks. If the supplied information signal is found not to be moving picture information, the CPU records the detected signal to free clusters on a cluster basis.
US07689095B2
An electronic device system includes a plurality of electronic devices each having at least an audiovisual playback device capable of reading one of stored audiovisual content data and received audiovisual content data, and an audiovisual output device capable of outputting desired audiovisual content, a bus establishing connection among the plurality of electronic devices, and a controller capable of controlling the electronic devices connected to the bus. In the electronic device, the audiovisual output device connected via the bus includes a device identifying unit for identifying, under the control of the controller, the audiovisual output device which outputs the desired audiovisual content, and a content output unit for outputting the desired audiovisual content when the audiovisual output device is identified by the device identifying unit.
US07689090B2
A cable sleeve for the structured storage and handling of optical waveguides guided in optical waveguide cables is disclosed. The cable sleeve comprises a covering body defining an interior. A sealing body comprising two dimensionally stable end pieces and a compressible gel element arranged between the end pieces is adapted to be insert into an opening of the covering body and operable for feeding optical waveguide cables into the interior and/or for feeding optical waveguide cables out of the interior. Spring elements are integrated into the interior of a covering body. When the sealing body is inserted into the opening of the covering body and compressed, the spring elements bear against one of the dimensionally stable end pieces of the sealing body and exert a compression force onto the gel element.
US07689085B1
An optical waveguide fiber comprising:(i) a Ge free core having an effective area of 90 μm2 to 160 μm2, at a 1550 nm wavelength, and α value 12≦α≦25, said core comprising:(a) a central core region extending radially outwardly from a centerline to a radius r0≦2 μm, and having a relative refractive index percent profile Δ0(r) wherein −0.1% ≦Δ0(r) ≦0.1%, and wherein the central core region has a maximum relative refractive index, Δ0MAX,(b) a first annular core region surrounding and directly adjacent to the central core region and extending to an outer radius r1, wherein 4.8 μm ≦r1≦10 μm, and having a relative refractive index percent profile, Δ1(r), and a minimum relative refractive index, Δ2MIN, and the relative refractive index measured at a radius r=2.5 μm being −0.15≦Δ1(r=2.5 μm) ≦0, and Δ0MAX ≧Δ1(r=2.5 μm);(c) a fluorine doped second annular region surrounding and directly adjacent to the first annular core region and extending to a radius 13 μm ≦r2≦30 μm and having a negative relative refractive index percent profile, Δ2(r), with a minimum relative refractive index Δ2MIN being: Δ2MIN<Δ1(r=2.5 μm), and −0.7% ≦Δ2MIN≦−0.28%; and (ii) a cladding surrounding the core and having a relative refractive index percent Δc (r) in % measured relative to pure silica, and Δc (r)=Δ2MIN±0.3%;wherein the relative refractive index profile of the optical fiber is selected to provide attenuation of no more than 0.175 dB/km at the wavelength of 1550 nm.
US07689083B1
An optical fiber having at least a first central core segment, said central core segment comprising at least a first region having a width no more than 0.2 μm over a core delta % of 0.1 or greater. The first core region may also over a delta height of at least 0.15 delta % exhibits a profile volume less than 0.1. Such core segments can facilitate optical fibers which exhibit an L01 acousto-optic effective area which is greater in magnitude than the L02 acousto optic effective area.
US07689082B2
A wavelength division multiplexing optical fiber transmission line that reduces signal deterioration caused by dispersion even in a transmission system having a high-speed transmission rate, and is suited to a long-distance transmission. A dispersion management transmission line is connected between optical repeaters. The dispersion management transmission line has 3 to 6 pairs of fiber sections, of which each has a positive dispersion fiber and a negative dispersion fiber, connected in series. Dispersion compensation is made step by step over four (4) times for dispersion and a dispersive slope, which were accumulated by the front-stage positive dispersion fiber, by the next-stage negative dispersion fiber.
US07689076B1
An optical communications system includes a focal element configured to transmit a signal, an aperture configured to focus the signal onto the focal element, and a phase change layer positioned on at least a portion of a surface of the aperture, wherein the phase change layer is configured to shift a phase of the signal.
US07689071B2
The invention provides a miniature robust fiber optic pressure sensor. The miniature fiber optic sensor comprises a Fabry-Perot chip bonded to an optical fiber. The invention provides a new sensor design that reduces the amount of adhesive required to bond the optical fiber to the Fabry-Perot sensor such that the sensor is less sensitive to moisture. The invention also provides manufacturing methods of the sensor comprising a method based on etching and a method based on using an excimer laser. The invention also provides a chip design that renders the chip less sensitive to thermal changes. The invention also provides a chip design in which a sensor diaphragm has a well-defined thickness. The invention also provides a chip design that protects the chip from etching.
US07689069B2
A semiconductor optical switch may include an optical waveguide, a first electrode, and a first reflector. The optical waveguide may include a branching point, a first incoming path and first and second outgoing paths. The first electrode is provided at the branching point to give carrier injection into the branching point to allow that the branching point reflects an optical signal that is propagating through the first incoming path so that the reflected optical signal propagates through the second outgoing path. The first electrode may give no carrier injection into the branching point to allow that the branching point allows the optical signal to transmit through the branching point and propagate through the first outgoing path. The first reflector is provided on the first outgoing path. The first reflector reflects a leakage of light that has propagated from the branching point.
US07689065B2
There are provided an image processing method and apparatus which can reduce the storage capacity required to form low-frequency components having a plurality of resolutions and can suppress any degradation in image quality which is caused by a positional error between image data obtained as a result of image processing. The first luminance component of low resolution is extracted from image data, thereby further extracting the first low-frequency component. The image data is input at the second resolution, the second luminance component is extracted from the image data at the second resolution, and the second low-frequency component is extracted, thereby further extracting the second low-frequency component. Image processing is performed for the image data at the second resolution using the first low-frequency component and second low-frequency component.
US07689062B2
An apparatus and method for embedding artwork into a video in several phases. Initially, a segment suitable for artwork placement is identified and marked within an original video, and a container is implanted therein to determine the appropriate position and video transformations for future artwork objects. Then, an artwork provider experiments with sending artwork for each container and viewing that artwork placed within the video, until the current artwork is approved for placement. Finally, a final version, which includes the selected artwork embedded within the original video, is rendered, adapted for a distributor, and the end product is distributed and viewed conventionally. The container implantation is relatively labor intensive and therefore expensive, but costs are subsequently distributed over many sessions of different artwork placements within the same container. Typical applications are in advertising, art and fun.
US07689060B2
A method for transforming a matrix representation of pixels of an image into a vector representation of the image involves partition of the image into contiguous homogeneous regions by applying a watershed type morphologic algorithm to the matrix representation of pixels and identifying the contours of the contiguous homogeneous regions by applying a vector code contouring algorithm of the chain-code type to every region. By selecting quantization level of the gradient, improved image quality, dimensions and noise are achieved.
US07689059B2
A method and circuit for suppressing the generation of unnatural vertical streaks in output image data. A detection processing circuit generates a first noise correction value based on first and second noise detection signals from an OB region. A correction processing circuit performs an offset process on a first noise correction value to generate a second noise correction value and performs an FIR filter process on the second noise correction value to generate a noise correction signal NC. The correction processing circuit then corrects the effective image signal from the effective image region using the noise correction signal and performs a horizontal LPF process on the corrected effective image signal to generate output image data.
US07689054B1
A device is described in which a visual image can be enhanced to better recognize different objects that appear in a picture. Means are provided for an operator to manipulate a visual image by adjusting darkness levels within each primary color to embellish the recognition of distinct objects which may appear in the visual rendering. The device may be implemented as a ground-based system where the operator can adjust the algorithm to manipulate the darkness levels of a certain number, N, of pixels. A second implementation can be achieved in a helmet mounted display or glasses donned by an operator.
US07689041B2
A method representing an object appearing in still or video image for use in searching, wherein the object appears in the image with a first two-dimensional outline, by processing signals corresponding to the image, comprises deriving a view descriptor of the first outline of the object and deriving at least one additional view descriptor of the outline of the object in a different view, and associating the two or more view descriptors to form an object descriptor.
US07689034B2
In a method of detecting a face in various directions in a target image with use of detectors, a partial image cut sequentially from the target image is subjected to mirror reversal processing and rotation processing in 90 degree increments for generating reversed/rotated images of the partial image. The detectors of predetermined types judge whether the respective images represent face images in predetermined face directions and orientations. Based on combinations of the types of the detectors and the types of the input images, faces in various face directions and orientations can be judged.
US07689033B2
Face detection techniques are provided that use a multiple-stage face detection algorithm. An exemplary three-stage algorithm includes a first stage that applies linear-filtering to enhance detection performance by removing many non-face-like portions within an image, a second stage that uses a boosting chain that is adopted to combine boosting classifiers within a hierarchy “chain” structure, and a third stage that performs post-filtering using image pre-processing, SVM-filtering and color-filtering to refine the final face detection prediction. In certain further implementations, the face detection techniques include a two-level hierarchy in-plane pose estimator to provide a rapid multi-view face detector that further improves the accuracy and robustness of face detection.
US07689032B2
A scanning system scans a surface of a three-dimensional object from a first position and a second position. Using common alignment at these positions, a first scanning sample and a second scanning sample are generated. The first and second scanning samples include point clouds having data points representing positions of the scanned surfaces. The first scanning sample and the second scanning sample are oriented relative to each other based on the common alignment of the scan positions.
US07689026B2
A particle image analyzer provided with an image processor for executing predetermined image processes on a particle image containing an image of a particle, a reading means for reading test result data from a flash memory card on which are previously recorded test result data equivalent to the processing result of the image processor during normal operation, and a testing means for determining whether or not the image processor is operating normally by comparing the processing result obtained when the test image is used in the image processor, and test result data read from the flash memory card by the reading means.
US07689014B2
Two fluoroscopic images taken from two different angles of the same anatomical feature are registered to a common three-dimensional coordinate system. A dimension of the anatomical feature is determined by specifying with reference to the two registered fluoroscopic images two constrained points within the three-dimensional coordinate system that correspond to the boundaries of the anatomical feature, and calculating a straight-line distance between the two. Additionally, a three-dimensional virtual model of an implant is projected into each of two, registered fluoroscopic image, and a surgeon manipulates the projections to adjust the size and shape of the virtual model, and thereby determine parameters for the implant.
US07689009B2
An image acquisition device includes a first speed-optimized filter for producing a first set of candidate red-eye regions for an acquired image; and a second analysis-optimized filter for operating on the first set of candidate red eye regions and the acquired image.
US07688995B2
A method for associating a computer aided detection/diagnosis result with an image including the steps of providing one or more digitized images, each image comprising a plurality of intensities corresponding to a domain of points on an N-dimensional grid, performing a computer-aided detection/diagnosis of intensity data of a first image, calculating a hash signature of intensity of a second input image, storing said computer-aided diagnosis results, and storing said hash signature, wherein said hash signature verifies said second image when said second image is displayed with said computer-aided diagnosis result.
US07688992B2
An acoustic device, including an acoustic enclosure and a first electroacoustical transducing apparatus comprising a motor structure providing mechanical vibration, the vibration having a direction of vibration, mounted in the acoustic enclosure. The acoustic device is constructed and arranged so that first pressure waves are radiated from a first radiation point and second pressure waves are radiated from a second radiation point and so that the first pressure waves and the second pressure waves destructively interfere at observation points relatively equidistant from the first and second radiation points. The acoustic device is further constructed and arranged to be structurally combined with a seating device so that the first radiation point is relatively close to the head of an occupant of the seating device and so that the second radiation point is relatively far from the head of the occupant. The acoustic device is further constructed and arranged to transmit the mechanical vibration to the seat back.
