US07708794B2
A separator is made of a porous material and is intended to treat gaseous effluents which contain particles whose size is substantially less than one micrometer or of the order of one micrometer. The porous material includes channels. The channels are delimited by a fibrous porous material such as batting.
US07708789B2
A vacuum cleaner with cyclonic dirt separation and a bottom discharge dirt cup beneath the cyclone separator and a filter beneath the dirt cup and between the dirt cup and a suction motor inlet. A separator plate separates the cyclone separator from the dirt cup. Fins project from a sidewall of the dirt cup, and fingers projecting from a bottom wall of the dirt cup. A hollow standpipe in the dirt cup transports working air from the cyclone separator outlet to the filter.
US07708781B2
A proximal radioulnar joint (lateral elbow) prosthesis includes a radial brace member to be secured to the radius bone and an ulna brace member to be secured to the ulna bone. The radial brace member has a ball at its proximal end, and the ulnar brace member defines a curved cavity which receives and rotationally supports the ball.
US07708774B1
An implantable medical device includes a device body at least partially formed of a polymeric material including a base polymer and a block copolymer. The block copolymer includes at least one polyethylene oxide (PEO) block and at least one silicone (SI) block, wherein the weight average molecular weight of the block copolymer is in the range of about 400 to about 50,000.
US07708771B2
The present invention embodies an endovascular graft having various frame-to-main body component attachment mechanisms which provide a secure bond, reduced graft material wear, and reduced delivery profile.
US07708760B2
Methods and devices are provided for replacing damaged, injured, diseased, or otherwise unhealthy elements of the spinal three-joint complex, such as the facet joints and discs. In one exemplary embodiment, a joint replacement system includes a facet replacement component that is adapted to replace and/or augment the facet joints, and a disc replacement component that is adapted to replace a spinal disc. The facet replacement component and the disc replacement component can couple to one another to allow and/or control flexion, extension, and/or lateral bending of the spine, preferably while substantially restricting posterior-anterior shear and axial rotation of the spine.
US07708759B2
Apparatus and methods for repairing damaged tendons or ligaments. Various repair apparatus include an elongate tensile member and a pair of anchor structures connected for movement along the tensile member on either side of a repair site, such as a tear or laceration. The anchor structures may take many forms, and may include barbed, helical, and crimp-type anchors. In the preferred embodiments, at least one anchor structure is movable along the elongate tensile member to assist with adjusting a tendon segment to an appropriate repair position and the anchor structure or structures are then lockable onto the elongate tensile member to assist with affixing the tendon at the repair position. Tendon-to-bone repair apparatus and methods are also disclosed employing similar concepts. Tendon retrieval devices include helical members for rotating into a tendon end and subsequently moving the tendon to an appropriate operating position.
US07708756B2
An endoscopic accessory medical device is provided. The device can include a handle, a flexible shaft, and an end effector. The handle can include an actuator for operating the end effector through a wire or cable pulling member that extends through the flexible shaft. The handle and actuator can be operable with a single hand, such that the operation of the end effector can be accomplished with the same hand that is used to hold the handle and advance the end effector through an endoscope. The handle can include an actuation mechanism that is decoupled from operation of the end effector when the actuator is in a first open position, which becomes operatively coupled to the end effector when the actuator is moved to a second position, such as by squeezing the actuator, and which operates the end effector when the actuator is moved further to a third position.
US07708755B2
A medical device for placing an embolic device at a predetermined site within a vessel of the body including a delivery catheter and a flexible pusher member slidably disposed within the lumen of the catheter. A fluid pressure source is coupled to the proximal end of the pusher member. An embolic device is retained at the distal end of the pusher member by a mechanical interlocking mechanism. The distal end of the pusher member includes a spiral ribbon section encircled by a tubular member. The tubular member or the distal end of the pusher member directs fluid from the fluid pressure source against the embolic device. The mechanical interlocking mechanism is disengaged from the embolic device and a fluid pressure is applied against the embolic device to ensure the release of the embolic device.
US07708753B2
A balloon catheter is provided which may be used to dilate hardened regions of stenosis. The balloon catheter is provided with dilation wires that may be extended so that the dilation wires are disposed adjacent an outer surface of the balloon during dilation. Thus, as the balloon is expanded, the dilation wires are squeezed between the balloon and the stenosed region to crack or breakup the stenosis. The dilation wires may also be retracted away from the balloon. Thus, the stenosed region may be dilated with the balloon without using the dilation wires if desired.
US07708751B2
A localization mechanism, or fixture, is used in conjunction with a breast coil for breast compression and for guiding a core biopsy instrument during prone biopsy procedures in both open and closed Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines. The localization fixture includes a three-dimensional Cartesian positionable guide for supporting and orienting an MRI-compatible biopsy instrument, and in particular a sleeve, to a biopsy site of suspicious tissues or lesions. A depth stop enhances accurate insertion, prevents over-insertion or inadvertent retraction of the sleeve. The sleeve receives a probe of the MRI-compatible biopsy instrument and may contain various features to enhance its imagability, to enhance vacuum and pressure assist therethrough, etc.
US07708750B2
An automated mechanical device separates the epithelial layer of a cornea from the cornea. The device includes a separator such as a plate, wire or dull blade. The device can preserve a separated epithelial layer as a disk without rupturing the disk and without substantial epithelial cell loss. The epithelial layer is separated from the cornea without cutting the cornea.
US07708739B2
An impacting tool includes a trigger mechanism that is activated when a predetermined amount of energy is stored in the impacting tool. When the impacting tool is activated, the stored energy is precipitously discharged through an impact rod which is configured to transfer a controlled force to an orthopaedic component.
US07708735B2
An electrode sealing assembly for use with an electrosurgical instrument for sealing tissue includes first and second jaw members which are movable from a first position in spaced relation relative to one another to at least one second position for grasping tissue. The jaw members include electrically conductive sealing plates designed to selectively transmit electrosurgical energy to tissue disposed between the sealing plates. The jaw members also include a thermoelectric cooling plate having a first surface in direct contact with an outer surface of the sealing plate. The thermoelectric cooling plate includes first and second electrical connections on opposite sides of the jaw member. The first connection is configured to selectively transmit a first electrical potential and the second connection is configured to selectively transmit a second electrical potential such that heat generated by the sealing plates is transferred away from the tissue via the thermoelectric cooling plate.
US07708714B2
Apparatuses and methods for providing audio, visual and/or tactile feedback during assembly of two mating medical fluid connectors and a retention force are provided. The invention includes a first connector defining a first lumen and a second connector defining a second lumen. The first and second connectors are threaded together to enable the first lumen to initially communicate fluidly with the second lumen after the first and second connectors are engaged. The first connector defines a first engaging member and the second connector defines a second engaging member, the engaging members mating to provide (i) feedback indicating that a mating of the first and second connectors is at least substantially complete and (ii) a retention force tending to hold the first and second connectors together. An improved apparatus for releasing a sealed disinfectant is also provided.
US07708709B2
An orthotic protective device collectively including a base unit connected to a metacarpal unit by a hinge system designed to protect and prevent hyperextension and hyperflexion movements of the metacarpal, carpal, radius and ulna regions. The base unit and metacarpal unit includes a longitudinal support member and a casing, respectively, lined with at least one pad having a tongue. At least one releasable fastener is mated to the support member and casing and extends to the tongue of the pad.Apertures of the base unit are mated and connected to apertures of the hinge system which form an articulated joint allowing the hinge system to move in an upward manner allowing for natural extension of the user's wrist and in a downward fashion for unlimited flexion motion. The base unit and the hinge system may both have at least one stop formed thereon; and as these stops come into contact with one another, it limits the flexion, extension and radial-ulnar deviation. Further, an aperture of the metacarpal unit is mated and fastened to an aperture in the hinge system by a swivel joint which allows for lateral movement of the user's wrist.
US07708696B2
A method for controlling a remote navigation system includes operating the remote navigation system to bring a sensor carried on a medical device successively into a plurality of locations in a predetermined pattern, and using the sensor to sense a physiological property in each location. At least once thereafter, the remote navigation system is operated to bring a sensor carried on a medical device successively into a series of locations in a predetermined pattern relative to at least one location selected from the predetermined pattern in the immediately preceding step based upon the sensed physiological property value, and uses the sensor to sense the physiological property in each location. A local extreme value of the sensed physiological property is thereby located. The physiological properties that can be sensed include electrical signals, conductivity, temperature, fluid flow rate or fluid velocity, and range of motion of a surface.
US07708684B2
Methods and devices for providing a minimally-invasive placement of a mechanical structure for reducing the volume of a hollow body organ. Intragastric bands may be secured within the hollow body organ and then reduced in diameter to form a stricture within the hollow body organ. The strictures may be placed anywhere within the hollow body organ, and more than one stricture may be formed within the hollow body organ.
US07708676B2
An apparatus for cognitive and physical training has a figure-eight walking course with both or alternate inner and outer borders. Adjustable rails inside and outside the course assist rehabilitation. Gates in outer rails admit users to the course. Oppositely swinging gates at a center of course between the two loops provide supported direction from one course loop to another. The course may include a knockdown and portable track. Coordinated walking with bodily rotation and turning is promoted by a single off course focus point in a plane through the center separating the two loops. Increased motor, sensory, cognitive and other challenges are added to the walking, turning and lateral rotation. Also disclosed is a sensory-motor game and method of playing the game, which also employs a figure-eight course.
US07708675B2
An exercise apparatus including a rigid frame assembly, a selectively rotatable seat assembly coupled to the rigid frame assembly, a pair of selectively movable actuator arm assemblies coupled to the selectively movable seat assembly by a plurality of vertical beams, a back pad assembly coupled to the plurality of vertical beams, and a high tension cable coupled to the pair of selectively movable actuator assemblies. The selectively movable actuator arm assemblies are further coupled to the selectively movable seat assembly, where a movement of the selectively movable actuator arm assemblies in a first direction causes the seat assembly to rotate in a second direction.
US07708674B1
The present invention provides for in one embodiment an archery exerciser training device designed to eliminate or minimize target panic, develop muscle memory, and warn up muscles before using a bow and arrow. The training device consists of a cylindrical tube with an attached handle. Within the tube is a gas compression spring with integrated plungers mounted on either end. Each plunger further includes an axle on which two wheels are opposingly mounted. A cable is mounted to one plunger at the distal end of the device and the cable travels in a zig-zag fashion around the four wheels and out of the plunger at the proximal end of the device and terminates in a loop, thereby creating a pulley system. The exposed loop of the cable is pulled in a rearward direction, approximating the motions made when drawing a bowstring. When the exposed loop is pulled, the distal plunger is forced rearward, thereby compressing the gas spring and creating an opposing force approximately equal to a typical draw weight of a bowstring. When the cable is released, the gas spring extends, pushing the distal plunger forward, and pulling the exposed cable back within the cylindrical tube in a safe and controlled manner. The process may be repeated over and over as necessary to sufficiently develop and train the archer's shooting muscles, and to warm up the muscles prior to shooting.
US07708647B2
A light and sound system for a bowling pin deck includes a controller interposed between a music system and a light assembly connected to a forward end of a pin setter assembly and positioned forwardly and above a bowling pin deck. The light assembly includes a rearwardly and downwardly projecting light arrangement of colored and infrared LEDs mounted upon a light plate. Positioned above the light plate is a standard fluorescent bulb for uniform traditional illumination of the pin deck. The LEDs are configured and positioned for full illumination of the pin deck in various colors including red, green and blue, which are illuminated by a controller either independently of or in conjunction with the music system. During all periods, the infrared LEDs are illuminated to operate in conjunction with the automatic scorer.
