US07695666B2
The invention relates to a method for separating a cast lens from shell molds, whereby a separating tool exerts pressure on the lens but a height of the separating tool is guided along the interface between the lens and the shell mold to be separated from the lens. In a preferred embodiment the composite consisting of the lens and the shell molds is fixed on a holding device that can be rotated on an axis of rotation. The holding device is rotated by means of a first motor and the height of the separating tool is tracked by means of a second motor in relation to the height of the interface depending on the angle of rotation.
US07695655B2
A molded body cutting apparatus according to the present invention comprising a first conveyer member that conveys an extrusion-molded pillar-shaped ceramic molded body a cutting member that moves in a direction parallel to a movement direction of the above mentioned first conveyer member while moving also in a vertical direction, and cuts the above mentioned ceramic molded body to a predetermined length by passing through the interior of the above mentioned ceramic molded body and a second conveyer member that conveys a cut ceramic molded body cut to a predetermined length by the above mentioned cutting member, wherein a conveyance speed of the above mentioned first conveyer member and a movement speed of the above mentioned cutting member in the above mentioned parallel direction are almost the same, before the above mentioned ceramic molded body is cut, and each of the conveyance speed of the above mentioned first conveyer member, the movement speed of the above mentioned cutting member in the above mentioned parallel direction, and a conveyance speed of the above mentioned second conveyer member becomes faster toward the latter, after the above mentioned ceramic molded body is cut.
US07695651B2
A flame retardant additive comprises (A) a gassing agent which is a compound containing both phosphorus and nitrogen, typically ammonium polyphosphate, which is surface coated with (B) a silicone-base water repellent treating agent comprising a co-hydrolytic condensate obtained through co-hydrolytic condensation of (i) an organosilicon compound and (ii) an amino group-containing alkoxysilane or a partial hydrolyzate thereof in the presence of an organic or inorganic acid. The additive is improved in moisture absorption resistance and dispersion and suited for use in resins or elastomers.
US07695635B2
An azeotropic or azeotrope-like composition comprising a mixture of methyl iodide, 1-chloro-3,3,3,-trifluoropropene, and optionally one or more of fluorocarbons and/or hydrofluorocarbons. The compositions are present as a gas, at temperatures of about 30° C. or below. The inventive compositions serve as a non-ozone-depleting gaseous fumigant which is useful in a variety of applications, in place of methyl bromide. These compositions serve as a drop-in replacement for gaseous methyl bromide, providing the benefits of a methyl iodide fumigant while also utilizing existing methyl bromide equipment.
US07695628B2
Membranes for use in methods and apparatuses for hemodialysis and hemofiltration are composed of at least one polyarylethernitrile block copolymer having structural units of formula I wherein Z is a direct bond, O, S, CH2, SO, SO2, CO, RPO, CH2, alkenyl, alkynyl, a C1-C12 aliphatic radical, a C3-C12 cycloaliphatic radical, a C3-C12 aromatic radical or a combination thereof; R is a C6-12 aromatic radical or a C1-12 aliphatic radical; R1 and R2 are independently H, halo, nitro, a C1-C12 aliphatic radical, a C3-C12 cycloaliphatic radical, a C3-C12 aromatic radical, or a combination thereof; a is 0, 1, 2 or 3; b is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4; and m and n are independently 0 or 1.
US07695624B2
A method and system is provided for treating wastewater. In one process, wastewater is directed into a treatment tank and biologically treated. The biologically treated wastewater is directed as mixed liquor from the treatment tank to a bottom portion of a downstream filtration tank having at least one submerged membrane module that extends across substantially the entire cross sectional area of the filtration tank mixed liquor is directed from the bottom of the filtration tank upwardly into the membrane module such that substantially all of the mixed liquor received in the bottom of the filtration tank flows through the membrane module. As the mixed liquor flows vertically through the membrane module, the method includes inducing at least some of the mixed liquor through walls of one or more membrane filters that form a part of the membrane module, producing a permeate stream. The remaining mixed liquor passing through and from the membrane module is referred to as a non-permeate stream and the non-permeate stream, or at least a substantial portion thereof, is recirculated to the treatment tank. The filtration tank is sized relative to the membrane module and the process is carried out such that there is no substantial recycle of mixed liquor in the filtration tank itself. Although mixed liquor may be recirculated from the filtration tank back to the treatment tank and then back to the filtration tank and so forth and so on, once the mixed liquor in the filtration tank makes one pass through the membrane module the mixed liquor is recycled back to the treatment tank and generally not permitted to be recycled back through the membrane module without first returning to the treatment tank.
US07695619B2
A modular filter system using replaceable filter cartridges includes matching adaptor rings in the filter head and on the filter cartridge placed at selected circumferential positions to ensure proper cartridge fit and to provide a proprietary cartridge construction for selected users. The adaptor rings operate only to control cartridge to filter head fit and are not used to drive the rotary valve spindle.
US07695614B2
An apparatus for continuous closed-circuit consecutive sequential desalination of a salt water solution by reverse osmosis that comprises a closed circuit system comprising one or more desalination modules having their respective inlets and outlets connected in parallel by conducing lines, each of desalination modules comprising of one or more membrane elements, a pressurizing device for creating counter pressure to enable reverse osmosis desalination and replacement of released permeate by fresh, a circulation system for recycling the desalinated solution through the desalination modules, a conducting line systems for permeate collection from the desalination modules, a conducting line system for removing brine effluent a valve system to enable periodic discharge of brine from the closed circuit without stopping desalination, and monitoring and control systems to enable continuous closed circuit desalination of desired recovery proceed in consecutive sequential steps under variable or constant pressure conditions.
US07695613B2
The invention is directed to a chlorinator mounted inline in a water purification system having a housing having an inlet end and an outlet end and an upper compartment having an electronics section with a controller unit contained within the electronics section and in electrical communication with a power source and an at least one electrolytic plate. The system having a heat sink member in thermal communication with the controller, wherein the flow of the water in the water purification system cools the heat sink member and the controller unit.
US07695612B2
A process is provided for recovering heavy minerals from aqueous oil sand tailings, the oil sand tailings having heavy minerals, other coarse solids such as silica, fines, residual bitumen and water, including desliming the oil sand tailings in a desliming means by removing a portion of free fines and residual bitumen from the oil sand tailings; attritioning the oil sand tailings in an attritioner to remove adhered fines and residual bitumen from the heavy minerals and other coarse solids; and subjecting the deslimed and attritioned tailings to separation in a separation means to separate the heavy minerals from the other coarse solids present in the deslimed and attritioned tailings and produce a concentrated heavy minerals fraction.
US07695606B2
The present invention relates to an electrolytic device for disinfecting water in a water supply system using active chlorine, comprising an electrolytic cell having electrodes and a generator driven by the water, a part of the water being guided through the electrolytic cell and at least a part of the feeding of the electrolytic cell being guided through a salt dosing device containing a compound capable of supplying chloride ions to the water.
US07695605B2
A method for plating tin or a tin alloy on a substrate such that whiskers are prevented form forming or the number of whickers is reduced in number as well as size.
US07695601B2
An electrochemical electrode probe includes an elongated body of a porous material disposed in a housing. The porous material is permeated with an electrolyte. A body of electrode material surrounds the porous body and functions as one electrode of an electrochemical system. A portion of the elongated body of porous material projects beyond the electrode body and functions to establish ionic and electrical conductivity with a sample of material which is to be tested. The sample of material functions as a working electrode, and the electrode body of the probe functions as a counter electrode/reference electrode. Further disclosed is an electrochemical analysis system which includes the probe and a support plate operable to retain a plurality of samples of test material thereupon. The probe is moved across the plate to sequentially measure the electrochemical properties of the various samples of material. Also disclosed are methods for using the system.
US07695593B2
The helical fractionating column according to the invention falls into the field of oil separation apparatus for the petroleum refining industry, which includes a column body (8), and is characterized in that the inside of the column body (8) is divided into three sections, the lower section being jet tray section, the middle section being packing section, and the upper section being floating valve section. The helical fractionating column has many advantages, such as having enhanced integrity of separation, decoloration and deodorization, simple structure, convenient manufacturing and maintenance, and low investment cost as well as high product quality etc. Thus, the present invention is worthy to be extended in the petroleum refining industry which uses waste plastics and rubbers as raw materials.
US07695586B2
A photosensitive epoxy resin adhesive composition which is capable of forming a pattern by exposure to light through a photomask and development, and which, even after having formed a pattern in that manner, may still exhibit high adhesiveness when heated while keeping its pattern as such, as well as a photosensitive adhesive film which comprises the photosensitive epoxy resin adhesive composition. The photosensitive epoxy resin adhesive composition comprises an epoxy resin and a photo-acid generator, wherein the epoxy resin comprises a polyfunctional epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent of from 100 to 300 g/eq and a polyfunctional epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent of from 450 to 10000 g/eq.
US07695582B2
A method for forming a ceramic layer on the surface of a turbine component. This method comprises the following steps: (a) providing a turbine component having a surface; (b) providing at least one ceramic tape overlaying the component surface; and (c) manually pressing the at least one ceramic tape against the component surface at a temperature of from about 150° to about 700° F. (from about 66° to about 371° C.) so as to cause the at least one ceramic tape to adhere to the component surface.
US07695581B2
A light emitting diode reflector molding process, and a construction thereof includes preparation of a first and a second green sheet structures respectively provided with a first and a second open patterns with the porosity of the second open pattern smaller than that of the first open pattern; the second green sheet structure being placed on top of the first green sheet structure to such that both opening patterns being overlapped to each; a metallic layer being coated on the second green sheet structure, the second green sheet structure being molded along the opening pattern of and covering upon the first green sheet for the metallic layer to become the wall of the reflector opening.
US07695576B2
Disclosed is an improved low alloy high speed tool steel, which exhibits constant toughness with small dispersion of the properties after heat treatment and regardless of the size of the products. The steel consists essentially of, by weight %, C: 0.50-0.75%, Si: 0.02-2.00%, Mn: 0.1-3.0%, P: up to 0.050%, S: up to 0.010%, Cr: 5.0-6.0%, W: 0.5-2.0%, V: 0.70-1.25%, Al: up to 0.1%, O: up to 0.01% and N: up to 0.04% and the balance of Fe. In the steel [Mo+0.5W](Mo-eq.) is 2.5-5.0%, [Mo-eq.]/V is 2-4. In the annealed state the steel contains carbides of the types of MC+M6C and/or M23C6(M7C3), and after quenching from a temperature of 1100-1200° C. it contains substantially no remaining carbide or, even contains, almost all the carbides are of MC.
US07695565B2
A method of forming a silicon carbon compound. A silicon source is introduced into an environment. Silicon particles are formed therefrom. One or more hydrocarbons are introduced into the environment separately from the silicon source, thereby forming one or more silicon carbon compounds. A dissociation enhancer may be introduced into the environment to minimize silicon particle size prior to it joining the hydrocarbon source.
US07695564B1
The present invention is directed to a method for fabricating a thermal management substrate having a Silicon (Si) layer on a polycrystalline diamond film, or on a diamond-like-carbon (DLC) film. The method comprises acts of fabricating a separation by implantation of oxygen (SIMOX) wafer; depositing a polycrystalline diamond film onto the SIMOX wafer; and removing various layers of the SIMOX wafer to leave a Si overlay layer that is epitaxially fused with the polycrystalline diamond film. In the case of the DLC film, the method comprises acts of ion-implanting a Si wafer; depositing an amorphous DLC film onto the Si wafer; and removing various layers of the Si wafer to leave a Si overlay structure epitaxially fused with the DLC film.
US07695535B2
Thus, a novel process for producing a passivated coal material has been disclosed, comprising the steps of (a) drying a coal material by heating said coal material in the presence of a first gas comprised of less than about five volume percent of oxygen until said coal material has a moisture content of from above about 1 to about 20 weight percent, thereby producing a partially dried coal material, wherein said coal material is selected from the group consisting of lignitic coal, sub-bituminous coal, bituminous coal, coal char, and mixtures thereof; (b) heating said partially dried coal material to a temperature of from about 100 to about 600 degrees Fahrenheit, thereby producing a heated partially dried coal material; (c) charging said heated partially dried coal material to a fluidized bed reactor; (d) feeding a second gas with an oxygen content of from about 6 to about 15 volume percent into said fluidized bed reactor; (e) contacting said heated partially dried coal material with said second gas while maintaining said heated partially dried coal material at a temperature of from about 450 to about 650 degrees Fahrenheit; and, thereafter, (f) removing water from said heated partially dried coal material until no more than about 1 weight percent of water remains in said heated partially dried coal material.
US07695532B2
A process of making biodiesel from crude tall oil by reacting crude tall oil with a C1-C6 alkanol in the presence of an acid catalyst or by reacting crude tall oil with an acyl halide in the presence of a C1-C6 alkanol. The reaction product of either of these reactions is separated into a suspension liquid by the addition of a polar liquid. The biodiesel product is recovered from the suspension liquid by addition of an organic solvent which produces a polar liquid phase and an organic liquid phase. The biodiesel is recovered from the organic liquid phase by evaporating the organic solvent, which is recovered for use in subsequent separation processes, and vacuum distilling off the product biodiesel from the organic solvent-free organic liquid phase.
US07695530B2
A method for producing a secondary cell having a flat wound electrode body that inhibits the bending of the electrode board caused by charging and discharging and inhibits resulting swelling of the cell and deterioration of cycle characteristics is provided. The method has the steps of: winding, with a winding core, a positive electrode board, a negative electrode board, and a separator provided between the positive and negative electrode boards, and fixing the winding end, thereby preparing an approximately cylindrical electrode body; after the step of preparing the electrode body, deforming the electrode body into a shape with an approximately oval cross section by pressing the approximately cylindrical electrode body from a direction perpendicular to the winding axis, and rotating the deformed electrode body in the winding direction, thereby relaxing the winding state; and after the relaxation steps, pressing the electrode body into the flat wound electrode body.
US07695529B1
A method for manufacturing an electrolytic capacitor with improved deformation qualities includes impregnating an electrolytic capacitor with a first electrolyte, aging the electrolytic capacitor after impregnating and reimpregnating the electrolytic capacitor with a second electrolyte. The water content of the second electrolyte is lower than the water content of the first electrolyte. The second electrolyte may also have a lower viscosity and a higher conductivity than the first electrolyte.
US07695524B2
The invention relates to a non-aqueous washing machine, methods of using the machine, methods of washing, and recycling.
US07695521B2
An improved hip prosthesis includes an acetabular cup bearing component constructed from a relatively hard and high strength ceramic material for articulation with a ball-shaped femoral head component which may be constructed from a compatible ceramic or metal material. In one form, the acetabular cup further includes a ceramic porous bone ingrowth surface adhered thereto for secure ingrowth attachment to natural patient bone.
US07695511B2
A system and process for correction of regurgitation of heart valves. With mitral valves in particular, the anterior leaflet is advanced through use of a D-plasty patch and a narrow annuloplasty ring which compresses the lateral dimension on of the valve. The sizes of the patch and ring are selected to provide a sufficient advancement of the leaflet to restore the surface of coaptation.
US07695508B2
A catheter system and method are described for stenting a vessel at a bifurcation or sidebranch of the vessel. The catheter system includes a first balloon catheter, a second balloon catheter and a releasable linking device for holding the first and second balloon catheters arranged in a side-by-side configuration and aligned with one another along a longitudinal axis. The linking device allows the catheter system to be advanced as a unit and helps prevent premature or inadvertent dislodgement of the stent from the catheters, yet is releasable so that one or both of the balloon catheters can be released from the linking device and maneuvered separately from the rest of the catheter system when desired. The method utilizes the described catheter system for stenting bifurcated vessels using a modified “kissing balloons” technique.
US07695507B2
A stent designed for catheter delivery to a target neurovascular site via a tortuous path, in a contracted state, and deployment at the target site, in an expanded state, is disclosed. The stent includes a plurality of expandable tubular members, where member is composed of a continuous wire element forming a plurality of wave segments, and segment contains a pair of opposite looped peaks having a wave shape such that the distance between adjacent sides of a wave, on proceeding from a peak toward opposite peaks, increases monotonically with an inflection point therebetween. The expandable tubular members are joined through adjacent peaks by axial connectors. Radial expansion of the stent from a contracted to expanded state is accommodated by movement of adjacent wave-segment peaks away from one another, without significant change in the axial dimension of the stent. Also disclosed are a system incorporating the stent, and a method of treating a neurovascular abnormality.
US07695506B2
A stent is provided that includes at least two stent segments which mate with one another. At least one of the stent segments includes a hollow member, and at least one of the stent segments includes a solid member. At least one of the solid members is secured to at least one of the hollow members.
US07695502B2
A bone fixation system including a plate and a set of fixation locking screw. The plate defines a set of locking screw holes each having an internal thread. Each respective locking screw has a head with an external structure that is adapted to self-tap into the internal thread of a given locking screw hole to secure the respective first-type fixation locking screw at an surgeon directed angle relative to the plate. This angle is defined during forcible insertion and rotation of the respective locking screw into the given screw hole. The system may also include unidirectional locking screws.
US07695500B2
A polyaxial occipital plate assembly and method comprises a longitudinal member; a polyaxial connector head; a socket portion adapted to retain the connector head; a flexible clip operatively connected to the socket portion and adapted to receive the longitudinal member; an occipital plate comprising clips operatively connected to the connector head; and a locking mechanism operatively connected to the connector head and the clips, wherein engagement of the locking mechanism to the connector head causes the clips to lock into the connector head and outwardly expand the connector head thereby causing the flexible clip to squeeze against the longitudinal member. The plate comprises a pair of opposed legs comprising the clips attached to ends of the legs; a body portion operatively connected to the pair of opposed legs, wherein the body portion is positioned at any of an obtuse and an acute angle relative to the pair of opposed legs.
US07695497B2
A anti-splay and rod securing member for use with vertebral implants of the hook, monoaxial and polyaxial types, in which a pair of arcuate upstanding internally threaded posts define a transverse opening for securing a rod to immobilize bone segments comprises an integrally formed cap and set screw with the cap having opposed curved side walls extending around the posts and flat end walls, the set screw being positioned within the posts and free to rotate within the cap so that rotation of the set screw will advance the cap and set screw in unison along the implant posts to clamp the rod and implant together. The implant may be provided with opposed catch basins for releasably securing the distal end of a rod persuasion instrument.
US07695492B1
The present invention provides for an apparatus to locate a blood vessel puncture having a bleed back entrance port near a first end, a bleed back exit port near a second end; and a lumen extending between the bleed back entrance port and the bleed back exit port, wherein said bleed back entrance port has a diameter substantially equal to or greater than the lumen diameter. The present invention further provides for a method for locating a blood vessel puncture by inserting a locator into a blood vessel lumen, the locator having a bleed back entrance port at a first end, a bleed back exit port at a second end, and a finger adjacent the bleed back entrance port, observing a blood flow out of the bleed back exit port, and withdrawing the locator out of the blood vessel lumen until the finger contacts the blood vessel wall.
US07695489B2
Disclosed herein are devices and related methods for using those devices in the relieving and/or treating of pain, discomfort, and/or inflammation in the pelvic region using targeted pressure and temperature delivery. The devices and methods for using those devices to deliver targeted pressure and temperature therapy internally to patients through their rectal or vaginal cavities are disclosed.
US07695480B2
An alignment device and method is provided. Higher precision is achieved when fixing an orientation of an insertion axis using alignment devices shown. A symmetric clamping force is provided that reduces or eliminates unwanted displacement after the desired orientation is obtained. Another feature includes increased flexibility to use a variety of primary medical devices. Another feature includes a standoff feature that reduces tissue damage. Another feature includes an orienting fixture for image guided procedures.
US07695476B2
There is described a jig for identifying a point on the femoral head which is in alignment with a central axis of the femoral neck. The jig comprises a first member which defines a plane and has means for at least partially receiving the femoral neck. The jig also comprises a guide member which is mounted apart from the first member and which defines an axis at right angles to the plane defined by the first member. The axis of the guide member intersects the plane at a point which is a predetermined distance away from the means receiving the femoral neck. In addition, the jig comprises an elongate alignment means which is mounted with respect to the first member and which is spaced apart from, but extends parallel to, the axis of the guide member. There is also described a kit for use in the resurfacing of the femoral head. The kit comprises at least one jig as previously described.
US07695469B2
An apparatus having an excitation source that includes at least one laser diode and also having a handpiece with a disposable, bendable tip cannula is disclosed.
US07695464B2
A disposable absorbent article includes an absorbent chassis and a fastening system that together define a refastenable pant. The refastenable pant includes a pair of elastomeric front side panels extending from the waist opening to each leg opening, a pair of elastomeric back side panels extending from the waist opening to each leg opening, and a pair of refastenable seams extending from the waist opening to each leg opening and positioned between the elastomeric front and back side panels.
US07695460B2
Here is disclosed a urine receiver. The urine receiver which collects urine of a wearer of the urine receiver under suction force has a container member provided with a bottom, a peripheral wall and flange. The container member has a suction tube which extends through the peripheral wall and has a urine suction port opening toward the interior of the container member and a urine evacuation port opening toward the exterior of the container member. The evacuation port is adapted to be connected to a connector of a urine suction means provided externally of the container member.
US07695459B2
A nasogastric tube insertion system comprises a nasogastric tube, a guide element, and an inserter element. The inserter element has a slim, elongate main body, a handle attached to the body, and an anatomically curved insertion section. The guide element comprises a swallowable weight attached to a cord, string, monofilament line, or other similar line. The nasogastric tube comprises a tube having one or more interior bores or lumina and a guide element capture structure. In use, the swallowable weight is placed onto the end of the inserter element. The inserter element is inserted through the patient's nasal passages and optionally into the oropharynx. The weight is released and the patient swallows it into the stomach. The guide element is threaded through the guide element retaining structure, and the nasogastric tube is safely inserted along the guide element into the patient's stomach. The tube and guide element are removed together when no longer needed.
US07695456B2
The present invention relates to a medicament delivery device such as a pen type injector used to expel medicament from a medicament cartridge under the action of a lead screw. The medicament cartridge typically comprises a cylinder having a displaceable piston at one end displacement causing medicament contained within the cartridge to be expelled. It is of advantage to know when the plunger contacts the displaceable piston since no delivery of medicament can occur before this point. A delivery device is disclosed in which a lead screw for a medicament delivery device comprises a shaft portion and a head portion, the head portion further comprising a fixed part, a displaceable part movable with respect to the fixed part, biasing means acting normally to urge the displaceable part away from the fixed part and a sensor to detect when the displaceable part moves towards the fixed part, one of the fixed part and the displaceable part being provided with a plurality of resilient fingers extending axially with respect to the lead screw, and the other of the fixed part and the displaceable part being provided with a plurality of opening, each of the resilient fingers extending within a corresponding opening.
US07695450B1
A catheter for hemodialysis comprises a flexible catheter tube defining a plurality of separate lumens. The catheter defines an arc angle of generally U-shape in its natural, unstressed configuration. Thus, the catheter may be implanted with a distal catheter portion residing in a vein of the patient, the distal catheter portion being of substantially the shape of the vein in its natural, unstressed condition. Also, a proximal catheter portion resides in a surgically created tunnel extending from the vein and through the skin of the patient, this section of the catheter also being typically in its natural, unstressed condition. Thus blood may be removed from the vein through one lumen of the catheter, and blood may be returned to the vein through another lumen of the catheter, while the catheter is subject to long term indwelling in the body. Improved results are achieved because of the lack of mechanical stress in the shape of the catheter, which stress causes the catheter to press unduly against adjacent tissues.
US07695448B2
An intravenous flow control system provides closed loop control to maintain a desired flow rate. The actual flow rate is determined by two techniques, a geometrically based technique that uses geometric parameters of the IV system, and a thermally based technique that uses the power input to an IV fluid warmer and the temperature of the IV fluid entering and exiting the warmer.
US07695437B2
A therapy head for use in HIFU procedures is described. The therapy head has an enclosure with a window, an energy applicator and a means of moving the energy applicator within the enclosure. The therapy head uses motors and actuators to move the energy applicator, usually an ultrasound transducer, inside the enclosure. A controller is provided either internally or externally that allows the therapy head to identify and distinguish locations where the therapy head should be to radiate energy into a patient. The controller uses the motors and actuators to move the energy applicator into the desired locations.
US07695436B2
A system for temporal transmit apodization of an ultrasound transducer array. The system includes a waveform generator and an ultrasound transducer array having a plurality of transducer elements. Each of the transducer elements is driven by a signal generator that generates a periodic waveform. The duty cycle of each signal generator is determined by a predetermined setting of a duty cycle control. The duty cycle of each signal generator is calculated to achieve a desired beam profile of the transducer array, such as acoustic focusing for reducing the level of grating lobes and side lobes. Apodization is achieved by varying the effective amplitude at each array element by varying the duty cycle of the signal provided to each element.
US07695433B2
A laryngoscope for use with a disposable blade cover is provided. The laryngoscope comprises a handle and a blade. The laryngoscope further comprises an actuator system for selectively securing the disposable blade cover about at least a portion of the blade.
US07695426B2
Methods are provided for enhancing viability comprising administering at least one inhibitor of p53 or a p53-associated pathway to one or more of the following: the embryo, oocytes, sperm, a femme animal or a male animal.
US07695419B2
A tape with a zipper member and a bag film are continuously moved by rotation of a rotary drum while being overlaid with each other such that the tape travels in a tape introducing groove for a tape with a zipper member, the groove formed along a circumferential direction of the rotary drum. The tape with the zipper member is continuously welded to the bag film on a circumferential surface of the rotary drum by a seal bar that has a welding surface in a curved shape corresponding to a circumferential surface shape of the rotary drum. A heat-insulation portion is provided on at least one of the tape body of the tape and the rotary drum so that heat applied from the seal bar to the tape with the zipper member is prevented from transferring to the rotary drum.
US07695418B2
Exercise bench assemblies having wheels with integral brakes that automatically engage and disengage during use of the bench assembly are disclosed. In one embodiment, an exercise bench assembly includes a support portion, and a frame assembly coupled to the support portion. A wheel assembly is coupled to the frame assembly and includes at least one wheel configured to rollably engage a support surface, and a braking device operatively associated with the at least one wheel. The braking device is configured to engage the at least one wheel to prevent the at least one wheel from rolling on the support surface when a user's weight is applied to the support portion, and to disengage from the at least one wheel to allow the at least one wheel to roll on the support surface when the weight of the user is removed from the support portion.
US07695415B2
This trunk rotation device uses dynamic movement of one's body such as, shoulder, hip, knee, back, thigh, and abdominal musculature. The device provides a method for exercising the spinal column and the muscles of the torso, including those in the abdominal lumbar and thoracic regions involving rotational torque. In a preferred embodiment, the device is a golf exercise and flexibility apparatus. The golf exercise apparatus provides resistance to a golfer during a golf swing to strengthen and condition the muscles of the axial skeleton of the golfer in a functional posture.
US07695406B2
System and method for interactive video game fitness equipment. Fitness hardware (e.g., an exercise bicycle, a stair machine, treadmill, elliptical trainer, rotary climbing wall, or other fitness equipment) interacts with a video game, optionally via various devices, e.g., a PC, gaming console, or other hardware and/or software device or system capable of implementing an interactive application), for an immersive hybrid exercise/game user experience.
US07695400B2
A speed-limiting accessory drive system is provided that limits the speed range over which an engine-driven accessory operates while maintaining the operating speed range of the engine. A torque-transmitting mechanism is selectively engagable to operatively connect the engine and the accessory. A controller is configured to maintain the torque-transmitting mechanism in an engaged state only when monitored engine speed is within a predetermined speed range and to control a drive motor to drive the driven accessory when the monitored engine speed is not within the predetermined range. A method of controlling the speed of at least one driven accessory, which may be carried out using the speed-limiting accessory drive system, is also provided.
US07695396B2
A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, three planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes a sun gear member, a planet carrier member, and a ring gear member. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and a brake arranged within a transmission housing.
US07695385B2
Belt roller device, comprising a pulley, a rolling bearing, a protective end-plate, a screw immobilized axially relative to the rolling bearing, and a retaining element mounted on a stem of the screw and forming an axial stop for the protective end-plate, the said protective end-plate being designed to come to bear against a radial face of the inner race of the rolling bearing.
US07695377B2
The present invention provides a golf club head that can hit a ball with a sufficiently large amount of backspin. The golf club head according to the present invention is an iron type golf club head made of a metal and including a flat face. A plurality of traces are formed by milling on the face. The pitch of the traces is between 0.1 mm and 1 mm.
US07695374B2
A bouncer seat assembly generally has a wire frame structure and a seat suspended from the wire frame structure. The wire frame structure includes a seat section and a base section resiliently and flexibly coupled to and supporting the seat section above the base section. The wire frame structure is configured so that any gap between parts of the bouncer seat assembly is either sized small enough to prohibit a head of a child from fitting between any adjacent parts or sized large enough to prevent a head of a child from being entrapped or pinched between any adjacent parts.
US07695373B1
A type of flexible boot sized to envelop an object mounted on a smaller shaft with one or both ends of the boot having an expandable opening. When used to protect an automotive type constant velocity joint, the boot will have one plain cylindrical end and one pleated end. The plain end of the boot mates to a housing of the CV joint, the opposite end mates to its input shaft. The shaft mating end of the boot is comprised of a circumference of radially arranged shaped pleats. During installation of the boot over the constant velocity joint, the pleated end of the boot may be spread apart and passed over the larger diameter of the joint housing. The pleats may then be closed inwardly to a nested condition where they are constrained and compacted to the shaft with a surrounding band clamp.
US07695370B2
A network-based game system includes one or more web servers each configured to receive a plurality of requests from one or more game client applications each running on a computer device and to produce data base queries in accordance with the plurality of requests, a plurality of data bases configured to store game information that can be retrieved in response to the data base queries, and a connection pool server in communication with the one or more web servers and the plurality of data bases. The connection pool server is configured to direct one of the data base queries to one of the plurality of data bases on which the game information related to the data base query is stored.
US07695367B2
A predetermined action is performed between a player object and another object positioned in a first determination range when a player designates said another object by controlling a pointing device. On the other hand, when the player performs an operation so as to designate said another object positioned outside the first determination range, a position of the player object is updated based on the designated position.
US07695363B2
An apparatus and method for displaying multiple interfaces for a gaming device is provided. The game can be slot although other wagering games are also within the scope of the present invention. The interface which is displayed can depend upon the wager level.
US07695362B1
A progressive, bingo-like game is disclosed. The game involves drawing a sequence of numbers and playing a conventional bingo-like game until a desired quantity of numbers to be drawn remains, and matching the remaining numbers to indicia in a manner that only yields a win upon the game's ending if the most recently drawn quantity of numbers all match numbered spaces bearing the indicia. The prize can be progressive prize, or a non-progressive prize, as desired by the game operator. Indicia can be colors, graphical symbols, or other visual designations that are viewable on a player's game card at the beginning of the game.
US07695357B2
An entertainment system includes a playing surface divided into discrete fields each having distinct indicia such as a color. The system includes a plurality of game pieces, such as letter tiles, each having an indicia corresponding to a respective field as well as having an alphanumeric or user-choice indicia. The entertainment system includes an input device for actuating a timer or processor. A display is included for displaying instructions, aesthetic elements, or even a sound emitter. A method of playing the entertainment system includes a plurality of players initially selecting a predetermined number of game pieces and then, in turn, arranging game pieces on playing surface fields having like color indicia to form words, selecting additional game pieces or taking other actions relative to game pieces, and rearranging game pieces to form other words. Electronic components are included to provide elements of chance, instructions, or aesthetic appeal.