US07688991B2
There is provided a method of operating a hearing assistance system comprising a hearing device (10, 110, 210), which comprises means (24) for stimulating a user's hearing and which is worn at one of the user's ears, and a remote device (12, 30, 40) spaced apart from the hearing device. The method comprises: establishing a wireless link (26) between the hearing device and the remote device for transmitting signals from the remote device to the hearing device, and operating the system in a base mode; detecting whether a source (28) of radio frequency signals interfering with the wireless link and having a transmission power changing according to a predictable scheme between low power regimes and high power regimes is present in the vicinity of the hearing device; and operating the system in an interference mode as long as the presence of such source of periodic signals interfering with the wireless link is detected, in which interference mode the transmission of the signals from the remote device to the hearing device is synchronized to the detected power scheme of the interfering signals in such a manner that the signals are transmitted only during the low power regimes.
US07688990B2
A hearing aid with anti feed back system, the hearing aid including a signal path from at least one input transducer to an output transducer, a signal processing unit, acoustic environment detection capability, and a parameter generator that generates input to the setting of signal processing parameters to be used in the signal processing unit based on either manual input or from the results of acoustic environment detection, and an alert signal generator that generates an alert signal to the anti feed back system whenever one or more preselected input to the generation of signal processing parameters undergoes changes.
US07688989B2
The invention describes a method for processing sound signals for a surround left channel (SL) and a surround right channel (SR). Thereby, a continually varying delay between the resulting signals of the surround right (SR) and surround left channels (SL) is generated. Furthermore the invention describes a delay management unit, a sound processing system, an acoustic system comprising such a sound processing system, a mixing unit for such an acoustic system and a studio system comprising such a sound processing system.
US07688980B2
Methods and systems are provided of managing a cryptographic key. A first key component is received from a first key custodian. A second key component is received from a second key custodian. A key operation is performed on the first and second key components to generate the cryptographic key. A cryptographic-key number is assigned to the cryptographic key. A key form is printed specifying the cryptographic key. An association is recorded between the cryptographic-key number and an electromagnetic tag identifier coupled physically with the key form.
US07688974B2
A rijndael block cipher apparatus including an operational unit that efficiently performs a round operation for encrypting/decrypting a rijndael block cipher and an encryption/decryption method thereof are disclosed. The rijndael block cipher apparatus is mounted in a mobile terminal such as a cellular phone and a PDA or a smart card, which requires a high-rate and small-sized cipher processor, and can encrypt and decrypt important data that requires security at high speed and perform the round operation with respect to upper 64 bits and lower 64 bits which are divided from 128-bit input data. Thus, the cipher apparatus can reduce the time required for encryption/decryption of the rijndael block cipher and the size of the apparatus.
US07688971B2
A network telephone expansion seat including a housing and a signal conversion module is provided. The housing has a bearing portion for disposing a network telephone thereon. The signal conversion module disposed inside the housing has a circuit substrate. At least one connection interface for transmitting data is disposed on the circuit substrate for connecting the network telephone to transmit data. Meanwhile, the circuit substrate is connected to peripherals such as a printer, a facsimile machine, a card reader, and an MP3 player via the connection interface, thereby expanding the functions of the network telephone.
US07688966B2
An improved user interface improves call center agent responsiveness by persistently (i.e., without interruption) displaying key information at fixed locations in an integrated user interface. The integrated user interface may be partitioned into physical areas on the agent's display screen. While some areas of the agent's display screen may rapidly change, at least one area in a reserved location may persistently display a collection of interaction-specific information that the call center agent can view at all times during a call/chat/email session. The user interface persistently displays each piece of key information at a reserved and unchanging physical location on the agent's screen.
US07688960B1
The present invention is directed to a method and system for use on a computer for the automated generation of commands or other data to populate tables of a database. The automated generation process of the present invention entails separating business logic from device specific logic, defining the organization of incoming data, identifying and setting default data parameters, defining the format for the output data, and implementing the command generating object oriented classes in program source code, to generate device specific commands.
US07688957B2
There is provided an information service system, an information service method, and an information service program, the information service system comprising an interactive system 31 that implements an interactive control apparatus 3103 for providing information or executing processing according to an interactive script in response to a request that has been made by a service user through voice or push button operation; an interactive log management apparatus 32 that manages an interactive log related to the usage of the interactive system 31; and a call charge burden ratio calculation apparatus 33 that calculates the ratio of the burden of call charges associated with the telephone information service between an information service provider and service user based on the interactive log managed by the interactive log management apparatus and call charges information associated with a use of the interactive system.
US07688956B2
Methods and system for validating facsimile communications by ensuring that each detected facsimile calling tone is actually a facsimile calling tone that was generated by a sending facsimile device. The method can include establishing a connection between a sending facsimile device and a receiving facsimile device, which was initiated by either the sending facsimile device or the receiving facsimile device. The connection can be utilized for at least one of facsimile communication, voice communication, and a combination of facsimile communication and voice communication. The method can also comprise switching the receiving facsimile machine from a voice-capable mode to a facsimile mode once at least one facsimile calling tone is detected after a first facsimile calling tone is detected while the receiving facsimile device in the line monitoring mode.
US07688938B2
A computed tomography machine (1) provides for improved dose efficiency by calculating an optimized set of beam intensities to produce the desired image quality. Determination of the beam weights is based on an a priori modeling (53) of the properties of the patient being imaged.
US07688936B2
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus of multi-energy data acquisition. An imaging system is also provided and includes a number of HF electromagnetic energy filters. The filters include at least a first and a second filter wherein the first filter is positioned in a path of HF electromagnetic energy when an HF electromagnetic energy source is energized to a first voltage and the second filter is positioned in the path of HF electromagnetic energy when the HF electromagnetic energy source is energized to a second voltage.
US07688931B2
A hybrid counter array device for counting events. The hybrid counter array includes a first counter portion comprising N counter devices, each counter device for receiving signals representing occurrences of events from an event source and providing a first count value corresponding to a lower order bits of the hybrid counter array. The hybrid counter array includes a second counter portion comprising a memory array device having N addressable memory locations in correspondence with the N counter devices, each addressable memory location for storing a second count value representing higher order bits of the hybrid counter array. A control device monitors each of the N counter devices of the first counter portion and initiates updating a value of a corresponding second count value stored at the corresponding addressable memory location in the second counter portion. Thus, a combination of the first and second count values provide an instantaneous measure of number of events received.
US07688928B2
In one embodiment a control unit of a communication system exchanging a multiple-phase time-interleaved data includes a first Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) to generate a set of un-calibrated multiple-phase signals of a first-clock; a second-PLL, a pulse generator, a pulse-width measurement unit and a phase calibration engine to evaluate adjustments required in a temporal location of a logically critical voltage transition edge in each signal in the un-calibrated set; and a phase adjustment unit to adjust the temporal location of the logically critical voltage transition edge in each signal in the un-calibrated set to generate a set of calibrated multiple-phase signals of the first-clock such that each signal in the calibrated set includes the logically critical voltage transition edge which is time skewed in a predetermined amount from the logically critical voltage transition edge in other signals in the same set within a predetermined accuracy.
US07688917B2
A configurable all-digital coherent demodulator system for spread spectrum digital communications is disclosed herein. The demodulator system includes an extended and long-code demodulator (ELCD) coupled to a traffic channel demodulator (TCD) and a parameter estimator (PE). The demodulator also includes a pilot assisted correction device (PACD) that is coupled to the PE and the TCD. The ELCD provides a code-demodulated signal to the TCD and the PE. In turn, the TCD provides a demodulated output data signal to the PE. The PACD corrects the phase error of the demodulated output data based on an error estimate that is fed forward from the PE. Accumulation operations in the ELCD, TCD, and PE are all programmable. Similarly, a phase delay in the PACD is also programmable to provide synchronization with the error estimate from the PE.
US07688914B2
A distortion compensating technique applied to a transmitter for transmitting a quadrature modulated signal in a wireless digital communication system is provided. A phase adjustment value is determined for a quadrature demodulated feedback signal based on comparison between the feedback signal and a reference signal to be transmitted from the transmitter. This phase adjustment value is compared with the previous phase adjustment value. If the comparison result between the current and previous phase adjustment values satisfies a prescribed condition, correction for quadrature modulation, such as DC offset correction, orthogonality correction, or IQ amplitude correction, is performed.
US07688913B2
P/S conversion section 302 performs parallel/serial conversion of data sequences #1 through #4 input in parallel, in accordance with control by assignment control section 303, so that data to a higher-priority communication terminal is assigned to an upper bit in one symbol; M-ary modulation section 304 performs M-ary modulation on the data that has been subject to parallel/serial conversion; S/P conversion section 305 converts a symbol that has been subject to M-ary modulation to parallel form; multipliers 306-1 through 306-4 execute spreading processing on the symbols output in parallel; multiplexing section 309 multiplexes the symbol that has been subject to spreading processing with an assignment notification signal that has been subject to spreading processing; and radio transmitting section 310 transmits the multiplex signal.
US07688910B2
Disclosed is a wireless communication system which carries out spatial multiplexing communication forming multiple spatial channels between a pair of a transmitter with multiple antennas and a receiver with multiple antennas, having the transmitter and the receiver. In the system, the multiple spatial channels are divided into one or more groups, the transmitter transmits reference signals corresponding to spatial channels in succession in a time-division manner for each group, and the receiver acquires a channel matrix whose column vectors are transfer functions of the spatial channels obtained from the reference signals for each group and spatially demultiplexes a receive signal using a receive weight obtained based on the channel matrix.
US07688908B2
System and method for processing wireless high definition video data using a shortened last codeword
A method and system for processing high definition video data to be transmitted over a wireless medium is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving an information packet having the length of L bytes, wherein L=(M×n×K)+A, and where: M is the depth of an interleaver, n is the number of interleavers, K is an encoding code length and A is the number of remainder bytes with respect to M×n×K bytes, wherein the remainder bytes are located at the end of the information packet. M×n×K bytes represent M×n codewords, wherein the remainder bytes sequentially form a plurality of remainder codewords, and wherein the plurality of remainder codewords comprise a last codeword which is located at the end of the remainder codewords. The method further includes i) shortening the last codeword such that the resultant shortened codeword is shorter in length than each of the remaining codewords of the information packet and ii) adding dummy bits to the outer encoded data so as to meet a predefined size requirement for an outer interleaver.
US07688904B2
A method and system for transmitting signals between communication nodes is presented. The method includes generating a first waveform that includes a shaped portion; generating a second waveform that includes a shaped portion; and combining the first and second waveforms including overlapping the shaped portion of the first waveform with the shaped portion of the second waveform and adding the overlapped portions of the waveforms. The method includes generating a signal including the combined first and second waveforms. At least one of the first and second waveforms includes a characteristic signature configured for synchronizing with the signal.
US07688900B2
A data transmitting device for transmitting data on a channel within a CDMA system may simultaneously convey data with a plurality of other data transmitting devices on one channel. The data transmitting device includes an interleaver that receives an interleaver pattern parameter, generates a respective interleaver pattern in accordance with the received parameter, and interleaves a source data stream using the generated interleaver pattern to produce an interleaved data stream. The generated interleaver pattern has interleaver characteristics that differ from the interleaver characteristics of at least one other data transmitting device that simultaneously transmits data on the channel.
US07688895B2
A method for decoding a bitstream is disclosed. The method generally comprises the steps of (A) generating a first signal and a second signal by parsing a common slice in the bitstream, (B) generating a third signal by entropy decoding the first signal, and (C) generating a video signal by combining the second signal and the third signal.