US07708645B2
A shield for sealing a joint includes a first end, a second end and an annular shell. The first end is adapted for axial retention on an outer joint part, where the outer joint part is rotationally coupled to an inner joint part. The second end is adapted for abutting contact with a semi-spherical portion of the inner joint part. The annular shell extends between the first end and the second end thereby providing a seal for the joint. Also provided is a grease shield sealing system for a direct torque flow constant velocity joint.
US07708644B2
A tripod constant velocity universal joint includes among others an inner joint member having a boss 22 and journals 24 radially protruding from the boss, a radius of curvature R1 as viewed in a cross section of a journal bottom part 23 connecting the boss 22 to the journal 24 and as measured at opposing locations in a circumferential direction of the joint is larger than a radius of curvature R2 of the journal bottom part as viewed in its cross section and as measured at opposing locations in an axial direction of the joint and R1 gradually decreases down to R2.
US07708639B2
A progressive gaming method includes producing a set of game records with each game record being associated with a result in a game. Progressive prize bearing records are included in the set of game records according to a progressive win frequency rule. Each progressive prize bearing record is associated with a progressive win indicator and a progressive prize. After producing the game record set, the method includes assigning game records from the game record set to a number of players. Each game record is assigned to a respective player in response to a game play request associated with the respective player. The method also includes awarding a progressive prize to the respective player to whom a progressive prize bearing record is assigned in response to a game play request.
US07708635B2
In accordance with some embodiments, a plurality of outcomes are generated and used to create a video presentation of representative outcomes for players. The video presentation is recorded onto a tangible medium (e.g., DVD or CD-ROM) or otherwise provided to one or more players (e.g., a player may access the video presentation online). This allows one or more players to purchase a video presentation of (e.g., predetermined) outcomes in a jurisdiction in which gambling is legal yet view the presentation at the player's convenience (e.g., from any jurisdiction and at any time). At least one player who is associated with such a video presentation may subsequently redeem it for a redemption value associated therewith. In one example, a plurality of slot machine spins may be generated and purchased by one or more players.
US07708631B2
Players participate in bingo-type games through player stations each having a suitable player interface. Once a player is assigned a bingo card representation and a game designation set is associated with the bingo card representation, daubing the bingo card representation may be performed manually by the player at the player's respective player station using a suitable interface at the player station. Alternatively to manual daubing, the present invention includes automatically daubing one or more bingo card representations in response to an automatic daub input made by the player at the player station using a suitable input device.
US07708624B2
The invention concerns a clip machine comprising at least one closure lever which has a bearing element defining a pivot axis, a receiving element for at least one first closure tool and a force application element for connection to a drive element, wherein the closure lever is mounted pivotably between an open position and a closed position, in which closed position the first closure tool can be brought into engagement with a second closure tool to close a clip. In that respect the closure lever is produced at least partially from a fiber-reinforced plastic composite (FRPC).
US07708615B2
A toy building system with function bricks adapted to perform a function in response to a mechanical trigger action; sensor bricks with a sensor adapted to produce an output in response to a mechanical trigger action; and logic bricks with an input responsive to a sensor brick output and adapted to perform a logic function on the sensor brick output and to produce a logic output. The sensor brick output and the logic brick output are arranged in a first uniform manner relative to the coupling means, and the sensor output action and the logic output action are of uniform physical nature. The logic brick input and the function brick input are arranged in a second uniform manner relative to the coupling means. The function brick input is responsive to a logic brick output and adapted to perform the function in response to a logic brick output.
US07708610B1
An improved oar that has an oarlock assembly, which holds the main oar shaft and parallel link in line with each other while allowing them to pivot fore and aft and up and down; an oar shaft; a parallel link; and a knuckle. The knuckle positions the handle via a sleeve, and the parallel link that is positioned by a pivot on the end of an arm. Additionally, there is a universal joint between the oar shaft and the handle, in line with the parallel link pivot, that allows the blade to be feathered while keeping the handle perpendicular to the rowing shell at every point in the stroke.
US07708609B2
A method of controlling a watercraft comprises actuating a lever, controlling a speed of rotation of an engine to be at or below a reverse gate actuation speed in response to the actuation of the lever, moving the reverse gate in response to the actuation of the lever without further driver intervention once the speed of rotation of the engine is at or below the reverse gate actuation speed, and controlling the speed of rotation of the engine in order to decelerate the watercraft in response to the actuation of the lever and the reverse gate moving without further driver intervention. A watercraft and a method of controlling the watercraft based at least in part on an angle of a helm assembly are also disclosed.
US07708604B2
A constraint mechanism for receiving an audio plug in an electronic device is provided. The constraint mechanism may include a conductive tube operative to receive the audio plug. In addition, the constraint mechanism may include several features operative to engage corresponding features of the electronic device to prevent the constraint mechanism from moving in any direction (e.g., which could cause damage in the electronic device if the audio jack was forced to move by an impact on the audio plug). For example, the constraint mechanism may include a center wall to prevent yawing, and rear tabs to prevent pitching. As another example, the constraint mechanism may include a side plate operative to be coupled to the electronic device to prevent rolling. In some embodiments, the constraint mechanism may include an asymmetrical tube entrance for ensuring the proper alignment of the constraint mechanism with an electronic device opening. The tube may include a conductive dimple extending through an aperture of the tube, where the aperture is substantially the same size and shape as the conductive dimple.
US07708599B2
A card edge connector (100) includes an elongate insulative housing (1), a plurality of signal contacts (3) and a pair of power contacts (4) retained in the insulative housing (1). The insulative housing (1) defines a pair of opposed side walls (11) and a central slot (13) between the side walls (11). Each side wall (11) defines a plurality of passageways (110) communicating with the central slot (13). Each signal contact (3) has an engaging portion (32) exposed to the central slot (13.) Each power contact (4) has a securing portion (41) retained in the insulative housing (1), a plurality of contact portions (42) extending upwardly and sidewardly into the central slot (13) from the securing portion (41) and arranged in a row along a length direction of the insulative housing (1), and at least one tail portion (43) extending downwardly from another end of the securing portion (41).
US07708598B2
A card connector, comprising: an insulative housing having a base, a pair of first and second raised sidewalls, and third raised sidewalls to form a receiving cavity therebetween, an insertion opening located opposite to said third raised sidewall, said base having thereon a window, each of said first and second raised sidewalls having a resilient locking arm invading laterally toward said receiving cavity; a contact module disposed within said window of the housing with a plurality of contact sections extending above a top face of the base; a metal shielding member assembled to the housing, the metal shielding member having resilient reinforcement pieces respectively located outside of said resilient locking arms.
US07708597B2
An electrical card connector 100 includes a dielectric housing or base 1, a number of contacts 2 received in the housing or base 1, and a metal shell 3 covering the housing or base 1, both sides of the housing or base 1 having passageways or positioning slot 10, both side of the metal shell 3 having beams 321 embedded into the passageways or positioning slot 10. The beams 321 mating the passageways or positioning slot 10 in an elongated direction increase the function area between beams 321 and passageways or positioning slot 10, which makes the electrical card connector 100 stable.
US07708594B2
The present invention provides an electrical connector (100) including a magnetic module (200) for noise-filtering. The magnetic module (200) includes an interior printed circuit board (21), a common mode choke and a number of transformers mounted on the interior printed circuit board (21). Each of said common mode choke and transformers has a magnetic core (20,22) and a number of magnetic wires (23) winding around the magnetic cores (20,22), wherein the magnetic core (20) of the common mode choke defines two holes (203,205) parallel extending therethrough and forms a center wall (201) therebetween. The magnetic wires (23) of the common mode choke wind around the center wall (201) and through said two holes (203,205) in a same direction.
US07708592B2
An adapter for connecting a multi-core cable to a coaxial cable is provided. Adapters according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be used in an arrangement comprising several adapters that are connected to each other using of a coaxial cable. Adapters and arrangements according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may allow a cost-effective conversion of existing mobile radio stations to modern RRH technology.
US07708589B2
An electrical connector assembly is provided for mounting onto a panel having a panel opening. The connector assembly includes a connector and a latch. The latch is configured to mount on the connector, and attach to the panel as the housing is inserted into the opening.
US07708588B2
An electrical connector capable of being connected with a FPCB and a PCB stably, includes an insulating housing defining a receiving space at a top portion thereof. A plurality of terminals is received in the insulating housing and each terminal has a contacting portion projecting into the receiving space for being connected with the FPCB. A reinforcement board is received in the receiving space for being fastened together with the FPCB. A slide cover slidably covers on the insulating housing and presses against the reinforcement board. When the electrical connector is soldered to the PCB, the FPCB is electrically connected with the PCB stably for the slider cover pressing against the reinforcement board to make the FPCB connected with the terminals steadily.
US07708579B2
A socket assembly mounted on a printed circuit board comprises a socket mounted upon the printed circuit board; a metal backplane, mounted below the printed circuit board and configured with a board-like shape; and an insulative sheet. The insulative sheet is sandwiched between the printed circuit board and the metal backplane and is formed with at least one latching portion extending downwardly to latch the metal backplane. The insulative sheet further has a plurality of protruding portions extending upwardly to insert into corresponding circular holes defined on of the printed circuit board.
US07708578B1
An electrical connector having a plug assembly and a socket assembly is described. The plug assembly includes a plug body and an outer barrel with an inner conductive receptacle electrically coupled to a first conductor in the plug body. The socket assembly includes a socket body movably held within an outer housing by a positioning ring, the socket body having a socket barrel with a second conductor fixed therein to be received in the conductive receptacle of the plug assembly.
US07708575B2
In a card connector for connection to a card, a connector frame defines a region allowing the card to be fitted therein and holds a contact adapted for contact with the card. For ejecting the card, an eject member is movable with respect to the connector frame and swingably holds a locking member having a locking function to lock the card. The locking member swings due to engagement with the connector frame according to movement of the eject member, thereby controlling the locking function.
US07708574B2
A memory card connector (34) includes an insulative housing (36) having a terminal-mounting section (36a) which mounts a plurality of conductive terminals (44) having contact portions (44a) for engaging appropriate contacts on a memory card. The housing at least in part defines a card-receiving cavity (40) for receiving the memory card. A card eject mechanism (46) includes a slider (50) movably mounted on the housing. The slider is engageable with the memory card for movement therewith into and out of the cavity between an inserted connection position and a withdrawal position. A slide lock member (52) is mounted on the connector, independent of the eject mechanism, and is engageable with the slider to hold the slider in its inserted connection position. An ejection control member (54) is mounted on the housing for releasing the slide lock from engagement with the slider to allow the slider and memory card to be ejected.
US07708569B2
An electrical connector having at least four electrical contacts that form two pairs of differential signal contacts. The first and second electrical contacts may be arranged edge-to-edge along a first direction. The third electrical contact may be adjacent to, and arranged broadside-to-broadside with, the first electrical contact along a second direction substantially transverse to the first direction. The first and third electrical contacts may define one of the pairs of differential signal contacts. The fourth electrical contact may be adjacent to, and arranged broadside-to-broadside with, the second electrical contact along the second direction. The second and fourth electrical contacts may define the other pair of differential signal contacts. The two pairs of differential signal contacts may be offset from one another along the second direction.
US07708566B2
An electrical connector is mounted to a printed circuit board with a number of electrical circuits thereon for mating with a complementary plug. The electrical connector has a connector member and an IC bonded to connector member and combining with the connector member into a single unit. The connector member includes an insulative housing and a number of integrated electrical contacts attached thereto. The insulative housing has a mating face and a mounting face. Each electrical contact includes a retention engaging with the insulative housing, a mating section extending from one end of the retention section to the mating face, and a mounting portion extending from the other end of the retention section to the mounting face. The electrical contacts is electrically connected the printed circuit board and the IC.