US07695351B2
A low-stress polishing device includes a base; a plurality of actuators mounted to the base and spaced from each other in a predetermined interval, each of the actuators having a drive shaft and a buffer spring connected with the drive shaft for providing the drive shaft with a predetermined impulsive pressure, each of the drive shafts having a buffer pad located at a distal end thereof; at least one drive circuit electrically connected with the actuators for control of driving the actuators; a working plate mounted to the buffer pads; and a polishing pad mounted to the working plate. Accordingly, the vibration mode generated by the device provides a dynamic pressure on the wafer surface for destroying the chemical product on the wafer surface and is applicable to polishing of low-dielectric integrated copper structures.
US07695347B2
A method for polishing a wafer effectively preventing a sag in an outer peripheral portion of a wafer and a polishing pad for polishing a wafer preferably used in the method for polishing a wafer are provided. The method for polishing a wafer comprises the step of: mirror-polishing a wafer with a main surface of the wafer being in contact with a polishing pad of non-woven fabric impregnated with resin, wherein a ratio of surface roughness of the polishing pad to compressibility thereof {surface roughness Ra (μm)/compressibility (%)} is 3.8 or more.
US07695346B2
An abrasive, which makes it possible to polish a surface to be processed of a workpiece with a blast processing, and together therewith, can bear using for a long period of time or a plurality of times, and a method for blast processing with the abrasive are provided. The abrasive is composed of a base material as an elastic body and abrasive grains, wherein the abrasive grains of 10 to 90% by weight are compounded and dispersed into the base material of 90 to 10% by weight such that a content rate (compounding ratio) of the abrasive grains in the abrasive is 10 to 90% by weight when an amount of the abrasive is 100% by weight. The method for blast processing includes a step of injecting or projecting the abrasive at a predetermined angle of incidence with respect to the surface to be processed of the workpiece.
US07695343B2
An improved construction for a brassiere, wherein the brassiere is equipped with both back and front fasteners, and a multi-layered lining inside the cups to provide structure and support. The back and front fasteners enable the wearer to put the brassiere on with ease. The multi-layered lining, which absorbs body heat to mold to the shape of the breast accommodates the slight differences in size and shape in the breasts.
US07695341B1
A toy includes a sensor that senses a condition, a movable region, and an actuator coupled to the movable region to move the movable region in a direction relative to the sensed condition. The movable region is coupled to a body that houses electromechanical components for sensing conditions and for moving the movable region in response to the detected conditions.
US07695334B2
A visual locating device comprises an elongate, inherently buoyant, flexible sheet for floating on the surface of a body of water that has a longitudinal axis. At least three buoyant support struts are secured to the sheet and disposed across the longitudinal axis of the sheet such that the sheet is divided into a plurality of sections defined between respective pairs of struts. A light source is disposed on the sheet to provide nighttime visibility to the sheet. A pouch, which receives the sheet when stowed, is configured to release the sheet when immersed in water. The sheet is at least z-folded inside the pouch.
US07695333B2
A single pole cable connector includes an insulating sleeve defining a channel and a non-circular contact positioned in the channel. The insulating sleeve may further include a non-circular, nonmetallic locking sleeve defining a portion of the channel. The channel and contact may be hexagonal-shaped in some cases. The insulating sleeve may have an exterior surface having two flat surfaces disposed opposite each other.
US07695330B2
A terminal fitting has a base (11) for receiving a cylindrical sealing plug (70) mounted on an end of a wire (60) and crimping pieces (14F, 14R) projecting from opposite lateral edges of the base (11). The crimping pieces (14F, 14R) are crimped into connection at different positions of the outer circumferential surface of the sealing plug (70) in forward and backward directions. The base (11) is arranged Circumferentially along the lower half of the outer circumferential surface of the sealing plug (70) from its connected positions with the respective crimping pieces (14F, 14R) and includes receiving portions (16F, 16R) which have lateral edges (16E) facing the leading ends of the respective crimping pieces (14F, 14R) in circumferential direction and located at the upper half of the outer circumferential surface of the sealing plug (70).
US07695323B2
Cable managers of the present invention include a panel, at least two adjacent spaced-apart projections, which define an opening therebetween, and a tab connected to at least one of the projections. The tab assists in cable routing and retention. In one embodiment, the tab extends to a distance at least midway between a top surface of the one projection and the bottom surface of the other projection. In another embodiment, a distance between a top surface of the tab on one projection and the bottom surface of another adjacent projection is between about 0.10 inches and about 0.30 inches. In yet another embodiment, a cable manager comprises separable portions, and at least one spacer member which is adapted to be attached to each of separable first and second portions. The spacer member increases the width of the manager to provide additional space to run cable within the manager.
US07695320B2
The shield shell is formed of a shield shell main body, a shield shell auxiliary member and a fixing member. The shield shell main body is made of die-cast aluminum. The shield shell auxiliary member is formed by pressing a steel plate, and has a surface plated with gold. The fixing member has a ring shape, which is formed by pressing a steel plate. With this configuration, it is possible to provide a shield shell that can be manufactured at a low cost, that can improve reliability of the shielding effect, and that can improve assembling workability of the shielded wire.
US07695318B1
A plug connector has an insulative housing, a plurality of first terminals, a plurality of second terminals and a positioning bracket. The terminals are mounted in the insulative housing and each terminal has a soldering portion. The positioning bracket is mounted on the insulative housing and has a positioning protrusion having a top surface and a bottom surface respectively holding the soldering portions on two levels. The soldering portions are arranged in two levels to facilitate soldering wires to the soldering portions.
US07695309B2
A network panel includes a panel having a plurality of openings and interconnect modules received in the openings. Each interconnect module has a mating face and a plurality of receptacle jacks. Each receptacle jack has an opening at the mating face defining a port configured to receive a plug of a patch cord having the sensing probes. The network panel also includes a sensor strip having one or more headers and one or more flexible circuits interconnecting a plurality of rigid circuit boards with the header. Each of the circuit boards have contact pads and the sensor strip is mounted to at least one of the panel and the interconnect modules such that the contact pads are aligned with respective receptacle jacks. The contact pads are configured to interface with sensing probes when the plug is mated with the receptacle jacks.
US07695303B2
A telecommunications plug comprising: a plug body; plug latches mounted on the plug body, the plug latches being movable between a latched and unlatched state; a boot cap having arms extending therefrom, each arm including a camming surface engaging an outside surface of the plug latches, wherein moving the boot cap in a first direction drives the latches towards each other; a cap latch mounted to the boot cap, the cap latch having a distal end positioned between the latches preventing movement of the boot cap in the first direction; the boot cap including an opening for receiving a key to deflect the cap latch allowing movement of the boot cap in the first direction.
US07695302B2
An electrical plug connector including two mating connectors. A first plug section includes a receiving sleeve which encircles the first coupling section and which carries a locking element which includes flexible tabs movable between a locking position and an unlocking position and which are pre-stressed in its locking position. Held displaceably on the receiving sleeve is a sliding or release sleeve which may be manually moved axially to engage the locking element and release the mating connector. The second plug section has a plug tube which surrounds the second coupling section. When the plug tube is inserted in the receiving sleeve, the locking element rests on the outside of the plug tube in its locking position whereby the plug sections are connected. The connectors can be released by actuating the sliding sleeve to move the locking element into its unlocking position.
US07695294B2
An adjustable plug includes a main body, a connecting end, and an adjustable end sleeve. The adjustable end sleeve is slidably positioned on the main body. The connecting end protrudes from the main body. The connecting end extends through the adjustable end sleeve, and protrudes out of the adjustable end sleeve.
US07695293B1
A childproof electrical outlet covering system includes a panel has a first side and a second side, the panel has two receiving openings therein extending into the second side and outwardly of the first side. Each of the receiving openings corresponds with one of two female apertures in a female outlet when the first side is facing and positioned over the outlet to allow the male prongs to extend through panel and into the female apertures. A mounting assembly is mounted on the panel. The panel is releasably securable to the housing with the mounting assembly. A covering is rotationally coupled to the first side. The covering has a pair of receiving holes extending therethrough that are simultaneously alignable with one of the receiving openings to allow male prongs to be extended through the receiving openings and the receiving holes and into the female apertures.
US07695287B2
A ball grid array (BGA) connection system includes an integrated circuit (IC) package that includes a plurality of conductive balls forming a ball grid array (BGA) arranged in a matrix pattern. A printed circuit board (PCB) includes a plurality of ball sockets arranged in a corresponding matrix pattern. Each ball socket includes a base having one side that engages the PCB and an opposing side configured for seating a conductive ball of the BGA. A plurality of prongs are secured to and extend from the base and configured to receive and hold a conductive ball into contact with the base.
US07695284B1
A method of educating using a virtual workstation. The method includes the steps of: providing the virtual workstation; allowing a person to access the virtual workstation to generate multimedia product; and requiring that the person complete at least one educational project to continue accessing the virtual workstation to generate multimedia product.
US07695280B1
A drill forms a dental implant fixture socket having an ovular cross section with a series of tapering tiers that are widest near the gumline and narrowest near the root. The drill may have laterally oriented opposed drill points each having an ovoid or conical shape. Mechanical transmission elements operatively connect the gears to a dental hand piece. A plurality of differently sized drill point pairs can be provided along the length of a framework to allow a multi-tiered socket to be formed in a single drilling pass. An implant fixture may have a generally ovular or non-circular cross section having a plurality of tiers that successively narrow in a direction from the gumline region toward root region. The tiers are adapted to fit snugly with the resulting socket tiers formed by the drill. The fixture can be adapted to receive abutments.
US07695279B2
A dental drill (10) defining a bore diameter and a drill stop sleeve (22) which is transparent or translucent, thereby improving the view of the drilled hole formed by the drilling during the operation. The drill stop sleeve (22) comprises an uninterrupted circumferential lip (34), which interacts with a groove (24) formed in the shank part (16) of the dental drill (10) and thus fixes the drill stop sleeve (22) on the dental drill (10). The drill stop sleeves (22) of equal length are held in a blister of a set, the blister having, for each drill stop sleeve (22), a specific receiving recess that is closed in a sterile manner. Each blister comprises several drill stop sleeves with sleeve diameters corresponding to the bore diameters.
US07695256B2
A miniature fan includes a base and a stator mounted in the base. A rotor includes a hub having a plurality of blades on an outer periphery thereof. A magnetically sealing ring includes first and second engaging faces. The first engaging face is coupled to a bottom edge of each blade. A permanent magnet is coupled to the second engaging face of the magnetically sealing ring and aligned with the stator. Given the same air output, the miniature fan has a reduced volume.
US07695254B2
A pump case of an electric pump is constructed by coupling a first pressed member formed with a cylindrical part for holding a first rolling ball bearing rotatably supporting a rotary shaft, and a second pressed member formed with a recess for receiving an inner rotor provided at a tip end of the rotary shaft to each other. Because the first pressed member and the second pressed member are formed by deep-drawing work, it is possible to achieve simplification of the structure and reduction of the cost, as compared with the pump case which has been produced from an aluminum die casting or the like, as in the related art.
US07695245B1
A turbine airfoil of a gas turbine engine, the airfoil constructed from a spar and shell, in which the spar includes a root with a plurality of spar cooling air supply channels extending toward the tip and having impingement holes formed along the spar to provide impingement cooling to the shell, and the shell includes a plurality of shell return channels extending from the tip toward the root to channel the impingement cooling air to collector cavities located in the root. With a plurality of spar supply channels and shell return channels, a serpentine flow cooling circuit with multi-impingement cooling of the shell is produced. The cooling air supplied to the spar is discharged out exit holes in the trailing edge in one embodiment, or out exit holes and leading edge film cooling holes in a second embodiment. The spar and shell are bonded together using a low pressure and high temperature bonding process that includes thin sheets containing boron. The bonds are formed between the platforms and the joints between the return channels and the supply channels.
US07695244B2
A vane for a gas turbine engine includes an aerofoil part and a shroud that forms a sealing part at one end of the aerofoil part. The sealing part defines a cavity and an opening to the cavity. The sealing part may include a pair of opposed side walls extending from a radially outer wall of the shroud to a pair of radially inner walls of the shroud to define a cavity. The pair of radially inner walls may be substantially parallel to the radially outer wall and may extend in a substantially circumferential direction to define a cavity opening.
US07695237B2
A refuse collection vehicle has a lifting apparatus for lifting a refuse storage container onto and off the vehicle's flat bed body. The lifting apparatus employs a pulley apparatus including a plurality of pulleys and a pulley carrier that is moved reciprocally by a single fluid actuated cylinder. A pulley cable is connected to the pulleys in a predetermined manner to apply to the pulley carrier substantially equal forces so the carrier avoids twisting laterally as it moves reciprocally.
US07695232B2
A new apparatus for processing substrates is disclosed. A multi-level load lock chamber having four environmentally isolated chambers interfaces with a transfer chamber that has a robotic assembly. The robotic assembly has two arms that each can move horizontally as the robotic assembly rotates about its axis. The arms can reach into the isolated chambers of the load lock to receive substrates from the bottom isolated chambers, transport the substrates to process chambers, and then place the substrates in the upper chambers. The isolated chambers in the load lock chamber may have a pivotably attached lid that may be opened to access the inside of the isolated chambers.
US07695223B2
The transmission of power and/or data from/to a stationary part of a machine tool to/from an accessory mounted in the spindle of the machine tool. A first electrical link or interface provides electrical communication between the stationary part and the spindle, and a second electrical link or interface is provided electrically connected to the first electrical link at the accessory mounting area. The second link is in the form of electrical contacts. An accessory shank for mounting to the spindle of the machine tool, and also to an accessory e.g. in the form of a measurement probe, connected to the said shank.
US07695205B2
A driving apparatus includes a driving gear bidirectionally rotatable by a driving source, at least two driven gears selectively driven by the driving gear, at least two swing gears connected to the driving gear to operate in combination with the driving gear and to transmit a driving force of the driving gear to the driven gears, a swing lever pivotally disposed to support the swing gears, and an adjusting unit to adjust a swing position of the swing lever.
US07695201B2
Disclosed is a one step fiber optic connector polishing method. The method is a sequence of processes that may include severing a fiber (100) length projecting out of the end face (106) of a ferrule (102) having a pre-shaped surface, such that the residual fiber length does not exceed 80 microns. Cleaning ferrule (102) end face (106) such that no residual debris are left on it. Polishing fiber end-face (140) only, on a finishing polishing film (180) until fiber end-face (140) and ferrule end-face (106) are in a relation that ensures the desired fiber undercut or protrusion.
US07695195B2
A vehicle wheel bearing apparatus which can increase the strength and durability of the wheel hub under rotary bending condition as well as can reduce its weight without changing the configuration and dimension of the wheel mounting flange and without causing surface run-out has an outer member formed with double row outer raceway surfaces on its inner peripheral surface. An inner member is formed with double row inner raceway surfaces arranged opposite to the double row outer raceway surfaces. Double row rolling elements are freely rollable between the outer and inner raceway surfaces respectively of the outer and inner members. A wheel mounting flange is integrally formed with either one of the outer or inner members. At least one of the outer or inner members has threaded apertures to receive hub bolts to secure a wheel. At least one of the outer or inner members formed with the wheel mounting flange which is heat treated to have a predetermined surface hardness. The raceway surfaces are hardened by quenching to a predetermined surface hardness.
US07695194B2
Member for the guidance of a movable piece, including at least one surface in friction and sliding contact with a complementary surface of the movable piece, including several separate ceramic elements carried by a support having resilience characteristics, and for example, made of an elastomer.
US07695192B2
An imaging positioning system having a robotically positioned support structure is provided. By utilizing a robotic arm, imaging along multiple planes within a patient treatment room without having to move the patient is provided. Such a configuration allows multiple axis x-ray imaging, cone beam CT acquisitions having a dynamic field of view, and PET imaging within the treatment room. Rotation of the imaging panel on the support structure allows the imaging system to simulate a gantry rotation when a fixed beam is used for treatment. Beam line x-ray imaging is also provided by tilting the imaging panel or by moving the support structure on which the x-ray source is positioned. Laser distance scanning for collision avoidance and force torque sensing movement enhance the safety thereof. The support structure may be in the form of a ring along which the imaging components may move.
US07695172B2
The present application discloses a thermally conductive panel having a honeycomb core interior portion and a non-metallic thermally conductive face sheet. The honeycomb core interior portion extends between a first end portion and a second end portion of the panel. The face sheet extends across a surface of the honeycomb core interior portion. In operation, the panel is in thermal communication with a heat source.
US07695170B1
An outdoor swivel head spotlight is described. A light bulb hood comprises a reflector and base. The base comprises a spherical socket having an internal seat. A support arm comprising a spherical end and a distal end connected to the spherical end by a through conduit is provided. The spherical end is seated in the internal seat. An internally threaded nut comprising an inwardly projecting lip having an open interior diameter at least as large as the external diameter of the spherical end, is coupled with the spherical socket. A washer between the spherical end and the lip of the nut is provided. When the nut is in a loosened position, the hood may be positioned to a desired angular position and when the nut is in a tightened position, the washer presses the spherical end into the internal seat to fix the angular position of the light hood.
US07695168B2
Optical film, including a set of elements disposed adjacent to each other and an external surface made of optically transparent material, each element including a lower pyramid being a truncated pyramid, an upper pyramid being a non-truncated pyramid and a plurality of element planes. A lower base of the lower pyramid defines the base of the element and an upper base of the lower pyramid coincides with a lower base of the upper pyramid. The element bases disposed adjacent to each other form a common surface of the set of the elements and the lower and upper pyramids protrude from one side of the common surface. The external surface covers the plurality of element planes.
US07695167B2
An optical sheet has a large number of cylindrical lens elements provided successively on one of principal faces thereof. The cylindrical lens elements have a finite focal distance on the emission side of illumination light and have an aspheric face of a leftwardly and rightwardly symmetric sectional shape. Where a Z axis is taken in parallel to a normal line direction to the optical sheet and an X axis is taken in a direction of the row of the cylindrical lens elements, a cross sectional shape of the cylindrical lens elements satisfies Z=X2/(R+√{square root over ( )}(R2−(1+K)X2))+AX4+BX5+CX6+ . . . (where R is the radius of curvature of a distal end vertex, K is a conic constant, and A, B, C, . . . are aspheric coefficients).
US07695163B2
Multiple light emitting device modules can be configured to illuminate in multiple different directions, while avoiding deterioration of radiation efficiency by use of fins. In a lighting fixture, multiple light emitting device modules can each have fins for radiating heat generated by the light emitting device. The multiple light emitting device modules can be arranged in such a manner that a main optical axis line of one light emitting device module and main optical axis lines of any other light emitting device modules form an angle larger than zero degrees, or are in a skewed position, and the fins can be arranged in such a manner that all the fins are parallel with respect to a vertical plane and roots of the fins are positioned at the same level as or lower than tips of the fins.
US07695148B1
The invention is a rear view mirror GPS holder that is composed of a pair of telescoping arms that are hingedly connected and of which hang from a neck of a rearview mirror. An opposing end of the telescoping arms attach to GPS holder. The ends of the telescoping arms have a plurality notches that correspond with a retaining clip located on the GPS holder. The hinge connecting the telescoping arms may be spring-loaded in order to apply a biasing force separating the telescoping arms thereby securing the telescoping arms with respect to the retaining clip.
US07695145B2
A projection-type display apparatus includes an illumination optical system (1) including a light source, a reflection-type light valve (2) having an image forming area on a to-be-illuminated surface illuminated by the illumination optical system (1), and a projection optical system (3) that projects an image formed on the image forming area of the reflection-type light valve (2). The projection optical system (1) is shiftable in a direction approximately perpendicular to a projection optical axis. An F-number of the projection optical system (3) is smaller than an F-number of the illumination optical system (1). Between the projection optical system (3) and the reflection-type light valve (2), an opening defining member (12) that defines an incident side opening of the projection optical system (3) is provided, which is not moved by the shifting of the projection optical system (3).
US07695143B2
An image processing system and a projector project a calibration image onto a projection target, sense the calibration image to generate sensing information, and generate projection target region information based on the sensing information. The system and projector generate projection area information based on the sensing information, image distortion correction information based on the projection target region information and the projection area information, and correct an image signal based on the image distortion correction information so that image distortion is corrected. The system and projector project an image based on the image signal corrected by the distortion correction section, determine a first height/width ratio that indicates a height/width ratio of the projection target, generate the image distortion correction information to display an image at a first height/width ratio range and display an image at a desired height/width ratio when the first height/width ratio is not within the acceptable range.
US07695141B2
A stimulus light from a stimulus light source is projected to the retina of an ocular fundus under examination to stimulate the retina in localized fashion to generate a bioelectric signal from the retina. The stimulus light source is mounted on a movable block, and an operating lever is used to move the stimulus light source to change the stimulus light on the retina. The size of the stimulus light can also be varied using a panel having a plurality of openings with different diameters for allowing the stimulus light to pass through. This assures a reliable local ERG examination because the bioelectrical signal can be produced in a wider area of the retina. The operating lever is further fixed by inserting a cap to keep the projected stimulus light unchanged. This allows the burden on the examiner to be reduced remarkably, assuring a reliable local ERG examination.
US07695138B2
An eye detection system for safe detection of the eye positions of a subject estimates the distance from the eye detection system to the subject and reduces the power level of at least one primary light source of the eye detection system if the subject is too close to the eye detection system. If the subject is not too close to the eye detection system, the power level of the at least one primary light source of the eye detection system is increased, provided the power level is below a predetermined maximum power level. Primary light from the at least one primary light source reflected from the subject is sensed by an imager to obtain one or more images, from which the eye positions of the subject are estimated.
US07695133B2
Each lens frame includes a slit at the assembly area of the corresponding temple, delimiting two independent which can be moved apart to widen the lens frame so that a lens can be inserted or removed. Each temple is connected to the corresponding lens frame by a tenon, including a first part connected to the temple, for making a rotating connection between the tenon and temple along the longitudinal axis of the temple, and a second pivotable part engaged between the portions of the lens frame. This second part, has a first dimension that can be in a first angular position of the tenon, in which the two portions, are not separated, and a second dimension in a second angular position of the tenon, in which the two portions are separated sufficiently to widen the lens frame so that the lens can be replaced.
US07695131B2
A media detection apparatus and method usable with an image forming apparatus includes a light source to irradiate light to surfaces of recording media, a light receiving part to receive light reflected from the recording media an angle changing unit to change an angle of at least one of the light source and the light receiving part with respect to the recording media, and a controller to determine a type of recording media through signals measured from the light receiving part depending on the angle changed by the angle changing unit. The media detection apparatus is capable of effectively detecting the type of recording media by changing an irradiation angle and reflection angle of light.
US07695129B2
The invention is to provide a recording apparatus and a recording method, capable of automatically specifying a type of a recording medium by a simple and inexpensive structure, thereby automating a sheet type setting operation and avoiding an error of user in such sheet type setting operation. The apparatus is equipped with first detectors for detecting a width dimension of a recording medium, a second detector for detecting a surface characteristic of the recording medium, and a discriminator for discriminating the type of the recording medium based on the results of the first and second detectors.
US07695128B2
A printing apparatus having an imaging member having an external surface and a series of substantially equal sized cells located over such surface. The printing apparatus includes an ink jet device for selectively ejecting droplets of ink, having marking particles and liquid, into the cells of said imaging member in a desired image-wise ink pattern, a mechanism for filling the cells of said imaging member with a dielectric fluid after said ink jet device ejects droplets of ink into said cells, and transfer mechanism including a device for fractionating the marking particles in the ink from the liquid and transferring the image-wise marking particle pattern to a receiver member.
US07695126B2
An ink stick support for use in an ink loader of a phase change ink imaging device includes an ink stick carrier for receiving and supporting an ink stick. The ink stick carrier includes a loading platform for receiving the ink stick thereon and a substantially vertically oriented back wall extending from a back edge of the base plate. A coupler for removably attaching the ink stick carrier to a drive mechanism of an ink loader.
US07695120B2
A liquid-ejecting head including a channel-forming substrate provided with pressure-generating chambers that are communicated with nozzle openings for ejecting a liquid, pressure-generating units for generating a change in the pressure in the pressure-generating chambers, and a fluid-resistant protection film is provided. The protection film is disposed at least on the inner walls of the pressure-generating chambers and includes an amorphous layer of an amorphous film disposed on the inner wall surfaces and a crystal layer of a crystallized film disposed on the surface of the amorphous layer.
US07695112B2
A fluid ejection device includes a chamber, a first fluid channel and a second fluid channel each communicated with the chamber, a first peninsula extended along the first fluid channel and a second peninsula extended along the second fluid channel, and a first sidewall extended between the first peninsula and the chamber, and a second sidewall extended between the second peninsula and the chamber. The first sidewall is oriented at a first angle to the chamber and the second sidewall is oriented at a second angle to the chamber such that the second angle is different from the first angle.
US07695111B2
A liquid discharge head includes a substrate, on which are formed energy generating members for generating energy to be used for the discharge of a liquid through a discharge port, and a precious metal protective layer for protecting the energy generating members, an inorganic adhesive layer formed of at least one material selected from titanium, titanium nitride, tantalum nitride and chromium nitride, the inorganic adhesive layer being closely adhered to the precious metal protective layer, an organic adhesive layer made of an organic material, and a flow path formation member, serving as a wall of a flow path communicating with the discharge port. The substrate, the inorganic adhesive layer, the adhesive layer and the flow path formation member are bonded to the substrate in this order.
US07695109B2
A printhead is provided having a substrate with a plurality of ejection nozzles a plurality of adjacently arranged structures laminated with the substrate. Each nozzle has an inlet for supplying ejection fluid to the nozzle. The structures have a plurality of passages distributing the ejection fluid to the inlets of the nozzles. Each structure has elongate apertures to the passages. The long dimension of the elongate apertures in the abutting sides of adjacent structures are angled relative to each other.
US07695097B2
A printhead maintenance station for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The maintenance station comprises an elastically deformable roller having a contact surface for contacting an ink ejection face of the printhead, and a mechanism for rolling the roller across the face.
US07695096B2
The present invention provides an inkjet printer and an inkjet printing method, which enable an ink that overflowed to the outside from the edge of a printing medium to be fully absorbed by a platen. More specifically, the present invention provides an inkjet printer, including a platen, which absorbs a pigment ink that overflows to the outside of a printing medium when edgeless printing is carried out on the printing medium by using an ink that employs a pigment as a colorant, moving a printing head along a guide shaft, and ejecting the pigment ink from the printing head, and also an inkjet printing method, wherein the platen is impregnated with a humecant, a base, and the like.
US07695095B2
An image recording apparatus including: an ink-jet head having a plurality of nozzles which are open in a surface thereof so as to provide a nozzle opening surface and through which ink is ejected, the plurality of nozzles being divided into a plurality of nozzle groups: and a plurality of caps which are provided in correspondence with the plurality of nozzle groups, each of which is formed of an elastic material, each of which has a peripheral portion that comes into close contact with the nozzle opening surface at an end thereof, and which are capable of covering the nozzle opening surface such that the peripheral portion of each of the plurality of caps surrounds nozzles which constitute a part of the plurality of nozzles and which belong to a corresponding one of the plurality of nozzle groups, wherein a first cap among the plurality of the caps has a hardness higher than that of a second cap which is different from the first cap.
US07695090B2
An ink jet printing apparatus can prevent erroneous selection of the print mode, which may degrade the image quality, without imposing any special burden on the user. Specifically, a dot is formed on a print medium to sense the ability of the print medium to absorb printing ink. The ink jet printing apparatus has a reading device for reading the dot and a print mode selecting device for setting the optimum print mode from a plurality of print modes according to the shape of the dot.
US07695088B2
A scanning speed for a carriage and a number of multi-pass are set in accordance with print density information of dots obtained from image data. This makes it possible to preferably output an image free from the occurrence of an end deviation without reducing throughput to a required extent or more.
US07695079B2
A foldable host unit case for a computer with dual crossover pivotal mechanisms includes a first module body and a second module body. The first module body and the second module body pivotally connect with each other at the middles thereof. The first module body has a foldable front wall and the second module body has a foldable rear wall. The first module body and the second module body can extend toward both lateral sides thereof respectively with respect to a rotational center formed with a pivotal shaft and the front wall and the rear wall are bent to form a firm structure. Hence, the host unit case is capable of being extended conveniently and quickly and being folded conveniently to reduce the volume thereof during being packaged.
US07695077B2
To improve the lifespan of a rubber crawler by reducing as much as possible cracks due to bending at the time of wraparound. Bending deformation no longer becomes concentrated at a specific place because bending rigidities at the time of wraparound are not so different from each other overall. For that reason, the occurrence of cracks can be reduced. As a result, the lifespan of the rubber crawler is improved.A coreless rubber crawler having steel cords embedded in an endless rubber elastic body and in which rubber projections 3 used for driving are formed on an inner peripheral side thereof and rubber lugs 4 are formed on an outer peripheral side thereof, wherein the rubber lugs 4 are divided into right and left rubber lugs from the width-direction center of the rubber crawler, each of the right and left rubber lugs is configured by an inside end area 4a, an outside end area 4b, and a center area 4c that joins these end areas to each other, the inside end areas 4a and the outside end areas 4b extend in the width direction of the crawler, the center areas 4c are diagonally disposed, the inside end areas 4a of the rubber lugs correspond to interspaces between the rubber projections, and the outside end areas 4b of the rubber lugs are disposed in interspaces between the rubber projections.
US07695073B1
A rear hub for a bicycle includes a shaft, a hub body mounted on the shaft and provided with two spoke mounting portions and a mounting ring, a driven member located beside the mounting ring, a brake disc mounted on the mounting ring, and a drive member engaged with the driven member. Thus, the drive member and the brake disc are located at the same side of the hub body, so that one side of the hub body is provided with the drive member and the brake disc, and the other side of the hub body is disposed at a vacant state to facilitate a rider using the other side of the hub body to have a greater inclined angle without being obstructed by the drive member and the brake disc so as to perform acrobatics easily and smoothly.
US07695070B2
A retaining system for amusement rides, more particularly roller coasters, carrousels or the like has a chair member for a passenger to sit on and which comprises a seat and a back rest and furthermore a retaining device with at least one locking part able to be moved between at least one getting on position and at least one retaining position, the retaining device possessing an essentially U-like retaining part, which at least to a major extent surrounds the pelvic region of the passenger to be secured, the retaining part being inclined in an anthropometrically optimized plane, which is inclined in a range of 30° to 60°, more particularly 40° to 50°, preferably approximately 45° to the horizontal and/or the seat. Furthermore the present invention relates to a measuring system for determination of the optimum locking position, the measuring system comprising a band- or cable-like element 8 arranged at the ends of the U-like retaining part, which element on applying the retaining device to the passenger to be secured engages the passenger to be secured rendering it possible to ascertain the locking or retaining position of the retaining device or, respectively, of the retaining part.
US07695061B2
A tablet assembly including a tablet movable between a generally vertical stored position and a generally horizontal in-use position, and a swivel joint operable between the tablet and a mount, the swivel joint comprising an elbow, a first plate, and a second plate, wherein the first plate is rotateably attached to a first surface of the elbow and the second plate is rotateably attached to a second surface of the elbow, and wherein the first plate is fixedly attached to the mount and the second plate is fixedly attached to the tablet.