US07688891B2
An image data compression device comprises a quantizing section for quantizing image data with a quantization step changing in accordance with a quantization parameter, a FIFO buffer section for buffering the quantized data corresponding to a plurality of frames, an encoded data generating section for generating encoded data obtained by encoding the quantized data retrieved from the FIFO buffer section asynchronously with writing thereto, and a rate control section for controlling a data size of the encoded data by changing the quantization step. The rate control section finds a predicted data size of the encoded data of the precedent frame from the size of the quantized data of the precedent frame, and sets or releases an upper limit threshold of the quantization parameter based on the number of assignable bits assignable to a compressing process or the number of remaining frames. When setting the upper limit threshold of the quantization parameter, the quantization parameter is found so as to be equal to or less than the upper limit threshold of the quantization parameter using the predicted data size.
US07688890B2
An image data compression device includes a quantization part quantizing image data with a quantization step that varies based on a quantization parameter, a FIFO buffer part buffering quantized data of a plurality of frames, a coded data formation part reading out the quantized data from the FIFO buffer part asynchronously with a writing to the FIFO buffer part and generating coded data by encoding the quantized data, a rate control part controlling a data size of the coded data by changing the quantization step and a frame skip part skipping a generation process of the image data. The rate control part calculates the quantization parameter by using a predicted data size of the coded data of a previous frame which is calculated from a data size of the quantized data of the previous frame. The frame skip part performs the skip process if a frame, in which the quantization parameter becomes larger than a skip threshold, appears consecutively in a number of times which is equal or more than the number of a skip succession threshold.
US07688883B1
The present invention is a method and apparatus for generating a scaled correlation that is based on an estimate of the arrival time of a synchronization point in a received RF signal relative to a sampling clock, which is used to sample the received RF signal after down conversion. The scaled correlation may be used to validate the estimate of the arrival time of the synchronization point and, in certain embodiments of the present invention, may be used to update the estimate of the arrival times for subsequent synchronization points. Using the scaled correlation may provide arrival time estimates with a finer resolution and accuracy than the period of the sampling clock. Such arrival time estimates are important for timing-based applications, such as GPS receivers or navigation receivers.
US07688877B2
Provided is a laser machining apparatus. The laser machining apparatus includes: a laser oscillator emitting laser beams; a first dividing means on which the laser beams emitted from the laser oscillator are incident to be selectively divided so that the incident laser beams progress along at least one path from among a pair of first paths; a second dividing means on which the laser beams that passed through any one of the first paths are incident to be selectively divided so that the incident laser beams progress along at least one path from among a pair of second paths; a third dividing means on which the laser beams that passed through the other one of the first paths are incident to be selectively divided so that the incident laser beams progress along at least one path from among a pair of third paths; four pairs of scanners on which the laser beams that passed through the first, second, and third dividing means are incident to each be deflected onto desired positions on a substrate so as to be processed; and a scan lens on which the laser beams that passed through the four pairs of scanners are incident to be collected on a spot having a predetermined diameter and irradiated onto the substrate.
US07688876B2
A Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) assembly including a VCSEL structure having a light-emitting region located on its surface, a relatively wettable region of a surface modifier coating formed over the light emitting region, and a microlens formed on the relatively wettable region. A relatively non-wettable region of the surface modifier coating is formed around the light-emitting region (e.g., on the electrode surrounding the light-emitting region). The surface modifier coating is formed, for example, from one or more organothiols that change the surface energies of the light-emitting region and/or the electrode to facilitate self-assembly and self-registration of the microlens material. The microlens material is printed, microjetted, or dip coated onto the VCSEL structure such that the microlens material wets to the relatively wettable region, thereby forming a liquid bead that is reliably positioned over the light-emitting region. The liquid bead is then cured to form the microlens.
US07688869B2
In one embodiment, the invention relates to a serial line circuit that comprises a serial information (SI) bus and at most two isolators interposed between a pair of programmable devices. In the TRANSMIT direction, a first programmable device is configured to multiplex serial data received from a plurality of serial UARTs and to route such data to the second programmable device over the SI bus and through a first isolator. In the RECEIVE direction, the second programmable device is configured to sample data from a plurality of serial interconnects and to route the sampled data to the first programmable device. The sampled data is routed over the SI bus and through a second isolator. The data transmission over the SI bus is in accordance with a proprietary serial transmission protocol described below.
US07688863B2
Methods and apparatus for sharing network bandwidth between devices connected to a bus are presented. Each of the devices belongs to one of a number of device classes. Each device class is associated with a respective data transfer rate at which information may be exchanged over the bus. An exemplary method includes the step of assigning a gap interval to each device based on at least the data transfer rate of the class to which the device belongs, the assigned gap interval being inserted between portions of a data stream sent by the corresponding device over the bus. The assigned gap interval may be inserted between portions of a data stream sent by the corresponding device over the bus to achieve the desired data rate resulting in an equitable sharing of bandwidth between the devices connected to the bus.
US07688860B2
A data transmission apparatus includes: a key exchange unit that exchanges an encryption key for encrypting and decrypting the data with an another apparatus; a first control unit that transmits information concerning the data transmission apparatus required in performing the key exchange by the another apparatus; a second control unit that transmits a first packet containing encrypted data and being set that the data size of the encrypted data is zero, to the another apparatus after the transmission of the information by the first control unit and until completion of the key exchange performed by the key exchange unit; and a third control unit that starts to transmit a second packet containing encrypted data provided by encrypting the data to be transmitted, to the another apparatus after completion of the key exchange performed by the key exchange unit.
US07688853B2
A system and method for policing individual flows and subflows of a data stream. Data traffic streams are classified into separate traffic flows, which in turn can be further classified into subflows, thereby providing for different priority levels of subsets of the flow. The subflows may be still further classified into additional subflows, creating a hierarchical, layered prioritization that can be metered at each vertical and horizontal level of the hierarchy. A packet flow rate of each of the subflows is compared to a predefined rate limit to allow subflows of a flow to have different priorities therebetween.
US07688844B2
A competition avoidance control method for a data transmission-reception system, a data transmission-reception system and a terminal for a data transmission-reception system for reducing electricity consumption by the terminal in wait state to send a PS-POLL. Each terminal sends a PS-POLL to an access point after a designated time has passed. Therefore, the terminals hardly send the PS-POLLs simultaneously to the access point. Thus, the terminals can avoid wasteful standby state, thus consuming lower amount of electricity while waiting to send PS-POLL.
US07688837B2
Methods of establishing multimedia telecommunication (a multimedia “call”) between equipment (“terminals”). More particularly, the invention provides methods for reducing the time required to establish calls between terminals that implement the ITU-T H.324 Recommendation and other Standards and Recommendations derived from or related to this such as the 3G-324M recommendation developed and adopted by the Third Generation Partnership Projects (3GPP and 3GPP2). More specifically, it relates to (i) a method and apparatus for concatenating the H.245 messages that are required to pass between the terminals at the start of the call to establish the capabilities of both terminals and agree on the type and format of media and data to be exchanged (ii) a method and apparatus for using non-standard H.245 messages or standard H.245 messages with non-standard fields to accelerate such establishment and (iii) a method and apparatus of informing each terminal of the capabilities of the other and proposing the type and format of media and data to be exchanged by means of any user-defined fields that are inserted in the call signaling protocol that is used for bearer establishment prior to the start of the H.324 stage of the call.
US07688797B2
The present invention relates to a method for the transmission of data in a multi-carrier system, provided with a frequency band, the carrier frequencies of which are distributed in a sub-carrier band, dividing the frequency band. On the transmission side, dependent on current transmission properties, an adaptive pre-emphasis of the transmission signal is carried out for a part of the carrier frequencies in the sub-carrier band. The transmitter thus has the capacity to determine current transmission properties as well as adaptive pre-emphasis of a part of the carrier frequencies in the sub-carrier band of the transmission signal.
US07688795B2
In one embodiment, a method includes identifying a plurality of network elements for reinitiation, wherein the network elements are operative to manage at least one child element; selecting a first network element from the plurality of network elements, transmitting a disable message to the first network element; determining whether the at least one child element has migrated to one or more alternate network elements; and conditionally transmitting a reinitiation message to the first network element.
US07688791B2
A communications apparatus includes a network connection unit and a control unit. The control unit controls the communications apparatus to transmit a first message and then transmit a second message, if the communications apparatus is participating in a network via the network connection unit. The first message is used to notify an external device that the communications apparatus is separated from the network, and the second message is used to notify the external device that the communications apparatus is participating in the network.
US07688787B2
A system and method for providing connectivity between mobile devices and access points of a network without redundant solicitation of communication by the mobile device at each access point is described. The method involves receiving a data packet at a first access point in a control group; transmitting the data packet from the first access point to the mobile device; determining if the mobile device acknowledges receipt of the data packet; responsive to determining that the mobile device failed to acknowledge receipt of the data packet, forwarding the data packet to a second access point; and transmitting the data packet from the second access point to the mobile device.
US07688786B2
Techniques for avoiding data loss and reducing registration overhead in a wireless packet data communication system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a mobile station adds each connection to a connection list following registration with the PCF. The mobile station need not reregister a connection included in the connection list when it again enters the PCF's coverage area. In another embodiment, a PDSN maintains a connection table, with one or more connections for each mobile station. The PDSN transmits data to the mobile station along one of the connections. In yet another embodiment, a PDSN transmits on an active connection, if one exists. In yet another embodiment, connections in a connection list or connection table are removed when a corresponding inactivity timer expires. Various other embodiments are also presented. Benefits include allowing mobile stations to travel between PCFs without re-registering, which reduces registration overhead and increases system capacity, and avoidance of data loss from network initiated data directed to a mobile station, resulting in timely delivery of the data and reduction of system resources allocated to retransmission of data.
US07688778B2
In a wireless communication system, a utilization of a global ID having a long bit length, which is useful for linking with an external system, is compatible with a reduction of a communication amount of a wireless terminal. The wireless terminal transmits the global ID only when the wireless terminal is initially registered, and after a local ID having a short bit length is allocated by a server to the wireless terminal, this wireless terminal uses one the local ID. While the server manages a corresponding relationship between the global ID and the local ID, the server uses the global ID in order to identify the wireless terminal in a communication made outside the system.
US07688773B2
A method of transmitting a signal formed from data symbols over a wireless communication link in a multi carrier code division multiple access communication system, in which the data symbols are spread over multiple sub-carriers in accordance with a code of predetermined length, comprising the steps of: allocating the bandwidth available for use by the system into a plurality of sub carrier frequency groups, de-multiplexing the signal into a first set of data symbols to be spread over a first group of sub carrier frequencies, and de-multiplexing the signal into a second set of data symbols to be spread over a second group of sub carrier frequencies.
US07688768B2
An apparatus is provided for efficiently allocating a transmission period in a wireless network system. An access point (AP) transmits a PSMP frame indicating a downlink period provided to each station (STA) and a minimum amount of an uplink period allocated to each STA, and at least one sub PSMP frame indicating an uplink period additionally provided for an STA that transmitted a resource request message for remaining queued data in the uplink period indicated by the PSMP frame. If the uplink period indicated by the PSMP frame is insufficient to transmit the queued data, the STA transmits a data unit including a part of the queued data and a resource request message for the remaining queued data in the uplink period. After transmitting the resource request message, the STA receives the sub PSMP frame after the full period indicated by the sub PSMP frame, and transmits the remaining queued data to the AP in the uplink period indicted by the sub PSMP frame.
US07688766B2
Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, bit and power loading may be utilized to select a modulation rate and subcarrier power scaling based on channel state information. As a result, a higher data rate may be utilized for a given signal-to-noise ratio while maintaining a constant bit error rate.
US07688763B2
In order to establish a communication connection between two subscribers in a direct communication network, signaling information containing subscriber address information is exchanged between subscribers participating in the communication connection. The communication connection is directly established between the subscribers participating in the communication connection on the basis of the subscriber address information. According to the invention, the following steps are carried out: first, subscriber address information of at least one target subscriber required for establishing a paired communication connection between the subscribers is stored in a first subscriber; the stored subscriber address information of the target subscriber is then transmitted to a calling subscriber by the first subscriber; and the calling subscriber uses said subscriber address information in order to establish the communication connection between the calling subscriber and the target subscriber.