US07708562B2
A method and system for learning. Items to be learned are distributed among an unmastered pool, a ready pool, a mastered pool, and a delayed pool. Items from the unmastered pool are placed in the ready pool. A current item randomly selected from the ready pool is presented to a user who responds to the item. The current item is sent to the mastered pool if the user's response is correct and (the current item was not previously presented to the user or the user responded correctly to the current item during the last J times that the user responded to the current item). Otherwise, the current item is sent to the delayed pool followed by transferring the current item to the ready pool after K additional items are presented to by the user. J and K are each at least 1.
US07708559B2
A dental implant assembly for supporting a dental prosthesis. The assembly comprises a dental implant and an abutment. The dental implant comprises a body portion, a collar portion and a central bore. The body portion is located at a distal end of the dental implant and is configured to lie at least substantially below a crest of a patient's jawbone. The collar portion is located at a proximal end of the dental implant and forms an abutment mating surface which defines an outer edge that has a generally scalloped shape. The central bore extends through the collar portion and into the implant body portion. The central bore includes a threaded portion and a post portion. The abutment comprises a post configured to fit within the post portion of the central bore and an implant mating surface that is configured to mate with the abutment mating surface of the dental implant.
US07708553B2
This invention discloses a portable catalytic combustion heater. Fuel vapor and air are supplied to a catalyst which promotes the flameless combustion of the fuel, releasing heat. The fuel is supplied as a liquid, passes through a selectively permeable membrane such that fuel vapor exits the membrane and is fed to the catalyst. Additional features such as porous supports and means of enhancing and diminishing the catalytic rate of combustion and controlling the heat output are also shown. This invention can be used to heat apparel, blankets, food, dwellings, containers, machinery, insect attractants, humidifiers, and perfume generators.
US07708550B2
An injection mold and an injection molding apparatus having a movable mold and a fixed mold. Each of the movable/fixed molds has bases, and a runner, a gate and a cavity are formed. The gate is composed of recesses made in mutually opposite end surfaces of sleeve-like heat insulators provided for the bases. Thereby, the gate is heat-insulated, and resin in the gate is prevented from cooling down during a pressure retention step. Thus, the resin keeps fluidity longer.
US07708547B2
A method of the type in which a strip of rubber is moved continuously from a rubber-supplier device to a consumer device. During the continuous movement and prior to reaching the consumer device, a portion, referred to as the residue, is taken continuously from the strip of rubber. The residue is taken by continuously cutting the strip of rubber. For example, the supplier device includes upstream storage means for storing the strip of rubber from which the strip is moved toward the extruder, and downstream storage means in which the residue is stored. After the strip of rubber on the upstream storage means has been used up, the upstream and downstream storage means are swapped with each other.
US07708532B2
A lead wire of a motor is prevented from being damaged, and the reliability of an electric compressor is enhanced. The electric compressor 1 is provided with a division wall 80b which divides a discharge chamber 62 and a connection space 65 which connects a sealed terminal 90 and a lead wire 5c of a motor 5. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent discharge gas from directly flowing into the connection space 65, and to prevent the discharge gas from flowing into a wire passage 64 through which the lead wire 5c is passed. Therefore, vibration of lead wire 5c caused by gas pulse can be suppressed, the lead wire can be prevented from being damaged, and the reliability of the electric compressor can be enhanced.
US07708521B2
An electronic assembly includes an enclosure including a top cover and a bottom cover, and a thermal module arranged between the top cover and the bottom cover of the enclosure. The thermal module includes a centrifugal blower and a fin assembly arranged in an air outlet of the centrifugal blower. The centrifugal blower includes a top lid defining a first air inlet therein, a bottom plate defining a second air inlet therein, a sidewall disposed between the top lid and the bottom plate, with the air outlet defined in the sidewall, and a rotor disposed in an inner space formed between the top lid, the bottom plate and the sidewall. The bottom plate is separated by a distance from the bottom cover of the enclosure. The bottom plate defines an indent therein so as to widen the distance.
US07708517B2
A workpiece transfer system or method is provided for transferring workpieces one set of pallets to another set of pallets using a workpiece transfer device that is movably attached to a robot. The workpiece transfer device uses mechanical devices to align the workpiece relative to the robot so that different types of workpieces can be placed into a pallet without the need of troublesome, expensive and complex image processing in which the workpiece holding positions are processed as images by using an imaging device such as a visual sensor. Preferably, the workpiece transfer device cooperates with a positional adjustment part such that the workpiece that is held by the transfer device contacts the the positional adjustment part to position the workpiece in a depthwise direction of the workpiece, a widthwise direction of the workpiece and a longitudinal direction of the workpiece.
US07708512B2
A compression limiter assembly having a spring washer and a sleeve. The sleeve includes a cylindrical body and a flange radially extending from a first end of the body. A fastener inserted through the spring washer is received in a through aperture of the cylindrical body. The fastener includes a head, an unthreaded shank portion extending from the head, and a threaded shank portion extending from the unthreaded shank portion having a threaded diameter greater than a diameter of the unthreaded shank portion. An annular swage created proximate to the flange defines an internal protuberance extending into the through aperture of the cylindrical body. The protuberance is operable to prevent release of the fastener by contact between the threaded shank portion and the protuberance. The unthreaded shank portion is capable of lateral motion within a diameter defined by the protuberance.
US07708506B2
Disclosed is a tap driver for rigid tapping, which includes predetermined tension and compression factors to self-synchronize the tap driver. In the preferred embodiment, the tap driver includes helical coils imparted in the tap driver body which allow the attachment body to synchronize axially in response to a force of a predetermined magnitude imparted on the tap. An additional embodiment of this invention provides such a tap driver body wherein the body allows for lateral flexure and movement to compensate for feed error and location error.
US07708499B1
A clamp assembly for securing a vibratory device to a pile comprising a frame, first and second clamp members, and an actuator. The frame is adapted to be secured to the vibratory device. The first clamp member is supported by the frame and comprises a first engaging surface defined by a first surface layer formed of carbide alloy material. The second clamp member is also supported by the frame and comprises a second engaging surface defined by a second surface layer formed of carbide alloy material. The actuator is arranged to displace at least one of the first and second clamp members such that first and second engaging surfaces engage the pile such that the pile is gripped by between first and second clamp members.
US07708489B2
A pivot assembly includes a support defining a hole, a pivot insert disposed in the hole and a retainer securing the pivot insert in the hole. The pivot insert defines a circumferential groove, and the retainer is a ring having inwardly directed fingers for engagement in the groove.
US07708486B2
An airtight cap structure is provided, in which the number of parts is not increased, and moreover, a design property can be given, and air-tightness can be secured.A cap is configured by two-color molding of a soft portion comprised of an elastic soft resin, and a hard portion comprised of a hard resin, and in a state in which the cap is attached to a main body, the use end portion is inserted into the elastic soft portion to mare a direct contact to be sealed, and at the same time, the surface of the tip end portion of the main body is brought into contact with the soft portion, thereby securing air-tightness of a refill.
US07708482B2
A printer has an ASF connection/disconnection sensor 18a as a sheet feeding device detector which detects if an ASF 60 is installed to the main printer unit 1, a roll paper holder connection sensor 38 as a roll paper holder detector which detects if a roll paper holder 40 is installed to the main printer unit 1, and a control circuit board 35 which controls operation of the main printer unit 1 according to the detection status of the ASF connection/disconnection sensor 18a and roll paper holder connection sensor 38.
US07708481B2
A camera includes a housing, a camera lens and a supplemental lens mechanism positioned on the housing and located in front of the camera lens. The supplemental lens mechanism includes a supplemental lens set, a carousel, a holder, a bracket, and a positioning ring. The supplemental lens set includes a number of supplemental lenses configured for producing different imaging effects. The carousel is disposed in front of the camera lens. The holder joins with the carousel to hold the supplemental lens set. The bracket is disposed in the housing of the camera and accommodates/carries the carousel. The positioning ring couples to the bracket to hold the carousel. The carousel can rotate in the bracket to make a selectable one of the supplemental lenses in the supplemental lens set align with the camera lens.
US07708480B2
A focal plane shutter for digital cameras includes a first driving member for a first blade and a second driving member for the first blade, mounted to the same shaft; arms for the first blade on which a set spring is hooked; and a set member for restraining the first driving member for the first blade in the proximity of the position where the exposure operation is completed, at a set position by rotating a restraining member, and actuating the first driving member for the first blade to the starting position of the exposure operation in the restoration to the initial position immediately after the release.
US07708476B2
An index-matching gel for use with nano-engineered optical fibers is disclosed. The index-matching gel is cross-linked, which prevents the gel from wicking into the voids and down the nano-engineered optical fiber to a depth where the fiber performance and/or device performance is compromised. The formulation comprises a non-reactive constituent A, two reactive constituents B and C, and a catalyst D. The gel is pre-cured and forms a cross-linked internal network that results in a single-component gel that does not require meter mixing of an additional constituent or heat curing. The gel is suitable for use in the mechanical splicing of optical fibers when at least one of the optical fibers is a nano-engineered optical fiber. The gel is also suitable for use in fiber optic connectors wherein at least one of the optical fibers constituting the connection is a nano-engineered optical fiber.
US07708474B2
Various embodiments of duplex fiber optic connectors and optical transceiver modules are provided. One embodiment comprises an optical transceiver module comprising: an integrally-formed housing having a duplex front port with a pair of alignment holes for receiving a pair of ferrules from a duplex fiber optic connector, the duplex front port having an upper flexible retaining element and a lower flexible retaining element for retaining the pair of ferrules from the duplex fiber optic connector; an opto-electronic assembly contained within the housing; and an electrical interface extending from the integrally-formed housing.
US07708471B2
The present invention is provided to obtain an inexpensive bidirectional optical module wherein a diffraction efficiency can be maximized at different diffraction order for light beam with different wavelength, and light usage efficiency is enhanced. The bidirectional optical module includes a light-emitting element for transmitting an optical signal toward an end of an optical fiber; a light-receiving element for receiving an optical signal from the end of the optical fiber; and a grating in which stair shapes are repeated with a predefined pitch. In the bidirectional optical module, a phase function is defined as phase-difference contour lines which is formed by making two light fluxes from predetermined positions interfere with each other on a surface arranged at a position of the grating. A planar pitch of the grating is formed such that values of the phase function form phase contour lines each representing an integer multiple of 360 degrees.
US07708462B2
The present invention proposes a technique capable of accurately grasping position and angle of a radiation generator at the time of image capturing. At the time of obtaining a plurality of transmission images by detecting radiation emitted from a emitting generator and passing through a specimen via a predetermined member (for example, a diaphragm) by a detector for a plurality of times while changing a relative position relation and a relative angle relation of the emitting generator to the detector, an outer-edge shape of a radiation area irradiated with the radiation on a detection surface of the detector from the emitting generator is recognized. On the basis of the outer-edge shape of the radiation area and an inner-edge shape of a predetermined member, the relative position relation and the relative angle relation of the emitting generator to the detector are obtained.
US07708459B2
A temperature varying low-temperature comparative calibration including a vacuum jacket, a comparative calibration block in the vacuum jacket which is formed of a material of a high heat conductivity and which is maintained at a fixed temperature by a refrigerator or a heater, a reference thermometer housing portion in the comparative calibration block in which a reference thermometer is mounted, and an insertion hole in the comparative calibration block through which a calibration target thermometer is inserted from outside the vacuum jacket via an introduction pipe. The introduction pipe is filled with heat exchange gas.
US07708458B2
The invention concerns a watch with a striking work including a bottom plate and a gong including two ends, the gong being secured via a first end to the bottom plate. According to the invention, the second end of the gong is also secured to said bottom plate.
US07708457B2
A watch having a middle part including a top face arranged for receiving a polygonal bezel made of a first material. The corners of the bezel are truncated and the middle part is fitted with angular elements made of a second material, secured to the top face thereof, and arranged so as to be substituted for the truncated corners of the bezel when the latter is mounted on the middle part.