US07695054B2
A suspension device is provided for the spring-loaded suspension of a weight body (3) relative to a substructure (1) such as a vehicle body, a cab (3) of a truck relative to the vehicle chassis (1). The suspension device has a spring/absorber device (2) arranged between the weight body (3) and the substructure (1) for absorbing shocks and vibrations. The suspension device includes at least one Watt's linkage arrangement (6) connecting the weight body and the substructure for reducing the degrees of freedom of motion of the weight body (3). The suspension device requires little maintenance and has little clearance and is suitable for setting the degrees of freedom of motion of the weight body as well as for absorbing and preventing the undesired motions of the weight body along other directions in space. The suspension device thus makes possible an inexpensive and reliably operating suspension especially of truck cabs.
US07695053B1
A field configurable vehicle armoring system and associated method allow a user to retrofit and reconfigure a combination of armor components in response to a perceived threat change and using original equipment manufacture fasteners and holes. The system includes pillar armor attachable after an original equipment manufacture door and hinge are removed. Fasteners extend through the hinge of the armored door, the pillar armor and an original equipment manufacture pillar using holes other than the original equipment manufacture holes. Rocker panel and underbody armor is further provided, along with a ballistic resistant windscreen and rear wall armor. Where desired, system armor includes a composite plate comprising a strike face that is constructed from softer metallic material than an inner metallic sheet.
US07695050B2
A vehicle is provided with fan housings having inlets and an outlets. Fan are rotatably supported in the housings. The inlets intersect an airflow path along outer surfaces of the vehicle body such that a portion of the airflow is directed through each housing, causing the fans to rotate. A flow of spinning air exits each outlet and is directed toward a central plane of the vehicle.
US07695046B2
A visor for shielding the interior of a vehicle from the light or glare from a light source includes a visor that can be rotated about an axis from a stowed position to a shielding position. The visor may also be translated along a track so that the placement of the visor along the length of a large window may be chosen with precision.
US07695019B2
A textile belt strap, especially for use in personnel safety devices in land vehicles, aircraft and watercraft. At least one seam is provided on the belt strap for representation of loading of the belt strap that occurs. The seam extends in a longitudinal direction of the belt strap over a portion thereof, and is comprised of an upper thread disposed on one side of the belt strap and a lower thread disposed on the other side of the belt strap. Respective transverse seams are fixedly connected with the belt strap for delimiting opposite ends of the seam. An interlocking of the upper thread and the louver thread is provided externally of the belt strap such that either the upper thread or the lower thread has a linear length or extension between the transverse seams that delimit the seam.
US07695018B2
A system for absorbing impact energy includes a container formed with a plurality of faces. An energy absorbing material is substantially contained within the container. A first elongated member has a proximate end and a distal end. The proximate end is proximate and approximately perpendicular to a first face of the container. A long axis of the first elongated member intersects the first face. A first bumper is connected to the distal end of the first elongated member. A second elongated member has a proximate end and a distal end. The proximate end is proximate and approximately perpendicular to a second face of the container. A long axis of the second elongated member intersects the second face. The second elongated member is approximately perpendicular to the first elongated member. A second bumper connected to the distal end of the second elongated member.
US07695013B2
An airbag assembly for protecting a vehicle occupant includes an airbag and a deployment control device provided adjacent at least a portion of the airbag. The device includes a tear seam and is configured to restrain deployment of the airbag toward the occupant thereby causing the airbag to inflate laterally with respect to the occupant until the tear seam is torn by the force of the inflating airbag.
US07695012B2
The airbag assembly features an inflatable cushion having a split pocket at its lower portion and may also include a recess in its lower portion. The split pocket and recess allows the cushion to receive a rear-facing child car seat during deployment. The airbag assembly may further include a tethering system to control deployment of the pocket and the split sections of the cushion.
US07694998B2
An airbag apparatus includes a back-side cover provided at a roof side rail which is provided on a side of a roof of a vehicle and extends in a front-back direction of the vehicle, wherein the back-side cover is arranged on a side of the roof side rail, which faces an interior of the vehicle; an interior-side cover for covering a side of the back-side cover, which faces the interior; and an airbag contained in a case formed by the back-side cover and the interior-side cover. An easily-bending portion is formed in the middle of the back-side cover along vertical directions thereof, and the easily-bending portion bends when receiving a pushing pressure from the airbag which is deploying, and the airbag deploys toward the interior through a space between the back-side cover and the interior-side cover which open in accordance with the bending of the easily-bending portion.
US07694982B2
A subframe for a vehicle may include an assembly including a front member, a rear member, and a pair of side members of which both front ends are jointed to distal ends of the front member and of which both rear ends are jointed to distal ends of the rear member respectively, wherein the front member, the rear member, and the side members form upper members and lower members that are combined to have a box-shaped close cross section by structural adhesive members.
US07694981B2
A mobile storage and work cart is described that includes a reconfigurable frame, a plurality of casters extending from the reconfigurable frame and operable for moving the cart, and a work surface attached to the reconfigurable frame and forming a top of the cart. The reconfigurable frame is operable to adjust a height of the work surface.
US07694979B2
A premounting device for a cutting ring fitting, the device including a frame part (1), support elements (2), a movable actuator (3), elements for moving the movable actuator (3) and a socket member (10) that is detachably attached to the movable actuator (3), the movable actuator (3) being arranged to move outwardly from the frame part (1). The support elements (2) and the socket member (10) are arranged to cooperate for sandwiching a nut (5) and a cutting ring (6) set on the outer surface of a tubular element (4) between the support elements (2) and the socket member (10) so as to premount a cutting ring fitting. In the premounting device for the cutting ring fitting, the support elements (2) are arranged to be radially adjustable and in operational connection with the socket member (10) to provide the adjustment.
US07694978B2
A gasket assembly and method of manufacture thereof provides a plurality of discrete, interconnected capsule beads spaced from one another. A sealant material is disposed in the capsule beads, such that when the capsule beads are ruptured under an applied clamping force, the gasket material is released from the capsule beads.
US07694969B2
A wagering game simulates competitive events and terminology. The game is played by:a player placing at least one wager to play in the wagering game;casting three dice to generate a random event, the three dice consisting of two dice whose exposed numbers are used to define a numeric result, and the third die used to characterize that numeric result in event result tables or paytables;comparing the random event of the casting of the three dice with the paytables to determine wagering or game events from the random event; andresolving wins or losses based upon the random event; moving a game piece in a continuing of the wagering game; or both resolving wins or losses based upon the random event and moving a game piece in a continuing of the wagering game.
US07694961B2
A stack-like arrangement of printed products with folded edges, in which arrangement the printed products are all arranged with identical orientation, has an increased stability, if it comprises stack sections, within which the folded edges of the printed products indeed lie on top of each other, but wherein the stack sections are arranged displaced in relation to each other, such that the stack sections with folded edges protruding from the arrangement alternate with stack sections with edges opposite the folded edges protruding from the arrangement.
US07694950B2
A sheet feed device includes a first sheet cassette comprising an accommodating portion configured to accommodate a first plurality of sheets, and a second sheet cassette disposed on the first sheet cassette and configured to accommodate a second plurality of sheets, in which at least one characteristic of the first plurality of sheets is different than at least one characteristic of the second plurality of sheets. The sheet feed device also includes a sheet feeder configured to feed the first plurality of sheets and the second plurality of sheets in a sheet feed direction toward a recording unit, and a sheet separator configured to separate, one by one, the sheets fed by the sheet feeder. Specifically, the second sheet cassette is configured to move above the accommodating portion and with respect to the sheet feeder from a first position to a second position and from the second position to the first position, and the sheet feeder selectively feeds the first plurality of sheets and the second plurality of sheets.
US07694936B2
In a method or device for function-monitoring an actuator in a process engineering plant, said actuator comprising a valve and an actuating drive for actuating said valve. A positioner is provided for setting a position of the valve, the positioner comprising a controller module. A predefined activation test signal is generated and applied to the controller module to position the actuator into a predefined function condition. A control signal is generated by the controller module for signalling the actuating drive in accordance with the activation test signal and an output control signal is sensed and monitored as compared to a reference control signal.
US07694912B2
A novel winding device of special arrangement insusceptible to vibration of a drive motor. A winding roll (2) is supported on a winding arm (1) and combined with a drive motor. The drive motor has a body (3) and a rotary shaft (4) penetrating of the body to project from the opposite sides thereof. Furthermore, a pair of bearings (5) are provided on the winding arm and the rotary shaft is supported rotatably on the opposite sides of the body. A rotation-stop (6) is provided between the winding arm and the body and, in the rotational direction of the rotary shaft, the body is restricted by the rotation-stop and does not rotate. Consequently, a web material can be wound around the winding roll by rotating the winding roll through the drive motor.
US07694910B2
A wire/fiber ring having two layers applied in four clock positions. Each layer includes a first material strand having a first diameter and a second material strand having a second diameter different from the first diameter. A second or any subsequent layer is disposed such that there is unambiguous nesting between strands in adjacent layers. After the array is built-up, wire is over-wrapped around the array to hold it in place during subsequent consolidation steps, which take place after the built-up array is sealed in an air-tight container and evacuated. After heating and application of pressure a wire/fiber array having a void content of about 12% and a fiber content of between about 0% to 70% and preferably between about 30% and 45% can be achieved.
US07694909B1
A method of winding a flexible core includes forming a flexible core member having a first end portion, a second end portion and a plurality of teeth each having a central axis with the plurality of teeth being arranged in a substantially linear array. The method also includes manipulating the flexible core member into an inverted core form having an outer portion and an inner portion with the plurality of teeth extending out from the outer portion away from the inner portion, positioning a winding member including an amount of wire adjacent one of the plurality of teeth, and rotating the flexible core member about the central axis of the one of the plurality of teeth. The method further includes applying wraps of the wire to the one of the plurality of teeth.
US07694905B2
A mill for grinding seasonings, particularly moist salts such as Guérande salt, includes a body and a cap covering the body. A drive shaft is received within the body and has a device for breaking up the seasoning.
US07694902B2
An improvement to a mechanical refining system relates to an apparatus including three or more actuators (100) coupled to a stator (42) of the refining system, and a controller for independently operating the actuators. An improved method of refining permits adjustment of the overall width of a refining gap between refining elements mounted by the stator and a rotor as well as the trim of the refining elements relative to each other.
US07694900B2
A method for disintegrating a hydrate polymer characterized by disintegrating a hydrate polymer having a solid content in the range of 50-70 wt. % with a screw extruder while supplying 0.1-30 parts by weight of water per 100 parts by weight of the polymer to the extruder. Since the product of disintegration is prevented from inducing mutual adhesion, it does not form masses of conglomeration when it is dried.
US07694894B2
A method and system for the spray application of epoxy materials is provided. The system includes a dual walled tank structure as a reservoir for containing and preheating the epoxy materials in preparation for mixing and spray application. Each component of the epoxy material is preheated before the components are mixed. After preheating, the components are then mixed together and spray applied. The method and system of the present invention provides a high quality spray applied epoxy coating while reducing equipment down time and cleaning.
US07694893B2
A plural component spray gun (1) is designed for spraying quick setting materials such as foams, polyurea and the like. Towards this end, the gun (1) is designed so as to be easily serviceable with a minimum of tools. For example, the side seal cartridges (18) and (20) may be installed and removed without tools by removing the retaining ring (9) and then extracting them from the fluid housing (11). Those cartridges (18) and (20) are easily disassembled and cleaned. Similarly, the fluid housing (11) may be removed from the handle/body (1) by unscrewing the lock ring (7) by hand.
US07694892B2
The invention concerns a Liquid droplet plug & spray system for atomising a liquid substance and comprising a liquid droplet spray device including a housing in which a space is provided for receiving a liquid substance, a reservoir for containing said liquid substance, a fluidic interface for connecting said reservoir to said space in said housing thereby conveying liquid substance contained in said reservoir to said space by way of capillary action, a valve arranged between said reservoir and said fluidic channel for controlling access of said liquid substance from said reservoir to said fluid channel, an electromechanical actuation means for actuating the liquid substance in said space such that the liquid substance undergoes a vibration and is expelled as a liquid droplet spray, and electronic control means for controlling said electromechanical actuation means, wherein said liquid droplet spray system consists of two parts, a first, disposable part in which said reservoir and said valve are arranged, and a second, non-disposable part in which said liquid droplet spray device, said electromechanical actuation means, said electronic control means and said liquid channel are arranged such that said reservoir does not directly contact said liquid channel, said valve ensuring that said first, disposable part is liquid tight when not in use.
US07694888B2
A method for producing a contact zone for a chip card has the following steps. A sheet having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. Forming at least one insulating trench, which extends from the first surface to the second surface. A cluster layer is applied to the first surface. The second surface is connected to a carrier element after the cluster layer has been applied to the first surface.
US07694886B2
An RFID tag comprises a semiconductor chip storing therein information of an object to be discriminated and carrying out radio communication with a reader/writer device; and an antenna coil provided with a magnetic core member and connected electrically to the semiconductor chip. The semiconductor chip and the magnetic core member are wrapped by an insulation sheet carrying an interconnection pattern connecting a pad of the semiconductor chip and the antenna coil electrically and plural coil patterns on one side thereof. The plural coil patterns includes bar-shaped conductor patterns formed obliquely to the magnetic core member, each of the bar-shaped conductor patterns having an end connected to an end of an adjacent coil pattern, the bar-shaped conductor patterns thereby forming together a spiral coil around the magnetic core member. The coil patterns being connected with each other at a part where the coil patterns overlap with each other.
US07694885B1
Indicating a tag is disclosed. Indicating includes receiving an object that has been automatically detected from visual data, receiving a tag associated with the object, and indicating the tag with the visual data.
US07694878B2
A radio frequency identification (RFID) checkout system includes a reader, a first RFID tag, and a second RFID tag. The first tag is configured to be attached to an item selected to not be read by the reader, and the second tag is configured to be attached to an item selected to be read by the reader. Upon items being positioned within the reader, the reader reads the tags to determine if the first tag is present within the reader. The reader is enabled to complete a checkout transaction if no first tags are detected within the reader during the reading. The first tag includes an attachment base, an extension portion connected to the attachment base, and a RFID antenna connected to the extension portion. The extension portion is movable relative to the attachment base between at least a first position and a second position, and the extension portion extends away from the attachment base in the first position.
US07694871B2
Alloys of silver and an alloying element that diffuses to the surface of the high conductivity metal and is oxidizable to form an alloying element oxide such as beryllium are provided along with electronic structures employing the alloys and methods of fabrication.
US07694868B2
Provided is a method and apparatus for mounting a plurality of electronic components. The method comprises mounting a first electronic component on a substrate; forming a mask on the substrate to expose the first electronic component and a region of the substrate on which a solder paste is to be applied; forming a guide on a portion of the mask disposed around the first electronic component; applying the solder paste onto the substrate by using a squeezer contacting a portion of the mask disposed around the region of the substrate on which the solder paste is to be applied; removing the guide and the mask; and mounting a second electronic component on the solder paste.
US07694867B2
Under one step of one embodiment of a solid state method for joining structures, angled edges of at least two structures are disposed adjacent to one another. In another step, a plurality of angled joining members are disposed adjacent to one another between the adjacent angled edges of the at least two structures. In still another step, the angled joining members are welded between the adjacent angled edges of the at least two structures. In yet another step, at least one hole is formed into and extended between adjacent edges of the welded angled joining members. In an additional step, a plug member is forced at least partially into the at least one hole.
US07694854B2
A dispensing unit for a hot melt adhesive system has a manifold centrally located within the dispensing unit to permit commonality between heated hoses of substantially the same length used to supply adhesive guns at either side of the dispensing unit. The dispensing unit also includes a manifold that is thermally isolated from the adhesive tank. The manifold has a heater that is independent of the tank heater for more precise temperature control of adhesive flowing through the manifold. A pump coupled to the manifold is located external to the tank and is heated by the manifold heater.
US07694852B2
A system for dispensing at least one liquid substance comprises a bag filled with a substance which is to be dispensed and a dispensing device which has a housing in which there is a space for accommodating the bag. The bag has a first connector element and the dispensing device has a second connector element, connectable to the first connector element allowing discharge of said substance from the bag. The dispensing device has retaining means for retaining the first connector element of the bag in a defined pre-connection position prior to interconnecting the first and second connector elements. The first and second connector elements are displaceable relative to each other between a connected position and a disconnected position. The dispensing device has actuator means associated with the first or second connector elements for displacing the first and second connector elements relative to each other between the connected and unconnected position.
US07694849B1
A product dispenser for compelling a flowable product from a container comprising a frame assembly having first and second opposed frame assembly ends, first and second opposed dispensing notches respectively on the first and second frame assembly ends, at least one elongate drive member substantially extending between the first and second assembly ends and having first and second drive member ends. The dispenser may also have first and second drive trains each comprising a plurality of interconnected gears and each respectively operatively coupled to the first and second drive member ends, a driven member threadably coupled to the elongate drive member and adapted to travel between the first and second frame assembly ends, and a crank assembly adapted to be selectively operatively coupled to one of the drive trains. Actuation of the crank assembly may cause travel of the driven member between the first and second frame assembly ends.
US07694847B2
A snap-ring supplying device includes a magazine (10) containing C-shaped snap rings (S) piled together each of which has a gap, an extrusion member (25) that pushes out a snap ring occupying the lowest position in the magazine so that the gap (S1) of the snap ring is directed forwardly in an extruding direction, a conveying path (23) that conveys the snap ring pushed out by the extrusion member to an area in which the snap ring is contracted to reduce the diameter of the snap ring, a projection-strip guide wall (26) formed to stand upwardly in a substantially vertical direction with a width that is defined by forming a pair of concave parts (28) and that can enter the gap of the snap ring in a termination area of the conveying path, and an oscillating member (31) and urging members (32, 33) serving as a restricting mechanism (30) that restricts the gap of the snap ring so that the gap is directed in a direction from the magazine to the projection-strip guide wall. With this structure, the direction of the gap is restricted during conveyance, and hence the snap ring can be supplied to the ring-contracting area while reliably changing the attitude of the snap ring.
US07694840B2
A storage vessel for storing a fluid substance, said storage vessel including a plurality of abutting individually sealed storage chambers, each chamber capable of withstanding super atmospheric pressure, with adjacent chambers forming at least one fluid passageway therebetween, characterised in that at least one said chamber includes an external peripheral seal configured to be relatively weaker than the remainder of said vessel.
US07694839B2
A nestable crate for bottles which includes a floor member and first and second pairs of opposed sidewalls integrally formed with the floor member. Each sidewall includes a side band member which is defined by a centrally disposed upper edge and lower edge. The lower edge is spaced above the floor member by a predetermined distance to define a sidewall nesting area therebelow. The upper and lower edges each contoured downwardly to form a corner band portion having a corner upper edge and corner lower edge, wherein each nesting area matingly receives a corresponding side band member of a crate nested subjacent thereto.
US07694837B2
A tamper evident container lid is provided that includes a lid body configured to cover the opening of a base container having a top rim. The lid body has a skirt extending therefrom. The skirt has an annular score line and an annular fold line extending therearound. An outer band of the skirt extends between the score line and the fold line, and an inner band is folded inwardly to be in opposing relation to the outer band and extends upwardly from the fold line to an upper free edge. When the container lid is sufficiently applied to the base container such that the free edge slides downwardly past a top rim of the container, achieving a proper closure, an attempt to remove the lid will cause a plurality of sections of the inner band to engage the top rim and impede removal of the lid from the base container.
US07694832B2
A suspension display rack for hand tools has a rail and multiple sliding blocks. The rail has a back-strip and two hooks. The hooks are formed on the back strip and each hook has a longitudinal groove. Each sliding block has a base, two cylindrical slides and a seat. The cylindrical slides are respectively received in the grooves so that the hand tools can be hung on the sliding blocks to transversely slide along the rail.
US07694831B2
The present invention is a motorcycle wheel holder with the capability of holding four motorcycle wheels simultaneously. The holder is capable of being rolled around and folds into a closed configuration by rotating two arms into its main frame. The arms are lockable in the deployed or stored configuration via actuation of locking pins. The unique geometry of the invention allows it to be oriented vertically or horizontally.
US07694830B1
A manually operated bicycle storage and retrieval assembly for loading, storing and unloading bikes. The storage assembly is mountable within or to the top of existing bicycle storage racks. The storage assembly has a frame, a lower track, an upper track and a dampening system which interconnects the lower and upper trolley track. The upper track has front and rear bike wheel securement structures which secure a bike to the upper track. A cooperating tool assembly is provided to operate the bicycle storage assembly and to pivot the upper track with respect to the lower track to load and unload bikes.
US07694827B2
A filter comprising a polymer material comprising a polymer matrix such as polyacrylonitrile containing dispersed metal oxide particles. The metal oxide particles are for example ferric oxide particles, and the polymer material contains generally 0.25-3% by weight of these particles. The filters are resistant to thermo-oxidation and have reduced shrinkage or degradation.
US07694825B1
A carrier tape (10) for electronic components or devices (44) includes a tape body (12) and a plurality of pockets (14) formed in the tape body (12). Each of the pockets (14) includes a sidewall (18) and a base portion (20). The base portion (20) joins the sidewall (18) at an edge portion (22). A protrusion (24) is formed in the base portion (20) of the pocket (14). The protrusion (24) is configured to maintain a separation between the edge portion (22) and a surface on which the pocket (14) rests.
US07694809B2
A remotely controlled medical instrument enhances safety and reliability. The medical instrument may be remotely enabled (unlocked) or disabled (locked). The medical instrument may be intended for limited-use. The medical instrument may be enclosed within a medical packaging and subsequently sterilized. After the medical instrument is determined to meet desired specifications, a remote control device may remotely enable the medical instrument. The remote control device may remotely enable the medical instrument through the sterile barrier and without making direct contact with the medical instrument such that the medical instrument remains sterilized. The non-contact interaction between the medical instrument and the remote control device may be via infrared, electromagnetic, magnetic, or other non-contact communication techniques. The remote control device may remotely disable the medical instrument. The remote controller may transmit a key code to prevent the inadvertent and/or unauthorized enabling or disabling of the limited-use medical device.
US07694807B2
A diaper buddy including a container with a base plate. A first side wall is affixed to, and extends downwardly from, the base plate. The first side wall has a closed outline defining the plan of a first compartment for holding a plurality of baby wipes. A first lid is hingedly attached to the first side wall for closing the first compartment. A second side wall is affixed to, and extends upwardly from, the base plate. The second side wall has a closed outline defining the plan of a second compartment for holding a tube of ointment. A second lid is hingedly attached to the second side wall for closing the second compartment. A third side wall is affixed to, and extends upwardly from, the base plate. The third side wall is positioned adjacent to the second side wall, outside the second compartment. The third side wall has a closed outline defining the plan of a third compartment for holding a roll of plastic bags. A third lid is hingedly attached to the third side wall for closing the third compartment. An elastomeric band has opposed ends that are affixed to the base wall between the second compartment and the third compartment for securing a plurality of disposable diapers to the container.
US07694802B2
An individual support device (5) for a container provided with a neck (6), including a support member (4) that engages inside the neck (6) and support elements (7) which are elastically retractable in the radial direction and bear with friction against the internal wall of the neck (6). The support member includes a substantially axisymmetric cylindrical base (8) having a peripheral channel (9) defined between a core (10) and an external wall (11) perforated by at least one row of apertures (12) of circular contour, balls (13) forming the support elements (7), arranged in at least one row in the channel (9) opposite respective apertures (12), the balls (13) having a diameter greater than the diameter of the apertures (12), and elastic return mechanism (14) between the core (10) and the balls (13) such that the balls are pushed back into the respective apertures (12) and project outside thereof.
US07694784B2
An adjusting apparatus for a pneumatically actuated disc brake, in particular for arrangement in a rotatable spindle, having an overload coupling and a unidirectional coupling, is distinguished by the fact that the unidirectional coupling has a rolling-body coupling and friction clutches which are arranged on both sides of the rolling-body coupling.
US07694778B2
An exhaust gas exhausted from a fuel cell is sent to a silencer through an exhaust pipe. The silencer is provided with a conductive noise absorbing material, and is fixed to a vehicle body through a metallic fixing jig. Thus, the noise absorbing material is earthed to the vehicle body so that it is possible to prevent static electricity from being generated in the use of the fuel cell vehicle such as in a low humidity environment.
US07694765B2
A power-dividing device for a working vehicle includes a case member, an input shaft supported by the case member so that a first end portion of the input shaft can be operatively connected to a driving source, a PTO unit having a PTO shaft supported by the case member so as to be offset with respect to the input shaft, a power transmission mechanism accommodated in the case member to transmit power from the input shaft to the PTO shaft, and a first pump unit having a first pump shaft operatively connected to the input shaft and being fluid-connected to an actuator disposed outside.
US07694758B1
A vehicle with a omni-directional cab having a circular frame revolvably coupled to a chassis having an axle, wheels and passenger seats. Two independent drive wheels located on an axis through the center of the cab are mounted at the same distance from a central vertical axis through the cab. Each wheel is powered independently and can rotate at variable speeds in either direction. The cab is capable of movement in any direction by rotating the axis of the drive wheels to a position which is perpendicular to the desired direction of travel. The cab can spin about its vertical axis such that the axis of the drive wheels can be oriented at any direction without changing the original footprint of the space that the frame occupies over the ground. Thus, the combined cab/chassis assembly can rotate about the vertical midpoint of the chassis axle.
US07694755B2
An earth boring drill bit design for alleviating balling varies the junk slot depth in junk slots subject to balling from the other junk slots. Using variable depth bit bodies enhances the hydraulic characteristics of the bit as well as assists in the placement of the nozzles for machining purposes. This flexibility optimizes the area changes along the ducts required by the bit's operation.
US07694752B2
A method and apparatus for drilling a bore through a target includes advancing a drill bit into the target along a direction of advancement and injecting a directing gas in the direction of advancement through at least one aperture in the drill bit. As the bore is drilled, waste material is directed in the direction of advancement via the gas.
US07694740B2
A communication tool apparatus is described which is adapted to provide selective communication of control fluid through a downhole device such as a safety valve. The downhole safety valve is a tubing retrievable subsurface safety valve (“TRSSSV”). The communication tool may be run downhole and within the TRSSSV. Once within the TRSSSV, the communication tool apparatus activates a cutting device within the TRSSSV such that communication of control fluid through the TRSSSV is possible. A replacement safety valve run on a wireline may then be inserted into the TRSSSV and be operated via the control fluid line, as a new communication path created by the communication tool described herein. A method of using the communication tool apparatus is also described.
US07694738B2
A method of servicing a wellbore in contact with a subterranean formation, comprising: placing a sealant composition comprising a cementitious material and a cationic latex into the wellbore.
US07694737B2
In a method of blocking a water-out zone in a gas well by dumping cement and injecting pressurizing gas, a gas is injected into a target well to push and press accumulated water in the well back into the formation surrounding the well, so that the well is water-free; meanwhile, a dump bailer is lowered to the water-out zone in the well using a wire line. When the dump bailer has reached the water-out zone, it is controlled to open a bottom opening thereof to release cement milk loaded therein. The released cement milk accumulates in the water-out zone and then slowly flows into a gravel layer between a screen pipe and a wall of the well. The gas injection continues until the cement milk is cured and hardened to achieve the object of blocking the water-out zone.
US07694736B2
A method and system for producing steam for extraction of heavy bitumen including the steps of mixing carbon or hydrocarbon fuel. The fuel is crude oil, vacuum residue, asphaltin, petcoke or coal. The oxidation gas includes oxygen, oxygen enriched air or air-combustion of the mixture under high pressure and high temperature. The fuel is mixed with low quality contaminated water containing organics and inorganics. The liquid phase transferred to a gas phase includes steam and carbon dioxide, wherein solids are separated from the gas phase. The gas phase is mixed with saturated water to scrub the remaining solids and produce saturated steam. The solid rich water is recycled back for combustion. The saturated steam super-heated dry steam and gas mixture is send to an enhanced oil recovery facility for injection into an underground reservoir.
US07694733B2
A centralizer having a body with an inner surface provided with a friction-reducing slider, typically located in an annular recess on the inner surface of the body of the slider, spaced from the ends of the body. The slider can be formed separately from a body of the centralizer and subsequently attached thereto on the inner surface so that it is adapted to bear between the outer surface of the tubing to be centralized and the inner surface of the centralizer. This reduces rotational torque transmitted between the centralizer and the tubing, and assists in maneuvering of the tubular string into the desired position in the well.
US07694726B2
A heat dissipation system includes a heat sink, a heat pipe, and a cooling assembly. The heat sink includes a substrate and a number of fins extending therefrom. The heat sink has a receiving portion. The heat pipe includes a shell, a wick, and a working fluid contained in the shell. The heat pipe has an evaporation section and a condensation section. The evaporation section is inserted into the receiving portion of the substrate while the condensation section is equipped with the cooling assembly. A hydrophilic layer is formed on the wick so that the capillarity of the wick is enhanced. The heat dissipation system has two mechanisms by which to dissipate heat from a heat-generating component, i.e., via the heat sink and the heat pipe. Therefore, an efficiency of heat dissipation of the heat dissipation system is improved.
US07694716B2
A continuous casting mould comprises a mould tube (12), a mould jacket (24) surrounding the mould tube (12), a cooling system (26) within the mould jacket (24) for cooling the mould tube (12), an oscillating lever (40) supporting the mould tube (12). The oscillating lever (40) is capable of oscillating about a pivoting axis (45) substantially perpendicular to a casting plane containing the casting axis (20) for transmitting mechanical oscillations to the mould tube (12). An oscillating mould cover (30) associated with the top end of the mould jacket (24). The mould tube (12) is supported with its upper end by the oscillating mould cover (30), and is itself pivotably supported by the oscillating lever (40) outside of the mould jacket (24). A sealing element, e.g. an annular lip seal (90), provides sealing between the oscillating mould cover (30) and the top end of the mould jacket (24).
US07694715B2
Disclosed is: (i) a metal molding system, (ii) a metal molding system including a combining chamber, (iii) a metal molding system including a first injection-type extruder and a second injection-type extruder, (iv) a metal molding system including a first injection-type extruder being co-operable with a second injection-type extruder, (v) a mold of a metal molding system, and (vi) a method of a metal molding system.
US07694713B2
The present invention relates to a process for hardening an aluminum-based matrix alloy by the dispersion of metallized graphite (MG) with copper and optionally zinc or boron by the agitation in liquid state. By this means, the impregnating of MG particles (reinforcing phase) is increased, facilitating the homogenous distribution in the aluminum-base matrix alloy. The mechanical properties of aluminum or aluminum-based are increased alloys by the process of hardening by dispersion, without affecting the density and electrical conductivity of the alloy.
US07694712B2
A window shade arrangement for a motor vehicle is provided that contains a housing in which a winding shaft is rotatably supported. A strip shaped shade element is fixed on the winding shaft. The cover of the window shade housing is formed by a spring housing. A coil spring for tensioning the winding shaft in the wind up direction of the strip shaped shade is seated in the spring housing. The spring housing, the spring seated therein and a coupling shaft form a preassembled unit.
US07694708B2
A pneumatic tire including a circumferential tread, two spaced apart beads, and sidewalls connecting said beads and tread, wherein said tire sidewall contains at least one internal annular sidewall insert including at least two annular segments, the at least two annular segments including first and second adjacent annular segments; wherein said first and second annular segments are disposed with an interface therebetween; wherein each of the at least two annular segments includes a rubber composition comprising at least one diene based rubber and at least one vulcanization modifier selected from the group consisting of α,ω-bis(N,N′-dihydrocarbylthiocarbamamoyldithio)alkanes, bismaleimides, and biscitraconimides; and wherein the concentration of vulcanization modifier in the first annular segment is less than the concentration of vulcanization modifier in the second annular segment.