US07688751B2
According to one embodiment, a server apparatus includes a memory which stores a management table in which the user IDs are associated with communication bands and treatable data sizes in the communication network with one another, a comparator which refers to the management table in occurring communication requests, and compares respective communication bands and data sizes of a first and a second communication terminals to be objects of the data communication control out of the plurality of communication terminals based on the reference result, and a controller which decides communication bands and data sizes to be assigned between the first and the second communication terminals based on the comparison result from the comparator, and executes a data communication connection between the first and the second communication terminals by using the decided communication bands and the data sizes.
US07688749B1
A physical layer device includes a transceiver module that communicates with a medium. An autonegotiation module autonegotiates one of N link capabilities with a link partner that advertises one of the link capabilities, where N is an integer greater than or equal to two. The autonegotiation module selects the advertised link capability of the link partner.
US07688745B1
The invention relates to a method and a communication system comprising at least one first network element connectable to a second network element. At least one of the first and second network elements use one of two or more selectable modes for communicating with another network element. One or both of the network elements, or a third network element, which is connectable with the first and second network elements, performs a mode selection procedure for selecting the same mode for bidirectional communication between the network elements. The modes preferably are different codec types, channel-coding schemes, or radio interface protocol types. The first and/or second network elements may be portable terminal equipments and the third network element preferably is a support node or a means providing a support function such as a CSCF. The mode selection ensures use of one and the same mode, such as a codec, in uplink and downlink directions enabling IP telephony in UMTS using SIP protocol.
US07688734B2
The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for scheduling a flow on an output link among a plurality of flows of incoming packet traffic at a network device associated with a data network. A scheduler comprises scheduler logic that uses a credit counter per flow to keep track of the service difference received between two or more flows and selects the flow for service next that has the maximum credit value. The scheduler logic updates an amount of credit value in a counter of the next flow with the front-end packet currently being served among the first and second flows with a value that substantially equals a packet size value divided by a flow weight value of the front-end packet currently being served. The scheduler logic further updates an amount of credit value in the first and second counters of the first and second flows having packets waiting with a value that substantially equals the size of the front-end packet currently being served.
US07688719B2
A system and method for connection failover. A plurality of virtual machines connect to a proxy using a protocol library. The proxy establishes a connection to a gateway. A user context including a conversation identifier is stored. The proxy continues a conversation with a second virtual machine based on the conversation identifier and user context if a first virtual machine fails when the conversation is in a ready for failover state.
US07688713B2
A method of changing between a Data over Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS) mode and a DOCSIS Set-top box Gateway (DSG) mode in a digital broadcast receiver, includes: performing channel searching to change into the DSG mode, and detecting a cause of a failure in securing a channel via a database upon failing to secure the channel in response to a user requesting a change of mode via a host; and recovering the DSG mode as a result of detecting the failure cause upon receiving DSG data. It is therefore possible to change from the DOCSIS mode to the DSG mode according to the state of the OpenCable digital broadcast receiver, thereby improving its capability of coping with a field.
US07688709B2
There is provided a base station comprising: an estimation unit for estimating a second or higher order statistics for each user terminal in a set of user terminals to be served; an estimation unit for estimating a scheduling metric based on the estimated second or higher order statistics; and a scheduling unit for controlling scheduling based on the estimated scheduling metric.
US07688699B2
A holographic recording and reproducing apparatus comprises: a pickup for moving an objective lens that focuses a coherent light beam along a recording track on a holographic recording medium and for detecting reflected light from the recording track to perform focus- and tracking-servo control; a relative velocity determination unit for determining a relative velocity of a converging position of the objective lens with respect to the holographic recording medium; a driving unit for changing a relative position of the objective lens with respect to an optical path of the coherent light beam so as to make the relative velocity fall within a predetermined range at least during a predetermined period; and a control unit for performing recording or reproduction for a recording layer during the predetermined period. The holographic recording medium includes a plurality of markers used for positioning an optical interference pattern of the coherent light beam.
US07688696B2
An information recording method of recording information with a high degree of accuracy on a semitransparent recording layer, which is subjected to severe thermal interference, of a multilayered recording medium. A downward pulse is applied to the back half portion of a prescribed space in the waveform of an energy beam used for irradiation when the space is formed. Thereby good recording performance is obtained.
US07688687B2
In a feedforward timing extractor for extracting timing information from a playback signal, a frequency ratio calculation section 2 calculates the ratio between the frequency of the playback signal and the frequency of the output clock of a frequency synthesizer 6 by utilizing a specific pattern and a specific pattern appearing interval in the playback signal. A control section 4 controls the frequency dividing rate of the frequency synthesizer 6 in such a manner that the frequency ratio calculated by the frequency ratio calculation section 2 has a set value. Thus, as compared with a case in which the output clock of the frequency synthesizer 6 is a high-frequency fixed-rate clock, it is not necessary to operate the digital circuits at high speeds. Consequently, even in cases where the playback frequency (the playback rate) of the signal changes with time, the decimation rate at which pulses of a fixed clock are eliminated is constant, thereby reducing power consumption.
US07688684B2
A heat-assisted magnetic recording head and a recording apparatus including the same are provided. The heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a recording portion which produces magnetic field for recording information to a magnetic recording medium, and a waveguide which transmits light therethrough disposed to be adjacent to the recording portion and which emits the light toward the magnetic recording medium, wherein the waveguide comprises a light incident surface; a tapered portion having progressively narrower sections along the transmission direction of the light incident on the light incident surface and entering the waveguide; and a light-emitting surface which emits the light after the light is transmitted through the tapered portion.
US07688681B2
From the foregoing, it can be seen that an ultrasonic rod transducer is provided that has a heat transfer element that is thermally well coupled to the piezoelectric transducer. It provides for the thermal resistance to the surrounding atmosphere or to the housing and thus to the bath in which rod transducer is immersed.
US07688677B2
A method for determining the distance of a transceiver located within a lumen from the center of the lumen and for determining the radius of the lumen, the lumen cross-section being substantially circular at the transceiver location, the method applied on data received from a transceiver placed at a position within the lumen that is distance (r) from the center and distance (a) from the lumen wall, transmitting a signal of known velocity (v) that can be correlated with the time of flight and receiving a first signal and a second signal that are reflections of the transmitted signal, timing the time differences between the transmission of the transmitted signal and reception of the first (t1) and second (t2) reflection signals, the method comprising: Calculating the distance of the transceiver from the center of the lumen=(t1−t2)v/4; and Calculating the radius of the lumen=(t1+t2)v/4.
US07688673B2
Seismic sensor systems and sensor station topologies, as well as corresponding cable and sensor station components, manufacturing and deployment techniques are provided. For some embodiments, networks of optical ocean bottom seismic (OBS) stations are provided, in which sensor stations are efficiently deployed in a modular fashion as series of array cable modules deployed along a multi-fiber cable.
US07688662B2
A method and device for hiding refresh operations during accesses to sub-arrays of a pseudo-static memory device. By refreshing sub-arrayj while filling the row Ri (where i≠j) corresponding to sub-arrayi, refresh operations can be performed without risking that a read request will interrupt the refresh operation. Additional refresh operations of sub-arrayi can be performed serially with the operations of filling the row Ri without delaying the overall burst read or write operation if the burst is made sufficiently long.
US07688660B2
A semiconductor memory device includes circuitry coupled to a plurality of memory cells with transistors. The circuitry is configured to change a potential of a body of the transistor to a degree depending on a charging state of the body. A gate electrode of the transistor is maintained in a non-addressed state.
US07688645B2
An outputting transistor circuit of a push-pull structure has an outputting PMOS transistor and an outputting NMOS transistor connected in series between a first power supply and a grounded power supply. In a standby state, a voltage level of a gate terminal of the outputting PMOS transistor is set to a voltage level of a second power supply higher than a voltage level of the first power supply. In an active state, a voltage level of the gate terminal of the outputting PMOS transistor is changed to a voltage level of the first power supply in response to an active command or a read command, or in response to the state of a semiconductor memory device changing to the active state or a read state, and either the outputting PMOS transistor or the outputting NMOS transistor is turned ON in response to a data read signal from a memory cell.
US07688642B2
Provided are a SONGS type nonvolatile or flash memory device and related programming/erasing methods. The device has a deep well region of a first conductive type that isolates a well region of a second conductive type from a substrate to enhance programming and erasing operation characteristics. In the erasing method, first electrons are erased by one of Hot Hole Injection (e.g., gate-to-drain Hot Hole Injection) or tunneling in a first step, and second electrons that are not erased in the first step are erased by the other of tunneling (e.g., gate-to-body tunneling) or HHI in a second step. Preferably, a time gap intervenes between the first and second steps.
US07688641B2
A method of reading a NAND flash memory device includes a cell string having a drain selection transistor, a plurality of memory cells and a source selection transistor which are in series connected to each other. The method comprises the steps of applying a first voltage to a gate of the drain selection transistor in order to turn on the drain selection transistor, applying a read voltage to a gate of a selected memory cell among the plurality of memory cells, and applying first and second pass voltages to gates of unselected memory cells of the plurality of memory cells, wherein the first pass voltage of a relatively high level is applied to the gates of the unselected memory cells which are adjacent to the selected memory cell and wherein the second pass voltage of a relatively high level is applied to the gates of the unselected memory cells which are not adjacent to the selected memory.
US07688640B2
Provided are a flash memory device and a method of driving the same for reading set information and stably storing the read set information in a latch. The method of driving the flash memory device includes applying power to the flash memory device, which includes a memory cell array for storing set information used to set an operating environment of the flash memory device. An initial read operation of the memory cell array is performed to read the set information. The set information read in the initial read operation is stored in a latch. It is determined whether the set information is normally stored in the latch based on set data input to the latch and set data output from the latch.
US07688639B1
An electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (“CMOS NON-VOLATILE MEMORY”) cell is fabricated using standard CMOS fabrication processes. First and second polysilicon gates are patterned over an active area of the cell between source and drain regions. Thermal oxide is grown on the polysilicon gates to provide an isolating layer. Silicon nitride is deposited between the first and second polysilicon gates to form a lateral programming layer.
US07688638B2
Programming speed for multi-level non-volatile storage elements is increased by reducing the number of verify operations. In one approach, verify operations are initially performed for the highest state less frequently than for other, lower states based on a recognition that a wider threshold voltage distribution for the highest state can be tolerated. After a number of additional programming pulses are applied, the frequency with which the verify operations are performed for the highest state increases. For example, for a four-level device in which state C is the highest state, C-state verify operations can be started when a first B-state element has been programmed and an additional number of program pulses have been applied. The C-state verify operations can be performed after every other program pulse until a certain number of C-state elements have been fully programmed, after which the C-state verify operations can be performed after every program pulse.
US07688629B2
For realizing low power and high speed flash memory, reduced swing amplifiers are used for reading, such that a first reduced swing amplifier serves as a local sense amp for reading a memory cell through a short local bit line, a second reduced swing amplifier serves as a segment sense amp for reading the local sense amp, and a third reduced swing amplifier serves as a global sense amp for reading the segment sense amp through a global bit line. When reading data, a voltage difference in the local bit line is converted to a time difference by the sense amps for differentiating low data and high data, which realizes low power consumption with the reduced swing amplifiers. And, short local bit line is quickly discharged when reading, which realizes fast operation. Additionally, alternative circuits and memory cell structures for implementing the memory are included.