US07708451B2
A bottom frame for a liquid crystal display device includes a bottom surface, four side surfaces attached to the bottom surface, the four side surfaces along with the bottom surface define a space, first and second holes in two side surfaces, the first and second holes opposite to each other in two opposite side surfaces, and affixing structures at the bottom surface and spaced apart from each other.
US07708439B2
A vehicle headlamp is provided with a lamp unit including a light source bulb having a light source for emitting light, a main reflector for reflecting the light emitted from the light source, a shade for shielding apart of the light reflected by the main reflecting face, and a projector lens for forward projecting the light having passed the shades. The vehicle headlamp unit is further provided with a first sub-reflector for reflecting the light emitted from the light source, a second sub-reflector for forward projecting the light from the first sub-reflector through the shade and the projector lens when the first sub-reflector is situated at a first position and a third sub-reflector having a third sub-reflecting face for forward projecting the light from the first sub-reflector not through the projector lens when the first sub-reflector is situated at a second position.
US07708436B2
According to one aspect of the invention, a storage compartment having an illuminating device mounted therein and a tray having a lens mounted thereon. The tray is movable within the storage compartment between a forward position and a rear position. The illuminating device may provide light to both the interior of the storage compartment and the tray depending upon the position of the tray.
US07708431B2
A lighting device includes at least a light source for emitting light rays and a guide for guiding light rays on a projection plane. The guide is formed by a lens presenting a cylindrical portion extending along an axis perpendicular to the projection plane, and at least one convex shaped surface extending at an extremity of the cylindrical portion. The convex shaped surface is adapted to direct a portion of the light rays emitted from the light source towards the projection plane. This enables to project the light towards a projection plane quasi parallel to the beam direction without using any guides on the projection plane itself.
US07708425B2
A removable emergency light that can be removed from the wall and used as a flashlight. The light is hard wired into a standard power supply and will turn on during a power failure. When the power supply is functioning, batteries in the light are charged. The removable emergency light provides a light source that can be easily located during a power failure, removed and used in multiple locations as desired. The removable emergency light is sized to fit in a standard gang box and can be used with any standard electrical plan.
US07708416B2
A keypad is provided for a computing device. The keypad includes one or more lighting devices or mechanisms for illuminating a plurality of keys structures. In an embodiment, the plurality of key structures are formed from a milky material.
US07708411B2
A fast algorithm is presented which allows for substantially simultaneous acquisition, analysis, and display of a wavefront centroid image, referred to as online aberrometry. A method embodiment involves determination of an average, or most frequently occurring, wavefront aberration over a selected time interval, e.g., 20 sec. Online pupil diameter measurement allows analysis of wavefront aberration as a function of changing pupil size. A wavefront measuring apparatus is disclosed that supports online aberrometry.
US07708400B2
Disclosed are systems and methods for manufacturing sleeves, a sleeve dispenser, and a method of manufacturing inexpensive, throwaway sleeves that may be used to protect temples from chemicals, germs, bacteria, and the like. Sleeves may be inexpensively manufactured using a single inexpensive raw material as well as an inexpensive manufacturing process in which no waste material is produced. Furthermore, sleeves may be produced as a compact roll of sleeves to accommodate unobtrusive placement in areas with limited space, thereby facilitating distribution in space-limited facilities such as hair salons, spas, optometrist or ophthalmologist offices, sunglass shops, and the like. In some embodiments, the sleeves include latitudinal and longitudinal perforations that facilitate removal of pairs of sleeves from the sleeve roll and removal of each of the pair of sleeves from each other. After separation, a sleeve aperture is passed over the temple until it is fully covered and protected.
US07708390B2
The invention is directed to a method of working a small recess portion. In the method, prior to press-forming small recess portions arrayed in a row by pressing a predetermined number of pieces of aligned male dies to a metal base plate, the metal base plate is previously formed with a highly rigid portion at a predetermined portion at a vicinity of an imaginary line extending in a row direction along end portions of predicted press portions to which the respective male dies are pressed.
US07708386B2
An inkjet nozzle arrangement is provided having a wafer defining an ink chamber for holding ink and a chamber roof covering the ink chamber. The chamber roof has an ink ejection port supported by a plurality of outwardly extending bridge members and a plurality of elongate heater elements interleaved between the bridge members for causing ejection of ink held in the ink chamber through the ink ejection port.
US07708382B2
A nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead includes a wafer substrate that defines an inlet channel and incorporates CMOS layers to generate electrical drive signals. A nozzle chamber wall and a roof wall are positioned on the wafer substrate to define a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the inlet channel, the roof wall defining an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber. A paddle is positioned in the nozzle chamber and is reciprocally displaceable to eject ink from the ejection port. An actuating arm extends through the nozzle chamber wall and is connected to the paddle. The actuating arm has an actuating portion having a pair of actuating members. One of the actuating members defines a heating circuit such that, on receipt of an electrical signal to the exclusion of the other actuating member, the actuating arm is displaced in one direction as a result of differential thermal expansion. The actuating arm is of a resiliently flexible material such that, when the electrical signal is cut off, the actuating arm is displaced in an opposite direction.
US07708377B2
A blade engagement apparatus for metering release agent onto an image forming device associated moving surface, such as a Solid Ink Jet drum. The blade engagement apparatus includes a blade positioning mechanism having a blade holder rotated about a fixed pivot point disposed a distance LD from the moving surface. A plurality of metering blades extending from the blade holder each include a blade tip disposed a distance LB from the pivot point such that LB is greater than LD. A replacement blade is brought into a working position in deflected engagement with the moving surface for metering a release agent onto the surface while the used blade is moved into a non-operational suspended position. Various blade replacement strategies are used to initiate a blade replacement operation.
US07708369B2
An ink chamber is formed with a vent port allowing atmospheric air to enter therein and an ink outlet from which ink is taken out. An optical member has an ink contact face capable of contacting with ink contained in the ink chamber. The ink contact face includes a detection face at which a remaining amount of ink in the ink chamber is optically detected in accordance with an amount of air entered into the ink chamber via the vent port. A first ink absorbing member is disposed in the vicinity of the ink contact face, and capable of absorbing the ink in the ink chamber.
US07708368B2
The method for evaluating color mixing between dots of two different colors discharged onto a recording medium, the method comprises the steps of: outputting a color mixing evaluation print having a color mixing evaluation patch formed on a recording medium by dots of two different colors in such a manner that at least a portion of the dots are adjacent or overlapping; measuring a density of the color mixing evaluation patch of the outputted color mixing evaluation print; and evaluating color mixing of the dots of two colors, according to density profiles for the dots of two colors forming the color mixing evaluation patch, as obtained by the density measuring step.
US07708362B2
A method for calibrating one or more printheads includes printing a reference image using a first portion of image forming points of a first printhead, printing a diagnostic image using a second portion of image forming points of either the first printhead or a second printhead, detecting an optical density of the combined reference image and the diagnostic image and determining a compensation value based upon the optical density.
US07708359B2
A latch mechanism is provided for retaining a slide rail assembly, which includes first and second slide rails. The latch mechanism includes a latch member movably attached to the second slide rail, a stop member mounted to the first slide rail to engage in the latch member for retaining the second slide rail relative to the first slide rail, and a release member slidably attached to the second slide rail. The latch member includes first and second driven portion at one side thereof, and a cutout. The cutout has a first and second stop surfaces at opposite ends thereof. The release member is capable of pushing the first or second driven portion to release the first or second stop surface from the stop member. A resilient member is placed between the latch member and the second slide rail for returning the latch member to an original position.
US07708358B2
A piece of furniture having at least a first furniture part and a second furniture part. One furniture past is mounted un a stationary manner, and the other furniture part is mounted in a movable manner, on the basic furniture structure, and can be moved relative to one another. A lockable pushing-out device is arranged on the first furniture part and is intended for moving the movable furniture part from a closed end position into an open position. An engagement element is arranged on the second furniture part and engages with the pushing-out device at least over a part of the opening/closing path (OR/SR) of the movable furniture part. The engagement element is mounted on the second furniture part such that it can be adjusted preferably in linear fashion in relation to the first furniture part.
US07708354B2
The invention provides a brake control apparatus that improves the controllability of a vehicle in the control for restraining slip of the wheels. The brake control apparatus includes: wheel cylinders that apply braking force individually to wheels by supplying a working fluid; retention valves that are provided respectively upstream of the wheel cylinders and that are opened and closed so as to restrain slip of the wheels; a common control valve provided upstream of the retention valves to supply the working fluid to the wheel cylinders; and a control portion that controls the common control valve by different control laws to restrain fluctuations in pressure on a primary side of the retention valves caused by fluctuations in a capacity to which the working fluid from the common control valve is supplied, by opening or closing of the retention valves.
US07708353B2
An axle bearing apparatus includes a hub shaft including a wheel-mounting flange formed at its outer end portion, and a cylindrical portion formed on an inner side surface of the flange, a bearing portion press-fitted on the cylindrical portion of the hub shaft and including an inner ring, an outer ring and rolling elements disposed between the inner and outer rings, and a slinger having a through hole formed through its central portion. The through hole is fitted on the cylindrical portion such that an outer diameter of the slinger is generally equal to an outer diameter of the flange, and the slinger is press-clamped to the inner side surface of the flange by bolts press-fitted respectively in a plurality of bolt holes formed in the flange. O-rings are interposed between the flange and the slinger.
US07708350B2
An article of manufacture is made by filling a container with expanded thermoplastic elements that are in a non-cured state and that possess a degree of latent foaming ability. After filling the container with the non-cured elements, the elements are allowed to cure under ambient conditions during which the blowing agent remaining in the elements in a vapor state condenses allowing air to be drawn in while the elements expand. This expansion of the elements distends and rigidifies the container where the container is allowed to expand or places an item packaged within a container of rigid construction under a tight fit.
US07708348B2
A footstool with a footrest platform that is adjustable to different positions/angles. The footstool includes a first sidepiece and a second sidepiece engaged by a platform, which is adjustable to one of a plurality of possible positions corresponding to one of a plurality of possible angles. In one embodiment, the sidepieces each have two notches and the platform has protrusions or extensions that engage the notches in the respective position(s). In one position, the protrusions on the platform engage one notch on each sidepiece; in the other position, the protrusions engage the other notch on each sidepiece.
US07708343B2
This seat of a vehicle is provided with: a center supporting block having a first supporting surface for supporting an occupant; side supporting blocks that are arranged at both sides in the width of the center supporting block, and having a second supporting surface that more protrude than the first supporting surface of the center supporting block; movable supporting blocks each arranged between the center supporting block and the side supporting blocks, and each having a third supporting surface which is flush with the first supporting surface while in an initial state; joining portions each joining between the side supporting blocks and the movable supporting block; and expanding devices that are arranged at a back side of the side supporting blocks, expand the side supporting blocks, and incline the movable supporting blocks with respect to the first supporting surface of the center supporting block.
US07708330B2
A device for mounting a driving robot in a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle having two driver's seat tracks and a floor, utilizing the two seat tracks of the driver's seat for anchoring purposes, the device including: a length-adjustable adapter plate that engages into both seat tracks in a hook-like manner; at least one first locking element for locking the adapter plate in the seat tracks; and at least one second height-adjustable locking element for bracing the adapter plate against the vehicle floor.
US07708315B1
A suspension is provided for mud flaps to be deployed behind wheels of a vehicle. The suspension allows for resilient translation of the mud flaps, such as should they get pinched against a curb and the wheels. A housing is adapted to be coupled to a bumper or other frame portion of the vehicle. The housing supports a spring therein. Cables are coupled to opposite ends of the spring and also to one of the mud flaps. When downward forces are exerted on one of the mud flaps, the cable associated allows the mud flap to translate downward slightly and cause the spring to be extended. When the loads subside, the spring causes the mud flap to return. In one embodiment a single suspension suspends two mud flaps over separate wheels. In a second embodiment, the suspension supports a single mud flap over a single wheel or wheel set.