US07694704B2
Tree stump grinding teeth for use in tree stump grinding wheel assemblies and tree stump grinding wheel assemblies that include one or more such grinding teeth. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the grinding tooth includes a mounting base having a substantially flat surface from which a plurality of cleats project. The cleats are adapted to be received in corresponding bores formed in the wheel. A resilient impact pad is positioned between the mounting base of the grinding tooth and the wheel. The resilient impact pad protects the surface of the wheel from impact forces applied to the grinding tooth.
US07694703B2
A particular dispensing apparatus (10) for dispensing with particular refractory material into a gap between a furnace wall and a form includes a platform (12) removably engaging the upper end of an expendable metal form. A carriage (14) is pivotally coupled to the platform and is rotatable about a pivot point located generally at the center of the platform. A hopper (30) is coupled to the carriage. The hopper receives particulate refractory material via an inlet and dispenses the particulate refractory material through an outlet (36). A feeder (34) is coupled to the outlet of the hopper to move the particulate refractory material from the outlet to a dispenser (44). The dispenser is coupled to the carriage at a distal end of the feeder and is suspended above the lining gap to deliver particulate refractory material into the lining gap. An air extractor device (170) is coupled to the carriage for removing air from particulate refractory material in the lining gap and for re-compacting the particulate refractory material.
US07694693B1
The present invention relates to fluid mixing valves, and more particularly, to mixing valve assemblies which incorporate a ball element and which are adapted for use in a thermal or contrast therapy system, or medical thermal therapy system. The ball element of the present invention is characterized by continuously varying restrictive inlets which enable the user to obtain a substantially linear therapy temperature profile while maintaining substantially constant outlet pressure and flow rates.
US07694686B2
A process is provided for producing smokeless tobacco and/or snuff compositions using steam alone in an open vessel or in combination with pressure and venting to alter organoleptic properties of the smokeless tobacco and/or snuff compositions.
US07694684B2
A device (10) for facilitating a medical examination includes a movable body (12) having a storage compartment (24) therein and a door member (42, 44) movably mounted to the body (12) for at least partially covering the storage compartment (24). A supporting unit (72, 74) is mounted to the body (12) for supporting a foot of a patient during the performance of a medical examination.
US07694678B2
A breathable air safety system and method having a fill station are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of safety of a building structure is described. A prescribed pressure of an emergency support system is ensured to be maintained within a threshold range of the prescribed pressure by including a valve of the emergency support system to prevent leakage of breathable air from the emergency support system. A filling process of a breathable air apparatus is safeguarded by enclosing the breathable air apparatus in a secure chamber of a fill site of the emergency support system of the building structure. The prescribed pressure of the emergency support system is designated based on a municipality code that specifies a pressure rating of the breathable air apparatus. The prescribed pressure of the emergency support system is maintained such that a system pressure is compatible with the breathable air apparatus.
US07694677B2
A system for delivering a supply of pressurized gas to a user may include a blower and a noise suppression portion. The blower may include an intake portion and an outlet portion for supplying the pressurized gas to the user. The noise suppression portion may define a conduit therethrough having an intake portion and an outlet portion in communication with the intake portion of said blower. The noise suppression portion may be moveable between a first configuration and a second configuration such that at least one exterior dimension of the device is reduced when the noise suppression portion is moved from the first configuration to the second configuration.
US07694675B2
An improved, pumpless respirator (ventilator) humidifier is provided with a water refilling device (1, 2) and with an electrically heated evaporator (5). The evaporator (5) has a tubular housing, which is filled with a porous sintered material. A front side of the housing is in liquid connection with the automatic water refilling device (1, 2) and the other front side is in connection with an evaporator chamber (4), through which breathing gas flows. The evaporator (5) is provided with a porous sintered glass or ceramic with a pore size of 10 μm to 40 μm in a first, lower, unheated area (14), and the evaporator (5) is provided with a porous sintered metal with a mean pore size of 50 μm to 200 μm in a second, upper area (15) heated by means of a heater (6).
US07694674B2
An electronic controller (16) controls the operation of an electrochemical oxygen generating system (14) producing a desired gas. The product gas is fed to a storage unit (12) or a regulator (28) and pulsing valve (28) controlling the gas flow to a user. A two-stage system (180) combines a low pressure 100 and a high pressure (150) gas generating subsystems. The low pressure subsystem (100) uses IMAT's (106) to pump oxygen from ambient air to generate a low-pressure. The high pressure subsystem (150) uses IMAT's (160) to pump oxygen to high-pressure oxygen storage devices (194).
US07694671B2
A flame concentrating ring with an inwardly curved upper wall portion and air inlet vents at its base for encircling a gas burner and directing the flames upwardly and inwardly to focus on the bottom center of a wok A wok support ring straddles a stovetop grate. The wok support ring comprises a truncated conical base having a narrow opening at the top for supporting the bottom of a wok, a wide opening at the bottom thereof which rests on a stove grate, and a plurality of customizable break-away tabs of which a user breaks a plurality out to form stove grate-engaging notches The wok support ring incorporates a plurality of ball bearings to cradle bottom of wok to allow freedom of movement and manipulating of wok.
US07694670B2
A method and apparatus for scribing tile is disclosed. The disclosed scribing tool preferably comprises a scribe member, a tile engagement member, and an extension member. The scribe member is preferably connected to the tile engagement member via the extension member. The extension member is preferably pivotally connected to the scribe member and both pivotally and slideably connected to the tile engagement member.
US07694664B1
A damper for dampening pressure pulsations in a quantity of fuel within a fuel rail of an internal combustion engine. The damper includes a non-metallic membrane having a thickness no more than about 0.009 inch. The membrane includes an exterior surface and a portion defining an internal dampening chamber containing a compressible gas. The damper further includes a protective coating having a thickness not more than about 0.001 inch that forms a continuous barrier separating the compressible gas within the dampening chamber from the quantity of fuel in the fuel rail. The protective coating includes at least one metal, metal oxide, or metalloid.
US07694660B2
An air induction housing having a perforated wall which provides a first intake noise attenuation modality and further having a sound attenuation chamber interfaced with the perforated wall which provides a second intake noise attenuation modality. Multiply apertured tubes of the sound attenuation chamber provide a Helmholtz resonator, wherein the tubes are superposed the wall perforations so that, attendant to the noise attenuation, ample air entry into the air induction housing is provided. The size, number and arrangement of the perforations is selected such that ample airflow is provided and audibility of intake noise is minimized in conjunction with the corresponding tubes of the sound attenuation chamber.
US07694659B2
A rocker arm formed of material in a shape of sheet has a pair of side wall portions, a connection portion for a valve stem receiving portion and a connection portion for a pivot receiving portion which interconnect the side wall portions, and an open portion for arranging a roller which is formed between the two connection portions. A distance between outer side surfaces of the pair of side wall portions in the connection portion for the valve stem receiving portion is reduced in a direction from upper edges to lower edges in a step-like shape having two or more step differences, whereby a first outer side surface and a second outer side surface are formed.
US07694655B2
The purpose of the present invention is to improve cooling efficiency of a cylinder head of an air-cooled engine. With regard to the construction that a cooling fan is provided at one of ends of a crankshaft, and cooling air from the cooling fan is guided to a cylinder head 4 so as to cool the cylinder head 4, an intake manifold 8 is arranged above the cooling fan, a duct 51 is provided at the lateral center of the intake manifold 8 so as to suck air from an air cleaner, cooling air is sent from both sides of the duct 51 to an intake valve, an exhaust valve and an injection nozzle arranged in the cylinder head 4, and a shielding plate 55 is provided at one of lateral sides of the duct 51.
US07694652B2
A bird feeder with a magnetically supported perch includes a bird feeder with a feed hopper body having a feed access opening therein to permit feeding birds to access bird feed stored within the bird feeder and a perch assembly mounting element mounted on the feed hopper body and a magnetic perch assembly including a longitudinally elongated perch bar having inner and outer ends. The perch bar includes a perch bar magnet section adjacent the inner end thereof, the perch bar magnet section being magnetically attracted to the perch assembly mounting element such that the perch bar is releasably magnetically mounted on and extends outwards from the perch assembly mounting element whereby the perch bar magnet is adapted to serve as a perch for birds landing thereon.
US07694642B2
A printing press is provided. The printing press includes at least one printing unit for printing a web-shaped printing material and a device for applying a liquid mixture of a silicone oil concentrate and at least water to the web-shaped printing material. The device includes reservoir for the silicone oil concentrate, a supply source for the water, a mixing tank for the silicone oil concentrate and the water, an applicator for transferring the liquid mixture onto the printing material. The applicator has at least one container for the liquid mixture. The device also includes a buffer tank for the silicone oil concentrate separate from the mixing tank. The buffer tank receives the silicone oil concentrate from the reservoir. The printing press also includes a cooling roll for the web-shaped printing material.
US07694639B2
A retractable mooring line device comprising a reel for storing and paying off a mooring line, having side walls each comprising a series of notches for receiving a releasable latch. A latch simultaneously engages between notches in both side walls at a substantially right angle to provide a secure, positive locking engagement between the latch and the reel while permitting the latch to be released under the application of relatively little force. In the preferred embodiment the latch may be actuated by a user's hand or foot and is biased toward the reel by a spring which bears against the housing. The mechanism can be exposed for maintenance or repair simply by removal of the gunnel plate and reinstallation of the gunnel plate does not require special loading of the latch spring.
US07694634B2
An adjustable mounting system for wall-mounted shelf units is provided. The mounting system of the shelf unit comprises at least one horizontal support, situated preferably in proximity to the wall surface near the upper section of the shelf unit. The horizontal support is attached to, and slides laterally in clamping brackets that have been mounted to a wall. One part of the brackets are designed to be fastened to wall vertical support columns or studs, and incorporate a second portion that provides a clamping mechanism that attaches to the horizontal. The horizontal support is preferably fastened at each end to the shelf unit. One or more vertical columns are located between the shelves of the shelf unit and are located proximal, and optionally anterior to the horizontal support. A clamping element, which is preferably a plate with holes drilled into it, is placed proximate to the vertical support columns. The vertical support column and the horizontal support are clamped together using the clamping element and preferably with U-bolts. The nuts on the U-bolt are adjustable for clamping pressure. The shelf unit is particularly well suited for holding electronic equipment.
US07694631B2
A magazine for a railway anchor applicator having an anchor receiving mechanism for applying an anchor to a rail includes a chute structure. Configured for storing anchors in a sequential arrangement, the chute delivers the anchors to the anchor receiving mechanism.
US07694621B1
Improved composite armor designs uses optimally shaped ceramic pellets, a specific stacking geometry and a web system for patterning the pellets, improving manufacturability, and providing additional structural reinforcement. Lightweight, composite ballistic armor according to the invention may comprise an array of ceramic pellets, each pellet having a front surface, a back surface and a longitudinal centerline, and wherein the front surface of each pellet is intentionally convex. The front surface of each pellet may be hemispherical, in which case the cross-section of the pellet taken perpendicular to the centerline may be oval-shaped. Alternatively, the front surface of each pellet may be elliptical, in which case the cross-section of the pellet taken perpendicular to the centerline may be circular. In the preferred embodiment, the back surface of each pellet is formed at the same angle relative to its centerline, with the pellets being arranged with the flat surfaces lying in a plane. The pellets may be arranged in a square matrix, or may be arranged in a hexagonally close-packed matrix. The array of pellets may be embedded in a hardened matrix material, and/or tied together with netting material.
US07694620B1
A magazine support reinforcement for a machine gun having a receiver. A magazine support is attached to the underside of the receiver. The magazine support reinforcement is connected to the magazine support. The reinforcement includes a front support, a rear support and a fastener for fastening the front support to the rear support. The front and rear supports include bracing members having a generally concave side and a lug portion.
US07694619B2
A low lethality firearm, comprising a launcher (12) for bullets, also comprises a device for regulating the speed of the bullet (13), adapted for varying the speed of the bullet in the mouth of a barrel, comprising gas bleeding means (17, 19) from the inside of a barrel (16) of the launcher (12), wherein these gas bleeding means (17, 19) can be divided.
US07694617B2
A gift wrap paper cutter that is used to both store a tube of gift wrap and also to cut off a desired length of gift wrapping from the tube. The cutter comprises an outer casing that has a track running lengthwise within the outer casing. Within the track is a razor blade that is axially mounted within a movable casing that can be slid back and forth lengthwise along the track. A pair of springs are attached to the axle, ensuring that the razor blade, in its default position, is located above a length of gift wrap paper and does not cut the paper. However, an individual can push down on a handle attached to the razor blade, causing one of the ends of the razor blade to be pushed into the length of gift wrap paper, allowing the individual to cut the gift wrap paper lengthwise.
US07694616B2
There is provided a machine for processing workpieces. In one embodiment, there is provided a workpiece processing machine including a processing tool movable along a tool drive axis to engage a workpiece with a force, a spindle coupled to the processing tool and having two helical spindle drive threads spaced apart along the tool drive axis, through which drive threads tool forces are transmitted, and one or more drive motors operable to move the spindle by applying force through the spindle drive threads to displace the spindle and the tool along the tool drive axis, wherein the processing tool is coupled to the spindle to transmit force from the tool to the spindle by a force transfer element coupled to the spindle so as to distribute the force between both of the spindle drive threads.
US07694612B2
Torque necessary for cutting band-like paper is properly distributed to both of the preceding motor and the following motor, thereby making it possible to accurately cut the band-like paper. The cut off method for a cut off apparatus including: a preceding knife cylinder on whose peripheral surface a preceding helical knife is provided; a following knife cylinder on whose peripheral surface a following helical knife, which cuts off band-like paper D in cooperation with the preceding knife, is provided; a preceding knife driving motor which rotationally drives the preceding knife cylinder; a following knife driving motor which rotationally drives the following knife cylinder; and a cut off control device which individually controls the preceding knife driving motor and the following knife driving motor, is characterized in that the method comprises: giving, when the band-like paper D is cut, the preceding knife and the following knife a specified amount of torque in the direction in which the preceding knife and the following knife are pressed against each other, by means of the preceding knife driving motor and the following knife driving motor.
US07694603B2
A transmission equipped with a cable-type shift device comprises a control shaft to control a shift change with rotation and axial-direction movement thereof, an outer lever to be rotated by a shift-direction operation of a change lever, and a counterweight to rotate with the rotation of the control shaft, but not to move with the axial-direction movement of the control shaft. The counterweight includes first and second weight portions, an arm portion to interconnect these weight portions, and a support axis disposed so as to extend vertically. The support axis rotatably supports a substantial gravity center of the first and second weight portions and the arm portion. Accordingly, the counterweight can be supported smoothly and the shift feeling can be improved properly with a relatively small force for the select-direction operation of the change lever.
US07694602B2
An automatic transmission apparatus (1) for a vehicle includes: a shift lever (11) for changing the range of an automatic transmission (50); a position gate (13) which restricts the position of the shift lever (11) and which releases the restriction to allow the position of the shift lever (11) to be changed when an operation button (14) provided on the shift lever (11) is pressed; a torque sensor (30) which detects an operation force of the shift lever (11); and a motor (M) for power-assisting the operation of the shift lever (11) based on a detected value of the torque sensor (30), wherein, when the shift lever (11) is operated and brought into contact with the position gate (13), and the detected value of the torque sensor (30) is reversed to any one of a positive value and a negative value, a driving force of the motor (M) is limited to prevent the shift lever (11) from being power-assisted in a reversed direction.
US07694600B2
Ball screw, having a spindle nut (2) which may be provided on a recirculating ball screw (1) and on the inner circumference of which turns (3) of ball grooves (4), helically wound around an axis, are provided in which balls (5) can roll, at least one return element (8), arranged on the outer circumference of the spindle nut (2) and provided with a return duct (9) for the balls (5), at its two ends connecting a start of a turn (3) to an end of a turn (3) in order to permit a continuous recirculation of the balls (5), the return element (8) between its two ends being supported on a support (15, 21), the return element (8) being resiliently supported by means of at least one spring element (14) on the support (15, 21).
US07694596B2
In a gear system and a rotary transducer provided with the gear system, the gear system includes a first part, a convex toothed wheel, a supporting body, relative to which the first part and the convex toothed wheel are rotationally mounted, and engaging elements which mesh with the toothed wheel according to the rotational position of the first part. The engaging elements carry out a movement with a radial directional component relative to the toothed wheel. A force with a tangential directional component is applied to the toothed wheel, the force being the result of the interaction between the engaging elements and the supporting body.
US07694590B2
A force-measuring element, having a series connection of at least two capacitors, the force-measuring element being designed in such a way that, under the action of force, a first capacitance of a first capacitor of the at least two capacitors increases and a second capacitance of a second capacitor of the at least two capacitors decreases, in which the force-measuring element is in the form of a connecting element, in which an application of force is provided on a long side of a sleeve of the force-measuring element, and the at least two capacitors are separated by a bar that essentially stands firm during the action of force, so that a first space having the first capacitor above the bar becomes smaller as a result of the application of force, and below the bar a second space becomes larger.
US07694589B2
A system and method detect when a product container from which a product is dispensed is empty or nearly empty, and provides a notification of the product status. The system includes a load cell that deflects at a first rate of distance per unit load when a load less than a critical load is positioned to be weighed by the load cell, and a load cell bracket positioned such that the free end of the load cell contacts the load cell bracket when a load substantially equal to or greater than the critical load is positioned to be weighed by the load cell. The load cell bracket may prevent the load cell from further deflection, or it may permit deflection of the load cell at a second rate of distance per unit load when the load cell is in contact with the load cell bracket. The system may generate an out-of-product notification when the amount of product dispensed is substantially equal to zero, a low product notification when the amount of the product remaining is less than a threshold weight or a proof-of-delivery notification.
US07694581B2
The invention relates to a collar for measuring the lateral deformation of a test piece during uniaxial or triaxial compression tests. According to the invention, the collar includes a metal hoop or a hoop that is made from composite materials, which can clasp the test piece and which is open. The free ends thereof are separated by a distance Δ. The inventive collar also includes a mechanism for directly or indirectly measuring the distance Δ. Between the free ends of the hoop, the mechanism includes at least one strain gauge.
US07694576B2
An electric motor and/or a transmission consisting of an input shaft, an output shaft, and a case provided with a centering flange and/or a fixing flange. At least one extension sensor is allocated to the case.
US07694575B2
A method and a device are described for influencing the mechanical load-bearing capability and/or loading of a technical structure. The method of the comprises: detecting at least one loading-correlated characteristic of the structure; determining a loading state of the structure on the basis of the at least one detected characteristic; assessing the loading state of the structure; and generating at least one signal on the basis of the assessment of the loading state and on the basis of at least one target function, which is designed at least to optimize the lifetime of the structure, which signal is sent to at least one actuator, which is integrated within the structure or is applied to the structure, to activate said actuator for influencing the loading state.
US07694574B2
A Pirani vacuum gauge in which a response to a rapid pressure rise is improved and restrictions on a mounting direction of a container on a chamber to be measured for pressure are eliminated is provided. The Pirani vacuum gauge includes a heat filament of metal wire and a support unit for supporting the heat filament in a container, wherein a gas pressure is measured based on an amount of heat conducted away from the heat filament by gas molecules colliding with the heat filament, characterized in that a body of the container is filled with metal material, but a first cylindrical bore and a second cylindrical bore extend through the body, the heat filament being inserted into the first cylindrical bore and the support unit being inserted into the second cylindrical bore.
US07694567B2
Sonic excitation is used to locate, without contact, an object or defect beneath a surface. Defects may include, for example, damage and flaws in load bearing concrete structures wrapped in plastic, fiberglass or composite sheathing, while buried objects amenable to detection include landmines or above-ground mines.
US07694565B2
This invention relates to the field of signal transit time sensors, in particular sensors based on ultrasonic transit times. Existing electronic control circuits for such transit time sensors for measurements on medical liquids, in particular blood, are extremely complex or their time resolution is limited. However, the present invention makes use of a simple measurement technique which cannot be used directly at first for the time resolution to be achieved. In this method, an ordinary sampling method is used to detect the received signal (12). An oscillator-like received signal (12) generated by an emitted step-like signal is first sampled during a half-period (14, 15) and is checked with the help of a selection criterion. Only when the result of this check is positive is at least one interpolated or extrapolated contact point (20, 21) of the received signal (12) with a resting level (11) determined in a received signal-time diagram with the help of which the signal transit time or the change in signal transit time is determined.
US07694562B2
For operational control of a start-up of a rate-of-turn sensor including at least one oscillator element that is excitable to perform a mechanical oscillating motion, a signal proportional to the instantaneous speed or deflection of the oscillator element is amplified and used as the operating signal to operate the oscillator element, during the start-up process for the rate-of-turn sensor, the amplitude of the operating signal is set to a constant specifiable value, the stimulation frequency of the operating signal is increased essentially continuously from a starting value below the main driving frequency of the oscillating motion to a final value above the main driving frequency and below a spurious driving frequency while, simultaneously, the deflection and/or the speed of the oscillator element are monitored in order to determine the main driving frequency of the oscillating motion, once the final value is reached and the main driving frequency is determined, the stimulation frequency of the operating signal is set to the main driving frequency, and the operational regulation of the amplitude and the stimulation frequency of the operating signal are released.
US07694560B1
Apparatus for measuring the level of liquid in a container has a substrate on which a plurality of piezoelectric elements are mounted that are to transmit ultrasonic energy upwardly through the bottom of a container placed on and supported by the substrate into the container and to receive ultrasonic energy reflected back from the liquid/air interface within the container from which the round trip time can be measured and the liquid level calculated. The plurality of piezoelectric elements are of predetermined shapes and mounted spaced apart on the substrate in an array to accommodate containers with different shape bottoms.
US07694555B2
A method for providing an estimate of brake pad thickness. The method employs fusion of sensors, if used, and driver brake modeling to predict the vehicle brake pad life. An algorithm is employed that uses various inputs, such as brake pad friction material properties, brake pad cooling rate, brake temperature, vehicle mass, road grade, weight distribution, brake pressure, brake energy, braking power, etc. to provide the estimation. The method calculates brake work using total work minus losses, such as aerodynamic drag resistance, engine braking and/or braking power as braking torque times velocity divided by rolling resistance to determine the brake rotor and lining temperature. The method then uses the brake temperature to determine the brake pad wear, where the wear is accumulated for each braking event. A brake pad sensor can be included to provide one or more indications of brake pad thickness from which the estimation can be revised.
US07694554B1
A probe and method for sensing pressure variations in the exhaust stream of an engine for detecting cylinder misfires. The probe includes a Venturi tube placed in the exhaust stream. The Venturi tube has a sensing tube with an aperture, and the sensing tube is coupled to a pressure sensor for monitoring the pressure of the exhaust stream within the Venturi tube at the point of the aperture. The pressure sensor then generates a voltage signal based on the pressure, and this voltage signal is viewed on an oscilloscope or processed by a microprocessor to generate a waveform readable by a technician. The waveform will indicate the presence of a misfiring cylinder(s), and more specifically, which cylinder(s) is misfiring.
US07694546B2
The invention relates to pseudo porosity standards, and methods for their manufacture and use, which may substantially mimic the effect porosity has on ultrasonic sound as it passes through a composite laminate. An ultrasonic inspection reference standard for composite materials having porosity may include a member having at least one thickness. The member may be defined by at least one hollow, non-spherical shaft. The member may be manufactured from a fiber-free polymer resin using a stereo lithography process. The non-spherical shaft may scatter and attenuate ultrasonic energy. The reference standard may replace more costly, porous, fiber-reinforced, composite reference standards in the aircraft industry and in other non-aircraft applications.
US07694537B2
Disclosed herein are a door for drum type washing machines and a method of manufacturing such a door. A front member is attached to the front surface of a door frame. Consequently, the overall strength of the door frame is increased. Especially, a decorative part, which consists of alternating reflective/nonreflective or embossed/depressed patterns, is formed either at the door frame or at the front member. Consequently, the overall appearance of the door is improved, and glare is effectively prevented.
US07694535B2
Methods for substantially improving the stability of a melting furnace system including bushings and cooling apparatus for converting molten mineral material to continuous fibers is disclosed. Apparatus and methods for maintaining the molten material throughput and the electrical power load on fiberizing bushings substantially constant are disclosed. The orifice plate, with or without tips or nozzles, is subjected to a more rapid rate of heat removal after the bushing breaks out than it did while the bushing was in a desired fiberizing mode. Apparatus for blowing cooling air upward onto the orifice plate during the time the bushing is breaking out and/or hanging to provide additional cooling is disclosed along with optional additional or alternative apparatus to use for optional additional or alternative cooling is also disclosed.
US07694532B1
A system and method is provided for tempering a glass container. The method includes the steps of pre-heating the glass container to a first predetermined temperature. The method also includes the steps of applying radio-frequency energy to the pre-heated glass container to heat the glass container to a second predetermined temperature and, after a predetermined amount of time, simultaneously cooling at least one surface of the heated glass container to a third predetermined temperature to treat the glass container. The method further includes the steps of, after a predetermined amount of time, quenching the treated glass container to a fourth predetermined temperature to produce a tempered glass container.
US07694524B2
There is provided a water supply control apparatus for an ice maker and method thereof. In the apparatus and method, an ejector pushes out ice, a sensor detecting portion is formed on the ejector, and at least two sensors detect a sensor transit time for the sensor detecting portion to travel from one of the sensors to the other. Therefore, an adequate amount of water can be supplied to the ice maker to make ice with a desired size regardless of the variation in the water pressure of a water inlet line from a household water source.
US07694517B2
A master cylinder designed to facilitate an operation of assembling and adjusting a check valve is provided. A supply passage for supplying operating fluid from a reservoir 2 to a pressure chamber 6 is formed in a cylinder body 3 connected to the reservoir 2. A bypass 37 for bypassing the supply passage connecting the reservoir 2 and the pressure chamber 6 is formed and provided with a check valve system 34 adapted to open when a pressure in the pressure chamber 6 is lower than that in the reservoir 2. A valve case 38 and a covering member 32 constitute a cartridge 39, which accommodates a valve body 41 and an urging spring 42, so as to form a check valve system 34. The cartridge 39 is placed in a valve chamber 33 of the bypass 37.
US07694495B2
The present invention concerns a machine and a method for converting a web of preformed pouches to dunnage units. In one exemplary embodiment the machine includes a drive, a blower, and a sealing mechanism. The drive is arranged to move the web of preformed pouches along a path of travel through the machine. The blower is positioned with respect to the path of travel, to inflate the preformed pouches. The sealing mechanism includes a heating element support and a heating element. The heating element support includes a sealing side and a belt preheating side. The heating element is disposed around at least a portion of the heating side and at least a portion of the belt preheating side. The drive includes a belt that is disposed around the heating element. The sealing mechanism is positioned with respect to the path of travel, to provide seals to the pouches to form inflated dunnage units. The heating element support is configured to maintain the heating element in contact with the heating element support preheating side.
US07694494B2
The present invention relates to a tree support and cover system. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a tree stand configured for efficient transportation of a tree. The tree stand includes two sets of wheels for use in translating the tree. A first set of wheels is disposed below the tree stand and allows for conventional translation with an erect tree. A second set of wheels is disposed on the side of the tree stand and allows for tipped translation. The tree stand may also include an optional electrical system with one or more electrical items including a timer, a Ground Fault Interrupter outlet, a remote controlled positioning system, etc. A second embodiment of the present invention relates to a collapsible tree cover that can be used to efficiently transport and store the tree. The collapsible tree cover can be concealed within a tree stand or used as a skirt when it is collapsed below the tree. The tree cover includes at least one adjustable expansion system with an elastically biased opening for use in reducing the diameter of the tree. The tree cover includes at least one storage opening which can be used to store items around the trunk of the tree when the tree cover is extended over the tree. The tree stand and tree cover embodiments can also be used in conjunction with one another to provide additional features.
US07694491B2
RFID tags pre-installed on bale wrap segments provide location information for a specific area of the bale wrap. RFID tag readers located on the cotton harvester provide signals for use by the module wrapping apparatus for initiating a cutting or separating operation, once a module has been wrapped, and for warning an operator of a situation where the wrapping function has not proceeded in an orderly fashion after a signal for starting the wrapping function has been received. A wrapped module carries the pre-installed RFID tags which are readable by RFID readers carried by module handlers in the field and/or at the gin input which identify the modules and establish a position to which the module may be automatically oriented so that an ideal module wrap cutting location is easily calculated. The RFID tag reading taken in the field or at the gin thus senses the number on the tag as well as the location of the tag, and the module identification is input to an electronic database.
US07694479B2
A three-dimensional constructional element 10 is shown having opposing and substantially planar panels 30, 40 mounted on opposing surfaces of a flexible planar member in the form of a flexible mesh material layer 52 therefore making a composite sheet of three layers. Panel 30 includes transverse grooves 12, 14 formed therein and panel 40 includes transverse grooves 16, 18 formed therein. The structure is deformable about each groove 12, 14, 16, 18. In a preferred embodiment the panels 30, 40 are divided into many segments defined by the transverse grooves to allow the constructional element to be deformed so that one of the exterior surfaces of panel 30 is concave while the opposing exterior surface of panel 40 is convex. Also disclosed herein is a method of forming a curved surface structure including the steps of deforming the constructional element 10 into a desired position and securing the element 10 into that position by introducing a grouting material 74, 94 thereonto so that the grouting material can enter the grooves 12, 14, 16, 18 to rigidly affix the element 10.
US07694474B1
A firestopping device which is held between the flange of water closet flange assembly and the floor surrounding the opening containing the drain pipe which includes a securement section positioned therebetween for being held in place and an intumescent section extending radially inwardly therefrom to a position above the vertical drain pipe opening to facilitate intumescent expansion thereinto responsive to the exposure of heat.
US07694458B2
Ecopots having a large number of holes permeable to the culture solution and air are used for disposing seeding and seedling pots or for planting seedlings and are hung in the space in a house, a bucket for collecting the drips of the culture solution is placed below each pot for collecting the residual solution to thereby prevent the infection by pathogens, and a balancing toy-like hanger hung vertically from a hook hung movably from a shelf pole in the house via a loop clutch, an ecopot hanging chain, a main melon stem attracting cord, a melon fruit hanging cord and so forth are used to render the ecopot hung from the ecopot hanging chain orientation-variable in all directions so that oxygen may be fed abundantly to the rooting zone of the horticultural plant and the plant may receive the sunshine with ease.
US07694454B1
An in-line sliding line release is disclosed for holding a sinker weight to a fishing line. The release apparatus is attachable to and moveable along a fishing line with the capability of being manually fixed to the line so as to provide any desirable spacing between the lure or bait and the sinker weight. The release apparatus includes a compression arm which locks into place under a variable release tension setting. When a pull or strike from the lure line overcomes the adjustable tension set on the release housing body, the compression arm rotates upward by ninety degrees releasing the hold on the line sliding down to the lure or preset in-line stop. In the circumstance that there is no pull from the lure line, the tension screw means may be overcome by pulling the cam line guide manually to release the compression arm which will allow the device to slide down the line as desired. It has been observed and experienced that the length of leader distance between the lure or bait and the weight influences presentation and fishing success. Though long leaders often increase catch rates for various reasons, the ability to land a fish is severely compromised when using in-line weight systems. This device embodiment offers a solution for a variety of needs including an adaptation for ease of use with downrigger systems.