US07688625B2
A circuit arrangement includes a nonvolatile memory cell having a continuously variable characteristic that can be read out. A programming unit is coupled to the memory cell and designed to apply an analog signal to the memory cell in order to vary the characteristic, if the characteristic lies within a predetermined range of values, in such a way that the characteristic lies outside the predetermined range of values. A supply voltage unit is provided for providing a supply voltage. A changeover unit is coupled to the supply voltage unit and to the programming unit and designed to trigger the application of the analog signal to the memory cell if the supply voltage is interrupted.
US07688624B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a volatile organic memory in which data can be written other than during manufacturing and falsification by rewriting can be prevented, and to provide a semiconductor device including such an organic memory. It is a feature of the invention that a semiconductor device includes a plurality of bit lines extending in a first direction; a plurality of word lines extending in a second direction different from the first direction; a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells each provided at one of intersections of the bit lines and the word lines; and memory elements provided in the memory cells, wherein the memory elements include bit lines, an organic compound layer, and the word lines, and the organic compound layer includes a layer in which an inorganic compound and an organic compound are mixed.
US07688607B2
A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit which serves as a power switch for alternately coupling and decoupling the input terminal to an intermediate node. The voltage regulator also includes a filter coupled to the slaves, the filter including one or more inductor banks each of which having a predetermined number of inductors.
US07688606B2
Upon receiving a start instruction, a control device turns on first and third system main relays, and performs precharge processing for charging a capacitor. Here, a limiting resistor for preventing an inrush current into the capacitor in a discharged state at the time of start is not provided in a load drive device. The control device controls a gate voltage of a power MOSFET of the third system main relay such that the power MOSFET operates in a saturation region, in a range not exceeding a maximum rated power.
US07688597B2
The present invention relates to a power supply circuit comprising at least one transformer which is connected to a primary side circuit and to a secondary side circuit. The present invention further relates to a method for producing such a power supply circuit. To provide an improved power supply circuit which has a reduced size and increased power density and offers more flexibility in the formation of the safety distances between primary side and secondary side, the primary side circuit and the secondary side circuit are each mounted on at least one separate circuit carrier, said circuit carriers being mechanically and electrically coupled to one another and arranged in at least two different planes. According to advantageous embodiments, said circuit carriers may be arranged in planes that are either parallel with or transverse to one another.
US07688593B2
Provided is an apparatus and a system. The apparatus, in one embodiment, includes a chassis having one or more slots configured to hold circuit boards and a plenum coupled to the chassis. The apparatus, in this embodiment, further includes a fan assembly coupled to the plenum and configured to provide an airflow therethrough, and servo dampers associated with the one or more slots and configured to allocate a portion of the airflow to associated air paths.
US07688585B2
A fan mounting apparatus for dissipating heat from an electronic device, the mounting apparatus includes a bracket (50) and a fan module (40). The bracket defines an opening (57), two vertical slots (59) at opposite sides of the opening and two fixing holes (58) under the slots and aligned with the respective slots. The fan module includes a fan (10) and a pair of clamping members (30). The pair of clamping members respectively attached to opposite sides of the fan, an engaging portion (35) formed on each clamping member for engaging with the corresponding slot of the bracket, and each engaging portion has a sliding portion (351) and a clamping portion (353), wherein each sliding portion is capable of being received in the corresponding slot, and the clamping portion engaging with the fixing hole.
US07688575B2
A display device includes: a display panel unit having a display screen on which information is displayed; and a housing having a front housing section that covers the edge of the display screen of the display panel unit and a back housing section that covers the back of the display panel unit. One of the front housing section and the back housing section covers an exterior of the other when the front housing section and the back housing section engage each other at a flank of the display panel unit, the one has a projection formed inside thereof, and the other has an opening in which the projection is engaged.
US07688572B2
A system and method for connecting supply power to motor control components includes use of a motor control center subunit with moveable supply power contacts. After a motor control center subunit is secured into a motor control center compartment, the supply power contacts may be advanced to engage supply power buses. For disconnection, the supply power contacts may be retracted and isolated from the buses before physical removal of the subunit.
US07688571B2
A solid electrolytic capacitor includes a base substrate, a capacitor element, a metal cap, an extractor terminal and an insulating member. The base substrate has electrical conductivity. The capacitor element is provided on the base substrate. The metal cap is coupled to the base substrate and covers the capacitor element. The extractor terminal passes through the base substrate, is coupled to an anode of the capacitor element, and includes a first conductive member acting as a core member and a second conductive member covering the first conductive member. The insulating member is provided between the base substrate and the extractor terminal. Electrical conductivity of the first conductive member is higher than that of the second conductive member. Thermal expansion coefficient of the second conductive member is less than that of the insulating member.
US07688561B2
An over-voltage protection circuit (i.e., a limiter), includes: a first switching block having a plurality of semiconductor elements, serially connected to each other and turned on in sequence according to the magnitude of an input voltage; and a plurality of second switching blocks, in which each of the second switching blocks includes a pair of serially connected semiconductor elements having different current properties. The second switching blocks are connected in parallel to the first switching block. By minimizing a leakage current when an input voltage is below a reference voltage and by maximizing a leakage current when the input voltage is above the reference voltage, the limiter prevents excessive current from flowing into the RF tag circuit when the input voltage is below the reference voltage, and ensures that a sufficient amount of current is supplied to a regulator when the input voltage is below the reference voltage.
US07688558B2
The aircraft applicable current imbalance detection and circuit interrupter interrupts an electrical circuit when a current imbalance is sensed. The current imbalance detection and circuit interrupter includes a housing, power supplies, a sensor system for sensing a current imbalance at the line side of the electrical circuit, a logic controller and a power controller including a power relay having contacts capable of surviving carry-break and make-carry-break types of ground fault conditions at anticipated current levels. At power up, the device performs a test to confirm that none of the relay contacts have failed in a closed position, and to check whether a switching FET which controls the relay coil has shorted.
US07688555B2
A hard bias structure for biasing a free layer in a MR element within a read head is comprised of a composite hard bias layer having a Co78.6Cr5.2Pt16.2/Co65Cr15Pt20 configuration. The upper Co65Cr15Pt20 layer has a larger Hc value and a thickness about 2 to 10 times greater than that of the Co78.6Cr5.2Pt16.2 layer. The hard bias structure may also include a BCC underlayer such as FeCoMo which enhances the magnetic moment of the hard bias structure. Optionally, the thickness of the Co78.6Cr5.2Pt16.2 layer is zero and the Co65Cr15Pt20 layer is formed on the BCC underlayer. The present invention also encompasses a laminated hard bias structure. The Mrt value for the hard bias structure may be optimized by adjusting the thicknesses of the BCC underlayer and CoCrPt layers. As a result, a larger process window is realized and lower asymmetry output during a read operation is achieved.
US07688554B2
A digital MR sensor with a high magnetoresistance ratio is provided. The MR sensor includes a first magnetic element; and a second magnetic element at least a part of which is resiliently deformable so as to contact with or be separated from the first magnetic element according to a direction of a magnetic force generated between the first and second magnetic elements while the second magnetic element is magnetized under influence of an external magnetic field.
US07688532B1
A lens system includes a first lens and a second lens in order from the object side thereof. The first lens includes a first optical portion and a first mounting portion surrounding the first optical portion. The second lens includes a second optical portion with a concave object side surface, and a second mounting portion surrounding the second optical portion. The second mounting portion includes a connecting surface surrounding an object side surface of the second optical portion. Wherein the angle formed between the connecting surface and the axis of the lens system satisfies a certain condition.
US07688525B2
A hybrid optical component that collects and concentrates incident light. The hybrid component includes both refractive and reflective elements. In preferred embodiments, refractive and reflective components focus rays on a common focal plane generally located at the bottom of the reflector where they are absorbed by a device such as a photovoltaic (solar) cell. Additionally, the optical component combines both imaging and non-imaging optical elements into a single device, for improved overall performance.
US07688522B2
A lens has a convex or concave shaped smooth non-spherical surface or non-circular curve which is formed of a medium indicating negative refraction.
US07688520B2
A zoom lens system includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having a positive optical power, a second lens unit having a negative optical power, a third lens unit having a positive optical power, and a fourth lens unit having a positive optical power. The distances between the adjacent lens units are changed during zooming. By appropriately setting the lens configurations and focal lengths of the first lens unit and the second lens unit, a compact zoom lens system is realized.
US07688514B2
A microlens structure that includes a wedge formed to support and tilt the microlens is disclosed. The wedge results from heating a layer of patterned flowable material. The degree and direction of incline given to the wedge can be controlled in part by the type of patterning that is performed.
US07688500B2
A phosphate glass 1-μm fiber ASE source provides high power and broadband emission that covers wavelengths on the short side of Yb-doped silica. A single-mode fiber formed from phosphate glass is doped with highly elevated concentrations of Yb dopants 0.5-30 wt. % and typically 2-10 wt. %, far higher than either silica or germano-silicate. The high concentration of Yb dopant absorbs the pump in a short length, typically 10-150 cm instead of tens of meters, to provide high saturated output power and a shifted emission spectrum. The excess power allows the fiber ASE source to be configured to provide the output powers, emission bandwidth and stability desired by many applications. Furthermore, the ASE can be configured to emit a nearly Gaussian spectral profile without sacrificing power or bandwidth. The backward emission spectrum of Yb-doped phosphate glass is centered near 1020 nm instead of 1060, which allows the ASE source to cover wavelength on the short side of Yb-doped silica, which may be important in certain applications such as ophthalmic OCT where water absorption has a transparency window.
US07688499B2
A modular, compact and widely tunable laser system for the efficient generation of high peak and high average power ultrashort pulses. Modularity is ensured by the implementation of interchangeable amplifier components. System compactness is ensured by employing efficient fiber amplifiers, directly or indirectly pumped by diode lasers. Dispersive broadening is introduced by dispersive pulse stretching in the presence of self-phase modulation and gain, resulting in the formation of high-power parabolic pulses. In addition, dispersive broadening is also introduced by simple fiber delay lines or chirped fiber gratings, resulting in a further increase of the energy handling ability of the fiber amplifiers. After amplification, the dispersively stretched pulses can be re-compressed to nearly their bandwidth limit by the implementation of another set of dispersive delay lines. To ensure a wide tunability of the whole system, Raman-shifting of the compact sources of ultrashort pulses in conjunction with frequency-conversion in nonlinear optical crystals can be implemented, or an Anti-Stokes fiber in conjunction with fiber amplifiers and Raman-shifters are used.
US07688494B2
A microelectromechanical (MEMS) device is presented which comprises a metallized semiconductor. The metallized semiconductor can be used for conductor applications because of its low resistivity, and for transistor applications because of its semiconductor properties. In addition, the metallized semiconductor can be tuned to have optical properties which allow it to be useful for optical MEMS devices.
US07688491B2
A diffractive-optical element that is transparent includes a diffraction surface that is formed by a step. A width of the step is set substantially equal to a common multiple of λi/{n(λi)−1} for two or more wavelengths, where λi (i=1, 2, . . . ) is a wavelength and n(λi) is a refractive index with respect to the wavelength λi.
US07688487B2
A circuit of a scanner to perform a color space conversion on an RGB signal. The circuit has several sampling-amplified-offset devices to sample, amplify and compensate potential of an R charge signal, a G charge signal and a B charge signal to obtain an R analog signal, a G analog signal and a B analog signal. The circuit further has a gain adder to multiply the corresponding weighted gain with the R analog signal, the G analog signal and the B analog signal. The multiplication results are then summed up to obtain an addition analog signal. A multiplexer is also included to select between the R analog signal, the G analog signal, the B analog signal and the addition analog signal for output.
US07688486B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for generating a color profile for a color output device including a plurality of colorants, the methods and apparatus printing a plurality of color patches on an output medium, measuring a spectral or colorimetric response for each of the printed patches and for the output medium, calculating spectral or colorimetric responses for overprint combinations of the colorants based on the measured spectral or colorimetric responses, calculating colorimetric values in a profiling target based on the calculated and measured responses, and providing the calculated colorimetric values to profiling software for generation of the color profile.