US07708313B2
An automobile door bracket includes an attachment section and a corrugated section. The door bracket is placed within an automobile door assembly to function as a side impact countermeasure.
US07708310B2
The steering column includes a column body, a column cover formed into a generally tubular contour and mounted around the column body and an airbag apparatus. The column cover includes an upper cover and a lower cover. The lower cover is separable from the upper cover and is split into a front section disposed proximate the airbag apparatus and a rear section disposed proximate a combination switch unit disposed at the rear of the airbag apparatus inside the column cover. The rear section is configured separable from the front section as is secured to the column body.
US07708306B2
An occupant restraining device is disclosed, in which stress applied to a stitch section of a sewn bag can be dispersed at the time of inflation of the bag. In one form, the device includes an inflatable bag disposed above a seat pan with the bag being capable of pushing a front portion of a seat cushion from below, and an inflator (gas generator) for inflating the bag. Weave directions of panels are biased with respect to longitudinal stitch lines by about 45°. Accordingly, stress applied to a stitch section by the lines can be dispersed at the time of inflation of the bag.
US07708301B2
A tow cable mounting structure for an agricultural tractor that includes a pin-connection feature for a tow cable so that an easily accessible tow connection anchored to the tractor frame can be provided on the tractor. The mounting structure includes a contoured end portion and a bracing structure to manage stress distribution in the mounting structure and the tractor chassis thereby enabling the attachment mount to be added to a tractor with minimal alteration of the chassis.
US07708293B2
This invention relates to individual wheel drives for individually suspended, spring-mounted wheels of a vehicle comprising one universal joint shaft (2) connecting the output shaft socket (10) of a drive device with the input shaft socket of a wheel, having one main section (4) and at least one end section (8) situated on one end thereof, via a universal joint (6), rotatingly coupled with the associated shaft socket (10), the universal joint shaft (2) having a permanent inclination which compensates an offset between drive device and wheel, and means being provided for reducing a permanent deviation defined by the inclination. The end section (8) associated with the universal joint (6) and the shaft socket (10) coupled therewith are coupled with each other via a bevel wheel pair (16, 18), the deflection angle α of which corresponding at least partly with the corresponding permanent deflection angle between universal joint shaft (2) and shaft socket (10).
US07708291B1
A three wheeled vehicle that has an improved dual front wheel steering system that allows the vehicle to be maneuvered by a combination of arm and leg steering movements coupled with front end leaning that shifts the center of mass of the vehicle down and toward the inside wheel. This transfer of mass counteracts a conventional cornering vehicle's tendency to fling its mass to the outside wheel and lift the inner wheel off the ground as well as changing the angle of the line of force exerted through the tires, and enhancing the vehicles's grip on the ground. The vehicle has a reduced amount of sliding and potential of flipping when turning sharply. The steering system is compatible with traditional ACKERMAN steering geometry wherein the inner wheel turns in a smaller diameter circle than the outer wheel.
US07708288B2
A chuck including a cylindrical body with a nose section and a tail section, the nose section having an axial bore formed therein. A sleeve is rotatably mounted about the body. Rotation of the sleeve in a closing direction moves the jaws toward a longitudinal axis of the axial bore and rotation of the sleeve in an opening direction moves the jaws away from the longitudinal axis. An O-ring is disposed adjacent the sleeve in a plane that is transverse to the longitudinal axis. A bearing has a first race adjacent the body, a second race adjacent the sleeve and bearing elements therebetween. One race defines a ratchet and the other of the first race and the second race defines a pawl biased toward the ratchet. The O-ring biases the pawl toward the ratchet and when the pawl engages the ratchet prevents the second race from rotating in the opening direction with respect to the first race.
US07708286B2
A storage tank orifice flexible center mount sealing device comprising a first annular member being substantially flexible having a annular channel, a central orifice and a mating surface, wherein the mating surface is operably configured to be disposed against a wall of a container; and, a second annular member being substantially rigid having a central orifice, wherein the second annular member is disposed in the annular channel and the members are coaxially aligned. The sealing device further comprises a sealing boot disposed on the first annular member, wherein an enclosed environment is defined by the first annular member, the wall and a conduit, which passes through the wall, the central orifices of the first and second members and the sealing boot, wherein mounting hardware used to secure the first and second members to the wall are protected in the enclosed environment and first annular member has a boot mounting area.
US07708268B2
A pile of sheets is held by a separator/feeder and a vibrator is brought into contact with a first region of the pile with a first contact pressure. High frequency vibrations are applied from the vibrator to the sheet. A takeout mechanism is brought into contact with and pressed against the pile with a second contact pressure and sheets are taken out one by one from the top surface of the pile by the takeout mechanism. A first sensor detects the position of the vibrator and outputs a first detection signal, while a second sensor detects the uppermost surface of the pile and outputs a second detection signal. A control section selects first and second contact pressures according to the first and second detection signals and maintains the first and second contact pressures.
US07708263B2
An image forming apparatus that includes: a housing that has a sheet member feed-in port on a side of one side surface thereof; a feed-in mechanism disposed in a second conveyance passage to feed the sheet member from the sheet member feed-in port to a side of a junction point between a first conveyance passage and the second conveyance passage. The feed-in mechanism includes: a feed-in roller that feeds the sheet member into the sheet member feed-in port; a separation member disposed on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the sheet member with respect to the feed-in roller; and a separation roller. An opposition position between the separation member and the separation roller is located further from the one side surface than the first conveyance passage and is located closer to the one side surface than the junction point.
US07708258B2
The tray has an infusion field of infusion tab valves adjacent the inlet to dissipate the momentum of the liquid flowing across said infusion field. Each valve includes a vertically upstanding wall of a height to obstruct the flow of liquid and the valves are disposed in a staggered array. An adjacent bubbling area has openings for the passage of an ascending flow of vapor into contact with the liquid/vapor mixture flowing across the area. Each infusion tab valve may also have a push valve incorporated therein.
US07708256B2
A fragrance disperser in one form includes a single fan that passes air over a wicked single or double fragrance. A second form has the fan reversible to provide two different airstreams that evaporate respective different fragrances one after the other. Where two fragrances are provided, the evaporation may be by respective electrical heaters. A fragrance source may be formed by two sheets joined together to form two chambers each receiving a respective wick and having respective exposed wick portions. The source may incorporate a source of electrical power. An alternative source has a reservoir for fragrance and a wick located in an air passage forming part of the source so that an air flow is guided through the passage past the wick to evaporate fragrance. Where two fragrances are provided, the fragrance sources may be located side-by-side and matching fragrances may have, for example, matching indicia on the sources so that the match can be easily determined visually.
US07708246B1
An actuator device operable to retract the cam elements of a spring-loaded camming device (SLCD) used in the sport of rock climbing. The actuator includes a remote finger and a remote thumb. The remote finger is mounted in a handle to permit translation of the remote finger along an axis, and rotation of the remote finger about that axis. In use, the remote finger can be rotated to present a narrow profile to pass between the trigger bar of a SLCD and a wall of a crack. Subsequent to its insertion behind the trigger bar, the remote finger can be rotated by about 90 degrees to capture the trigger bar. Then, the remote finger and remote thumb can be urged toward each other, effective to squeeze the SLCD and rotate its cam elements, to effect removal of the SLCD from the confines of the crack.
US07708228B2
A device is disclosed for sequencing the deployment of a deployable structure comprising a first body, at least one second body mobile relative to the first body, and at least one third body mobile relative to either the first body or the second body and disposed, in an at least partially folded position of the structure, against or between the first and second bodies. The device comprises a first member fixedly mounted on the third body and preventing its deployment when it is immobilized and a second member mounted on the second body and immobilizing the first member until the second body has effected a selected portion of a kinematic that drives it from an initial position to a final position.
US07708224B2
The invention relates to an aircraft wing, a fastening arrangement, and an intermediate support. A support structure of a wing (1) comprises transverse wing ribs (7a, 7b), between which an intermediate support (10) is arranged for providing a fastening point for a motor (9). The intermediate support comprises a vertical first side part (15a) and a vertical second side part (15b) which are at a distance from one another and connected to one another at their lower part by means of a horizontal bottom part (16) at least at a fastening lug (11). The lug is supported on the bottom part of the intermediate support.
US07708222B2
Apparatus and method for a continuous replenishing of the lift gas and maintaining the proper pressure and lift of a tethered medium altitude aerostat utilizing a novel feed tube running the entire length of the tether. A first end of the feed tube is connected to the aerostat while a second end is connected through a novel slip ring means to a pressure controlled helium ballast chamber and scrubber on the ground to maintain pressure and lift by a reversible compressing pump. A plurality of pressure and temperature sensors and tension gauges strategically placed inside and around the airship continuously monitor the temperature and pressure changes in the aerostat. A data retrieval and communication unit mounted on the aerostat collects measurement data from the pressure, temperature and tension sensors which is relayed to the ground station and the data is used to regulate lifting gas pressure inside the aerostat.
US07708214B2
Fibrous materials, compositions that include fibrous materials, and uses of the fibrous materials and compositions are disclosed. For example, the fibrous materials can be operated on by a microorganism to produce ethanol or a by-product, such as a protein or lignin.
US07708210B2
A sprinkler stand for holding an oscillating sprinkler in an elevated and generally vertical orientation to provide a desired sprinkler coverage pattern, wherein a sprinkler holder holds a sprinkler, a frame elevates and supports the sprinkler holder, and a base supports the frame. Preferably, the sprinkler holder includes two tracks for engaging base members of a sprinkler, wherein the tracks allow for the repositioning of the sprinkler so as to vary the sprinkler elevation, the height of the sprinkler holder is adjustable by moving the holder along the frame, or by adding a frame extender to the frame, and the sprinkler holder may be rotated, or the frame rotatably or angularly adjusted to achieve a desired sprinkler orientation.
US07708209B2
A riser seal cartridge for an irrigation sprinkler. The cartridge is formed of a rigid self support shell, and a sealing member formed of a resilient material covering the shell in areas which provide the seal. The sealing member includes a first portion which seals the top end of the sprinkler body, a second portion which seals an outer surface of the riser, a third portion which connects the first and second portions, and a fourth portion extending from the third seal portion which provides a seal for the support shell lower end portion. The first seal portion provides a high pressure seal to prevent leakage when the riser is in a fully extended position; and the second seal portion provides a low pressure seal during pressure build-up as the riser is extending.
US07708198B2
A wallet consolidator to warehouse information pertaining to at least one card and to retrieve the warehoused information to facilitate a transaction is provided. An embodiment of a wallet consolidator can include a housing, one or more input devices positioned to receive information, and a memory device positioned to store at least a portion of the information received by the one or more input devices. The wallet consolidator can also include a radio frequency wireless communication interface associated with the housing and adapted to communicate with a point-of-sale terminal thereby to provide at least a portion of the information stored in the memory device to the point-of-sale terminal, a display screen, and a controller positioned within the housing in communication with and to control each of the one or more input devices, the memory device, the radio frequency wireless communication interface, and the display screen.
US07708194B2
A managed service may include first logic to receive authentication information from a user terminal on behalf of a user, and receive user information on behalf of the user when the user terminal is authenticated via the authentication information. The first logic may send a portion of the user information to a mobile wallet application operating on a mobile terminal related to the user, and may receive updated user information from the mobile terminal, where the updated user information identifies a change to the portion of the user information, the change based on an operation performed via the mobile terminal on behalf of the user. The managed service may include second logic to store the user information in a server virtual wallet application on behalf of the user, retrieve the portion of the user information from the server virtual wallet application for the sending, and store the updated user information in the server virtual wallet application.