US07694447B1
A storage device for storing rolled documents includes a tube pivotally mounted to a housing and advanceable between retracted and extended positions relative to a roof of the housing. The roof covers an open end of the tube in the retracted position. In the extended position, the open end of the tube is advanced away from the roof to permit rolled construction drawings to be inserted into and removed from the tube. A floor extends across at least a portion of the tube to prevent the rolled documents from falling out of the tube. Clamps mounted on the housing enable mounting of the storage device on a post, such as a T-post. The storage device may include a display panel having a pocket formed by a sheet of transparent flexible plastic into which a building permit may be positioned and displayed.
US07694446B1
A modular picture frame apparatus includes a plurality of housings. Each of the housings is configured to removably receive at least one picture. Each of the housings has a panel with a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge. The first and second edges are positioned opposite of each other. A back side of the panel includes at least one mounting member to facilitate the mounting of the panel on a wall. An upper flange is attached to a front side of the panel adjacent to the first edge. A lower flange is attached to the front side adjacent to the second edge. Each of the upper and lower flanges has an elongated slot therein. A picture is positionable in the slots in the upper and lower flanges. At least one coupler removably couples together two of the housings.
US07694445B2
By providing a pre-printed promotional system which employs a housing and a cooperating slider panel mounted to each other, with the slider panel being movable for activating a foldable graphic element to move between an open displayed position and a closed, folded position, a unique, hands-on, printed, visually exciting and interest generating advertising/promotional product is attained. Preferably, the promotional system comprises two cooperating components which are cooperatively associated to each other in sliding interengagement. Although two components are required for achieving the basic construction, alternate embodiments of the present invention may incorporate additional components for providing a further enhanced visual impact.
US07694433B2
A method for processing a web material having a machine direction and a cross-machine direction coplanar and perpendicular thereto is disclosed herein. The method incorporates the step of first directing a web material proximate to an air foil. Steam is then applied to the web material by the air foil. Finally, the web material is processed by any downstream web material processing operation.
US07694431B2
A wheeled distance measuring device includes a wheel with a measuring unit connected to a side of the wheel and a pole unit is connected to the wheel, the pole unit includes a first section, a second section and a third section. The first section has two first holes and two second holes defined in two ends thereof. The first section is movably inserted into the second section which has two third holes and movably inserted into the third section which has two fourth holes. Two positioning units are respectively located between the first and second section, and between the second and third sections. The positioning units control the retractable movement of the sections so as to adjust the length of the pole unit. A handle is connected to the pole unit and controls the positioning units by an action rod.
US07694430B1
A stopper component has upper and lower ends. The stopper component is removably positioned in a cylindrical opening. A shaft/dipstick is positioned within the stopper component. The shaft/dipstick has an upper end adjacent to the upper end of the stopper component. The shaft/dipstick has a lower end. The lower end extends beneath the lower end of the stopper component. A lock has an interior end coupled to the upper end of the shaft/dipstick. In this manner positioning the lock in a first orientation will lock the stopper component in a cylindrical opening. Also in this manner positioning the lock in a second orientation will unlock the stopper component to facilitate removal of the stopper component from a cylindrical opening.
US07694426B2
A method is disclosed for eliminating sources of error in the system correction of a coordinate measuring machine. Herein, a number j of reference structures 33 on a rigid reference object 30 are measured in a starting orientation k=0, and the starting coordinates and the reference coordinates of the reference structures 33 on the reference object 30 are determined in a number k≧3 of mutually different orientations.
US07694416B2
A producing method of a wired circuit board includes the steps of preparing a wired circuit board having an insulating layer and a conductive pattern including a wire covered with the insulating layer and a terminal portion exposed from the insulating layer, disposing a contact member formed of a material having a standard electrode potential lower than that of a conductive material forming the conductive pattern such that the contact member is in contact with the conductive pattern and exposed from the insulating layer, and dipping the wired circuit board including the disposed contact member in a polymerization solution of a conductive polymer to form a semiconductive layer on the surface of the insulating layer.
US07694413B2
A method for forming a copper interconnect is described. An opening in a dielectric layer disposed on a substrate is formed. A barrier layer is formed on the opening. A seed layer is formed on the barrier layer. The seed layer includes a noble metal copper alloy, the copper having less than 50% of the atomic weight of the noble metal copper alloy.
US07694409B2
A method of insulating a coil of an electrical machine includes applying an insulating varnish to a coil of conductive wire. The varnish includes (i) a resin; (ii) a first catalyst having a first activation temperature, the first catalyst being active at room temperature; and (iii) a second catalyst with a second activation temperature substantially higher than the first activation temperature. The varnish is allowed to partially cure at room temperature. The coil is mounted to a yoke to form a rotor of the electrical machine. The rotor is operated so as to heat the coil and activate the second catalyst to complete curing of the varnish.
US07694406B2
A composite structure of a backing material with enhanced conductivity for use in a transducer is presented. The composite structure includes a plurality of layers of backing material alternatingly arranged with a plurality of thermal conductive elements, wherein the plurality of thermal conductive elements are configured to transfer heat from a center of the transducer to a plurality of points on the composite structure of backing material.
US07694405B2
A method for coupling a conduit to a fitting. The method includes providing a fitting having a body and a passageway extending through the fitting body, inserting at least a portion of the fitting body within at least a portion of a collar, and compressing at least a portion of the collar around at least a portion of the fitting body such that the fitting body is not internally supported from within the passageway.
US07694404B2
A device (20) for assembling a plastic-lens-forming casting mold includes a gasket clamping mechanism (22) which clamps a gasket (2) from its axial direction, a first mold push-in mechanism (23) which pushes in an upper mold (3) fitted in an upper open end of the gasket (2), and a second mold push-in mechanism (24) which pushes in a lower mold (4) fitted in a lower open end of the gasket (2). The gasket clamping mechanism (22) clamps the gasket (2) from the axial direction by a gasket-pressing ring (34) and lower mold ring (35). The first mold push-in mechanism (23) pushes the upper mold (3) into the gasket (2) by a gasket push-in member (58). The second mold push-in mechanism (24) includes a plurality of push pins (68) and pushes up the lower mold (4) to push it into the gasket (2).
US07694401B2
A picture hanger for use with gypsum board comprises a strip of steel bent into a V to provide two legs. The first leg is arcuate and functions as an anchor upon insertion into the gypsum board. The second leg is straight, with a hook at its terminus for hanging pictures and the like. An installation tool is provided which enables the arcuate anchor leg to be driven into the gypsum board along an arcuate path corresponding to the arcuate anchor leg until the second leg is held firmly against the surface of the gypsum board.
US07694397B2
A mirror for a piezoelectric resonator consisting of alternately arranged layers of high and low acoustic impedance is manufactured by at first producing a first layer on which a second layer is produced, so that the second layer partially covers the first layer. Then, a planarization layer is applied on the first layer and on the second layer. Subsequently, a portion of the second layer is exposed by structuring the planarization layer, wherein the portion is associated with an active region of the piezoelectric resonator. Finally, the resulting structure is planarized by removing the portions of the planarization layer remaining outside the portion.
US07694395B2
A strap assembly capable of engagement with an object (101) includes a strap (110) having a first end (111) and a second end (112), and further includes a buckle (120, 190) coupled to the strap. The buckle includes a cover (210) and a base (220) adjacent to the cover, and the base includes a slot (221) and an engagement aperture (122). The object with which the strap assembly is engaged has coupled thereto an attachment piece (102), which may take the form of a post (141) topped with a cap (142). The strap extends through the slot, the engagement aperture is capable of engaging the attachment piece, and the buckle is capable of rotating about the attachment piece when the engagement aperture is engaged with the attachment piece.
US07694389B2
A vertically adjustable hinge is disclosed. The hinge comprises a housing for attachment to a first structure. The housing has a housing cavity and an opening into the cavity. The cavity has an upper portion, a lower portion and a retaining portion forming a channel defining the upper portion and the lower portion. The hinge further includes a first leaf extending through the cavity opening and into the cavity upper portion, threaded nut rotationally fixed to the first leaf, and an adjustment mechanism disposed in the housing cavity. The adjustment mechanism comprises a jack screw extending between the upper cavity portion and the lower cavity portion. The jack screw has a threaded portion threadably engaging the nut in the upper cavity portion and a geared portion disposed in the cavity lower portion. The hinge further includes a worm gear engaging the jack screw geared portion, wherein rotation of the worm gear rotates the jack screw threaded portion in the nut, thereby moving the first leaf relative to the housing.
US07694386B2
A castor wheel cover is provided for mounting on a wheel of a castor wheel assembly. The wheel has an outer surface and the castor wheel cover includes a floor engaging member having inner and outer surfaces. First and second sidewalls projecting from corresponding first and second side edges of the floor engaging member so as to define a channel therebetween. The channel is adapted for receiving the outer surface of the wheel therein.
US07694384B2
Disclosed is a vacuum cleaner including a head having an inlet for sucking in air containing impurities from outside; a dust collector including: a dust collecting container having a handle on a side thereof, and sucking in polluted air and collecting impurities separated from the polluted air, and having an opened top surface for discharging air separated from the impurities; and a top lid including a fixing groove and a guiding member, and detachably provided at the dust collecting container for closing the opened top of the dust collecting container, wherein the guiding member is coupled to a predetermined part of the dust collecting container such that the fixing groove is positioned at a predetermined location when the top lid is assembled with the dust collecting container; a main body having a dust collector receiving recess in front part thereof, wherein the dust collector is detachably provided; and a fixing device provided at an upper front portion above the dust collector receiving recess, and having a protrusion caught by the fixing groove of the top lid, the fixing device fixing the dust collector on the main body, and releasing the dust collector when the dust collector is separated from the main body.
US07694380B1
A modular trowel handle device comprises a handle section to provide a handle interface for a user of the trowel handle and a post extending from the handle section. A mounting surface is coupled to the post and extends generally parallel to the handle section. The mounting surface includes a plurality of fasteners extending therefrom or formed therein. A trowel blade receiving plate includes engaging structure configured to engage a connector of a trowel blade and a plurality of corresponding fasteners extending therefrom or formed therein. The trowel blade receiving plate is coupled to the mounting surface by the fasteners and is formed from a different material than the mounting surface.
US07694378B2
The present invention provides an interdental brush and a cap, said brush having a good handling property and a low manufacturing cost, said brush being stored with the cap on while adjusting the brush body at any angle. The handle member 3 supporting the brush body 2 includes a handle body 6, an arm 12 extending from one end of the handle body 6, a brush support 13 that holds a base of the brush body 2, a first hinge 14 that connects the tip of the arm 12 and one end of the brush support 13 in a freely rotating manner, an operating portion 15 provided slidably at the other end of the handle member 3, and a second hinge 16 that connects the tip of the operating portion 15 and the other end of the brush support 13 in a freely rotating manner.
US07694374B2
Disclosed is a modular bridge, typically for temporary use to enable persons to pass between upper floors of adjacent buildings during fire fighting or disaster relief operations, which can be rapidly assembled and deployed within a confined space and entirely from the “home” side of the gap to be crossed. It comprises a plurality of man-portable box section bridge modules adapted to be connected together end to end and projected in cantilever fashion from one side of the gap to the other. The assembly of modules is supported in and guided through a launch frame, with modules being added to the rear of the assembly and pushed through the frame until the gap is spanned. Removable lever arms of the frame are used to counterbalance the weight of the projected bridge modules during the course of deployment.
US07694369B2
A device for providing anatomical support during operative or therapeutic procedures comprising a configurable bolster formed from a block of resilient synthetic foam material and having a plurality of recessed regions formed in the top surface of the bolster and extending into selected portions of the bolster for accommodating particular anatomical structures. Precut slits are provided extending vertically upward from the bottom surface of the bolster to enable removal of material from the bolster to adapt it to particular circumstances of use.
US07694359B1
A pull-chain shower valve is interposed between a pipe stub and a shower head of a typical shower and allows a user to turn the water on and off at the shower head assembly without the need to use the main valve controls of the shower. The device uses a ball valve that articulates between an open position wherein water flows out of the shower head and a closed position wherein water does not flow out of the shower head. A standard pull-chain assembly is used to articulate the ball valve between its open position and its closed position. A pull-chain of the pull-chain assembly is pulled in order to advance the ball valve to its next position. Each sufficient pull of the pull-chain advances the ball valve exactly 90 degrees. If the pull-chain is not pulled sufficiently, the ball valve resets to its prior position. A reset mechanism is provided for the pull-chain.
US07694354B2
An article of protective apparel for placement on and protection of a portion of the body of a user includes a protective shell and bi-directional device that receives a first and second line that each extend to the shell. Rotation of a control handle of the bi-directional device causes portions of the lines to be drawn into the device, thereby tightening the protective shell about the user. Optionally, the article is a helmet for having an adjustable chin strap that is capable of being tightened by manual rotation of the control handle of the device. Optionally, the article of protective apparel is capable of being loosened by manual positioning of the control handle into a release position.
US07694351B2
A sports glove comprising a dorsal side and at least one joint protector. The dorsal side provides a plurality of protection sections and the joint protectors positioned between the plurality of protection sections. The joint protector includes a base operatively attached to the dorsal side and a plurality of extended members attached to the base and projecting from the base. The joint protector substantially fills any apertures created in the sports glove by a user of the glove during participation in sports. The extended members of the joint protector deflect independently of the protection sections and can be biased toward the protection sections to substantially fill any apertures between the protection sections.
US07694350B2
The present invention provides a garment (2) having large openings or perhaps even breast slits (14) in the garment that allow easy access to the full breast for instruction and access for nursing a newborn among other uses. Movable panels (12) may be provided on a front side (10) of a gown which can cover the openings while to nursing and can even provide privacy for the mother during nursing of their infant (1). The present invention may include a holder element (25) such as a skirt tuck element to allow the bottom of the gown to be pulled up and secured at a waistline area. Various closing elements may be located on the gown, such as but not limited to a sleeve closure element (18), a back closure element (22), and perhaps even a front closure element (16) to secure moveable panels.
US07698743B2
A DVD terminal (20) makes a request for sending a sub-content to an authentication server (40) (in this case, attaches the “model name and serial number” of the DVD terminal (20)) (S302). The authentication server (40) generates a random number R (S304) and sends it to the DVD terminal (20) (S306). The DVD terminal (20) reads a terminal key and a terminal ID that are stored in a terminal information memory unit (25), decrypts the received random number R using a terminal key (SK_X) (S308) and sends this and the terminal ID (ID_X) to the authentication server (40) (S310). The authentication server (40) verifies the random number R and the terminal ID that are received from the DVD terminal (20) and encrypted, and judges whether the DVD terminal (20) is the authenticated terminal or not (S312).
US07698739B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method to initiate updating of a second portion of a system if a value indicates that the system is in a trusted state. In such an embodiment, a first portion of the system may validate updated code before the second portion of the system is updated. In one such embodiment, the first portion may be an applications portion and the second portion may be a communications portion of a wireless device.
US07698738B2
A method, and a corresponding apparatus, provide for real-time network-based recovery from information warfare (IW) attacks on a network that includes subnets, with each subnet including one or more nodes. The method includes executing a pre-IW attack routine to identify IW attack recovery information, in response to an IW attack, executing an IW attack response routine, and executing a real-time network-based recovery routine. The pre-IW attack routine includes monitoring conditions on the network and at each of the subnets and nodes. When an IW attack occurs at an entity in the network, a condition flags are set to indicate the specific entity or entities being attacked. A condition flag set to 0 implies full operational capability of the entity, a condition flag set to 1 implies recent IW attack or IW attack in progress at the entity, and a condition flag set to 2 implies recovery of the entity from the IW attack.
US07698736B2
A client is impersonalized to a plurality of servers using a middle-tier server. A common nonce associated with each of the plurality of servers is obtained and the common nonce is provided to the client. The common nonce signed by the client is received at the middle-tier server and provided as a signature for transactions from the client to the plurality of servers so as to authenticate the client to the plurality of servers.
US07698733B2
A computer system having a verification system for verifying whether or not disks are being used in an unauthorized manner comprises a plurality of computers each capable of being loaded with a disk storing application programs, and an authentication server capable of being connected with the computers via a network, wherein each computer has a unique device ID, each disk has a unique disk ID, and the server has a user database for accumulating the device ID when using the computer and the disk ID when using the disk, such that data is accumulated in the user database in pairs of disk ID and device ID. In the event of using the disk for the second time or subsequent times, data for the disk ID and data for the device ID are transmitted from the computer to the host server, thereby verifying at the host server that the usage is valid.
US07698732B2
A method for exchanging information between computers from different computer networks without any direct connection is disclosed. The two networks include corresponding bridge computers that which share a file system residing on a common storage device. Any computer of a network needing to transmit information to a computer on the other network can map the file system of the corresponding bridge computer. The computer authenticates itself on the bridge computer, and it is then allowed to write the information into a file residing on the shared memory device. Likewise, any computer on the other network can map the same file system of the corresponding bridge computer. The computer authenticates itself on the bridge computer, and it is then allowed to read the information from a mirror copy of the file on the shared memory device. As a result, any network that is isolated from the outside can send and receive information. Such operation is possible even in the presence of virus infections without any security exposure.
US07698730B2
A new service detection process in a network retrieves a baseline list of port protocols used by a entity being tracked. The baseline value is determined over a baseline period. A current list of port protocols for the entity being tracked is also retrieved and is compared to determine whether there is a difference in the port protocols, by having a protocol that was in a current list but was not in the baseline list. If there is a difference the process indicates a new service involving the tracked entity.
US07698729B2
A communication terminal comprising a video reproduction device configured to carry out a video reproduction, a communication device configured to carry out a communication; and a reproduction-end-time acquisition device configured to acquire an end time of the video reproduction carried out by said video reproduction device. When an incoming communication arrives from a communication partner terminal in the course of the video reproduction carried out by said video reproduction device, the communication partner terminal is informed of the end time of said video reproduction. The communication partner terminal is external to the communication terminal.
US07698722B1
The present invention consists of a method for managing the consistency of service lists broadcasted by a digital television network, the service lists containing parameters corresponding to each broadcasted services and being received in a television receiver and stored in a memory, wherein, it comprises the step of the method wherein it comprises the step of triggering a consistency check between said at least one customized list of services and the downloaded update of a list of services available to the receiver, the moment for triggering being chosen by an application in said receiver, so as not to disrupt receiver use by said check.The invention can be used in the field of digital television.The invention concerns also the receiver using the method.
US07698721B2
System includes unit acquiring video content from video source, unit acquiring text data corresponding to video content from text data source, unit extracting topics from video content based on text data, unit dividing video content into video content segments for each of topics, unit generating one of first thumbnail image, first keyword and first key sentence, unit storing cue words corresponding to video portions, unit comparing text data with cue words to specify first video portion of video portions, first video portion corresponding to first cue word of cue words, unit concealing portion of one of second thumbnail image, second keyword and second key sentence and correspond to specified video portion and generate concealed portion, unit providing, after concealing one portion, combination of each of video content segments and one of second thumbnail image, second keyword and second key sentence, to provide combinations, and unit selecting one of combinations manually.
US07698720B2
A method for blocking content from being presented at a client device based on a user profile and content tags. Content having descriptive tags is delivered to a client device from a server device. The descriptive tags classify the content. A user profile at the client device contains tag data for identifying categories of content that the user does not want presented on the client device. The client device recognizes and evaluates the tags of received content and blocks content based on the user profile. The blocked content will not be presented to the user. The user profile may be created automatically or manually by the user. The user profile is automatically created based on usage history or demographic information. The client device has a tag dictionary that may be updated to correspond to tags utilized by content delivery systems.
US07698715B2
An ejection device of a slot-in optical disc drive includes a rotating plate and an elastic unit. The rotating plate is installed on the slot-in optical disc drive and attached to an actuating gear of a feeding gear unit. The actuating gear is capable of following the rotation of the rotating plate to disengage from the feeding gear unit of the slot-in optical disc drive. The elastic unit is attached to the rotating plate to keep the actuating gear engaged with the feeding gear unit. A push wall of the rotating plate and a push block of a sliding piece, connected with the output of the feeding gear unit, are located sequentially on the path of a hole penetrating into the optical disk drive. A stick can be inserted into the hole to activate the ejection device.
US07698706B2
Methods and apparatus for managing multiple virtual machines simultaneously operative in a computing environment provide an integrated work environment—for example, a desktop—which incorporates graphical and control elements from multiple virtual machines. In embodiments of the present invention, application programs and resources available in multiple virtual machines can be accessed from a single desktop. Visual cues are provided for associating control elements and resources with particular virtual machines. In embodiments of the present invention, multiple virtual machines operative in a computing environment can comprise a plurality of collaborative virtual machines, or a private virtual machine and one or more collaborative virtual machines.
US07698696B2
A compiler comprises an analysis unit that detects directives (options and pragmas) from a user to the compiler, an optimization unit that is made up of a processing unit (a global region allocation unit, a software pipelining unit, a loop unrolling unit, a “if” conversion unit, and a pair instruction generation unit) that performs individual optimization processing designated by options and pragmas from a user, following the directives and the like from the analysis unit, etc. The global region allocation unit performs optimization processing, following designation of the maximum data size of variables to be allocated to a global region, designation of variables to be allocated to the global region, and options and pragmas regarding designation of variables not to be allocated in the global region.
US07698694B2
Methods and systems of transforming an AND/OR command tree into a command data model are described. An unsimplified command data model is generated from the AND/OR command tree by expressing the AND/OR command tree as a command tree using elements of EBNF (Extended Backus-Naur-Form) notation. Selected structures within the unsimplified command data model are simplified to create a simplified command data model. The simplified command data model is refined into a refined command data model by allowing renaming of selected elements of the command data model. The renaming is based on user-specified instructions.
US07698693B2
A technique for run-time tracking changes to variables and memory locations during code execution to increase efficiency of execution of the code and to facilitate in debugging the code. In one example embodiment, this is achieved by determining whether a received instruction in a trackable instruction during code execution. The trackable instructions can include one or more trackable variables. The trackable instruction is then decoded and a track instruction cache and a track variable cache are then updated with associated decoded trackable instruction and the one or more trackable variables, respectively.
US07698689B2
A method that allows the context of an SMI task to be saved between SMIs. Upon entering an SMI handler for a task that needs to be split up into shorter SMIs, a new task context stack is created in memory. From that point forward, the SMI handler uses the task context, leaving the original stack unchanged. When the time limit for a single SMI is about to be reached, the CPU is directed back to the original stack, and the task context stack persists in memory and retains the context of the task in hand. The soft SMI exits with a return code or other indication to signify that a new SMI should be invoked to continue processing. The driver or other software that caused the first soft SMI then invokes another, passing in a code or other indication to signify that this is a continuation of a previously started task. On entering the SMI handler for the second time, the handler notes the request for continuation, switches back to the saved task context stack and continues processing where it left off.
US07698680B2
There is provided an engineering change order (ECO) cell, which includes: a function circuit including at least one PMOS transistor with a P-diffusion layer and a first poly gate, at least one NMOS transistor with an N-diffusion layer and a second poly gate; a first power layer supplying the at least one PMOS transistor with a first power voltage; and a second power layer supplying the at least one NMOS transistor with a second power voltage. The first poly gate of the PMOS transistor is isolated from the second poly gate of the NMOS transistor.
US07698679B2
A method is provided for optimizing routing on a substrate such as an integrated circuit or printed circuit board. The method defines a plurality of parallel strips on an initial routing layout of conductors for a layer of an integrated circuit. Each conductor within each strip defines a brick. For each of the plurality of strips, a spacing between bricks and a brick thickness of each brick is adjusted as a function of i) a location of a brick in adjacent strips corresponding to the same conductor; ii) a desired brick thickness; and iii) a desired brick spacing.
US07698677B2
On-chip decoupling capacitance and power/ground network wire co-optimization to reduce dynamic noise
A semiconductor power network (100) decoupling capacitance (decap) budgeting problem is co-optimized with a wiring enhancement problem, wherein the solution is formulated to minimize the total decap to be added or wiring changes (addition of wires (420)) to be made to the network (100). Voltage constraints, available white space and other constraints determine the amount of decap to be added. Wire enhancements and/or added decap can be distributed throughout a violation region (120) of the semiconductor circuit (100) design to reduce dynamic supply voltage noise so that dynamic network voltages are at all times maintained greater than a user-specified threshold voltage level (220).
US07698676B1
A method and system for improving the yield of integrated devices by adaptively selecting contact and via sizes is described. According to this invention, the drawn size of via holes in a design layout is selected based on its adjacent geometry objects. The invention comprises identifying the minimal space required for placing a via; analyzing available free space for potential via size increase; identifying the proximity configuration of the via with other vias; selecting an appropriate via size based on the free space and proximity configuration to create a new design layout; and fabricate the new layout with proximity correction on the photomask such that vias of a plurality of sizes are reproduced on silicon within predetermined tolerances.
US07698674B2
A method and a system for conducting a static timing analysis on a circuit having a plurality of point-to-point delay constraints between two points of the circuit, in which two conservative and two optimistic user defined tests are derived for all types of the point-to-point delay constraints. The method shows that when a conservative test is performed without introducing any special tags, then it is found that the point-to-point constraint is satisfied. On the other hand, when the optimistic test fails without any special tags, it is determined that the point-to-point constraint is bound to fail if special tags are introduced, in which case, they are to be introduced only when an exact slack is desired. Finally, for anything in between, a real analysis with special tags or path tracing is required. Based on the topology of the graph, arrival time based tests may be tighter in some situations, while the required arrival time based tests, may be tighter in others.
US07698671B2
Circuit data on a semiconductor integrated circuit, design constraints as to design of the semiconductor integrated circuit, air gap information on air gap creation in the circuit data, and an air gap volume constraint specifying an allowable range for an air gap volume value are received. The sum total of the values of the volumes of air gaps created in the circuit data according to the air gap information is calculated. Upon detection that the calculated sum total of the air gap volume values falls outside the allowable range specified by the air gap volume constraint, the circuit data is optimized so that the design constraints are satisfied and the sum total of the air gap volume values falls within the allowable range.
US07698670B2
In a method for designing a semiconductor integrated device, there are prepared a first power supply cell having a first decoupling capacitance and a second power supply cell having a second decoupling capacitance larger than the first decoupling capacitance. One of the first and second power supply cells is arranged in each of power supply cell areas of an input/output circuit area of the semiconductor integrated device in accordance with frequency-to-impedance characteristics at a predetermined point of input/output buffers of the input/output circuit area between first and second power supply lines thereof and frequency-to-noise current characteristics of the input/output buffers of the input/output circuit area between the first and second power supply lines.
US07698655B2
A preview tool for a portal can include a portal display produced from style information for the portal and a palette. The palette indicates style information related to curser positions. The style information can be a Cascading Style Sheet class.
US07698647B2
A method and device for using a portable dataport for electronic document retrieving, annotating, inter-relating, and managing, comprising a view manager having an at least one-dimensional grid. The view manager and grid provide document inter-relation and management in a user friendly fashion. The view manager is electronically linked to an electronic document storage device to retrieve, inter-relate, annotate and manage the documents.
US07698643B2
A quantity totalizer for a three-dimensional arrangement and adjustment CAD includes integrating means for referring to parts information stored in the three-dimensional arrangement and adjustment CAD and associating line information, which is separated from the parts information for storage and which is unique to a line, with the parts information to generate integrated information in which the quantity of parts is totalized; numbering means for systematically numbering the integrated information and outputting a quantity totalization result; and comparing means for comparing the quantity totalization result output by the numbering means with a parts number column in a design drawing produced with the three-dimensional arrangement and adjustment CAD to check the parts having the same parts information and line information against each other and replacing parts numbers in the parts number column in the design drawing produced with the three-dimensional arrangement and adjustment CAD with parts numbers in the quantity totalization result output by the numbering means. With the above structure, it is possible to provide the quantity totalizer, a quantity totalizing program, and the quantity totalizing method for the three-dimensional arrangement and adjustment CAD, which are capable of improving the efficiency of the quantity totalization in the design with the three-dimensional arrangement and adjustment CAD and performing accurate parts management and design management while reducing the design cost.
US07698639B2
Extensible architecture for template-baser user setting management by creating logical groupings of per-user settings using different template types. A manageable way to assign templates to sets of users based on different criteria is provided. Templates can be defined in a declarative format (e.g., XML), which declarative format is developed such that various user interface (UI) pieces, third-party applications, and different client types can easily understand the templates. Extensibility of the architecture is supported for defining the templates such that external third-party application writers can make use of the provided infrastructure to add to existing templates or create new template types, and to seamlessly integrate into the existing infrastructure. Additionally, the per-user settings within the templates can be enforced on the server side, including the enforcement of future settings and template types.
US07698638B2
Systems and methods for automatically building up an equation entered into a computer system can include an input module that accepts input of the equation in a linear string format, and an interpret module that interprets the input and automatically determines when a buildup point is reached. Systems can further include a formatting module that, upon reaching the buildup point, automatically formats at least a portion of the equation into a two-dimensional format. A display module can display the portion of the equation in the two-dimensional format. A revision module allows the equation to be edited.
US07698637B2
A method and computer-readable medium are provided for laying out footnotes. Each footnote includes a footnote reference and corresponding footnote text. According to the method, an attempt is first made to lay out one or more footnotes such that each of the references and the corresponding text all fit completely within one page. If such a layout cannot be made, an attempt is may to lay out each of the footnotes such that all of the reference marks fit on the page and all but one of the corresponding note text fits completely on the page. If such a layout cannot be made, an emergency layout may be generated.
US07698629B2
A report layout reference mechanism for processing report layout references in a report is provided. The report layout reference mechanism comprises a report object model builder for generating a report object model of a report, a destination repository for storing the location of referenced objects, a report fetcher for obtaining reports having the referenced object, a specification repository for storing report specifications having the referenced object, and a content manager. The mechanism detects a layout component reference in a report fetching the component associated with the layout component reference, and adds the component to a complete report specification of the report.
US07698624B2
Methods, apparatuses, and systems are presented for extracting information from a received signal resulting from a process capable of being represented as a finite state machine having a plurality of states, wherein transitions between the states can be represented by a trellis spanning a plurality of time indices, involving calculating branch metrics taking into account the received signal, calculating state metrics at each time index by taking into account the branch metrics and using a pipelined process, wherein the pipelined process is used to calculate state metrics at a first time index, wherein the pipelined process is then used to calculate state metrics at one or more non-adjacent time indices, and wherein the pipelined process is then used to calculate state metrics at an adjacent time index, and generating at least one output taking into account state metrics for states associated with at least one selected path through the trellis.
US07698609B2
A process measuring device including: A first processor, which performs a measured value processing with a first algorithm in first processing cycles; and a second processor, which is responsible for coordination and/or communication tasks. The second processor reads, in time intervals which are greater than the first processing cycle, a control data set from the first processor, and executes the first algorithm on the basis of the control data set, in order to verify the correct functioning of the first processor.
US07698602B2
A set of trace data are generated for full tracing in private memory on a work unit basis. Generating the set of trace data includes source code having trace statements, where trace data based on the work unit includes either an identifier or a layer to establish a start and an end of the work unit, where either the identifier or the layer is specific to an application. Each trace data entry in the set of trace data created while executing a work unit contains a selection field to enable selecting which entries are transferred to the shared trace table from the private memory, when a work unit completes.
US07698592B2
An apparatus and method are disclosed for rebuilding a data storage array having plural communication paths. A first error detecting component detects an error at a data storage device of a data storage array. The data storage device has a plurality of ports and is operable to provide data for a preemptive rebuild. A port control component disables all but a single port of the data storage device. A preemptive rebuild component copies data from the data storage device to a spare data storage device using the single operational port. An alternative path maintenance component maintains an alternative communication path for use by other members of the data storage array and bypasses the data storage device. A second error detecting component detects an error at the data storage device during operation of the preemptive rebuild component. A device disabling component disables the data storage device after detecting a second error.