US07688477B2
A first positioning member is provided on a document table to extend in a first scanning direction and determines a position in a second scanning direction of an edge of a document placed on the placing surface. A first reference area holding member extends from a first positioning member over the placing surface and holds, on its surface opposing the placing surface, two reference areas extending parallel to the first scanning direction and including a first and second reference areas each having a different pattern from each other. A border position in the first scanning direction between at least one of the first and second reference areas and the document is detected, based on a received light quantity of reflected light. A size determining unit calculates a document length in the first scanning direction based on the detected border position.
US07688472B2
A method of improving edge rendering of objects includes dilation (or contraction) of an object's tag plane by one or more pixels into the surrounding region, with the adjacent tag region having a corresponding contraction (or dilation). The objects of interest (e.g., white text) are first identified; the corresponding object tag plane is then spread or choked, in a fashion analogous to trapping. In the case of negative text on a tint background, by expanding the tag plane for the negative text object, the text hint would be forced one pixel into the tint object plane everywhere along the perimeter of the negative text. This could then enable greatly improved negative text rendering.
US07688468B2
A method (300) is disclosed of performing chromatic adaptation. The method (300) predicts final colour data viewed under a final illuminant from initial colour data viewed under a initial illuminant. The method (300) receives (310) the initial and final illuminant spectra and spectral sensitivity functions of the colors between which chromatic adaptation is to be performed. A linear chromatic adaptation transform is then determined (320) for transforming the initial color data to the final color data. The linear chromatic adaptation transform is determined (320) by minimising the residual error between color data predicted using the chromatic adaptation transform and the final color data. Different spectral bands of the illuminant spectra and the spectral sensitivity functions are weighted based on the contribution made by each spectral band to a predefined function. The method (300) then applies (330) the linear chromatic adaptation transform to the initial color data.
US07688467B2
This communicator makes it possible for the user to do telephone, facsimile, and data communication at any location. On a pen input device, a space eye 2, a telephone control system, a facsimile control system, and a data transmission system are mounted. All of them are operated by an input pen 55 or the space eye 2. The pen input device is connected to a wireless telephone equipment 7, and can be connected to a desired party through the public communication channel. In order to make the most of the equipment of a GPS user, the GPS user device 8 is connected to the pen input device 3. The current location of the GPS user is found through the GPS user device 8, and the data on the current location is transmitted to the party. Further, to make this communicator usable in any country, it is provided with means to connect it to a wireless telephone network of an individual service area of the country.
US07688466B2
A printer display which allows users to access and edit a document may resolve some problems traditionally associated with the publication process on network printers. This may be accomplished by providing a GUI at the printer at which a user may access, display, and edit a document originally saved to the user's PC. The GUI may allow users to make changes to the document while they are present at the network printer instead of forcing them to return to their PC to make the changes. Additionally, restricting access to the printer display may provide a secure printing environment for the user by controlling who may access a document at the printer or view printed results. Further, limiting GUI and document access may also reduce or eliminate the potential for lost or stolen printed documents.
US07688455B2
A method for detecting the coordinates of multiple touching objects on an infrared touch screen, embodied on an apparatus, includes measuring and storing the maximum received level of a pair of infrared emitting and receiving elements, and initializing an index variable for identification of multiple touched spots, determining that the screen has been touched when a received level of a pair of infrared emitting and receiving elements, emission and reception of which is impeded by an object, is less than the maximum level, measuring the minimum level to detect center coordinates of the object, and reading an index variable for the center coordinates and determining that the center coordinates are new and setting an index variable for the center coordinates if no index variable is read for the center coordinates and storing the center coordinates and the index variable for the center coordinates.
US07688451B2
A heterodyne interferometer having two interferometer arms and one optical modulator for changing the frequency of a radiation conducted via one interferometer arm and having a control device for setting the frequency change of the radiation and a detector device for analyzing the interfered output radiation. The amplitude of an input beam conducted into the heterodyne interferometer is modulated using a frequency which is different from the frequency change of the radiation in the optical modulator prior to being split between the interferometer arms. A heterodyne frequency corresponding to the difference of the frequency change of the radiation and the frequency of the amplitude modulation of the radiation may be achieved.
US07688449B2
An absorptiometry microchip testing device with which, after one-time startup, test results of blood analyses are automatically obtained without a special tester. The microchip testing device has a rotary drive source which can be stopped at a prescribed angle; a centrifugal rotor connected to the rotary drive source via the main shaft; a direction switching mechanism for controlling the main shaft gear; a planetary gear which engages the main shaft gear which is located on the centrifugal rotor; a chip holder which turns together with the planetary gear; a microchip which is held in the chip holder and has a part for measuring absorbance; a light source from which light is incident in the absorbance measuring part of the microchip; a detector which receives light transmitted by the absorbance measuring part; and a controller which controls movements of the rotary drive source and the direction switching mechanism.
US07688437B2
A machine for distinguishing blisters from checks on the finish of a glass container. The center of each captured object in an array is determined by a controller which determines the object centers in a plurality of adjacent bands. The band having the most object centers is determined and the objects in the band having the most object centers are deleted from the rest of the bands. The control repeatedly determines the band of the rest of the bands having the most object centers and deletes the objects in the band of the rest of the bands having the most object centers from the remainder of the bands until the objects in each band are unique. The maximum separation of objects in each band is defined and checks will be differentiated from blisters based on this separation.
US07688436B2
In the inspection of one reticle of reticles used for double exposure, the pattern area of the reticle is divided into a plurality of areas, according to (a) whether an area is a light-transmitting section or a light-shielding section, (b) whether a pattern area of the other reticle is a light-transmitting section, a light-shielding section, or a proximity section to a pattern, and the like, and inspection conditions are changed with respect to each area so that abnormality that is directly related to the yield can be detected. Thus, the defect inspection of the reticles that is directly related to the yield of device production can be performed.
US07688430B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for determining the birefringence autocorrelation length of a fiber in a non-destructive manner. The PMD of an optical fiber is measured over a first optical spectrum. A Faraday rotation angle is measured over a second optical spectrum. The birefringence autocorrelation length is determined from the measuring of the PMD and the Faraday rotation angle.
US07688403B2
A circularly polarizing plate includes a λ/4 phase difference plate and a linearly polarizing plate overlaid on a main surface of the λ/4 phase difference plate and having an absorption axis forming an angle of about 45° with respect to a lagging axis of the λ/4 phase difference plate. The λ/4 phase difference plate has reverse wavelength dispersion characteristics and an Nz coefficient of 1.6 or more. Employment of this structure can provide the circularly polarizing plate having good view angle characteristics and a vertical alignment type of liquid crystal display panel having the same.
US07688383B2
An information signal processor that is well suitable for use in conversion of an SD signal into an HD signal. The pixel data set corresponding to an objective position in the HD signal is extracted selectively from the SD signal. Class CL to which pixel data set of the objective position belongs is then obtained using the pixel data set. A coefficient production circuit produces coefficient data sets Wi for each class based on coefficient seed data sets and values of picture quality adjusting parameters h and v. A tap selection circuit selectively extracts the data sets xi from the SD signal and then, a calculation circuit produces the pixel data sets of the objective position in the HD signal using the data sets xi and the coefficient data sets Wi. It is thus possible to save on the storage capacity of the memory.
US07688382B2
A solid-state imaging device, comprises: a semiconductor substrate having a first surface; a solid-state imaging element in the first surface of semiconductor substrate, the solid-state imaging element comprising a light-receiving region; a light-transmission member having a second surface and a third surface, the second surface being opposite to the third surface, wherein the light-transmission member and the first surface of the semiconductor substrate define a gap between the second surface of the light-transmission member and an outer surface of the light-receiving region; and an external connection terminal connected to the solid-state imaging element, wherein the light-transmission member comprises low α-ray glass.
US07688381B2
The invention provides a system and a method for accurately repositioning an imaging device in order to acquire or project a new image of a scene of interest. Accurate repositioning of an imaging device is necessary for generating or displaying high quality time-lapse image sequences for a variety of applications.
US07688376B2
An image-capturing apparatus and method, displaying apparatus and method that provides full-parallax images having high spatial resolution in real time. An image-capturing optical unit includes a plurality of prismatic mirrors which rotate at a predetermined period. The side surface of each of the prismatic mirrors reflects a light beam from an object. A camera receives the light beam from the object reflected by the prismatic mirrors in order to capture an image of the object. A display optical unit includes a plurality of prismatic mirrors which rotate in phase with the image-capturing optical unit's prismatic mirrors at the same period. A projector emits a light beam corresponding to the image of the object captured by the camera, and such a light beam is reflected by the display optical unit's prismatic mirrors. A user may view an image corresponding to the light beam reflected by the display optical unit's prismatic mirrors.
US07688373B2
In each photosensitive cell, a photodiode 101, a transfer gate 102, a floating diffusion layer section 103, an amplifier transistor 104, and a reset transistor 105 are formed in one active region surrounded by a device isolation region. The floating diffusion layer section 103 included in one photosensitive cell is connected not to the amplifier transistor 104 included in that cell but to the gate of the amplifier transistor 104 included in another photosensitive cell adjacent to the one photosensitive cell in the column direction. A polysilicon wire 111 connects the transfer gates 102 arranged in the same row, and a polysilicon wire 112 connects the reset transistors 105 arranged in the same row. For connection in the row direction, only polysilicon wires are used.
US07688370B2
Disclosed is an active pixel sensor array, which can reduce the number of elements and the size of capacitors by enabling a reset switching transistor to include a function of an optical sensor and to reset a pixel voltage with a power supply voltage VDD after a gate selection signal is outputted, and to reset a pixel voltage with a power supply voltage VDD by a coupling function in case that a gate selection signal is outputted. The active pixel image sensor having a gate driving circuit and a column driving circuit includes a pixel composed of a voltage supply unit for supplying a signal voltage to the column driving circuit; a gate selection unit for turning on according to a n+1-th gate selection signal and outputting a voltage based on a difference between a pixel voltage and a threshold voltage of the voltage supply unit; a reset switching unit for turning on according to a n+1-th gate selection signal and resetting the pixel voltage with a power supply voltage VDD; and a storage unit and a coupling unit for coupling so as to initialize the pixel voltage to be lower than the power supply voltage VDD just after the n+1-th gate selection signal is outputted.
US07688363B2
An albedo estimating section produces an albedo image of an object from an original image captured by an image-capturing section by using light source information estimated by a light source information estimating section and shape information of the object obtained by a shape information obtaining section. An albedo super-resolution section performs super-resolution of the albedo image according to a conversion rule obtained from an albedo DB. A super-resolution section produces a high-resolution image obtained by performing super-resolution of the original image by using the super-resolution albedo image, the light source information and the shape information.
US07688359B2
The present invention discloses a method for acquiring automatic exposure control parameters and a method for controlling automatic exposure control parameters and an imaging device. The core idea is to take the brightness weighted average value obtained according to brightness distribution weighted statistics of the image as the exposure control parameter. Then through adjusting the weighted coefficient of pixels in different brightness regions, control the influence of the pixel concentrated brightness regions on the brightness average value. Because the brightness distribution is the basis for determining weighted statistics, the control method of the present invention is not influenced by the scene assumption. Rather it can be universally adapted to a variety of different scenes, and the exposure control effect is not influenced by the position of scenes in the actual bright region/dark region and block distribution.
US07688357B2
A method and apparatus for auto white balance in a portable terminal is provided. The method includes analyzing a captured image with histograms of red, green, and blue channels and a histogram of a gray channel; determining whether the histogram of the RGB channels and the histogram of the gray channel overlap over a predetermined percentage; measuring each color distribution average value of the RGB channels when the histogram of the RGB channels and the histogram of the gray channel overlap over a predetermined percentage; and performing color temperature correction using the color distribution average value measured in each of the RGB channels.