US07708179B2
A spring energized stapler includes a “high start” design wherein a striker has a rest position above the staple track. A handle is pressed to energize a power spring while the striker remains stationary. At a predetermined position of the handle, the striker is released to eject a staple. A subassembly of a cage and the power spring provides a preload to the power spring in the rest position. The subassembly is separately movable from the handle to allow a handle pressing end to move farther than the striker's distance of travel. The handle includes a movable pivot location to enable enhanced motion of the handle pressing end. Alternatively, an optional lever links the striker to the power spring to provide leverage upon the power spring. A release latch may be mounted in front of the striker to be engaged by the lever or the handle.
US07708163B2
Systems, devices, and methods are provided for dispensing material from a container. Devices can include driving arrangement for providing one or more forces, and actuator for activating the driving arrangement whereby the driving arrangement causes material to be dispensed from the container.
US07708159B2
A plastic container having a lower supporting base portion, a sidewall portion extending upwardly from the base portion, a neck portion extending upwardly from the sidewall portion and an opening at the top of the neck portion. The container is characterized by a lowered center of gravity which provides increased stability.
US07708156B2
An adjustable shelving storage system for use in industrial, commercial and home settings were available space is limited, the storage system having supports arms with a unique bracket for releasable attachment to side rail uprights whereby the support arms may be reversed for flat storage when not used. The system is provided in wall-mounted, floor mounted and mobile versions.
US07708155B2
A cradle unit for supporting metal coils, and other cylindrical objects, consists of two, parallel and separate saddles made of polyurethane or other material having a hardness range of between 50 Shore A and 90 Shore D, which saddles are connected together via a pair of parallel steel angle-brackets that provide inherent structural integrity to the cradle unit itself, while still allowing the unit to conform to the shape or level of the underlying support structure. The single cradle unit may be as a mobile support-device, or may be bolted or otherwise attached to a surface for a specific location of the stored product. The cradle unit is generally concave-shaped and has a first main or central lower concave curvature of a first radius, and a middle or secondary transitional curvature that connects the first main lower curvature to an upper, tertiary concave curvature of a second radius greater than the first radius, so that coils or rolls of different diameter may be safely and firmly supported. In a modification, a pair of rails are provided for fixedly mounting and supporting a plurality of support cradles, where each support cradle is held in place by the rails via metal pins protruding or projecting from the bottom surface of the support cradle that are received in openings formed the rails, whereby no lateral or longitudinal movement or sliding of the support cradles is possible.
US07708153B2
A lockable display hook adapted to display items of merchandise in a retail environment includes a lock that directly engages the rod assembly of the display hook. The lock is configured to securely lock to the rod assembly without the need for teeth or notches to be formed in the rod assembly. One embodiment of the display hook provides an end assembly that prevents sweeping while allowing quick loading of merchandise.
US07708151B2
This invention relates to a polymeric membrane composition utilizing the non-hazardous compound 4-aminophenyl disulfide (“APD”), a method of making the polymeric membrane, and a process for separating components of a feedstream utilizing the polymeric membrane. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, this invention relates to utilizing the polymeric membrane composition in a process for the separation of aromatics from a hydrocarbon feedstream containing aromatics and aliphatic compounds.
US07708141B1
The present invention provides a file holder with a hanging mechanism, wherein the file holder includes a main body and a hanging mechanism. The hanging mechanism is arranged onto the inner wall of a front panel of the main body and includes a limiting portion, a hanging band and a locator. The first locating end of the locator can be meshed with or disengaged from the second locating end. The hanging band is penetrated into the limiting portion. The hanging band can be retractably concealed into the front panel, or pulled outwards in a hanging state. The hanging band can be limited by meshing of the first locating end with the second locating end or by abutting separately the first and second locating ends onto the first and second threading portions.
US07708137B1
A candle box for storing individual candles and candle accessories. The box includes a housing with a top opening, a tray for storing candle accessories that fits within the top opening of the housing, and a slidable lid for covering the tray. The housing has a bottom and four side walls that define the top opening. The tray has a bottom integral with four tray side walls that, when placed within the opening of the housing, engage the interior surface of housing side walls to create an airtight enclosure. The lid has a top cover and three side walls, two of which are adapted to slidably engage any two opposing side walls of the tray. The top cover includes a snap-lock for engaging one of tray walls when the lid is in the closed position.
US07708132B2
An automated adjustment system is provided for positioning a speed reduction belt assembly to receive an elongated wood article exiting a processing machine. The speed reduction belt assembly has opposite first and second ends. The automated adjustment system includes a horizontal adjustment mechanism operable to adjust an angle of the speed reduction belt assembly in a horizontal plane. The automated adjustment system also includes a vertical adjustment mechanism operable to adjust the height of one of the first and second ends of the belt assembly relative to the other of the first and second ends of the belt assembly, thereby adjusting an inclination of the belt assembly. The automated adjustment system further includes a control unit in communication with the horizontal and vertical adjustment mechanisms for sending control signals thereto. The control signals determine the angle and inclination of the belt assembly.
US07708131B2
A remote control drive kit for attachment to the hopper of a swing auger for driving movement of the hopper relative to the main auger includes a first drive assembly mounted on the base wall of the hopper adjacent a front edge and a second drive assembly mounted on the base wall adjacent a rear edge. Each drive assembly is mounted approximately midway across the base wall and includes a pair of drive wheels and a separate motor and is carried on a bracket arrangement which allows adjustment in a direction toward and away form the edge to accommodate different types of hopper.
US07708127B2
Accordingly, a control system for controlling a viscous clutch of a fan is provided. The control system includes a delta speed module that determines one of an over speed condition, an under speed condition, and a steady state condition based on a desired fan speed and an actual fan speed. A mode module determines a mode of the clutch based on the one of the over-speed condition, the under-speed condition, and the steady state condition, wherein the mode is one of a pump in mode, a pump out mode, and a closed loop mode. A valve control module that controls an operational state of the clutch valve based on the mode.
US07708120B2
An improved electronic braking system for walkers that incorporates one or more electrically-operated brakes controlled by an electronic controller is disclosed. The controller is responsive to touch-sensitive switches for easy operation, and is adjustable and responsive to operator patterns of use to provide individualized control of the brake operation. The controller may also be responsive to environmental conditions such as the slope of the ground over which the walker is moving, to its rate of motion, or to the distance between the walker frame and the user, and may be adjusted to accommodate for the weight of the user or to set limits to the speed at which it can move.
US07708119B2
A brake device for a pushcart includes a main movable member disposed movably within a main seat, an auxiliary movable member disposed movably within an auxiliary seat, and a connecting member interconnecting the main and auxiliary movable members. The main movable member is biased to an upper limit position, and is movable to a lower limit position so as to engage a main brake pin with a groove in a main pin-engaging member that is connected fixedly to one wheel. Hence, the connecting member moves the auxiliary movable member from a first position to a second position so as to engage an auxiliary brake pin with a groove in an auxiliary pin-engaging member that is connected fixedly to another wheel. As a result, the wheels are locked.
US07708112B2
An improved horn for a compression driver which has an interior foam plug for reducing the amplitude of unwanted non-fundamental wave propagation and better control over the sound radiation pattern of the device.
US07708100B2
After a remote control valve has been brought into a non-working state, a stop signal is to be sent from an engine controller in a controller to a governor controller in an engine to stop the engine automatically, under the condition that an illuminating lamp is turned off, after a preset allowance time has passed and when a gate lever provided at a gateway for an operator is opened (the operator gets off the machine). Further, before the engine is stopped, the operator is to be notified of the coming engine stop, and when the engine is stopped, a power supply is to be cut off automatically.
US07708078B2
A conductor delivery arrangement includes a length of feedable tubing; a landing tool in operable communication with the feedable tubing; and a conductor in operable communication with the landing tool and method.
US07708074B2
A flow control valve for use in a downhole completion tubing string, where the control valve prevents cross flow between producing zones. The control valve comprises a housing forming a plenum therein, a tubular member having a perforated end disposed in the housing, and a plug assembly disposed in the end of the tubular member having perforations. The plug assembly comprises a shaft reciprocatingly disposed in the tubular member. Produced fluids flow within the tubular member, through the perforations to the plenum, and outside of the control valve through corresponding perforations formed in the disk and housing. When pressure in the completion tubing string exceeds produced fluid pressure, the plug will close thereby preventing fluid flow from the completion tubing to the tubular member.
US07708056B2
A fan controlling system and method is applicable to an electronic device with a fan for adjusting a temperature of the electronic device. The fan controlling system includes a plurality of temperature sensors installed in different regions inside of the electronic device for sensing temperatures around the regions, a mapping table for mapping a plurality of temperature ranges onto a plurality of rotation speeds, and a processing module for comparing the temperatures sensed by the temperature sensors and controlling the fan to rotate according to one of the rotation speeds onto which the mapping table maps one of the temperature ranges within which a highest one of the sensed temperatures is. Therefore, the fan can operate stably and does not generate a loud noise even when its rotation speed is changing, and has a longer lifespan.
US07708055B2
An air-conditioner housing comprising an evaporation device, a heating device, and a mixing chamber, out of which air flows to the rear footwell while serving to ventilate the rear passenger compartment. The air-conditioner housing also comprises an air control device that uses mixing flaps to control the air flowing via the evaporation device and the heating device into the mixing chamber. The air-conditioner housing has a separate stratification duct through which cool air can be guided into the ventilation area of the rear passenger compartment.
US07708048B2
An automatic barrier operator system for operating a gate or upward acting garage door, for example, includes a controller for operating a reversible motor, a base radio frequency transmitter and a base radio frequency receiver. One or more remote control units include a radio frequency remote receiver and remote transmitter. The controller is operable to automatically close or open the barrier in response to a query signal sent from the base transmitter to the remote receiver and when the remote receiver is within range, returning a signal to effect operation of the barrier. The system is operable to effect operation or maintain the status quo of the barrier depending on the state of the barrier and a particular signal or lack of signal received by the controller from an authorized remote control unit or units. The system provides essentially hands-free automatic operation of opening and closing a garage door and the like.
US07708047B2
A cellular covering for a roll-up type shade assembly is described. According to one embodiment, the covering typically comprises a plurality of cells vertically disposed on a backing sheet. Each cell is configured to self-inflate when unrolled from a roller of the shade assembly.
US07708043B2
A device for splicing the free end of a strip of web material to a homologous strip of web material being supplied includes a first moving element and a second moving element, each of which is able to function alternatively as retention structure for the free end and as guiding structure for the web. The moving elements are, at least in part, translatable with respect to one another for connecting the free end to the web, performing the operation of splicing. The first and the second moving elements are selectively orientable between a position of opening, in which the moving element has a gripping formation exposed to receive the free end, and a position of closing, in which the gripping formation faces the other moving element of the device to allow the free end to connect to the web.
US07708041B1
A component mill for producing wooden construction components has a pair of input rollers spaced from a pair of output rollers, wherein each comprises a pair of vertically-stacked pinch rollers. The mill has an overhead X- and Y-axis track system for scrolling a high speed router bit dangling underneath a high speed motor in X- and Y-directions as the input and/or output rollers pass a board for trimming by the spinning, and perhaps scrolling and not stationed still, router bit. A control system controls the input and output rollers, and X- and Y-axis track system in concert to form a selected design of a wooden construction component output from an inputted board.