US07698587B2
A method for implementing a power saving function of the portable electronic apparatus is provided. The method includes the step of: receiving an electricity quantity value transmitted from the charge meter unit; determining which particular electric charge range the electricity quantity value falls in; searching the particular electric charge range in a power management table stored in a data storage; obtaining a new work mode which corresponds to the particular electric charge range when the current work mode does not correspond to the particular electric charge range; determining the work state changes of the components from the current work mode to the new work mode; signaling the power control unit to change the work states of the components which work state need changed when the apparatus is changed from the current work mode to the new work mode.
US07698575B2
A processor is provided with a workload that has a real-time demand. A processor clock frequency requirement is set for the processor, based on a deadline margin for the real-time demand. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US07698569B2
The present invention relates to, among other things, the use of digital object fingerprints to account for digital objects.
US07698564B2
The generation of a unique password using a secret key and an application name is disclosed. Other passwords may be generated for other applications using the same key. A user provides a key that is not easily able to be guessed by third parties. The user also inputs a name of an application for which a password is desired. The system utilises the application name and the secret key to generate a unique password for that application, using standard encryption techniques. The system generates the same password for that application and secret key combination every time. Alternate embodiments generate a user identifier from the same secret key and application name.
US07698562B2
According to a conventional technique, in the case where a program is stored into a non-volatile memory once and then activated, authentication of the program is performed immediately before such activation. However, calculations such as decryption of encrypted values are required before the activation of the program starts, which causes the problem that responsiveness is decreased in proportion to the time required for calculations. In order to solve this problem, authentication of a program is performed immediately before such program is stored, so that no authentication is performed or only a part of the authentication is performed to verify the validity of certificates at program activation time.
US07698558B2
A server transmits a message and attachments from a sender to a recipient. A hash is provided of (a) the message, (b) an identification of the sender and (c) a hash of the attachments to form a data string. Instructions may be included for the recipient to send a hashed encryption of the string to a website at the server by registered electronic mail which provides options to obtain other electronic advantages. To authenticate the message, the recipient transmits the message, the attachments and the hashed encryption of the string to the server website. The server decrypts and detaches the hashed encryption of the string to provide a first string and hashes the message, the sender identification and the hashed attachments in the first string to form a second string. The server also detaches and hashes the attachments from the message received at the server website to form first hashed attachments and detaches the hashed attachments from the string to form second hashed attachments. When the first and second hashed attachments match and the first and second strings match, the server authenticates the message to the recipient.
US07698555B2
Provided is a system and method for enabling secure access to a desired end-point server program of at least one end-point server program. The system includes a server having a security server program and the end-point server programs, and a client. During operation, the server establishes a first connection with the client via a known port, causes an end-point program applet and web page associated with the desired end-point server program to be forwarded to the client. While executing the security server program, the server: verifies client access rights via a first encryption means, generates, encrypts and transmits to the client a random port number and a session key, and detects establishment of a second connection between the client and a random port of the server. The second connection enables secure access by the client to the desired end-point server program using a second encryption means and the session key.
US07698547B1
Methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media for executing the same program module in a PEI and ad DXE are disclosed. According to one method, a program module is first executed in the PEI phase. While the program module is executing in the PEI, it stores the memory address of a DXE entry point in a hand-off block. When the DXE phase is entered, the stored DXE entry point for the program module is retrieved from the hand-off block and the program module is executed at the DXE entry point.
US07698545B1
The present invention provides a computer system with a chronology generator for generating a chronology for a series of computer configurations.
US07698544B2
Disclosed herein is a system and method of operating a processor before and after a reset has been asserted. Prior to a reset being asserted the processor operates in one of a plurality of states wherein primary code may be executed by the processor depending on said state. Upon a reset being asserted the processor begins executing code for a reset routine. The processor also executes a process such that the processor operates in the same state it was in prior to the reset upon the reset no longer being asserted.
US07698543B2
A method and system for monitoring configuration information of computing devices is provided. The monitoring system generates a desired configuration monitor (“DCM”) document for each computing device that is to have its configuration monitored. The DCM document specifies configuration settings to be monitored along with rules that specify how to determine whether a configuration setting is correct. Each computing device may include a comparison engine that inputs the DCM document and applies the rules of the DCM document to determine which configuration settings of the computing device are not in compliance.
US07698538B2
A method and apparatus are provided for downloading a program by using hand-shaking in a digital signal processor (DSP), in which the program stored at an external memory is downloaded to an internal memory by using the hand-shaking in an asynchronous system having a dual CPU, wherein current operation of the digital signal processor is temporarily held to shorten a downloading time.
US07698531B2
A system, method and computer-readable medium for balancing access among multiple logical partitions to the physical system resources of a computer system employing system virtualization. Each of the logical partitions is classified, initially during a startup period, in accordance with a level of allocated dispatch window utilization. Performance metrics of one or more of the physical system resources are determined in association with one or more of the logical partitions. The performance metrics determination is performed at a hardware level independent of programming interrupts. During a dispatch window in which a given set of the physical system resources are configured for allocation to one of the logical partitions, the given set of physical system resources are re-allocated to a replacement logical partition in accordance with the determined performance metrics associated with the replacement logical partition and the dispatch window utilization classification of the replacement logical partition.
US07698521B2
A processing system includes a local or local storage and a number of remote or remote storage systems that store data mirroring that maintained by the local storage system. Data that is written, changed, deleted or other wise modified by the local storage system is periodically sent to the remote storage systems to update the mirroring data maintained by each.
US07698514B2
A data processing system includes processing units for processing data, at least one memory for storing data from the processing units, an interconnect for connecting the processing units and the memory. The processing units request write access to the memory via the interconnect to write data into the memory. At least one arbiter performs interconnect arbitration for the access to the memory from the processing units, wherein interconnect arbitration is performed based on the minimum logic level changes of the interconnect as introduced by the write accesses of the processing units to the memory. If more than one write request is available from different processing units the interconnect arbitration (interconnect access), is granted to that processing unit, whose data to be sent to the memory via the interconnect results in minimum logic level changes to the interconnect. Power dissipation due to switching of logic levels is reduced.
US07698506B1
A technique for partially offloading, from a main cache in a storage server, the storage of cache tags for data blocks in a victim cache of the storage server, is described. The technique includes storing, in the main cache, a first subset of the cache tag information for each of the data blocks, and storing, in a victim cache of the storage server, a second subset of the cache tag information for each of the data blocks. This technique avoids the need to store the second subset of the cache tag information in the main cache.
US07698505B2
A data caching approach is provided for a distributed computing environment employing coherent data caching. The data caching approach includes dynamically deciding whether to associate a priority tag with requested data for a processing unit, wherein the priority tag is to be employed in deciding whether to hold the requested data in a local cache associated with the processing unit. The dynamically deciding includes determining whether latency of arrival of requested data at the processing unit meets a set threshold, and if so, associating the priority tag with the requested data. The priority tag indicates that at least one of the requested data is to be captured in the local cache or the requested data is to be maintained in the local cache over other data without an associated priority tag. In one implementation, the threshold is a programmable threshold, and the local cache is a lookaside cache.
US07698504B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system that marks cache lines using shared timestamps. During operation, the system starts a transaction for a thread, wherein starting the transaction involves recording the value of an active timestamp and incrementing a transaction or overflow counter (TO_counter) corresponding to the recorded value. The system then places load-marks on cache lines which are loaded during the transaction. While placing the load-marks, the system writes the recorded value into metadata corresponding to the cache lines. Upon completing the transaction for the thread, the system decrements the TO_counter corresponding to the recorded value and resumes non-transactional execution for the thread without removing the load-marks from cache lines which were load-marked during the transaction.
US07698487B2
Methods and systems for a low-cost high density compute environment with increased fail-over support through resource sharing and resources chaining. In one embodiment, one of a number of servers qualified to share resources is elected as a resource server. The shared resource can be firmware memory, hard-drive, co-processor, etc. The elected server responds to requests from individual requesters and provides the responses, such as firmware images. In one embodiment, all the blade servers on a rack use an image server for their firmware image so that these blade servers can automatically adopt a common personality across the entire rack. If the elected image server fails, a dynamic process elects an alternate image server. In one embodiment, among a set of qualified servers, only one is actively elected at a given time.
US07698486B1
An arbitration circuit for granting access to a shared resource among requestors comprises N request shapers, where N is an integer greater than one. An input unit receives a request from a requestor. An age unit assigns an age to the request and increases the age of the request when the requestor is not granted access to the shared resource. A priority unit assigns a priority level to each of the requests and selectively increases the priority level of the request based on the age of the respective one of the requests and a delta period of the request. An arbiter core receives the requests from the N request shapers and selectively grants access to the shared resource to each of the requestors corresponding to the requests based on the priority level and age of the requests. The delta period of one of the N request shapers is different than the delta period of another of the N request shapers.
US07698485B2
A low-latency, peer-to-peer TDM bus including one or more data lines and one or more control lines is provided. Attached devices access the bus sequentially in order of their bus addresses. During a device's access period, if the device has data to transmit, the device places its address on the data lines, asserts a START signal on the bus, and proceeds to transmit data to the other devices on the bus. When the data transmission is completed, the device asserts an END signal on the bus, thus passing control of the bus to the next device in the sequence. If the device has no data to transmit, the device simply places its address on the data lines, asserts the START signal, and asserts the END signal, and control passes directly to the next device in line. In this manner, each device has an opportunity to transmit on the bus.
US07698474B2
A virtual first in first out (FIFO) direct memory access (DMA) device applied in an electronic device having a processor, a UART unit and a virtual FIFO unit is provided. In the virtual FIFO DMA device, a DMA unit is for transferring data between the UART unit and the virtual FIFO unit. A virtual FIFO controller, which has a read pointer and a write pointer, is electrically connected with the DMA unit. When the DMA unit reads data from or writes data into the virtual FIFO unit, the virtual FIFO controller correspondingly changes the value of the read pointer or the write pointer. A virtual port is electrically connected to the DMA unit and the processor. A processor reads data from or writes data into the virtual FIFO unit via the virtual port and the DMA unit.
US07698473B2
Methods and apparatus provide for transferring a plurality of data blocks between a shared memory and a local memory of a processor in response to a single DMA command issued by the processor to a direct memory access controller (DMAC), wherein the processor is capable of operative communication with the shared memory and the DMAC is operatively coupled to the local memory.
US07698471B2
To enable simple and detailed confirmation of an operation instruction from an operation panel provided to a printer, each time an instruction is given using a preview button in the operation panel of the printer, an interruption event transferred from the printer to a host computer is detected, and in accordance with the detected interruption event, image data read out from a memory card attached to the printer, and a print setting to be set, are obtained. A preview display unit controls a print preview display reflecting the print setting in real time to a display device of the host computer, and also controls an update display of the print preview display.
US07698456B2
A first network node maintains separate routing policy information to forward network traffic depending on a direction of the network traffic. Upstream routing policy information at the first node identifies a second node to forward upstream traffic received from at least a first client communicating through the first node. Downstream routing policy information at the first node identifies how to forward downstream network traffic received from another node to the first client. By preventing use of the downstream policy routing information by the first client to route upstream network traffic, the first node is able to forward traffic along a path that the network traffic otherwise would have not traveled. For example, network traffic communicated through the first node can be forced to travel through another network node through which it would have not otherwise have passed if the downstream policy information was available to route the network traffic.
US07698454B1
A system processes packet data received in a number of incoming streams of variable speeds. The system includes an input interface, input logic, and one or more packet processors. The input interface receives the packet data and outputs the data using a first arbitration element. The input logic includes flow control logic, a memory, and a dispatch unit. The flow control logic initiates flow control on the data output by the input interface. The memory stores the data from the input interface. The dispatch unit reads the data from the memory using a second arbitration element. The packet processor(s) process the data from the dispatch unit.
US07698452B2
The present invention includes a repeater and a server for controlling access, from a terminal of an outside network, to the server of an inside network. The repeater and the server permit a packet transmission from the terminal to the server under limited conditions. When the server acknowledges a connection for the permitted packet, transmission conditions for packets to be sent to the server are loosened. Subsequently, packet transmission between the terminal and the server is controlled under the loosened transmission conditions. As for encrypted packets, the server decodes the encrypted packets and notifies the repeater of relevant information.
US07698447B2
In a network game in which a number of players participate, multiple players can communicate each other by the user of an IP telephone or an Internet telephone network. A voice receiving section of the terminal unit 12 comprises a game communicating section 51 connected to a game server via the network, a participant IP managing section 53 for managing IP addresses of game participants connected online to the network, a network receiving section 54 for receiving telephone message data and musical sound data via the network, a sorting section 55 for determining whether received telephone message data includes a prespecified IP address or not and sending a result of determination to a following extending section 56, the extending section 56 for restoring the transmitted telephone message data and musical sound data, a synthesizing section 57 for synthesizing the restored telephone message data and musical sound data in the time-series mode, and a microphone/speaker I/F section 59 as a connecting section to a microphone/speaker or other analog equipment.
US07698446B2
A system and method are provided for an intermediate party to facilitate an interactive telephony session between a customer and a sender of a request for the session. The sender can provide the request to the intermediate party via electronic mail. The request includes the information to initiate the interactive telephony session with the customer as well as the information to conduct that session. In one embodiment, the information to conduct the interactive telephony session includes a URL that provides an application in VoiceXML (Voice Extensible Markup Language). The intermediate party can initiate and conduct the session at the appropriate time and provide the sender with a status regarding the session. During the session, the customer can respond with voice or DTMF inputs to various prompts, thereby proceeding with a transaction and/or providing valuable feedback to the sender.
US07698445B2
A computer system and methods for creating an agency relationship among clients of a computer system with respect to personal privileged, or otherwise sensitive permissions and/or attributes, is described. The system and methods allow a querying client to obtain permission and/or attributes from a queried client, even if the queried client is unavailable.
US07698443B2
A multi-protocol authentication and authorization system including a request interceptor configured to receive from a requestor a first request using a first transport protocol and a second request using a second transport protocol, and an authenticator for validating a digest received from the requestor, where the request interceptor is configured to authenticate the requestor if the digest is valid and if at least one multi-protocol criterion applied to the requests is met.
US07698441B2
Intelligent use of user data to pre-emptively prevent execution of a query violating access controls
A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for securing data. Security rules are defined for fields and/or field values. The security rules specify one or more users to which the rules apply. A query is examined for content and a determination is made as to whether security action is required based on the content (e.g., a field and/or a value of the field) and user-specific data.
US07698440B2
A transmission system and a method for controlling the transmission system comprising at least one interface unit and at least one adjustable device are disclosed. The method includes configuring the at least one interface unit according to interface configuration parameters, and enabling the at least one interface unit according to the interface configuration parameters. The method can also include transmitting device configuration parameters from the at least one interface unit to at least one of the adjustable devices, configuring the at least one adjustable device according to the device configuration parameters, and enabling the at least one adjustable device according to the device configuration parameters in order to transmit data via the second link.
US07698433B2
A technique is disclosed in the context of a communications system whereby parties accessible through the system may be referenced by multiple alternative symbolic names. User profile information for a given party may be maintained in the system to control features and routing behavior in response to session request involing the party. By virtue of a mapping capability, one or more symbolic names may be associated with the same user profile information. A session request involving any of the alternative names for a party will evoke the same user profile.
US07698427B2
Provided is a method, system, and program for enabling access to resource objects in an application engine. A request is received from a calling entity for resource objects of a specified type in the application engine. A request to the application engine is generated for information on available resource objects of the specified type. In response to receiving the information from the application engine, a collection object is generated including one metadata element for each resource object of the specified type in the application engine. The generated collection object is returned to the calling entity.
US07698420B2
A web data analysis system, computer software product, and method of operation thereof, that uses Internet based data sources, and which operates in an automated manner to collect weighted visitor behavior statistics, and consolidate collected data into a single qualification score to accompany and supplement the entry of web site visitor information for printing, distribution or entry into a sales, prospect or contact management system.
US07698419B2
A method for automatically tracking application and content usage is disclosed. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method first recites the step of accessing an application interface (API) call with a parameter specifying a first portion of content to be measured. For example, the amount of time for which the portion of content is used is measured. Next the method recites, in response to the accessed call, measuring usage for the first portion of content. Then, the method recites continuing to access API calls specifying additional portions of content to be measured until the program making the calls finishes execution. In this fashion, content usage is tracked. Application developers may determine, from the content usage, where users are getting stuck in a game or what segments of an electronic document are being viewed.
US07698417B2
In a management system, computing devices collect sample performance values that describe utilization or usage of resources or processes. The sample performance values may be in the form of performance data or performance counters. Sample performance values are either sent or not sent to a management server, based on a delta value of a current collected sample performance value and a last current collected sample value. Plots may be constructed based on actual received sample performance values and interpolated, or estimated sample performance values based on a known frequency at which the sample performance values are collected.
US07698413B1
A method for accessing and maintaining socket control information for high speed network connections. A multi-port control block (CB) cache contains socket control information in CB entries for sockets assigned to the transport offload engine (TOE) by a host computer. Each port provides a TOE client direct access to the CB cache. Time critical logic are each provided dedicated ports to enable higher bandwidth accesses to the CB cache for these time critical clients. All other non-time critical TOE clients are given arbitrated access via a separate dedicated port. An optional external memory is given direct access to the CB cache via a dedicated port and can store more CB entries for additional sockets.
US07698409B2
An arrangement and a method comprising maintaining knowledge of a number of current network connections that require performing a periodic network operation (204, 206, 208, 210), with one or more predetermined timing sequences, targeted to at least one remote entity for maintaining the connections, and adjusting the time of execution of at least two such network operations to regularly substantially coincide (212).
US07698389B2
A method for configuring devices on a computer network. Configuration involves initiating a configuration session on a primary device causing the primary device to collect configuration session on a primary device causing the primary device to collect configuration logic for the primary device and one or more secondary devices. The primary device then generates a user interface having user accessible controls for selecting and returning configuration settings for the primary and secondary devices. Each selected configuration setting is then returned and applied to the primary or secondary device for which it is selected.
US07698384B2
Information collecting system wherein at least an Application Service Provider (ASP) provides services to a user through an Internet network and wherein there are at least an access network to which is connected the user and an Internet Service Provider (ISP) network connected to each access network by a RADIUS client, the Internet network being connected to the ISP network by a proxy. This system comprises a RADIUS Client Agent (RCA) connected to the ISP network and adapted to collect information about parameters of the connection of the user to the system, and at least a Provisioning Proxy Agent (PPA) adapted to receive the information from the RCA and to add this information in the request sent by the user to the ASP.
US07698378B2
A communication transaction or use case is broken down into constituent parts, one of which can be provided, at the direction of a master service node, from the master service node or primary service path and the other of which can be provided from a support service node or secondary service path that the client station might happen to be able to communicate with. For instance, the base layer of a multimedia stream might be provided from the master node, but if its bandwidth becomes full, an enhancement layer of the stream can be provided by the support node, as directed by the master node.
US07698373B2
A processor communication register (PCR) contained in each processor within a multiprocessor system provides enhanced processor communication. Each PCR stores identical processor communication information that is useful in pipelined or parallel multi-processing. Each processor has exclusive rights to store to a sector within each PCR and has continuous access to read the contents of its own PCR. Each processor updates its exclusive sector within all of the PCRs, instantly allowing all of the other processors to see the change within the PCR data, and bypassing the cache subsystem. Efficiency is enhanced within the multiprocessor system by providing processor communications to be immediately transferred into all processors without momentarily restricting access to the information or forcing all the processors to be continually contending for the same cache line, and thereby overwhelming the interconnect and memory system with an endless stream of load, store and invalidate commands.
US07698372B2
A message publishing system processes a message from a sender in a first format and comprises a central processor, a sender account, a storage area to store at least a portion of the message, and software executing to configure the central processor. The processor identifies the sender as an authorized sender based on information associated with the message in comparison to data in the sender account, wherein the identification is dependent upon the first format, and publishes the portion of the message so as to be viewable only if the sender has been identified as an authorized sender. The software can further configure the processor to allow a requester to subscribe to receive new messages from one or more senders including the identified sender; and send a copy of a new message from the identified sender to one or more notification devices associated with the subscribed requestor.
US07698370B1
A system and method for circumventing schemes that use duplication detection to detect and block unsolicited e-mail (spam.) An address on a list is assigned to one of m sublists, where m is an integer that is greater than one. A set of m different messages are created. A different message from the set of m different messages is sent to the addresses on each sublist. In this way, spam countermeasures based upon duplicate detection schemes are foiled.
US07698367B2
A telecommunications system includes a network (102), a destination multimedia server (104), and a destination presence server (215) operably coupled to the network. A plurality of multimedia clients (122) are also operably coupled to the network. The multimedia clients (122) include a presence option (128) and are adapted to be able to select whether the option is to be activated. In operation, when a client sends an e-mail to another client, the destination multimedia server (104) receives the e-mail and determines if the recipient supports presence. If so, the destination multimedia server (104) sends a query to the destination presence server (215) to check the recipient's presence. If the recipient is present, the message can be delivered. If not, the message can be held on the server until the recipient is present.
US07698355B2
A minimal area integrated polyphase interpolation filter uses a symmetry of coefficients for a channel of input data. The filter includes an input interface block for synchronizing the input signal to a first internal clock signal; a memory block for providing multiple delayed output signals; a multiplexer input interface block for outputting a selected plurality of signals for generating mirror image coefficient sets in response to a second set of internal control signals, a coefficient block for generating mirror image and/or symmetric coefficient sets, and to output a plurality of filtered signals, an output multiplexer block for performing selection, gain control and data width control on said plurality of filtered signals, an output register block synchronizing the filtered signals, and a control block generating clock signals for realization of the filter and to delay between two channels to access a coefficient set, thereby minimizing hardware in the filter.
US07698348B2
A system for calculating analytics uses a relational database to store inputs, calculates results, and stores them in cache. The system also includes an access layer that provides a unified view of the data in server. A dynamic access layer is generated at runtime to run an analytic to provide a flexible framework for creating business logic.
US07698341B2
A computer-implemented method and apparatus for retrieving over a network a subset of object data from a persistence layer. The persistence layer is structured at least partially upon an object model definition. A server computer receives over the network a request from a client computer for object persisted data stored in the persistence layer. The server computer parses the request to obtain search criteria and object association data, wherein the object association data identifies at least one association between a pair of objects. Filtering criteria is created based upon the parsed search criteria and object association data. The object model definition determines how the search criteria and the object association data form the filtering criteria. The object data from the persistence layer is filtered by the filtering criteria in order to generate the object data subset. The object data subset may also be encoded as a package of objects formatted as an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document. The server computer transmits the encoded object data subset to the client computer over the network.
US07698340B2
A system and method for determining hierarchical information is described. Aspects include using the Collins model for parsing non-textual information into hierarchical content. The system and process assign labels to lines that indicate how the lines relate to one another.
US07698338B2
A field oriented pipeline processor for a data engine that can be programmed to recognize record and field structures of data received from a source such as a mass storage device. The processor has an interface for receiving field-delineated data from a field parser. The field parser parses non-field delineated data from a streaming data source into field delineated data under instruction from an external processing unit. The pipeline processor receives a field delineated data stream and employs logical arithmetic methods to compare fields with one another, or with values otherwise supplied by general purpose processors to precisely determine which records are worth transferring to memory of the more general purpose distributed processors. The architecture of the data engine allows for the use of substitution tables, temporary registers, and a data string register to assist in the efficiency and accuracy of the data engine processing.
US07698337B2
A method of assigning a weight value to an online news article, and a system for executing the method are provided. A method of assigning a weight value to an online news article, includes the steps of: receiving an article content from an article providing system of an article generator, and storing the received article content in an article collection database; creating an editorial weight value of the article content via an automatic weight assigning system, the automatic weight assigning system comprising a plurality of weight value lists; and storing the editorial weight value and the article content in a news database.
US07698331B2
A system is disclosed for generating a search result list in response to a search request from a searcher using a computer network. A first database is maintained that includes a first plurality of search listings. A second database is maintained that includes documents having general web content. A search request is received from the searcher. A first set of search listings is identified from the first database having documents generating a match with the search request and a second set of search listings is identified from the second database having documents generating a match with the search request. A confidence score is determined for each listing from the first set of search listings wherein the confidence score is determined in accordance with a relevance of each listing when compared to the listings of the second set of search listings. The identified search listings from the first set of search listing are ordered in accordance, at least in part, with the confidence score for each search listing.
US07698324B2
For distributed querying of confidential information, a querying data structure is constructed from the confidential information on the computer at which the confidential information resides. The querying data structure opaquely encapsulates queries on the confidential information as a set of query hashes and answer pairs. The querying data structure is distributed to other computers where the distributed query processing is to be performed. The query is performed on such other computers by hashing the query terms, using the resulting query hash as a look up index to the associated answer in the querying data structure, and acting on the answer. A strictly one-way hash is used to prevent recovery of the original inputs to the query hashes in the query data structure by reverse hash.
US07698315B2
A system for advertisers to efficiently manage their search listings in placement database search system includes grouping means for managing multiple categories for the search listings and query means for searching search listings. The system further includes quick-fill means for modifying an attribute in a plurality of search listings by specifying the modification at a single location.
US07698314B2
In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for calculating a distinct count value from data stored in a hierarchical database. A counting measure may be defined in the hierarchical database such that the counting measure is associated with members of a first category of data to be stored in the hierarchical database. A query may be received that identifies the counting measure. The hierarchical database may be queried to identify members of the first category of data that are presently in the hierarchical database. A data structure may be generated that includes the members of the first category of data that are stored in the hierarchical database. One or more distinct count values may be calculated for the members of the first category of data that are stored in the hierarchical database.
US07698301B2
Data management and distribution are described, including a memory configured to store data, the data being stored in a file and the file is downloaded in response to a signal, and downloading is performed based on a parameter determined by a provider of the file or the system, and a logic module configured to process the signal and access data stored in the file, and the file is downloaded to a device and configured for interaction with a user, and user activity is recorded and used by the logic module when selecting another file for downloading to the device.
US07698297B2
Method and apparatus for accessing media across networks. The present invention generally allows for media to be provided across a network. A client requests media information from a server so the client can create a local representation of the server's database. The client is then able to manage the media information locally. When the client selects the desired media, it requests the selection from across the network. The server then delivers the selected media.
US07698285B2
Techniques are described for compressing multidimensional datasets. For instance, a compression module obtains lists of indices of data along dimensions of the multidimensional dataset. The compression module calculates lists of offset values from the lists of coordinates. The compression module then performs a statistical redundancy data compression algorithm on the lists of offset values. Because the lists of offset values may contain more repetitious values than the initial lists of coordinates, a compression ratio on the multidimensional dataset may be higher than without first calculating the lists of offset values.
US07698281B2
A database search apparatus and method for generating a search result list which responds to Extensible Markup Language (XML) requests from a client to a server of an on-line marketplace. A bid management tool is operable on a client computer to manage search listings and account information of one or more advertisers. The client application communicates with the server via an XML-based application program interface. The bid management tool provides functions for reporting account activity, modifying accounts and manual, timed or event-driven changes to search listings including listings of several advertisers.
US07698269B2
A shortened identifier, such as a shortened URL, is used to access data, a service, and/or another resource that is associated with a full identifier, such as a full URL. In an exemplary embodiment, a hash key is generated from the full URL and included with a domain identifier to form a shortened URL. Other codes can also be included in the shortened URL. The shortened URL can be included in a message, page, and/or other data element that is generally too small for the full URL. When received from a client, a property code, a user ID, and/or other data is used to locate one or more full URLs. A selected hash function is applied to the full URLs to generate a table of hash keys. If a match exists with the hash key from the shortened URL, the resource is accessed at the corresponding full URL.
US07698267B2
This application describes methods for searching digital information such as digital documents (e.g., web pages) and computer databases, and specific search techniques such as authority ranking and information retrieval (IR) relevance ranking in keyword searches. In some implementations, the technique includes analyzing digital information viewed as a labeled graph, including nodes and edges, based on a flow of authority among the nodes along the edges, the flow of authority being derived at least in part from different authority transfer rates assigned to the edges based on edge type schema information. In some implementations, the system includes an object rank module configured to generate multiple initial rankings corresponding to multiple query keywords, each of the multiple initial rankings indicating authority of nodes in a graph with respect to each respective query keyword individually; and a query module configured to combine the multiple initial rankings in response to a query.
US07698263B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for providing a lateral search. First, a media guide may be displayed comprising at least one display element. The at least one display element may comprise an action card configured to display a plurality of actions that can be taken with respect to a selected program. One of the plurality of actions may comprise a search action. In addition, in response to a user selecting a user selectable element corresponding to the search action on the action card, a search card may be displayed. The search card may be configured to display a plurality of search options comprising, for example, an upcoming episodes search option, a related programs search option, a related personalities search option, and a related key word search option.
US07698257B2
A computer readable medium stores executable instructions to receive a Multidimensional Expressions (MDX) query. The MDX query is recursively rationalized to form a rationalized query. The rationalized query is applied to a multidimensional data source to produce query results. The query results are returned.
US07698256B1
Methods and systems are provided for providing history support in a stateless Web-based application. These methods and systems allow a browser to interface with one or multiple data frames via a common history frame that facilitates providing navigation history support and facilitates rendering data to the browser user interface. By utilizing the common history frame, the methods and systems of the present invention provide navigation history capabilities in a stateless Web-based application.
US07698254B2
System and method for producing scored search results on a database using approximate search queries
A method for searching a database to produce search results from queries likely to contain errors. The process begins by identifying database features likely to be useful in searching, and those features are employed to index the database. After receiving a query from a user, the system develops a rough score for the query, by extracting features from the query, assigning match scores to query features matching database features; and assigning approximation scores to query features amenable to approximation analysis with database features. The rough score is used to identify identifying a set of database records for further analysis. Those records are then subjected to a more detailed rescoring process, based on correspondence between individual query elements and individual record elements, and between the query and the database record content, taken as a whole. Based on the rescoring process, output is provided to the user.
US07698245B2
A system and method for validating data for a machine arrangement includes a controller, such as a programmable logic controller, connected to a processor, which is configured to execute an algorithm using the data collected by the controller. The algorithm includes one or more rules that are applicable to the collected data. Each rule is applied to the data to determine if any of the data entries violate one or more of the rules. An output is generated indicating whether the data violates any of the rules, thereby providing information regarding the validity of the data being captured.
US07698244B2
An electronic butler interface application service providing module is provided in a framework for providing computing device executed application services to a user using a plurality of application service providing modules, each of which provides a subset of the application services to the user. The electronic butler has an associated personality and is configured to respond to inquiries relating to the user, provide information to the user regarding inquiries relating to the user, provide reminders of events to the user, request additional information from a user, provide security for transactions for the user, conduct scheduled actions for the user and/or communicate with different ones of the application service providing modules to provide for determined needs for a user.
US07698238B2
The present invention relates to an emotion controlled system for processing multimedia data comprising a multimedia system for presenting multimedia content to a user an emotion model means for determining the emotional state of the user during the presentation of the multimedia content and an editing unit for changing said multimedia content in accordance with the emotional state of the user in order to present the changed multimedia content by the multimedia system.The present invention further relates to a method for executing the steps on this system.