US07688353B2
An image-taking apparatus is disclosed which allows a selection of a type of image stabilization to be used from optical image stabilization and electronic image stabilization as required to provide an excellent output image. The image-taking apparatus has an image generator which is operable in a first mode in which it performs electronic image stabilization processing based on a plurality of images sequentially taken with an image-pickup device to generate an output image and a second mode in which it generates an output image without performing the electronic image stabilization processing on an image taken with the image-pickup device. The image-taking apparatus also has a controller which causes image stabilization operation to be performed through driving of an optical system in both of the first and second modes and selects one of the first mode and the second mode.
US07688342B2
An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a light source for which intervals between spots formed on the photosensitive member by respective beams emitted from a plurality of light-emitting portions are narrower than a predetermined resolution, and a rotating polygonal mirror having a plurality of mirror plane each of which deflects beams emitted from the light source while rotating. In particular, the image forming apparatus includes a selection unit which selects a light-emitting portion corresponding to a mirror plane used to deflect a beam from the light source, and a driving unit which drives the light source to emit a beam from the selected light-emitting portion.
US07688340B2
A method and system for a color xerographic machine determines a lower bound for the ROS power levels so that color defects are not produced by light attenuation from one or more layers of toner particles on a latent image. The method computes a minimum ROS power level for the photoreceptor at its maximum and minimum charge levels. The minimum ROS power level is the level at which the discharge voltage does not drop beyond a maximum discharge voltage difference. The difference is related to a toner particle density that affects color reproduction. The minimum ROS power levels for the minimum and maximum photoreceptor charge levels are used to compute a functional relationship for minimum ROS power levels at other photoreceptor charge levels. Thereafter, the minimum ROS power level function may be used to compute minimum ROS power levels for other photoreceptor charge levels. The computed minimum ROS power levels may be used to control the power levels used during color reproduction performed by the machine.
US07688337B2
Methods and systems for processing a plurality of pixels are disclosed. Aspects of the method may comprise acquiring a plurality of increment values that correspond to a plurality of output pixels from an increment value table. A plurality of filter coefficients that correspond to the plurality of output pixels may be acquired from a filter coefficient table. The plurality of output pixels may be generated utilizing the plurality of increment values acquired from the increment value table, and the plurality of filter coefficients acquired from the filter coefficient table. The plurality of pixels may be filtered utilizing the acquired plurality of increment values and the acquired plurality of filter coefficients. The increment value table and the filter coefficient table may be generated. The generation of the increment value table and the filter coefficient table may occur during the generation of the plurality of output pixels.
US07688335B2
A method of determining implied sample areas for each data point of each color in a source pixel data specified in a first sub-pixel format is used for sub-pixel rendering an image on a display specified in a second sub-pixel format. Each of the first and second sub-pixel formats comprises a plurality of colored sub-pixels. The method comprises determining a geometric center of each colored sub-pixel of the first format to define a sampling point; and defining each implied sample area by forming lines that are substantially equidistant between the sampling point of one colored sub-pixel and the sampling point of another neighboring same color colored sub-pixel. A similar technique may be used for determining resample areas for computing color values for rendering an image specified in a first sub-pixel format on a display substantially comprising a plurality of colored sub-pixels arranged in a second sub-pixel format.
US07688330B2
A color profile generation method and apparatus are provided, in which at least one of a reference color and a color table of the reference color on a display screen of an image forming device is displayed and at least one of the reference color and the color table that is not displayed on the display screen is printed, a similar color is determined using the reference color and the color table, and a color profile is generated corresponding to the determined color. Accordingly, color of an image displayed on a display screen of an image forming device are matched with colors of an image printed on a printing medium.
US07688328B2
White point is corrected without degrading luminance on a display device. A white point manager modifies the balance between red, green and blue according to a target white point up to a threshold gray value. As the gray scale approaches white from the threshold gray value, the white point manager blends the balance between red, green and blue from the target white point substantially towards the native white point for the display device, so as not to degrade luminance as the gray scale approaches white.
US07688325B1
One embodiment of the invention sets forth a technique for compressing and storing display data and optionally compressing and storing cursor data in a memory that is local to a graphics processing unit to reduce the power consumed by a mobile computing device when refreshing the screen. Compressing the display data and optionally the cursor data also reduces the relative cost of the invention by reducing the size of the local memory relative to the size that would be necessary if the display data were stored locally in uncompressed form. Thus, the invention may improve mobile computing device battery life, while keeping additional costs low.
US07688323B2
The present invention consists of an evaluation engine, which is a system for evaluating the state of an animation at a specific time where secondary animation may be derived from the state of the animation at another time. Unlike DAG-based systems where time is another variable, time is external to the evaluation engine so that it can easily evaluate alternate times and even entire simulations. It also comprises meshes which support instancing and edge weights, and which employ and extensible system of polygon types to support subdivision surface approximation using a set of bi-quadratic patches which solve quickly. The meshes can also be animated by the evaluation engine using a mesh stack, which has multiple evaluation paths for quickly computing mesh attributes without performing a full evaluation.
US07688322B2
A system and method is provided for coordinating display of synchronized spatial information and time-variant information on a visual interface as a visual representation of a multi-dimensional planned process. The system and method comprise a data store configured for storing the time-variant information, such that the data store is further configured for storing the spatial information as a plurality of data elements for representing visual elements for display in the visual representation with respect to a reference surface. Each of the visual elements is operatively coupled to at least one sequenced element of a plurality of sequenced elements. The system and method also include a synchronization module coupled to the data store and is configured for synchronizing a displayed state on the visual interface of the spatial information with a displayed state on the visual interface of the time-variant information. The time-variant information includes timeline data including at least two of the plurality of sequenced elements having overlapping time spans with respect to a common temporal reference frame, and includes a marker for facilitating navigation of the plurality of sequenced elements with respect to the common temporal reference frame. Changes in the displayed state of the time-variant information are reflected in changes to the displayed state of the spatial information.
US07688318B2
Reusing design data in a computer-aided design model includes automatically analyzing a computer-aided design file to identify a set of elements, storing information corresponding to each element in a manner enabling querying and retrieval of the information, presenting one element in a user interface upon retrieval of the information corresponding to the one element, selecting the presented element for inclusion in the model, and constructing the model by incorporating the presented element in the model. The information identifies corresponding elements to facilitate reproduction of at least one element. The information is data indicating a location in the computer-aided design file or data defining at least one of the elements. The stored information allows querying and searching for elements matching a search criterion in a manner free of opening the design file.
US07688314B2
The invention disclosed herein describes a man-machine interface device for controlling access to electronic devices. The man-machine interface device comprises an electronic display unit including a transparent finger touch sensor region that is seated above the display apparatus, which is responsible for determining the presence and absence of a finger and for generating fingerprint images when a finger is detected. The man-machine interface device also includes a controller unit that is coupled to the display apparatus, the finger touch sensor region, and at least one electronic device. The method of the invention describes a process for authenticating individuals and verifying their security privileges to access sensitive data, based on a finger-touch selection of an icon presented on the display apparatus of the man-machine interface device.
US07688312B2
A touch-sensitive device for use as an electronic input device for controlling by scrolling the visible portion of a document or image relative to a display. The device can include various improved configurations such as physically separate opposed input surfaces at opposite longitudinal ends and/or lateral sides. The end regions of a touch sensitive surface may be rounded and/or tapered to provide relative positional feedback to the user. Tactile positional feedback can also include surface texture changes on the scrolling area and/or changes in the surface of the frame in the region immediately adjacent the scrolling area. The touch sensitive areas may be provided within a split alphanumeric section of an ergonomic keyboard to enable scrolling without the user having to remove his or her hands from the alphanumeric section.
US07688308B2
Enhancement of responsiveness of a pressure-sensitive pointing device can be realized without deteriorating the performance for removal of low frequency noises. A voltage corresponding to a strain along an x-axis direction of the pressure-sensitive pointing device (11) is amplified by an operational amplifier (3), passes a switch (SW1), then it is digitized by an ADC (7) before being inputted to a digital processing circuit (2). A voltage corresponding to a strain along a y-axis direction of the pressure-sensitive pointing device (11) is amplified by an operational amplifier (4), passes a switch (SW2), then it is digitized by the ADC (7) before being inputted to the digital processing circuit (2). A switch (SW3) is turned on for a predetermined time upon the switchover between the switches (SW1), (SW2) and the output sides of the switches (SW1), (SW2) are connected to a capacitor (6) having large capacitance. The capacitor (6) is charged or discharged at a response speed corresponding to drive capacities of the operational amplifiers (3), (4), so that the voltages corresponding to the strains along the x-axis direction and y-axis direction rapidly reach a given value. Upon elapse of the predetermined time, a low pass filter made up of the resistor (5) and the capacitor (6) removes the low frequency noises.
US07688307B1
An accelerometer-based mouse is one example of a device that determines the distance an object moves. The mouse disables a cursor from moving across a computer screen during movements of the mouse that occur while the mouse is lifted from a working surface. A mouse control unit generates a cursor movement disable signal that stops the cursor from moving from the time the mouse is lifted until the mouse is set down. The mouse control unit generates the disable signal by determining the derivative of an acceleration signal for the vertical (z) dimension relative to the working surface. The mouse includes a microcontroller programmed to disengage cursor movement when the cursor movement disable signal is asserted. The mouse does not include a ball and rollers whose performance can degrade as they become dirty. The mouse can detect movement even when the mouse slides over a surface that has no pattern.
US07688304B2
A liquid crystal display (LCD) device comprises a liquid crystal panel assembly having pixels and thin film transistors, a sensor sensing temperature, a image signal modifying portion receiving image signals and the temperature, calculating a plurality of reference data for modification with respect to the temperature using coefficient of quadratic equation, and generating modified images signals according to the reference data for modification for the image signals for previous and current frame; and a data driving portion converting the modified image signals into data voltages and supplying the data voltages to the liquid crystal panel assembly. According to this configuration, the liquid crystal display device may reduce the size of the memory by calculating modified image signals with respect to the temperature using PQI.
US07688303B2
In conventional liquid crystal display controllers such as for portable telephone sets, the display is reduced in the stand-by state but the liquid crystal display duty is not changed, i.e., even the common electrodes of the rows that are not producing display are scanned, and the consumption of electric power is not decreased to a sufficient degree in the stand-by state. A liquid crystal display controller (2) includes a drive duty selection register (34) capable of being rewritten by a microprocessor (1), and a drive bias selection register (32). When the display is changed from the whole display on a liquid crystal display panel (3) to a partial display on part of the rows only, the preset values of the drive duty selection register and of the drive bias selection register are changed, so that the display is selectively produced on a portion of the liquid crystal display panel at a low voltage with a low-duty drive.
US07688298B2
A pulse number control circuit inputs, to a charge pump circuit, pulses of a number according to digital data constituted of weighted data bits. The charge pump circuit includes a pump capacitor connected between a first node to which the pulses are input and a second node, a switch element connected between the second node and an output node, and a bias circuit. According to a change of a voltage on the output node, the bias circuit changes a voltage on the second node with the same polarity.
US07688292B2
A display device includes a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel includes: a light emitting element; a first capacitor connected between a first node and a second node; a driving transistor having an input terminal, an output terminal, and a control terminal connected to the second node where the driving transistor supplies a driving current to the light emitting element to emit light; a first switching unit supplying a first reference voltage to the driving transistor according to a first scanning signal and connecting the first node to a data voltage or the driving transistor; and a second switching unit supplying a driving voltage to the driving transistor according to a second scanning signal and connecting the first node to the data voltage. Accordingly, variations in threshold voltage of the driving transistor can be compensated for so that it is possible to display a uniform image.