US07708035B2
A bottle assembly is provided having a body portion defining a cavity therein, a top lid assembly connectable to the body portion, which includes a selectively deployable and retractable spout, a spout bottom lid; and a resilient tube having a lumen therethrough, wherein the lumen is occluded when the spout is retracted and the resilient tube is kinked, and wherein the lumen is opened when the spout is deployed and the resilient tube is not kinked; a trigger assembly for selectively moving the spout between a deployed and a retracted condition; and a bottom lid assembly selectively connectable to a bottom end of the body portion, the bottom lid assembly including a valve assembly to open and close a fluid path into the cavity of the body portion.
US07708031B2
A check valve and method for manufacture of the check valve. The check valve comprises a substrate and a channel in the substrate. The channel has an anchor region, a channel corridor and a valve seat region. There is an elastomeric valve mechanism in the channel. The valve mechanism has an anchor portion anchored in the anchor region, an elastomeric web portion in the channel corridor and a valve plug in the valve seat region. The elastomeric web portion interconnects the anchor portion and the valve plug. The elastomeric web portion is in a stretched state such that the valve plug is forced by the elastomeric web portion against the valve seat region to seal the valve seat region. The force of the elastomeric web portion can be overcome by operative fluid pressure within the channel to separate the valve plug from the valve seat region and thereby open the channel at the valve seat region to allow the fluid to exit the channel via the valve seat region.
US07708030B2
A hydraulic joint articulated device (1) effectively supports a radiator allowing a remarkable freedom of motion and has a pair of articulated connectors (2), each comprising: hinge members (5, 6) apt to be assembled and comprising a respective hydraulic channel (7, 8), in which there is obtained a pin seat (9, 10) with a tubular pin (14) having a respective hydraulic channel (21) forming a hydraulic joint extending between the respective connector seats (11, 12); and a valve seat (22) at one end of said tubular pin (14), and a respective shutter member (23) located in an opening (24) obtained in one (5) of said hinge members (5, 6), further comprising, at each articulated connector (2), a tubular duct (29) extending from the respective connector seat (11) to a mouthpiece section (30) apt to receive a waterworks piping (4), extending inside a masonry.
US07708024B2
A valve comprises a housing, a conduit, and a shut-off member, and a plurality of ribs. The conduit is fixed in position relative to the housing. The ribs are spaced from the conduit. The shut-off member is fixed in position within a cavity of the housing via the ribs. The gate has a fluid passageway extending therethrough and is movable relative to the shut-off member between opened and closed positions. The gate is able to linearly reciprocate between opened and closed positions along the center axis of the conduit. The gate is engaged with the shut-off member when the gate is in the closed position in a manner preventing fluid from flowing through the fluid passageway of the gate. The opened position of the gate allows fluid to flow through the fluid passageway of the gate.
US07708023B2
A dispenser (10) uses first and second flow controls (70, 73). The flow controls maintain first and second flow ranges independent of diluent pressure within a pressure range, wherein the use solution's concentration is maintained over the pressure range. A third flow control (75) may also be utilized in a third diluent passageway for maintaining a third flow range independent of the diluent pressure within the pressure range. A bypass valve assembly (41) is operatively connected to the third incoming diluent passageway. The bypass valve has a temperature control valve. The temperature control valve having a bypass passageway, wherein additional diluent is added to the use solution, thereby controlling the use solution's concentration.
US07708022B2
An umbrella is provided that comprises a support pole, a suspending pole mounted transversely to the support pole, a hub, a canopy, and means for coupling and decoupling the hub from the suspending pole. The suspending pole has first and second ends and a longitudinal axis that defines an arc. The hub is attached to second end of suspending pole. The canopy is suspended in use from the hub. The coupling and decoupling means permits the canopy to be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the supporting pole.
US07708020B2
This invention relates to a smoking article having a controllable static burn rate by virtue of the particle size of a component of the smoking material thereof. The smoking material comprises a non-combustible inorganic filler, a binder, aerosol generating means, the non-combustible filler comprising a proportion of material having a mean particle size in the range of 500 μm to 20 μm.
US07708012B2
The improved snorkel dry top has a fulcrum to which a float member and a diaphragm yoke are attached. The fulcrum has a blocking tab that rests in an aperture in the float member attaching hook when the snorkel is above the surface of the surrounding water. The diaphragm yoke cannot rotate the diaphragm when the blocking tab is in the hook aperture. Therefore, even when tilted, the snorkel remains open allowing free flow of air into the snorkel tube. Another significant improvement is the connection of the float member, diaphragm and yoke to the snorkel top's splashguard mask. This improvement assures that the delicate structures of these components are not exposed to potentially destructive impact forces in the event that the splashguard mask is removed from the snorkel tube.
US07708007B2
A door assembly for a home appliance includes a door that opens and closes a heating chamber. The door may include a first plate and a second plate, the first and second plates forming a first air gap in the door for insulating heat in the heating chamber. Additionally, a valve may be provided in the door, the valve may selectively allow air outside the first air gap to communicate with the first air gap.
US07708006B2
A flame heat regulating apparatus for a cooktop of a gas stove, having an inner hollow shell and an outer wall which are both placed onto the stove cooktop. The shell further positioned to surround a gas burner is arcuate in shape, having a smaller sized bottom side and a larger sized top side. A plurality of air passages are through the shell, wherein the air passages are more densely distributed onto a lower part of the shell, as compared with the air passages which are less densely distributed onto an upper part of the shell. The outer wall further positioned to surround the shell has a plurality of air passages which are evenly distributed therethrough. In addition, a plurality of extensions projecting upwardly are spaced on a top side of the wall to support a cookware. The apparatus increases heating efficiency of the flame, and prevents undesirable heating of a handle of the cookware in cooking.
US07707982B2
A valve rotating mechanism for exhaust valves, especially of marine diesel engines, which mechanism is braced in a valve housing for the valve stem (1) between an upper and a lower drive element, is linked to the lower drive element via a freewheel device, which transmits rotation of the valve stem (1) during closing movement thereof, and is also braced relative to the upper drive element via a rotary cylinder (15), which brings about rotation of the valve stem (1) through engagement with a fixed support cylinder (13). Therein the rotary cylinder (15) and support cylinder (13) are engaged with one another via a helical gearing, wherein the rotary cylinder (15) is linked to the valve stem (1) via the freewheel device and the support cylinder (13) is fastened on the housing side.
US07707981B2
A device (1) for the variable adjustment of control times of an internal combustion engine, including a stator (2), a driven element (3) arranged coaxially thereto, with both components being assembled so as to rotate relative to one another, and both components define at least one pressure chamber (10) at least in the radial and circumferential directions, and a housing (11), separate from the stator (2) and the driven element (3) which encloses the stator (2) and the driven element (3) in an oil-tight manner, whereby the housing (11) seals and defines the pressure chamber in an axial direction.
US07707980B2
A variable valve actuation mechanism for an internal combustion engine includes a drive shaft that rotates in operative association with rotation of a crankshaft, thereby to drive an intake or exhaust valve to open or close by way of a rocker arm; and a control shaft that is rotated by driving of a control shaft actuator and that causes variation of the position of the rocker arm, thereby to cause a lift characteristic of the intake or exhaust valve to be continuously variable. The control shaft includes a flange portion protruding from an outer circumferential surface of the control shaft to thereby regulate movement in an axial direction of the control shaft. A cylinder head rotatably supporting the control shaft includes a flange bearing portion that contacts the flange portion. The flange portion includes a stopper protrusion that protrudes from the flange portion and that contacts the flange bearing portion, thereby to regulate a rotation range of the control shaft.
US07707978B2
Multi-cylinder internal combustion engine wherein the intake valves, the injector means and the ignition means are controlled so as to adjust the enthalpy value of the exhaust gases produced by each cylinder independently from the other cylinders.
US07707975B2
Radial impulse engine, pump, and compressor systems are disclosed herein. In one embodiment of the invention, a radial impulse engine includes first and second movable V-members operably disposed between first and second end wall portions. The first V-member can have a first wall portion with a first distal edge portion and a second wall portion with a first cylindrical surface. The second V-member can have a third wall portion with a second distal edge portion and a fourth wall portion with a second cylindrical surface. In this embodiment, the first distal edge portion of the first wall portion can be configured to slide across the second cylindrical surface of the fourth wall portion, and the second distal edge portion of the third wall portion can be configured to slide across the first cylindrical surface of the second wall portion, when the first V-member pivots about a first pivot axis and the second V-member pivots about a second pivot axis.
US07707973B2
A handheld, hatchling holder not only simplifies manual examinations but also better protects the hatchling's welfare. The welfare concerns include not only bruising but also yolk-sac rupture. The handheld, hatchling holder has a cupped seat portion for cupping the ventral-end of a hatchling. The cupped seat portion is apertured, as with an opening. The hatchling is seated on the handheld, hatchling holder such that the cupped seat portion provides support to portions of the hatchling's perineal area that surrounds the alimentary vent (cloaca) as the alimentary vent is situated for exposure by the opening. The holder and opening facilitates not only welfare-friendly discharge of the meconium in the hatchling's alimentary vent through the opening but also welfare-friendly examination of the distended innards of the vent for markers of gender. The quality of the meconium discharge (or absence thereof) also facilitates determining whether the hatchling exceeds a hydration standard or not.
US07707965B2
A processing apparatus includes an openable/closable lid disposed on a process container, and an opening/closing mechanism configured to open/close the lid. The opening/closing mechanism includes a hinge structure swingably coupling the lid to one end of the process container, and a drive structure configured to swing the lid. The hinge structure includes a main shaft used as a rotation axis when the lid is swung by the drive structure, and an adjusting shaft located on a distal end side relative to the main shaft, for adjusting an angle of the lid.
US07707959B2
A small boat with a sponson for preventing splashing of spray onto the deck of the boat. The small boat is provided with a hull sponson at an outer periphery of the hull in order to fit the deck constituting an upper part of a boat body to the hull constituting a lower part of the boat body. A deck sponson is provided at an outer periphery of the deck, and the deck sponson is overlaid so as to bond with the hull sponson. The extent of projection of one member of the hull sponson and the deck sponson at the front section of the boat body is larger than the extent of projection of a member of the hull sponson and the deck sponson at a second member of the boat body. As a result, when the small boat is gliding and collides with a wave, the sponson prevents spray from the wave from splashing onto the deck.
US07707952B2
An extension for use with a planter, drill, or other farming implement having a seed tube that deposits seed in a furrow. The extension defines protrusions for attaching one or more liquid distribution apparatuses arranged to distribute liquid in a furrow well above the seeds, on the seeds, or both.
US07707939B2
Methods of blasting rock are disclosed and claimed in which blast holes are arranged in group of 2 to 7 blast holes. Within each of the groups, adjacent columns of explosive material (12) are actuated within 5 ms of one another Initiation of blasting between the respective groups occurs at least 8 ms after completion of initiation of an adjacent group. Initiation devices (13, 24) may be located at the lower end, upper end or both ends of the respective blast holes, depending on the stress field that is intended to be generated within the rock. As a result, environmental stresses such as ground vibrations are reduced, and the efficiency of rock fragmentation are increased.
US07707938B2
At least two gases combine to form a detonable mixture that is detonated near an avalanche start zone. Each gas is separately supplied at a pressure above ambient pressure so that the pressure differential drives the gases through a mixer and to deploy as a detonable cloud in open air near the start zone. An igniter is located in communication with the detonable cloud near its discharge point from the mixer so that the igniter will be in communication with the cloud near the end of a predictable time interval. A controller releases the gases to initiate the mixing and deployment of the gas cloud and measures the interval. At the end of the predictable time interval, the controller fires the igniter to detonate the explosive gas mixture in open air.
US07707934B2
The invention relates to a printing form (19) to be used in a printing unit of a printing press. Said printing form (19) is embodied as a panoramic printing form (19) and supports side by side printed images of a specific number n (n>1) of printed pages having a specific format (F1, F2). The printing form (19) has a width that substantially corresponds to a number of n=3 vertical printed pages in newspaper format (F1, F2) and supports side by side printed images of n=3 pages in newspaper format (F1, F2).