US07698231B2
A computer-implemented method for creating blanket purchase agreements in a manufacturing enterprise is disclosed. The method includes identifying one or more products or services needed for a first and second locations, identifying one or more suppliers having the capability of delivering the one or more products or services to the first and second locations, and creating a blanket purchase agreement (BPA). The first location operates in a first legal entity and the second location operates in a second legal entity.
US07698229B2
A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for transferring a unique digital item between a first party and a destination party in a network data processing system. A request to transfer a unique digital item in an account of the first party is received. Responsive to receiving the request, a retrieval tag is associated with the unique digital item. The retrieval tag is generated by a server process, such as one on which the unique digital item is located. The unique digital item is transferred from the source account to a temporary storage account in association with the retrieval tag. The unique digital item is listed on a trusted third-party server. A second party may inspect the unique digital item and agree to exchange something in return for the first party's listed unique digital item. The transfer occurs after all parties have committed to the transaction. Responsive to a redemption request initiated by the trusted third-party, the unique digital item is transferred from the temporary storage account to an account of the second party.
US07698223B2
A pluggable file-based DRM (digital rights management) API (application program interface) layer for applications and engines. The invention defines a pluggable file-based DRM API layer such that mobile operators can choose to use any file-based DRM (FDRM) engine in their final product. An FDRM engine can be content agnostic (e.g., can range from an executable to a media file or ring-tone). In accordance with the invention, an application can become DRM aware by calling the novel file-based DRM APIs. Any FDRM engine can be plugged into the novel API layer such that applications can use the protected content. The API layer of the subject invention can be designed such that applications that are DRM aware by using the file-based DRM API layer can be DRM engine agnostic.
US07698218B1
A method for flexible billing provides for a service provider to apportion billing for one or more services among a number of parties. The services may be shared among the parties and the bill may be apportioned in accordance with an apportioning scheme, or billing breakout as determined by the parties. The parties may designate a coordinator to administer the service and serve as the contact point between the parties and the service provider. The flexible billing can also provide for one party to pay a portion of the service charges for one or more other parties. Incentives in the form of reduced charges may be provided by the service provider.
US07698217B1
A method and apparatus for shielding a user's private billing data, such as credit card information, or other billing arrangements, but distributing different billing data to businesses during commerce therewith. Also disclosed is assigning the different billing data through real-time and advance distribution of the different billing data to a user, as well. Also disclosed is validating the correctness of a charge through confirmation of the charge with a financial institution, such as a bank, and by comparing itemized charges against expected charges identified by the user.
US07698216B2
An account reconciliation system having a particular usefulness in the reconciliation of centrally billed accounts and more specifically, in the reconciliation of centrally billed accounts in the travel industry is provided. The system and methods of the present invention expand on the traditional match/non-match techniques and provide complete transaction management for every item on a client's account. In another sense, reconciliation is redefined to include each and every transaction on an account regardless of it's reconciliation status, i.e., matched, unresolved, pending, etc. Consequently, the present invention reconciles the client's account to the account balance.
US07698215B1
A credit alert system. The system includes an account server for receiving an alert regarding at least one of available credit and credit status for a credit account. The system also includes an account database in communication with the server for storing information assigned to the account. The system further includes an application module in communication with the account server for receiving credit alerts for preparing a message to communicate to a wireless device.
US07698207B2
A method for financial transactions within a Central Securities Depository comprises a clearing process and a settlement process. The clearing process preparing the transactions for the settlement process selects a settlement rule to be followed in the clearing process. The rule defines how the transaction is to be settled and a settlement obligation group. The group includes a number of settlement instructions that must be settled at the same time. The clearing process also “locks in” the assets with which the transactions are concerned thereby reserving the assets for a specific settlement instruction. The settlement process includes selecting transfer instructions for all settlement obligations belonging to the settlement obligation group. The transfer instructions are irrevocable instructions to transfer the assets between participants in the CSD. The settlement process also checks that all transfer instructions are carried out successfully and reports the result of the settlement to the participants involved.
US07698201B2
A financial instrument includes an account with an account balance that changes over time, wherein at least part of the account balance may be discretionarily withdrawn and wherein the initial account balance is based upon an initial deposit; a guarantee that a beneficiary may periodically receive a transfer of an amount of money for the life of a first designated party, wherein the transfer may be due to withdrawal from the account or due to benefit payments made to the beneficiary, provided that the amount may vary based upon withdrawals from the account in excess of a particular limit; and an option to modify the guarantee such that upon election the beneficiary may periodically receive the transfer of the amount of money for the longer of the life of the first designated party and the life of a second designated party.
US07698191B1
A method for creating investment securities structured from interest-rate derivative and mortgage pool components is described. The method includes analyzing the risk elements of the derivative and mortgage pool components, structuring one or more classes of securities, at least one of which is backed by these components in combination, and issuing the structured securities. A computer program product and data processing system for practicing the method are also described. A novel investment security is disclosed which incorporates cash flows from mortgage pool components and cash flows coming from derivative components. Finally, a method of adding value to mortgage-backed securities is described.
US07698178B2
In one embodiment an online game advertising system provides an architecture for enabling the definition, sales, distribution, and management of interactive advertisements, sponsorships, and placements that appear within an online video game as part of the game experience or during idle load, wait, and pause screens. For example, in a race car game, when a driver pulls in for a pit stop, the engine oil brand that the game player may choose may be defined as locations for advertisements or product placements for real life engine oils and game publishers and advertisers may manage what specific advertisements to place in these locations.
US07698165B1
A facility for Performing on-line advertising at a subject web site relative to a selected user activity is described. The facility receives a plurality of bids. Each bid is submitted on behalf of an advertiser, and specifies an advertising rate that the advertiser will pay to display an advertising messages to users performing the selected activity with respect to the subject web site. When a request for any web page of the subject web site containing advertising space is received from a user that has previously performed the selected activity, irrespective of the identity of the requested web page, the facility both (1) identifies the received bid specifying the largest advertising rate, and (2) causes an advertising message to be displayed in the advertising space of the requested web page for the advertiser on whose behalf the identified bid was submitted.
US07698164B2
A method and system for providing a payment incentive for distributing digital files over a network are provided. The method and system allow a publisher, distributor(s), and/or users to receive a payment incentive for downloading digital files on the Internet. The present disclosure creates a method and system where every party along the distribution chain will have an incentive for further distribution of the digital content file. The method includes the steps receiving by a server of a file agent at least one digital content file from a content provider; presenting the at least one digital content file for purchase; downloading the at least one digital content file to at least one user for a transaction amount; distributing a first distribution amount of the transaction amount to the content provider; and distributing a second distribution amount of the transaction amount to the at least one user.
US07698160B2
A system for performing collaborative tasks which permits collaborators to determine the form of a model of the collaborative work, to modify the model in the course of the collaborative work, and to use the model to access information related to the collaborative work. A graphical user interface permits collaborators to view the model and the information accessible via the model in various ways as well as to modify the model and the information. Collaborators belong to groups and group membership determines access to the model and the related information. The information related to the collaborative work includes documents, discussions, email, reminders, and alerts. In a disclosed embodiment of the system, the model is made up of model entities which belong to hierarchies. A model entity may be a member of more than one hierarchy and the different hierarchies are used to provide different views of the model.
US07698156B2
A system and method for uniquely identifying data streams associated with medical equipment are described. The system may be implemented in a variety of ways, including as a combination of a medical device, a data stream identifier, and a medical device identifier. The medical device generates a plurality of data streams. The data streams are uninterrupted transmissions of data from the medical device. The data streams include information regarding the operation of the medical device. The data stream identifier attaches a unique data tag to the data streams. The medical device identifier is configured to generate a medical device tag. The medical device tag includes information to uniquely identify the medical device and is accessible from an external computer. The data stream identifier and the medical device identifier are secured to the medical device.
US07698155B1
A system and method is provided for determining a probability that a member of a health plan has a disease or condition within one or more disease categories, by using data from the member's pharmacy claims. Logistic regression models are generated for each condition category using therapeutic drug categories, provider information, and/or other variables including member demographic information.
US07698154B2
A system and process for providing a computerized medical and biographical records database and diagnostic information. A medical records database and diagnostic program is stored on a central computer that is accessible to individuals using remotely situated computers connected to a computer network. Individual patient medical and biographical records are owned by individual patients who can enter information in their record as well as grant or deny authorization to others, such as health care professionals, insurance providers and other entities, to review part or all of their record. The diagnostic program provides a series of diagnostic questions to an individual who must respond either “yes” or “no” to each question. Each potential response is weighted relative to its importance to a particular disease diagnosis. Relative weights for all responses to diagnostic questions are summed to identify potential diagnoses to connected to the answered questions. The diagnostic program provides the individual with a list of potential diagnoses as well as permitting the individual to save the information to his or her individual medical and biographical record. The information maintained in the above system and process is utilized for health care financing and insurance.
US07698151B2
The disaster recovery techniques, for presentment of a company's bills, statements or the like, provide electronic document presentment in the event of a disaster that impacts the company's print mail delivery operation or other existing mailing system(s). Files containing electronic documents are received, from a system associated with the print mail delivery operation, and the documents are stored in a database. Preferably, the systems use the company's existing data files. The files may be converted to a format compatible with one or more electronic delivery methodologies, if necessary. The disaster recovery systems present notice and/or data from the documents to the company's customers electronically, for example as e-mail (notice or message containing some or all of the document data), as a document attachment to an e-mail, via a web site, and possibly via telephone voice announcement.
US07698146B2
A computer system and method is disclosed for collecting resource rate information associated with a plurality of resource profiles and providing resource rate statistical data for a specific resource profile via a web-based interface. Each resource profile is defined from hierarchical profile selections to identify a job category, and each job category has one or more skills associated therewith. A database maintains the resource profiles and associated resource rate information. The resource rate information is collected from a variety of sources, including business entities that interface with the database to upload actual resource rate information (e.g., actual salaries, wage rates and other compensation information) for one or more resource profiles associated with the business entity.
US07698121B2
An emulator for emulating a wireless network comprised of a plurality of RF nodes is comprised of a programmable controller for emulating the movements of the plurality of RF nodes within an emulated space. The controller provides both information and control signals based on the emulated movements. A programmable logic core receives a plurality of signals from the plurality of RF nodes and emulates signal propagation based on the information from the controller. A plurality of signal generation and conversion cards are interposed between the programmable logic core and the RF nodes. The signal generation and conversion cards are responsive to the control signals. Because of the rules governing abstracts, this abstract should not be used to construe the claims.
US07698117B2
A method of associating a phenotype with one or more candidate chromosomal regions in a genome of an organism includes the step of deriving a phenotypic data structure that represents differences in phenotypes between different strains of the organism. Further, a genotypic data structure is established. The genotypic data structure corresponds to a locus selected from a plurality of loci in the genome of the organism. The genotypic data structure represents variations of at least one component of the locus between different strains of the organism. The phenotypic data structure is compared to the genotypic data structure to form a correlation value. The process of establishing a genotypic data structure and comparing it to the phenotypic data structure is repeated for each locus in the plurality of loci, thereby identifying one or more genotypic data structures that form a high correlation value relative to all other compared genotypic data structures. The loci that correspond to the one or more genotypic data structures having a high correlation value represent the one or more candidate chromosomal regions.
US07698107B2
A substrate processing apparatus and an information storage server are connected with each other through a network. A storage part of the substrate processing apparatus stores set information and a control program, for controlling operation of the substrate processing apparatus according to the set information and the control program. The substrate processing apparatus is provided with a schedule function, for transmitting a backup instructional command according to the schedule. In response to this instructional command, the substrate processing apparatus generates a duplicate of specified information stored in the aforementioned storage part and transfers the duplicate information to the information storage server through the network. The information storage server stores the received duplicate information in a hard disk as backup data. The information storage server can also store only differential data of the duplicate information. Thus, information for controlling the operation of the substrate processing apparatus can be efficiently backed up without burdening the user.
US07698105B2
The invention relates to noninvasive analyte property determination. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for performing conditional additional acquisition of noninvasive spectra to improve analyzer performance. Conditional additional data acquisition is used to confirm, update, and/or supplement spectral data.
US07698100B1
A multidimensional sensor data analyzer that includes: discretizing values in multidimensional sensor data at index locations in value surfaces that reside in a multidimensional value space; deriving surface components resulting from the intersection of a geometric beam shape function that describing the sensor beam with the value surfaces; determining minimum-maximum index location limits for the surface components; determining surface component index points by identifying the index locations that are located within the minimum-maximum index location limits for the surface components; and generating a beam value by performing a beam function using the values at the surface component index points.
US07698099B2
A method of monitoring radioactive emissions which includes obtaining a data set, the data set including a record of an event together with an indication of the time of the event and/or the detector which detected the event. The method also includes processing the data set by analyzing the whole of the data set according to a first set of criteria to provide a first analysed data set and analysing the whole of the data set according to a second set of criteria to provide a second analysed data set, one or more criteria of the second set being different to the criteria of the first set. The first set of criteria and the second set of criteria both include a first time period and a second time period.
US07698094B2
An index detection unit (2030) detects indices allocated or set on an object from a sensed image. An evaluation amount calculation unit (2060) calculates evaluation amounts of the indices using two-dimensional geometric features of the indices on the image and/or three-dimensional geometric features that represent relationships between an image sensing device (2010) and the indices on a three-dimensional space. A reliability calculation unit (2070) calculates reliabilities of the indices according to the calculated evaluation amounts of the indices. A position and orientation calculation unit (2080) calculates the position and orientation of the object or the image sensing device (2010) using at least the calculated reliabilities of the indices and information associated with the image coordinates of the detected indices.
US07698093B2
A device for the wire-free determination of a position of a mechanical force-transmitting device, having at least one storage device for storing electrical energy, at least one sensor element which detects the position and is monitored by at least one sensor electronic unit, including at least one radio transmitter, and at least one photovoltaic energy supply device supplying the storage device with electrical energy.
US07698085B2
A method for measuring a gramload corresponding to a read/write head, where the head is an inner head of a plurality of heads in a head stack assembly (HSA), involves a measurement instrument having a plurality of cam-rods for systematically placing each of various heads in a preloaded state in order to measure the respective gramload of the heads. While an inner head's gramload is being measured, an adjacent inner head is configured in a supported state, and the cam-rod corresponding to the supported head transmits some additional force to the head whose gramload is being measured, e.g., via a common support arm for the adjacent inner heads. Therefore, this additional applied force is compensated for in order to provide more accurate gramload values.
US07698075B2
A system and method for detecting damage to a structure is provided. The system includes a voltage source and at least one capacitor formed as a layer within the structure and responsive to the voltage source. The system also includes at least one sensor responsive to the capacitor to sense a voltage of the capacitor. A controller responsive to the sensor determines if damage to the structure has occurred based on the variance of the voltage of the capacitor from a known reference value. A method for sensing damage to a structure involves providing a plurality of capacitors and a controller, and coupling the capacitors to at least one surface of the structure. A voltage of the capacitors is sensed using the controller, and the controller calculates a change in the voltage of the capacitors. The method can include signaling a display system if a change in the voltage occurs.
US07698073B2
An Anti-Terrorism water quality monitoring system for continuously monitoring a potable water treatment system and related potable water distribution network that provides potable water to a municipality, city, housing development or other potable water consumer. The system includes the collection of data from the water distribution system and from the water treatment facility and from advanced separation processes which are integrated into analytical instruments. The data collected are stored in a remote database on a remote server computer or bank of computers and accessible by Homeland Security or its designated agency. Preferred parameters of monitoring include the turbidity and disinfectant such as chlorine, hypochlorous acid, sodium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite, ozone, chlorine dioxide, chloramines, hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid.
US07698069B2
A method for designing a primer for real-time PCR comprises retrieving a primer set using a known primer search algorithm and based on primer design conditions, visually displaying the retrieved primer set together with its splicing information and base sequence, narrowing the primer set using narrowing conditions, and visually displaying a narrowed primer set together with its splicing information and base sequence.
US07698067B2
The relationship between an amino acid sequence of a protein and its three-dimensional structure is at the very core of structural biology and bioinformatics. The occurrence and conservation of non-canonical conformations is a “local” phenomenon, i.e., non-canonical conformations are encoded intra-helically by short peptide sequences (heptapeptides at most). Effective descriptors can be formed for these short sequences employing training sets. Multiple, distinct patterns are created representing these sequences. A composite descriptor is formed by selecting from among the patterns discovered. The composite descriptor has a high level of sensitivity and specificity while, at the same time, a boosted signal-to-noise ratio.
US07698065B2
Pre-drill pore pressure and fracture gradient predictions obtained from seismic velocity data are used in well design taking into account uncertainties in the velocity estimation and in the models that use the velocities to determine pore pressure. Using geological constraints, limits are established on hydrocarbon column height. It is also possible to predict the relative number of casings required to reach target reservoirs.
US07698063B2
The present invention relates to a navigation system in which that navigation system shows a configuration of a complicated intersection a driver is about to enter, and displays where to turn and a progression rate of the car on the path the driver is headed to. The navigation system comprises a Gyro sensor for detecting a rotation angle of the car; and route information from the Gyro sensor to generate the configuration of an intersection the user is supposed to enter and an arrow indicating a driving route to the user, and to display a progression rate of the car along the route; a display driving unit for displaying the configuration of the intersection and the arrow for route guidance, and a gradual progression rate of the car is indicated in the directional arrow.
US07698060B2
A data product that can be read by a computer or a map data processing apparatus, contains map data including map-related information related to a map. And the map-related information includes a compilation of a plurality of information elements of a single type; the map-related information can be updated in units of the individual information elements at the map data processing apparatus; and the map-related information includes management information used to manage the map-related information, which is also updated when the map-related information is updated in units of the individual information elements.
US07698049B2
An engine control system includes a power module, an air flow module, a torque estimation module, and an air control module. The power module determines a power-based torque based on a desired engine speed. The air flow module determines an air flow value based on the power-based torque. The torque estimation module estimates a desired torque based on the air flow value. The air control module selectively determines a throttle area based on the desired torque. A throttle valve is actuated based on the throttle area.
US07698038B2
Vehicle seat belt apparatus includes: a belt reel; a motor for driving the belt reel to take up a belt; a rotation detection section for detecting rotation of the belt reel; and a failure determination section for determining, on the basis of a detection signal output from the rotation detection section, whether or not the rotation detection section is currently in a failed state. The rotation detection section includes Hall ICs for generating first and second pulse signals that have characteristics such that temporal relationship between the first and second pulse signals is reversed in accordance with the rotating direction of the belt reel.
US07698014B2
The systems and methods disclosed herein employ a combination of digital three-dimensional modeling and rapid fabrication technologies to provide pre-indexed, pre-registered, and/or precut components for articulated dental models. Dental articulators and components of dental models as described herein use a positioning key to encode positional information for components of the dental model, and/or a reference grid on mounting surfaces to enforce local accuracy of fabricated parts against a fixed reference array.
US07698012B2
Systems, methods and mediums are provided for dynamic adjustment of sampling plans in connection with a wafer (or other device) to be measured. A sampling plan provides information on specific measure points within a die, a die being the section on the wafer that will eventually become a single chip after processing. There are specified points within the die that are candidates for measuring. The stored die map information may be retrieved and translated to determine the available points for measurement on the wafer.The invention adjusts the frequency and/or spatial resolution of measurements when one or more events occur that are likely to indicate an internal or external change affecting the manufacturing process or results. The increase in measurements and possible corresponding decrease in processing occur on an as-needed basis. The dynamic metrology plan adjusts the spatial resolution of sampling within-wafer by adding, subtracting or replacing candidate points from the sampling plan, in response to certain events which suggest that additional or different measurements of the wafer may be desirable. Where there are provided a number of candidate points in the die map in the area to which points are to be added, subtracted, or replaced, the system can select among the points. Further, the invention may be used in connection with adjusting the frequency of wafer-to-wafer measurements.
US07698006B2
Apparatus and method for adapting audio signal according to user's preference. The apparatus and method allows the user to provide the best experience of digital contents by adapting audio contents to the user's sound field preference. The apparatus includes an audio usage environment management unit and an audio adaptation unit for adapting audio contents associated with user's adaptation request.
US07698003B2
A standard operating procedure (SOP) file generating system (12) includes a drawing selection module (120), an information reading module (121), a data determining module (122), a machining type determining data module (124), and a file generating module (127). The drawing selection module selects an engineering drawing. The information reading module reads product information and machining data of the engineering drawing. The data determining module determines whether the machining data accords with machining requirement. The machining type determining module determines a machining type. The file generating module generates an SOP file.
US07697999B2
A medical electrode includes a conductive flexible member having a top side and a bottom side with a connector in contact with a flexible member for establishing electrical contact with an external apparatus. An oversize non-conductive flexible sheet covering the conductive flexible member top utilizes concentric adhesives. A conductive hydrogel adhesive disposed on the conductive flexible member bottom side for adhering the electrode to a patient's skin.
US07697984B2
An electro-stimulation device includes a pair of electrodes for connection to at least one location in the body that affects or regulates the heartbeat. The electro-stimulation device both electrically arrests the heartbeat and stimulates the heartbeat. A pair of electrodes are provided for connection to at least one location in the body that affects or regulates the heartbeat. The pair of electrodes may be connected to an intravenous catheter for transvenous stimulation of the appropriate nerve. In another aspect, the invention is directed to a method for arresting the beat of a heart in a living body comprising the steps of connecting the pair of electrodes to at least one location in the body that affects or regulates the heartbeat and supplying an electrical current to the electrodes of sufficient amplitude and duration to arrest the heartbeat.
US07697981B2
An electromagnetic field is applied to transplanted cells during their transplantation culturing to achieve confluence and alignment of transplanted cells into damaged tissue and organs, therefore improving the synchronization of electrical and mechanical tissue or organ functions. The electromagnetic field may be applied by catheter based devices to a selected portion of tissue or to the entire surface of a hollow body cavity or organ, such as a heart chamber. The electromagnetic field is provided by an expansible net or array from a catheter or on an inflatable balloon or stent. The electromagnetic field is also provided by an implantable net or array of electrodes which may either be hardwired to a pulse generator or coupled by means of wireless or inductive transmission.
US07697961B2
A telecommunication system comprising a mobile telecommunication network and a mobile communication apparatus arranged to communicate with said mobile telecommunication network is disclosed. The mobile communication apparatus comprises a controller, and is associated with a first and a second display, wherein said controller is arranged to control said first display to view a first set of information and said second display to view a second set of information. A method for providing messages in the telecommunication system is also disclosed. The method comprises sending a message from said mobile telecommunication network to said mobile communication apparatus; receiving said message by said mobile communication apparatus; determining if one of said first and second displays is currently actively used; assigning said message information to the one of said first or second display not currently actively used to avoid interruption of an active session; and viewing said message information on said assigned display. A method for controlling the mobile communication apparatus, comprising viewing on said first display a first set of information, and viewing on said second display a second set of information, is also disclosed.
US07697954B2
A method and apparatus are provided for signaling a maximum UE transmitter power to a Node B for use in scheduling of uplink packet transmission in a mobile communication system. The Node B receives uplink channel status information from a UE and a maximum UE transmitter power from an RNC. The maximum UE transmitter power is the lower of the maximum allowed UL Tx power and the maximum Tx power of the UE. The Node B then schedules uplink packet transmission from the UE based on the uplink channel status information and the maximum UE transmitter power.
US07697952B2
The invention relates to a method of operating a communication network, the network comprising a plurality of stations which are able to transmit data to and receive data from one another. The method comprises monitoring, at each station, the transmission path quality between that station and each other station with which that station can communicate. Data corresponding to the monitored path quality is recorded at each station, thereby permitting a transmission power value based on the relevant path quality data to be selected when transmitting data to another station. Thus, the probability of transmitting data to any selected station at an optimum power level is increased. Each station transmits path quality data in its own transmissions as well as local noise/interference data, so that other stations can obtain path quality data for a particular station even if they are out of range of that particular station. The invention extends to communication apparatus which can be used to implement the method.
US07697943B2
A mobile communication terminal capable of varying settings of items in a user menu depending on a location of the mobile communication terminal. The mobile communication terminal has a location information storing unit for storing location information of the mobile communication terminal and places corresponding to the location information, a setting information storing unit for storing the settings of the items in the user menu corresponding to the places, and a control unit for varying previous settings of the items in the user menu with the settings of items corresponding to the location of the mobile communication terminal when the mobile communication terminal is located in a registered place.
US07697942B2
Systems, methods, and software for identifying location based rules related to a network connected device are described. A network connected device may transmit a set of data identifying the location of the device and an identifier unique to the device to a server. The server may also receive an action request, wherein the action request is associated with the identifier. The server may select a rule in a database to address the action request, the rule applicable to the identifier and location of the device. Various embodiments related to financial card transactions, access to financial information, emergency services contact, and electronic message filtering are also addressed.
US07697935B2
The disclosure relates to transfer of a user equipment from a network to another network. In the method a user equipment communicating with a first network is transferred from the first network to a second network providing resources to a plurality of operators. After initiation of the transfer, an operator is selected for the user equipment amongst the plurality of operators. A controller of the second network is then provided with information regarding the identity of the selected operator, and the user equipment is transferred to the second network. Information regarding the identity of the selected operator is also sent to the user equipment.
US07697928B2
An electronic device (120) is provided that comprises: a transceiver circuit (310) configured to send and receive signals; a memory unit (330) configured to contain testing, configuration, and calibration (TCC) code (440, 450, 460) used to define TCC functions in the device, and operational code (470) used to define operational functions in the device; and a device controller (320) connected to the transceiver circuit and the memory unit, configured to control the device in an operational mode in accordance with the operational code and operational instructions received via the transceiver circuit (650), and to control the device in a TCC mode in accordance with the TCC code and TCC instructions received via the transceiver circuit (635, 640). The device controller is further configured to permanently disable access to at least a portion of the TCC code in response to a disable instruction received via the transceiver circuit (645).
US07697925B1
Light shows are produced by a plurality of individuals at a gathering using a plurality of personal wireless cellular devices wherein each device is carried by a respective individual and wherein each device has a programmable digital processor and a controllable light show illumination source. A light show application program resides on each personal wireless cellular device for providing coordinated control of the light show illumination sources. An event server stores at least one event sequence corresponding to a predetermined gathering and including at least one timed action. The event sequence is downloadable by the plurality of personal wireless cellular devices for activation of the controllable light show illumination sources in accordance with the event sequence. The system further includes a synchronizer in each device for initiating the timed action. The synchronizer may be a clock or a proximity detector (such as a Bluetooth connection with nearby users).
US07697921B2
The present invention relates to a mobile set integrating a memory efficient data storage system for the real time recording of voice conversations, data transmission and the like. The data recorder has the capacity to selectively choose the most relevant time frames of a conversation for recording, while discarding time frames that only occupy additional space in memory without holding any conversational data. The invention executes a series of logic steps on each signal including a voice activity detector step, frame comparison step, and sequential recording step. A mobile set having a modified architecture for performing the methods of the present invention is also disclosed.
US07697911B2
An SDARS receiver includes an analog front end configured to receive a composite signal. An A/D converter is coupled to the analog front end and converts the signal to a digitized signal. A digital down converter (DDC) is coupled to the A/D converter and down converts the digitized signal to a down converted signal. A demodulator demodulates the down converted signal. The receiver includes a digital automatic gain control (DAGC) coupled to an output of the A/D converter and before the demodulator. An automatic gain controller is coupled to the DAGC for providing an automatic gain control signal.
US07697906B2
Embodiments of apparatuses, articles, methods, and systems for predicting one or more performance metrics for an over-the-air link in the presence of co-channel interference are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US07697903B2
Methods and systems for level detector calibration are disclosed and may comprise calibrating a level detector integrated on-chip to eliminate an associated zero input offset voltage utilizing a replica bias circuit with no input ac voltage at the level detector or the replica bias circuit. The offset voltages of the level detector and the replica bias circuit may be combined to eliminate the associated zero input offset voltage of the level detector. The output signal may be generated by a difference of output signals from the level detector and the replica bias circuit. The level detector and the replica bias circuit may be biased utilizing a similar bias voltage. A plurality of known input voltages may be utilized to generate a corresponding plurality of output voltages of the level detector, generating a corrected transfer function that may be used to accurately set a transmitter power level.
US07697897B2
The method is based on the capability for coordination of the radio activities of two mobile radio transmitting and/or receiving devices (3, 4). In the case of the method, a value of at least one characteristic variable (PRSSI,BT, N; 15, 16, 17) is first of all determined, which is characteristic of the requirement for coordination of the radio activity of one or both transmitting and/or receiving devices. The coordination of the radio activity of one or both transmitting and/or receiving devices is then activated or deactivated as a function of the value.
US07697894B2
A wireless communication method and device for managing information available via a wireless connection. Service information may be transmitted to a wireless communication device (WCD) via a short-range wireless network. Authentication information is scanned from an object containing machine-readable data via a different short-range communication medium. The authentication information is used to determine whether the downloaded service information should be permanently stored and made available in the user interface of the WCD.
US07697890B2
A wireless multi-hop network of a communication system is structured with a number of the communication devices and the collecting communication device. Transmission information from each communication devices is sequentially relayed to reach the collecting communication device. Each communication device features a function for on/off control of a transmission/reception processing section. The communication device also includes: a section which appends an urgent flag to urgent information that is to be relayed and transmits the urgent information, and fixes the transmission/reception processing section to ‘on’; a section which verifies a relay by a relay destination communication device and, if verification is achieved, fixes the transmission/reception processing section to ‘on’ and switches to a state for promptly relaying received information; a section which, if the verification is not achieved, retransmits the urgent information; and a section which, when retransmitted urgent information is received, relay-transmits the information immediately.
US07697887B2
A premises, connected to receive broadband service(s) and also connected to a cable system, is provided with a broadband interface which connects to in-premises cabling which is coupled to consumer receivers such as a television sets, PDAs, laptops. Connected to the broadband interface is an adjunct device which channels broadband, data and voice signals supplied to an in-premises wireless system as distinguished from the signals supplied to the cable connected consumer receivers. The adjunct device formats the broadband and voice signals or any broadband service into packet format suitable for signal radiation and couples them to the in-premises coax cabling, via a diplexer, at a first selected location. At a second cable location a second diplexer, connected to the cable, separates the broadband, data and voice signals and couples them to a signal radiation device (i.e., an RF antenna or leaky coaxial cable) which radiates the signal to the immediate surrounding location. Various devices, near to the second cable location for specific services, receive the wireless signals (i.e., broadband, data and voice) from the radiating antenna.
US07697886B2
The present invention involves a method for transmitting data within a specified band of allocated spectrum in a satellite digital transmission system. First a data stream is encoded according to a first encoding scheme, then a second data stream is generated according to a second encoding scheme. The second encoding scheme is incompatible with the first encoding scheme. The first and second data streams are transmitted at predetermined locations within the specified band, such as time slices within a time division multiplexing transmission system. The second data stream is generated by using a more efficient FEC algorithm, including turbo-convolutional, turbo-product, low density parity check, or repeat-accumulate encoders. The inventive receiver has an antenna for receiving RF signals and a demodulator coupled to the antenna for downconverting received RF signals into a data stream. A splitter then separates the data stream into first and second component data streams. A first detector is coupled to the splitter, and is adapted to detect data in the first format. A second detector is coupled to the splitter, and is adapted to detect data in the second format.