US07688291B2
Providing a light emitting device capable of suppressing the variations of luminance of OLEDs associated with the deterioration of an organic light emitting material, and achieving a consistent luminance. An input image signal is constantly or periodically sampled to sense a light emission period or displayed gradation level of each of light emitting elements of pixels and then, a pixel suffering the greatest deterioration and decreased luminance is predicted from the accumulations of the sensed values. A current supply to the target pixel is corrected for achieving a desired luminance. The other pixels than the target pixel are supplied with an excessive current and hence, the individual gradation levels of the pixels are lowered by correcting the image signal for driving the pixel with the deteriorated light emitting element on as-needed basis, the correction of the image signal made by comparing the accumulation of the sensed values of each of the other pixels with a previously stored data on a time-varying luminance characteristic of the light emitting element.
US07688287B2
A plasma display apparatus includes a plasma display panel. Pulse voltage values and/or pulse widths of a variety of drive pulses that are applied to the plasma display panel are adjusted in accordance with the accumulated usage time of the plasma display panel.
US07688277B2
A circuit component and circuit component housing assembly for use in an antenna circuit comprise a circuit component housing in which an interior space capable of receiving a circuit component is defined and a circuit component adapted to be received in the internal space. The housing also comprises a first contact capable of contacting a first portion of the received circuit component and a second contact capable of contacting a second portion of the received circuit component. The circuit component is adapted to be connected in series between the first contact and the second contact. The housing has at least one end configured with a coaxial-type connection adapted to connect the housing and the received circuit component in a circuit that includes an antenna.
US07688276B2
An antenna system includes one or more conductive elements acting as radiating elements, and a multilevel or space-filling ground-plane, wherein said ground-plane has a particular geometry which affects the operating characteristics of the antenna. The return loss, bandwidth, gain, radiation efficiency, and frequency performance can be controlled through multilevel and space-filling ground-plane design. Also, said ground-plane can be reduced compared to those of antennas with solid ground-planes.
US07688275B2
A multimode antenna structure is provided for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals in a communications device. The communications device includes circuitry for processing signals communicated to and from the antenna structure. The antenna structure includes a plurality of antenna ports operatively coupled to the circuitry and a plurality of antenna elements, each operatively coupled to a different one of the antenna ports. The antenna structure also includes one or more connecting elements electrically connecting the antenna elements such that electrical currents on one antenna element flow to a connected neighboring antenna element and generally bypass the antenna port coupled to the neighboring antenna element, and the electrical currents flowing through the one antenna element and the neighboring antenna element are generally equal in magnitude, such that an antenna mode excited by one antenna port is generally electrically isolated from a mode excited by another antenna port at a given desired signal frequency range and the antenna elements generate diverse antenna patterns.
US07688273B2
One or more embodiments are directed to a multimode antenna structure for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals in a communications device. The communications device includes circuitry for processing signals communicated to and from the antenna structure. The antenna structure is configured for optimal operation in a given frequency range. The antenna structure includes a plurality of antenna ports operatively coupled to the circuitry, and a plurality of antenna elements, each operatively coupled to a different one of the antenna ports. Each of the plurality of antenna elements is configured to have an electrical length selected to provide optimal operation within the given frequency range. The antenna structure also includes one or more connecting elements electrically connecting the antenna elements such that electrical currents on one antenna element flow to a connected neighboring antenna element and generally bypass the antenna port coupled to the neighboring antenna element. The electrical currents flowing through the one antenna element and the neighboring antenna element are generally equal in magnitude, such that an antenna mode excited by one antenna port is generally electrically isolated from a mode excited by another antenna port at a given desired signal frequency range without the use of a decoupling network connected to the antenna ports, and the antenna structure generates diverse antenna patterns.
US07688269B1
A dual-band stacked electromagnetic band gap (EBG) electronically scanned array (ESA) has a high-frequency aperture stacked on a low-frequency aperture. The high-frequency aperture looks through the low-frequency aperture. Low-frequency and high-frequency feeds feed the apertures. The low-frequency aperture comprises low-frequency cells with two vertical low-frequency EBG sidewalls and two horizontal metal walls. The high-frequency aperture comprises high-frequency cells with four cells stacked on each of the low-frequency cells. The four high-frequency cells comprise four vertical high-frequency EBG sidewalls, two horizontal metal top and bottom metal walls, and a center horizontal metal wall for operation with the same polarization as the low-frequency aperture. The high-frequency cells may comprise four horizontal high-frequency EBG sidewalls, two vertical left and right metal walls, and a center vertical metal wall for orthogonal polarization. A frequency selective surface may be used to provide isolation between the apertures.
US07688265B2
In one embodiment of the disclosure, a dual polarized antenna includes first and second active elements and at least one parasitic element disposed a predetermined distance from the first and second active elements. Circuitry is coupled to the first and second active elements and operable to generate electro-magnetic energy from the first and second active elements along a direction of propagation. The first active element having a direction of polarization that is different than a direction of polarization of the second active element.
US07688261B2
A method and system for enabling a more robust detection, acquisition and positioning solution capability for a GPS device. The system and method uses GPS satellite ranging signals based on a simultaneous, all-in-view coherent PRN code signal processing scheme, rather than acquisition of GPS signals one at a time, in order to predict a location of a GPS user receiver. Additionally, image processing techniques, ultra-tight coupling processing techniques, or a combination thereof, are used to further enhance accuracy in determining the location of the user receiver. Signal processing techniques are used to determine the location of the GPS user receiver when no GPS satellite ranging signals can be individually detected, or when only one or two strong GPS satellite ranging signals can be individually detected in weak signal environments, jamming conditions, and a combination thereof.
US07688247B2
A DIRCM (Direct IR Counter Measures) system includes a detection and warning apparatus for detecting a missile that might pose a threat on the platform to which said system is allocated, and for generating a warning of its existence. The warning may include data that enable the calculation of the expected direction from which the missile is approaching. The DIRCM system may also include an acquisition device for performing acquisition of the approaching missile in accordance with the data provided by the detection and warning apparatus, and issuing data that may enable the calculation in real time of the updated position of the missile, a fiber laser for generating a laser beam, and a motion and aiming enabled turret, coupled with the laser, for directing the laser beam onto the approaching missile. The laser beam may be generated in accordance with the missile's updated position as calculated based on data received from the acquisition device, and processing means, linked to the detection and warning apparatus and also to the acquisition device, the laser and the turret.
US07688229B2
A system and method are disclosed for displaying video on a computing device for navigation and other purposes. A map database developer collects video data. The video data is collected by traveling along roads in a geographic area and storing the video data along with data indicating the positions at which the video data had been captured. This captured video data is then used in navigation systems and other devices that provide navigation, routing, video games, or other features. An application forms a video that shows a turn at an intersection from a first road onto a second road. The application adds video that depicts travel away from the intersection along the second road to video that depicts travel into the intersection along the first road to form a composite video that shows a turn at the intersection from the first road onto the second road. The composite video is then presented to a user on a display.
US07688224B2
A distributed individual vehicle information capture method for capturing individual vehicle data at traffic intersections and transmitting the data to a central station for storage and processing is provided. The method includes capturing individual vehicle information at a plurality of intersections (122) and transmitting the individual vehicle information from the intersections to a central station (124). Consequently, the individual vehicle information is available to be stored and processed by a device at the central station (126). Traffic intersection equipment for capturing individual vehicle data at traffic intersections and transmitting the data to a central station for storage and processing is also disclosed. The equipment includes a traffic detection device (159) for capturing individual vehicle data at an intersection (158) and a network connection to a central station (174). The traffic detection device (159) is operably configured to transmit to the central station (174) the individual vehicle information.
US07688219B2
Hand position monitoring systems and methods for use with firearms. The hand monitoring system monitors a hand position of a firearm user and includes a sensor assembly and a controller. The sensor assembly acquires hand position information (e.g., index or trigger finger position information) of a firearm user and electronically communicates the hand position information for review and/or analysis.
US07688218B2
Railcar monitoring utilizes instrumented, flexible pads supported within the truck pedestal jaws on the bearing adapters. The pads contain sensors for monitoring temperature pressure, shifting loads, truck hunting and the like and have circuitry for processing information received from the sensors and for processing and reporting departures of performance variables to a remote source. The system cyclically activates polling each pad on a car and communicates signals of critical departures and car identity to a remote source.
US07688213B2
The present invention relates to a sleep alert device that acts by pressure on the fingers of the user. The invention includes a limited number of sensors as well as an instant alarm system which prevents accidental problems with previous delay alarm systems. One to three sensors are mounted on the fingers of the user and with no delay of any kind connected directly or wirelessly to a control panel for control of the pressure sensors.
US07688210B2
An electronic ID tag (2) for mounting in a body (18), in which at least the identity of the body (18) is to be remotely readable, the electronic ID tag (2) including an identifiable chip (24) which is electrically connected to at least one adjacent antenna (26), the identifiable chip (24) being arranged to receive energy via the adjacent antenna (26) and by means of this energy to transmit, via the adjacent antenna (26), a signal including the identity of the electronic ID tag to a distant antenna (1), and there being arranged, between the adjacent antenna (26) and the identifiable chip (24) and between the identifiable chip (24) and a ground-plane plate (28) impedance-matched inductances (34, 40), the electronic ID tag (2) being placed, with advantage, in the box portion or pin (44) of a body (18), whereby it is protected against mechanical wear.
US07688189B2
An emergency reporting system for a vehicle includes a reporting signal verifying device and a power supply switching device. The reporting signal verifying device verifies a reporting signal, and the reporting signal verifying device is adapted to cause the emergency reporting to an outside emergency agency when the reporting signal verifying device has completed the verification. The power supply switching device switches power supply for the emergency reporting from a main power supply of the vehicle to an auxiliary power supply in a case, where the main power supply is disabled to supply power. The power supply switching device is adapted to switch the power supply from the main power supply to the auxiliary power supply in a period between (a) a point when the reporting signal verifying device starts the verification and (b) a point when the reporting signal verifying device completes the verification.
US07688184B2
A tilt angle sensor detects a tilt angle of a vehicle and outputs a tilt angle signal indicative of the tilt angle. A tire-side communication element is disposed on a tire of the vehicle, and sends a reply signal in response to the tilt angle signal. A chassis-side communication element communicates with the tire-side communication element. A controller starts a communication between the tire-side and the chassis-side communication elements when the tilt angle signal is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold. The controller determines that the tire is stolen when the chassis-side communication element disables to receive the reply signal from the tire-side communication element.
US07688183B2
A transmitting controller is connected to a powerline and on command places a reference signal and a series of signal pulses in the powerline at a series of signal timing positions related to zero voltage crossing points so that the signals pulses are substantially in the powerline temporal quiet zone near zero crossing. The signal pulses are produced from a pair of capacitors and switches which are each sequentially charged a first polarity from the powerline and is discharged in the powerline at the opposite polarity so that the powerline voltage at the time of the pulse is additive to the pulse voltage. The receiving controller is connected to the powerline and has a filter circuit therein which filters away the powerline AC signal and noise to leave the reference and signal pulses. The signal pulses are compared to the position of starting reference pulses to determine in which signal timing position the pulses have occurred.
US07688176B2
A system is provided for allocating a transmission period in a wireless network system. An access point (AP) transmits a PSMP frame indicating a downlink period and an uplink period allocated to each station (STA), and at least one sub PSMP frame indicating an allocated downlink period for at least one of a retransmission of downlink data and a transmission of an ACK indicating successful receipt of uplink data. After exchanging data with the AP in the downlink and uplink periods indicated by the PSMP frame, an STA receives the each sub PSMP frame, and performs at least one of a reception of the retransmitted downlink data and a reception of the ACK in the downlink period indicated by the each sub MAP frame.