US07697878B2
Fuser assemblies for fusing toner on copy sheets, xerographic apparatuses, and methods of fusing toner on copy sheets in xerographic apparatuses are disclosed. An embodiment of the fuser assemblies includes a continuous fuser belt including an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface; at least a first roll and a second roll which support the fuser belt, at least one of the first roll and second roll being adapted to heat the fuser belt; a heater including an outer heating surface facing the inner surface of the fuser belt; and a mechanism operatively connected to the heater for moving the heater to bring the heating surface into contact with the inner surface of the fuser belt. The heater is operable to supply heat from the heating surface to the inner surface to increase the temperature of the outer surface of the fuser belt adjacent the inner surface heated by the heating surface.
US07697874B2
To provide a developer supply roller including: a shaft core; and an elastic layer over the shaft core, wherein the elastic layer is composed of at least a first elastic layer and a second elastic layer, the first elastic layer and second elastic layer made of elastic bodies with different moduli of elasticity, the first layer being an outermost layer of the supply roller, and wherein the relationships 0%≦k1≦20% and 20%≦k2≦70% are satisfied, where k1 is the modulus of repulsion elasticity of the first elastic layer and k2 is the modulus of repulsion elasticity (%) of the second elastic layer.
US07697873B2
In a development apparatus of the hybrid method using a component developer, a development apparatus and a development method are provided that prevent the reduction of density or the occurrence of residual images (ghost images) and can carry out good image forming over a long period of time. A development apparatus has the feature that the surfaces of the toner supporting member and the developer supporting member move in a mutually opposite direction at the part where they are opposite to each others. The development apparatus further employs an electric field in the closest part applied in a direction to recover the toner from the toner supporting member to the developing supporting member, wherein the magnitude of the electric field is in the range from 2.5×106 V/m to 5×106 V/m. The developer of the development apparatus is such that its share (PD) in the space of the closest part of the opposing portion satisfies the following relationship: 0.09≦PD≦650×Dss.
US07697870B2
A developer container has a main part accommodating a developer therein and is detachably attached to a main part of an image forming apparatus. The developer container comprises an outlet provided at a side of the developer container to discharge the developer from the developer container. An input unit is provided adjacent to the outlet and has a small-diameter portion an inside diameter of which is smaller than a diameter of the container main part wherein, when the developer container is attached to the image forming apparatus, the input unit is engaged with a drive motor of the image forming apparatus to receive a rotating force of the drive motor. A developer guiding unit causes the developer inside the developer container to be moved to the outlet beyond the small-diameter portion of the input unit by rotation of the developer container.
US07697868B2
A color image forming apparatus and an image forming unit thereof, the color image forming apparatus including: photosensitive bodies; a transfer drum to rotate while contacting the photosensitive bodies; a transfer device to transfer visible images overlapped on the transfer drum from the photosensitive bodies onto a printing medium; a photosensitive body driving gear to rotate with the transfer drum, and having a radius smaller than the transfer drum and having a same rotational center as the transfer drum; and photosensitive body gears coupled to the respective photosensitive bodies to be engaged with the photosensitive body driving gear, each of the photosensitive body gears having a radius larger than that of the photosensitive bodies. Accordingly, a size of each of the photosensitive body gears can be larger than that of each of the photosensitive bodies, and thus the photosensitive bodies can rotate stably.
US07697857B2
A method and apparatus for sensor calibration to obtain transfer efficiency measurements in a reprographic device from a pair of optical toner mass sensors, one located before and one located after transfer. Individual sensors differ (mounting variation, electrical component variation, etc.) in their response to a common sample. Because of low mass levels in transfer efficiency measurements it is essential to reduce sensor to sensor differences. Disclosed is a method of calibrating the sensors to each other by utilizing each sensor's response to at least two identical mass levels. Actual mass levels do not need to be known (except for the zero mass which is easy to ensure) and the individual sensor sensitivities do not need to be known since the ratio of responses yields the necessary sensor characterization. This method does not require unique calibrations among sensors and results in a more accurate and precise measurement of transfer efficiency.
US07697855B2
The present invention provides an image forming apparatus including a belt, a cleaning roller opposed to a surface of the belt, a voltage generating circuit generating a voltage applied to the cleaning roller, a voltage value detecting circuit detecting a voltage value applied to the cleaning roller, a control unit controlling the voltage generating circuit by inputting a control signal to the voltage generating circuit such that the voltage value detected by the voltage value detecting circuit is set to the same value as a target voltage value, and a target voltage value setting section setting the target voltage value based on a duty of the control signal input from the control unit to the voltage generating circuit.
US07697846B2
In a radio optical fusion communication system with the integration of an optical fiber transmission path and a radio propagation path, wherein by first and second light sources, an intermediate-frequency signal generating means for generating a modulating signal at an intermediate frequency band, a modulator for modulating an optical signal from the first light source into an SSB modulated optical signal using the intermediate-frequency signal, and an optical mixer for mixing the modulated optical signal with the optical signal from the second light source to obtain an optical transmission signal in a base station, the frequency of either of the optical signals is controlled such that the difference in frequency between the optical signals is a desired frequency of a modulated radio signal, thus switching the frequency channel of the modulated radio signal in the radio propagation path.
US07697843B2
Consistent with the present invention, tunable demultiplexers are provided in WSS-based add/drop multiplexer. The tunable demultiplexers are modular and thus allow the add/drop multiplexer to be readily expandable, and facilitate flexible add/drop capabilities whereby a channel present on any input line to the WSS can be dropped and supplied to one or more desired outputs of the tunable demultiplexer. Similar flexibility can be achieved on the add-side of the WSS. Moreover, the demultiplexers and the WSS are remotely configurable, thus obviating the need to manually disconnect and connect demultiplexers to a router. In a particular embodiment, multicast switches are provided that permit the same channel, for example, to be provided to one or more outputs of the add/drop multiplexer, such that copy of the channel can carry working traffic while the other copy carries protection traffic. As a result, 1+1 and 1:N optical layer protection can be achieved.
US07697841B2
A camera includes: a photographic optical system that comprises a plurality of lenses; an image sensor that captures an image of a photographic subject formed through the photographic optical system; a projection lens unit that projects an image for projection via a projection lens unit, with at least one lens being common to the plurality of lenses of the photographic optical system and to the projection lens unit; and a shift mechanism that sets the at least one common lens to one of a first position upon an optical axis of the photographic optical system and a second position upon an optical axis of the projection lens unit.
US07697839B2
Architecture for spatially calibrating a multi-sensor panoramic camera. A panorama warping calibration model and manufacturing calibration data is characterized in a parametric model that is stored on the camera and utilized for camera calibration. Calibration techniques can employ combinations of intra-camera homography, inter-camera homography, and polynomial warps, which correct the error-free spatial panorama warping calibration model. Calibration system configuration can include a stationary camera system for spatial pattern testing for each camera and a rotational camera system for rotating a multi-sensor panoramic camera through a single spatial pattern.
US07697836B2
Motion of an image of a scene being captured by a digital image acquisition device is detected and used to control parameters of illumination of the scene by a flash lamp that is typically built into the device. Parameters that may be controlled include the intensity, duration and timing of light emitted by the flash lamp. Such control of the flash illumination is preferably performed in conjunction with adjusting one or more exposure parameters used to capture an image. Such exposure parameters include duration, aperture and sensor gain. Motion blur caused by movement of the camera or by movement of an object within the scene being photographed is reduced by selecting appropriate exposure parameters and flash light characteristics.
US07697831B1
An improved approach to focusing a camera is provided. In one embodiment, a method of adjusting a focus of a camera includes translating a lens to a first position. The lens is vibrated relative to the first position, and a first image is captured on an image sensor while the lens is vibrated relative to the first position. A first sharpness score associated with the first image is calculated. The method also includes translating the lens to a second position. The lens is vibrated relative to the second position, and a second image is captured on the image sensor while the lens is vibrated relative to the second position. A second sharpness score associated with the second image is calculated. The first and second sharpness scores may be compared, and one of the first or second positions may be selected based on the comparison.
US07697827B2
This invention provides a camera system, including voice recognition, one or multiple microphones, gaze tracking, touch sensitive inputs and others. The voice recognition unit is operable for, among other things, receiving multiple different voice commands, recognizing the vocal commands, associating the different voice commands to one camera command and controlling at least some aspect of the digital camera operation in response to these voice commands. The gaze tracking unit is operable for, among other things, determining the location on the viewfinder image that the user is gazing upon. One aspect of the touch sensitive inputs provides that the touch sensitive pad is mouse-like and is operable for, among other things, receiving user touch inputs to control at least some aspect of the camera operation. Another aspect of the disclosed invention provides for gesture recognition to be used to interface with and control the camera system.
US07697825B2
A DVD player with language learning function using a general DVD as an audio source of language learning. The DVD player includes a DVD play unit for playing the audio and video of the DVD and outputting a subtitle picture and display information for the subtitle picture according to a play control signal, a text identifying unit for receiving the subtitle picture and converting the subtitle picture into text data, a text-to-speech unit for receiving the text data and converting the text data into synthesized voice signal, and a control module for receiving the display information of the subtitle picture and generating the play control signal according to the display information and a learning mode selected by the user. Thus, the DVD player of the invention does not need specific audio source media.
US07697821B2
With this invention, at least one of a video file containing video information, a still picture file containing still picture information, and an audio file containing audio information and a management file having management information on a control method of reproducing the information in the file are recorded on an information storage medium. This realizes a data structure that causes the recording and deleting places on the information storage medium to correspond spuriously to places on a single tape, such as a VTR tape. Use of the data structure provides users with an easy-to-use interface.
US07697820B2
A system and method of controlling the playback of the event stream information of a particular television channel by a digital video recorder (DVR). The DVR is a computer system configured with a hard drive and video decoder/encoder devices. The hardware environment of DVR (100) includes an input interface (102), tuner (105), MPEG-2 encoder (120), MPEG-2 decoder (110), external mass storage device (125), and a central processing unit (CPU) (135), internal memory (127), operating system (140), and event stream generator (250). The system and method of controlling the playback function of the present invention is primarily implemented within event stream generator (250). Event stream generator (250) generates a new video stream for playback onto the television by incorporating the broadcasted event stream information into the selected recorded video stream.
US07697814B2
A laser handpiece is disclosed, including a fiber optic end having a non-cylindrical shape and further including a reflector surrounding a portion of the fiber optic end. The reflector is shaped to direct laser energy emitted from the fiber optic end in a direction away from the laser handpiece and toward a treatment site.
US07697811B2
Assemblies and methods are provided for facilitating fiber optic patching. More particularly, the assemblies and methods generally involve mounting fiber optic patch ports arranged along a horizontal plane with respect to a tray. The tray is movably positioned within a cabinet enclosure, e.g., in a pivotal or translational (sliding) relationship, thereby providing easy access to the ports. The horizontal configuration advantageously increases fiber optic patching density within a cabinet structure while maintaining port accessibility.
US07697809B2
An optical fiber, comprising: (i) a core having a core center and a radius or a width a, (ii) a cladding surrounding the core, and (iii) at least one stress member situated proximate to the fiber core within the cladding, said stress member comprising silica co-doped with F and at least one dopant selected from the list consisting of: GeO2, P2O5, Y2O3, TiO2 and Al2O3, wherein distance b between the stress member and the core center satisfies the following equation: 1≦b/a<2.
US07697802B2
This invention pertains to optical fiber transmission networks, and is particularly relevant to transmission of high volume of data and voice traffic among different locations. In particular, the improvement teaches improvements to an optical transport system to allow for efficient and flexible network evolution.
US07697792B2
Process-response statistical modeling of visual images can be used in determining similarity between visual images. Evaluation of the content of visual images—and, in particular, image similarity determinations—can be used in effecting a variety of interactions (e.g., indexing, grouping, summarizing, annotating, searching keyframing) with a collection of visual images.
US07697791B1
A system and method for providing a graphical document are provided. A graphical document is processed to identify one or more ideas associated with the graphical document. The identified ideas may be used to determine concepts to associate with the first electronic document and suggest those concepts for association with the first electronic document for use in a document distribution system that distributes documents based on a price parameter associated with concepts and a performance parameter. A request for a document associated with a concept is received. Responsive to the request, the graphical document is delivered if an association between the one or more ideas and the concept is determined.
US07697790B2
An apparatus and method for enhancing the quality of reproduced images are provided. More specifically, provided are an apparatus and method for enhancing the quality of reproduced, progressive images, which are capable of obtaining more natural and smoother progressive images and preventing such problems as blurry colors and aliased images that could be brought about in the process of converting interlaced images into progressive images.
US07697776B2
An apparatus and method for processing a captured image and, more particularly, for processing a captured image comprising a document. In one embodiment, an apparatus comprising a camera to capture documents is described. In another embodiment, a method for processing a captured image that includes a document comprises the steps of distinguishing an imaged document from its background, adjusting the captured image to reduce distortions created from use of a camera and properly orienting the document is described.
US07697773B1
Disclosed is an apparatus, method, and computer program product for an image compression/decompression. The method for compressing a data structure having a first plurality of sets of image elements with one or more predetermined relationships among the image elements and among the sets, and includes encoding a first set of the plurality of image elements using a variable-length encoding process; and encoding a second set of the plurality of image elements using a modification to the variable length encoding process that decreases a symbol composition size of the variable length encoding process responsive to the one or more predetermined relationships among the image elements and the sets. The computer program product includes instructions executable by a processing unit, and those instructions perform the compression/decompression as described herein. The system is a compression/decompression apparatus for dynamically determining a probability of symbols used in a variable length encoding based upon previously encoded elements of the data structure.
US07697767B2
In a code processing device, a rank assignment unit assigns ranks to sets of partial codes of original codes respectively, wherein, when the sets have different quality levels, a high rank is assigned to a set of partial codes having a low quality level, and when the sets have a same quality level and different resolution levels, a high rank is assigned to a set of partial codes having a low resolution level. A partial code selecting unit selecting sets of partial codes that have a quality specified by a specified quality value and are included in output codes, in order of the assigned ranks. A code forming unit forms the output codes in which the sets of selected partial codes are included.
US07697762B2
An image forming apparatus which includes an image forming unit and an image scanning unit. The image forming unit includes a document-contact face, a light-source unit which arrays a plurality of light-emitting elements in the main scanning direction with a pitch to emit light beams to the document-contact face, and a light-guiding member which is provided between the light-source unit and the document-contact face and guides the light beams from the plurality of light-emitting elements to the document-contact face. The light-guiding member has a length in the main scanning direction which is defined with the pitch of the plurality of light-emitting elements, and lengths of the document-contact face and the light-source unit in the main scanning direction.
US07697725B2
In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and apparatus for autonomous object tracking. In one embodiment, a method for tracking a moving object across at least a portion of a video signal made up of a plurality of image frames includes stabilizing the video signal by processing selected portions of selected image frames, detecting at least one movement in the stabilized video signal, and computing a location of the detected movement(s).
US07697722B2
In a portable terminal, a character string clipping section clips an image of a character string from image data photographed by a screen image pickup device. A character recognition section recognizes the clipped image of the character string and acquires a character code string corresponding to the clipped character string. A character string tracking section sets the acquired character code string as a tracking object character string when the tracking object character string extends beyond the photographable area as well as tracking the tracking object character string or a marker character string ultimately used as an input character string while repeatedly updating the marker character string. A display section highlights the tracking object character string when the tracking object character string extends beyond the photographable area of the image pickup device and displays an arrow showing the relative direction.
US07697721B2
In accordance with a specific embodiment of the present invention, an image is projected upon a surface. The image can include a pattern having a plurality of individual shapes used to measure and map the surface. The plurality of individual shapes include features that are detectable in a direction parallel to the plane formed by a projection axis of the projected shapes and a point associated with a view axis. The image further comprises a feature containing an encoding information for identifying the plurality of shapes individually. The feature containing encoding information can be a separate feature from each of the plurality of individual shapes, or may be a feature integral to the plurality of individual shapes. The feature containing encoding information is oriented such that the encoding information is retrieved along a line perpendicular to a plane formed by the projection axis and the point along the view axis. The use of the feature is used to perform multiframe reference independent scanning.
US07697713B1
A novel and unique method and program distributing, transmitting and producing a personalized and autographed digital photograph of a celebrity figure, comprising the steps of first assembling executable program codes with asset elements of celebrity figures including photographs and signatures, then generating a personalized and autographed digital photograph file of a selected celebrity figure with said signature, and finally transmitting said personalized and autographed celebrity digital photograph file via a suitable medium for later access, display, reproduction or further transfer.
US07697712B2
A speaker device installed in an earpiece, for improving an antenna property in a wireless portable terminal is provided. The speaker device includes a housing, a magnet is installed on the housing, a diaphragm located a predetermined distance away over the magnet and includes a coil situated at a position corresponding to the magnet, and a cover covers the diaphragm and is in engagement with the housing, thereby forming a module. At least one inductor is provided at a feeding portion of the coil formed or installed on the diaphragm, thereby preventing the speaker device from resonating at a radio frequency (RF).
US07697706B2
A hearing protection device and a method of manufacturing thereof is provided. The device includes a sound attenuating portion for being disposed within an ear canal of a user to obstruct the passage of sound and a channel formed through the sound attenuating portion for allowing sound to pass through the sound attenuating portion.
US07697704B2
A hearing aid having a microphone for conversion of sound into an input audiosignal, a signal processor for processing the input audiosignal, a receiver for conversion of the processed signal into sound, an audio amplifier for supplying current to the receiver in response to the processed signal, a battery for current supply of the signal processor, the audio amplifier, and the receiver, and a current limiter connected in series between the battery and the audio amplifier for analogue limitation of the current supplied by the battery to the audio amplifier in response to the battery output voltage.
US07697695B2
To provide a surround sound reproducing system capable of obtaining high realistic sensation even in the case where an integral surround speaker cannot be installed rearward of a listening position.A surround system 100 is constructed by: a sound source output device 110 for outputting bit stream data of a predetermined format; a signal processor 120 for performing a signal process on every audio signal of each channel; and a speaker system 130 made of various speakers corresponding to various channels and including an integral surround speaker. The signal processor 120 has a signal processing unit 200 including: a switch control unit 203 for selecting one of right and left surround signals amplified from a surround speaker; a frequency correcting circuit 204 for correcting the frequency characteristic of the surround signal selected by the switch control unit 203; and an adder 205 for adding the surround signal whose frequency characteristic was corrected to a main signal.
US07697692B2
Cryptographic communication between communication terminals can be realized even when a plurality of cryptographic algorithms are present, and secure cryptographic communication for a longer time is realized without increasing a processing overhead at each of the communication terminals. A key management server manages cryptographic algorithms that can be used by each of the communication terminal, and searches for a cryptographic algorithm common to the communication terminals, and notifies each of the communication terminals of the cryptographic algorithm found by the search together with plural key generation informations, each piece containing a key to be used in the cryptographic algorithm or a key type for generating the key. Each of the communication terminals sequentially switches the plural key generation informations notified from the key management server, and performs the cryptographic communication with a communication counterpart in accordance with the cryptographic algorithm notified from the key management server.
US07697685B1
A scrambling system includes a seed finder that selects a scrambling seed. A first scrambler generates a scrambled sequence in response to a user data sequence and the scrambling seed. A code finder generates at least one of a token and an offset of the token from the scrambling seed. An encoder increases a Hamming weight of the scrambled sequence in response to at least one of the token and the offset.
US07697684B2
It is desired to share one circuit by an encryption unit 200 and a decryption unit 500. A normal data transformation unit (FL) 251 and an inverse data transformation unit (FL−1) 273 are located at point symmetry on a non-linear data transformation unit 220, and a normal data transformation unit (FL) 253 and an inverse data transformation unit (FL−1) 271 are located at point symmetry on the non-linear data transformation unit 220. Therefore, the encryption unit 200 and the decryption unit 500 can be configured using the same circuits.
US07697679B2
A telephone set suitable for sending and receiving calls and for affecting a display of call-related information on a user-viewable information display. The telephone set comprises a handset and a base. The handset includes a transmitter, a receiver, and an integrated pointing device. The integrated pointing device is configured to transmit a signal to the base in response to physical manipulation by a user. The base includes a numeric keypad for inputting phone numbers, an input for receiving the signal from the handset, and an electronic pathway that originates from the input and is directed toward the information display such that the physical manipulation of the integrated pointing device will affect the display of call-related information. Preferably, the telephone set is, by incorporation of a network interface, enabled to communicated and share call-related information through a packet-switched network.
US07697672B2
A configurable rating system provides the flexibility to define rating tariffs based on any number of input parameters, such as a service identifier, origin number, destination number, event type, or other parameter. At the same time, the configurable rating system simplifies the definition, debugging, and assignment of rating parameters which ultimately determine the calculated usage event rating. The configurable rating system implements a database table driven approach which may replace any number of custom rating functions with a single rating function which determines the appropriate charge amount regardless of the telecommunications product or service.
US07697667B1
A voicemail apparatus comprises a voicemail database for storing messages awaiting retrieval by a subscriber, wherein each stored message comprises a message header and message data, the message header including a calling party phone number and calling party network information. A voicemail controller is coupled to the voicemail database for handling an incoming call from a calling party to the subscriber. The voicemail controller compares the calling party phone number of the incoming call with calling party phone numbers of each of the stored messages for the subscriber. If the calling party phone number of the incoming call matches at least one calling party phone number of the stored messages then the incoming call is authenticated by comparing the calling party network information for the incoming call with calling party network information stored for the calling party phone number matching messages. If authenticated, then an option is presented to the calling party of the incoming call to alter those stored message for which the calling party network information matches.
US07697657B2
A system and method of density and effective atomic number imaging include a computer programmed to acquire projection data from the detector of an unknown material at the time of projection data acquisition. The computer is also programmed to generate a density image for the unknown material based on a calibration of two or more known basis materials and to generate an effective atomic number (Z) for the unknown material based on the calibration of two or more known basis materials and based on a function arctan of a ratio of atomic numbers of the two or more known basis materials. The density and effective atomic number images are stored to a computer readable storage medium.
US07697646B2
A discrete state-space filter directly applies a linear transfer function that describes the frequency-domain representation of an IIR filter or control plant to asynchronously sampled data. The discrete state-space technique maps a continuous time transfer function into the discrete state-space filter and stores the states of the filter in a sample-time independent fashion in a discrete state-space vector. The filter states are propagated with the asynchronous time measurements provided with the input data to generate the filtered output.
US07697633B2
An RF unit receives radio-frequency signals where a plurality of channels are frequency-multiplexed. An A-D unit converts the radio-frequency signals to digital signals. A processing unit processes the plurality of channels contained in the digital signals which have been converted by the A-D unit. The processing unit includes: a band-pass filter, having bands corresponding respectively to the plurality of frequency-multiplexed channels, which separates the digital signals into the plurality of channels; and a demodulation unit which demodulates the plurality of channels separated by the band-pass filter.
US07697630B2
An ultra-wide band (UWB) waveform encoding method is provided. The method includes receiving a data stream; generating a first encoder signal and a second encoder signal such that if the first and second encoder signals were mixed, the mixing would return a representation of the data stream; generating a sequence of pulses; mixing the first encoder signal with at least a portion of the sequence of pulses, to produce a mixing result; and mixing the second encoder signal with the mixing result, to produce a sequence of ultra wideband wavelets encoded in accordance with the data stream.
US07697627B1
A rotary encoder is used to select a transmission frequency for an FM transmitter associated with a portable electronic device such as a cellular telephone, MP3 player or other portable type electronic device. The rotary encoder is turned in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to raise or lower the transmission frequency of the FM transmitter. Movement of the rotary encoder is translated into a frequency change on a linear, circular or exponential basis by a microprocessor. The transmission frequency of the FM transmitter is then altered to the selected frequency and the selected frequency is displayed on an LCD screen of the portable electronic device. The rotary encoder may also be used in connection with an accessory for a portable electronic device.
US07697612B2
Preprocessing for motion-compensated video encoding such as MPEG includes lowpass filtering, temporal (310) and/or spatial (312), locally per pixel in response to motion vector analysis and prediction error (304) and temporal change (306). This de-emphasizes image areas of rapid change which corresponds to human perception de-emphasis.
US07697609B2
An apparatus and method for encoding/decoding a moving picture uses a digital watermark for copyright protection and/or other identifying purposes. This is accomplished by embedding encoding information of a first moving picture obtained by one camera in a second moving picture obtained by another camera in a digital watermark format. The second moving picture is encoded through motion compensation. By extracting the digital watermark from the second moving picture encoded data and decoding the second moving picture, the first moving picture is motion compensated-decoded using the extracted digital watermark. Accordingly, it is possible to improve a compression rate of a multi viewpoints moving picture having lots of data quantity.
US07697607B2
First pictures as reference for inter-picture prediction of an incoming moving-picture and second pictures are coded. The first pictures are coded by intra-picture or unidirectional inter-picture predictive coding. The second pictures are coded by bidirectional inter-picture predictive coding by referring the first or their locally-decoded pictures to obtain a moving-picture bitstream. The bitstream is multiplexed with obtained motion activity information. Incoming first bitstreams are multiplexed into a bitstream at a rate lower than a total bit rate of the incoming first bitstreams. Each bitstream has first bitstreams of the first and second pictures. A code amount of the multiplexed bitstream is obtained for each reproduction period as virtual buffer occupancy, according to which a decimation rate is set on the second pictures. The second pictures bitstreams are decimated from the incoming first bitstreams according to the decimation rate to obtain second bitstreams, which are multiplexed to obtain the multiplexed bitstream.
US07697601B2
In some embodiments, equalizer circuits with controllably variable offsets at their outputs are provided.
US07697597B2
An apparatus for calculating decision parameters in an IMT-2000 system includes a correlation value calculation unit having a number of correlation value calculators, each of which calculates a correlation value between selected information that is selected at the mini-slot selection unit and one of capable input signals. To selectively operate the correlation value calculators, a ranking determination unit is included to receive and rank the correlation values and to selectively operating the correlation value calculators according to the rank of the correlation values. Accordingly, the power consumption of the correlation value calculators is reduced. And, the decision parameter is selected from the decision parameters previously selected during the divided monitoring section, thereby enabling high-speed cell search.
US07697591B2
A wireless base station (15) for transmitting spread spectrum signals is disclosed. The base station (15) includes a peak compression unit (16), which is comprised of a sequence of peak detection and cancellation circuits (32). Each peak detection and cancellation circuit (32) detects and compresses identified peaks. The further stages of peak detection and cancellation circuits (32) serve to reduce peaks that, as a result of “peak regrowth”, are caused at sample points near to a reduced peak point. According to one disclosed embodiment, a peak sample point is not qualified for compression unless a number of sample points subsequent to the peak all have lower magnitude than that of the peak. The cancellation pulses applied by the peak detection and cancellation circuits (32) may be generated by a finite impulse response (FIR) filter pulse, or alternatively by a minimum phase infinite impulse response (IIR) pulse. The peak compression unit (16) identifies and compresses statistical peaks in the digital symbol amplitude, so that the dynamic range requirements of the power amplifier (24) in the base station (15) may be relaxed.
US07697584B2
A light emitting device includes a structure with a light emitting region disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region. A plurality of holes in the structure, which form a photonic crystal, are formed in a first region of the structure corresponding to a first portion of the light emitting region. A second region of the structure corresponding to a second portion of the light emitting region is free of holes. The device is configured such that when forward biased, current is injected in the second region and the first region is substantially free of current.
US07697581B2
The performance of a laser scanner is optimized in the field by automatically determining appropriate laser parameters for the scan location. A laser control system uses information such as the environmental temperature to select an appropriate range of start points for various laser parameters, such as pump temperature and laser currents. Test pulses over that range can be used to determine optimal operating parameters.
US07697579B1
Methods and devices for a coupled optoelectronic oscillator having optical frequency stabilization. The coupled optoelectronic oscillator includes a harmonically mode-locked laser cavity having a Mach-Zehnder modulator for mode-locking and an intracavity Fabry-Perot etalon to allow only one single supermode to lase, a stabilization loop coupled with the Fabry-Perot etalon to detect changes in the laser cavity optical frequency and generate an error signal to compensate for the frequency change to stabilize the mode-locking of the laser frequency stabilization, and an electrical loop between the laser cavity and the stabilization loop for driving the Mach-Zehnder modulator with the coupled optoelectronic oscillator signal.
US07697571B2
A system and method are disclosed for effectively performing an audio/video synchronization procedure in a receiver device that is embodied in a computer that receives input data from a source device and provides output data to a destination device. The receiver device may preferably include a demultiplexer configured to recover elementary bitstreams from a multiplexed bitstream. The demultiplexer may also preferably extract decode timestamps and output timestamps corresponding to the elementary bitstreams. One or more decoders may then decode the elementary bitstreams to produce decoded frames in accordance with the foregoing decode timestamps. One or more output modules may then process the decoded frames to produce processed frames in accordance with the output timestamps. In accordance with the present invention, an output controller may preferably perform an output timing resynchronization procedure following a program change event to align output timings of the processed frames in accordance with new output timestamps from the selected program.
US07697562B2
An apparatus and method are provided for transmitting data in a station of a wireless local area network (LAN) system. In the apparatus, a data queue stores transmission data, and a data processor processes data output from the data queue. A radio frequency (RF) module up-converts a signal output from the data processor to a frequency band of the wireless LAN system, and transmits the up-converted signal as an RF signal. A scheduler performs scheduling such that a specific stepping index decreases each time a backoff time reaches ‘0’ so as to determine whether to transmit the data, and the data is transmitted when both the stepping index and the backoff time reach ‘0’. A backoff stepping generator determines an initial value of the stepping index within a predetermined range.
US07697554B1
Data is transparently migrated between groups of logical units of storage presented as virtual arrays. A source virtual array has at least one source virtual port coupled to a fabric. Each source virtual port having a source virtual port name and a source virtual port address. A destination virtual array has one or more destination virtual ports coupled to the fabric, each destination virtual port having a destination virtual port name and a destination virtual port address. All data resident on the source virtual array is copied to the destination virtual array. The destination virtual port names and LUN names and numbers are then replaced with the source virtual port names and LUN names and numbers. The fabric then updates its name server database so that the database associates the source virtual port name with the destination virtual port address.
US07697551B2
A system for converting instant messaging (IM) text to telephone speech and back. The system includes a first electronic device configured to transmit and receive IM text. A translation module is housed inside the first electronic device. The translation module is configured to perform (i) translate the outgoing IM text into speech, and (ii) translate incoming speech into IM text. The system further includes a second electronic device communicatively coupled by way of a network to the first electronic device such that the second electronic device may receive the IM text as translated speech from the first electronic device via a call.
US07697547B2
Data representing video content is distributed over a passive optical network (PON) on virtual channels that are assigned to television (TV) channels as subscribers request the TV channels and de-assigned from TV channels when subscribers are no longer viewing them. Associating and de-associating TV channels with virtual channels can be performed with very low latency by using a near-physical layer protocol, such as the Physical Layer Operation Administration and Maintenance (PLOAM) protocol.
US07697543B2
A multi-source data multiplexing system that accepts information packets from a plurality of signal sources, evaluates the relative efficiencies of data transmission, and transmits the information packets in provided grant regions for maximum efficiency. The multi-source data multiplexing system may accept any form of information packet from any form of signal source. The system receives a grant region, typically comprising a transmission time on a data channel, and inserts a information packet into the grant region. The actual information packet placed in the grant region may be one other than the packet for which the grant region was intended. Further, the multi-source data multiplexing system may fragment an information packet and transmit only a portion of the information packet in the grant region. Alternately, the multi-source data multiplexing system may concatenate multiple information packets, or information packet fragments, from any combination of signal sources and transmit the concatenated result in the grant region. As long as any signal source is active, the composite flow of information packets remains active, and the composite flow then serves as the primary mechanism for requesting and transmitting additional bandwidth on the network.