US07707929B1
An improved outdoor cooking apparatus features a specially configured pot with multiple specially configured cooking inserts and burner frame that supports a burner element. One insert is a rack that can be used for cooking one or more whole poultry carcasses. Another insert is a perforated basket that can be used to hold items to be cooked. The pot has a lower tapered section that includes a tapering downwardly sidewall or walls meeting a smaller, generally rectangular bottom panel. The pot has an upper section with a larger transverse cross section than the pot bottom, preferably comprised of generally vertically oriented side all sections. The basket can be correspondingly shaped to the contour of the pot interior.
US07707922B1
A mobile projectile launcher is disclosed having a tiltable launching platform for supporting a plurality of canisters in each of which projectiles to be launched are stored and fired, a support plate pivotally connected to a horizontal cargo bed, and at least one linear actuator by which the support plate is swingable from a closed position substantially perpendicular to the cargo bed to an open position substantially parallel to the cargo bed. The support plate is made of a material that is resistant to the projectile plume following launching and is sufficiently sturdy to support a technician during the loading of projectiles when set in an open position, yet is adapted to protect and hide the loaded canisters when set in a closed position.
US07707912B1
A disposable oil filter wrench includes an adhesive layer for adhering the wrench to an oil filter.
US07707906B2
An ergonomic inertial positioning system comprises a motion sensor, an angle sensor, and a processor. The motion sensor detects movement of an object. The angle sensor detects angle variation of the heading of the object. The processor determines motion status of the object based on detected data provided by the motion sensor and the angle sensor, and calculates displacement of the object utilizing the detected angle variation thereof based on the motion status.
US07707905B2
A shift mechanism for a manual planetary transmission has a plurality of control members. Each control member has a slot configuration for each shift rail defined therein. The slot configurations are aligned among plates and a pin member is inserted in each of the slot configurations. Manipulation of any one of the plates produces movement of two or more of the pin members. The pin members are operable upon movement to select the engagement of the synchronizers, which are disposed within a power transmission. The synchronizers establish drive ratios between the input shaft for the transmission and the output shaft for the transmission.
US07707903B2
An actuator includes a motor, an input rotation member driven by the motor, an input contacting portion formed on the input rotation member, a bush disposed so as to be relatively rotatable to the input rotation member, a first contacting portion and an engaging portion formed on the bush, a spiral spring including an outer circumferential hook portion in contact with the input contacting portion of the input rotation member, and an inner circumferential hook portion engageable with the engaging portion of the bush, the spiral spring storing a rotational force of the input rotation member as an potential energy via the input contacting portion, an output member disposed so as to be relatively rotatable to the input rotation member, an output contacting portion formed on the output member and in contact with the outer circumferential hook portion of the spiral spring; the output contacting portion transmitting the potential energy stored in the spiral spring to the output member; wherein the bush includes a second contacting portion positioned at a predetermined angle with the first contacting portion in a rotational direction of the bush and, the second contacting portion formed so as to contact with the input rotation member and the output member during the rotation of the bush relative to the input rotation member and the output member.
US07707901B2
An apparatus and method for measuring containment force on a load is provided. The apparatus may include a first longitudinally extending arm configured to engage a first side of packaging material wrapped around the load. The apparatus may also include a second longitudinally extending arm configured to engage a second side of the packaging material, the second side being opposite the first side. The apparatus may further include an indicator positioned substantially perpendicularly to the first and second arms, a third longitudinally extending arm, and a force gauge configured to measure a force exerted on the third longitudinally extending arm.
US07707899B2
A force sensor chip including a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of strain resistance elements and temperature-compensating resistance elements corresponding to the resistance elements is disclosed. The structure in the periphery of parts where the strain resistance elements, which are provided to deforming parts in the action part formed on the semiconductor substrate, are disposed is the same as the structure in the periphery of parts where the temperature-compensating resistance elements in the action part are disposed.
US07707896B2
The method and apparatus employ a resilient element having end definition points that are constrained between stops spaced apart at a separation S. The separation S is less than a free length L between the end definition points when not constrained, causing the resilient element to bow and resulting in a displacement m of a central region of the resilient element. The displacement m changes responsive to the net change in the separation S and the free length L. When the geometry is set such that the displacement m is very small, a relatively large change in displacement m results from small net changes. The change in the displacement m can be monitored to provide a micro strain gauge. The stops can be mounted to a substrate which differs from the resilient element in its response to a selected environmental stimulus to provide a sensor for the environmental stimulus.
US07707893B2
An industrial robot including a tool flange at an end of an outer arm of the robot. A tool is secured to the tool flange. A sensor is configured to sense forces and/or torques applied to a tool secured to the tool flange. The sensor is built into the structure of the robot in the region of the tool flange.
US07707887B2
A passage detection apparatus is configured to detect the change in the properties (propagation state of sound wave, dielectric constant, etc.) of a specific space, which changes according to the passage of an object in the specific space and the size of the object. The passage detection apparatus includes a pair of detection units configured to transmit and receive signals to and from an external device. The specific space is formed by the space between the first detection unit and the second detection unit. The first detection unit is supported by a first substrate. The second detection unit is supported by a second substrate that is parallel to the first substrate, and arranged at the position corresponding to the first detection unit supported by the first substrate.
US07707882B2
An insulation beverage container (10) is provided and includes a gauge (40) for indicating the level of beverage held in the container (10). The gauge (40) includes a float (42) positioned within the container (10), a visual indicator (44) extending outside of the container (10), and a link (46) connecting the float (42) to the indicator (44) to move the indicator (44) with the float (42) as the position of the float (42) varies with the level of the beverage in the container (10).
US07707880B2
Monitoring method and system are provided for dynamically determining rack airflow rate and rack power consumption employing a heat exchanger disposed at an air outlet side of the electronics rack. The method includes: sensing air temperature at the air outlet side of the electronics rack, sensing coolant temperature at a coolant inlet and coolant temperature at a coolant outlet of the heat exchanger, and determining airflow rate through the electronics rack; and outputting the determined airflow rate through the electronics rack. The determining employs the sensed air temperature at the air outlet side of the rack and the sensed coolant temperatures at the coolant inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger. In one embodiment, the heat exchanger is an air-to-air heat exchanger, and in another embodiment, the heat exchanger is an air-to-liquid heat exchanger.
US07707877B2
A volume measuring apparatus is provided with: an acoustic tube whose one end is communicated with a container in which an object to be measured is contained; another container communicated with the other end of the acoustic tube; a partition chamber which defines a sealed space disposed adjacent to the another container and which includes a partition plate for dividing the sealed space and an inner space of the another container; and an electromotive-type speaker which is disposed in the sealed space and whose acoustic wave output surface is disposed opposite to the partition plate. A processing device obtains a volume of the object to be measured, on the basis of an acoustic signal associated with an acoustic wave outputted into the another container via the partition plate from the acoustic wave output surface.
US07707873B2
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is a force sensor for a probe based instrument. The force sensor can comprise a detection surface and a flexible mechanical structure disposed a first distance above the detection surface so as to form a gap between the flexible mechanical structure and the detection surface, wherein the flexible mechanical structure is configured to deflect upon exposure to an external force, thereby changing the first distance over a selected portion of the gap, the change in distance at the selected portion orienting a probe tip of the force sensor for multi-directional measurement.
US07707869B2
An operating method is disclosed for the selective detection of a target gas in a gas mixture to be measured by a field effect transistor with a gas-sensitive layer disposed on a carrier substrate, wherein the gas mixture to be measured is prepared by an electrochemical element such that the measured gas mixture includes minimal amounts of interfering gases that interfere with the measurement of the target gas, and/or at least one target gas is activated such that it is detected by the gas-sensitive layer.
US07707867B2
A method for calibration of motion sensors included in a vehicle electronic brake control system includes measuring sensor offset errors at different points in the assembly of the system and the vehicle and then combining the offset errors to obtain net offset errors for use with an electronic brake system.
US07707863B2
An ignition switch device is provided with a switching device 2 having a key hole 2a, and capable of being rotationally operated in a predetermined direction with an ignition key K inserted to start and stop the engine of an industrial machine, a case 3 covering the switching device 2 and formed with an insertion hole 3b allowing the key hole 2a to face the outside, a shutter 4 rotatable between a closed position where the insertion hole 3b of the case 3 is closed, and an open position where the insertion hole 3b is opened to allow the key hole 2a to face outside, and a protruding portion 7 formed within the range of rotation of the shutter 4 while protruding from the surface 3a of the case 3 and whose protruding end contacts the rear surface 4b of the shutter 4 while the shutter 4 rotates.
US07707857B1
A double face, weft-knit textile garment. The garment includes: a first face having a printed portion; and a second face having a printed portion, wherein the fabric density of the fabric forming the garment is greater than about 5 oz. per square yard, thereby substantially preventing grin through from at least one printed portion to the opposite face. In one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of openings are formed in both faces for breathability. In addition, the garment may further include at least one body anchor for facilitating attachment of the garment to the wearer.
US07707849B2
A first evaporator connected to an outlet side of an ejector, a second evaporator connected to a refrigerant suction port of the ejector, a throttle mechanism arranged on an inlet side of a refrigerant flow of the second evaporator and for reducing the pressure of the refrigerant flow are provided. Furthermore, the ejector, the first evaporator, the second evaporator and the throttle mechanism are assembled integrally with each other to construct an integrated unit having one refrigerant inlet and one refrigerant outlet. Hence, mounting performance of an ejector type refrigeration cycle can be improved.
US07707848B2
A system for rapidly cooling a liquid in a container within a refrigerator-freezer or freezer is provided. The housing has a space for receiving a container, and a rotator rotates the container about an axis. While the container is rotating, a sprayer sprays chilled cooling medium on the container in the housing. A reservoir stores the cooling medium when the system is not being used and maintains the cooling medium at a given temperature. At least one chilling surface is preferably provided over which the cooling medium flows and where ice may be stored. A recirculator such as a pump recirculates the cooling medium throughout the system.
US07707846B2
A refrigerator having a refrigeration unit comprising a cabinet and a door. The cabinet contains a plurality of items to be cooled or frozen. The refrigerator also includes an audio playback device having a memory and a speaker. The audio playback device is adapted to store a recorded audio soundtrack on the memory and play the recorded audio soundtrack through an audio speaker.
US07707828B2
A system for manipulating engine exhaust gases away from inhabited areas comprises an air pressurization system coupled in fluid communication to a housing. The housing is adapted to reside adjacent a terminal portion of an exhaust pipe so that pressurized air injected into the housing entrains the exhaust gases and disperses them from the housing.
US07707826B2
A system, method, and software for triggering regeneration of an adsorber connected with a flow of exhaust from an engine. An exhaust sulfur flow rate module estimates a sulfur accumulation rate associated with an adsorber as a function of a flow of fuel. A sulfur removal rate module estimates a sulfur removal rate associated with the adsorber. An accumulated sulfur loading module includes a counter the value of which is increased as a function of the sulfur accumulation rate and decreased as a function of the sulfur removal rate. A combustion manager module controls an engine to regenerate the adsorber once the counter reaches an upper threshold value.
US07707820B2
Control and/or drive device for a flying body for ejecting hot gas streams of a combusted fuel combination of at least a first and second component. Device includes a first hollow chamber body structured and arranged to contain first component, a second hollow chamber body structured and arranged to contain second component, a controllable fuel valve arranged between first hollow chamber body and second hollow chamber body to control feed of first component to second hollow chamber body, and a plurality of outlets structured and arranged to eject respective hot gas streams for influencing a flight path of flying body. Second hollow chamber body is formed as a combustion chamber for combusting the at least first and second components within second hollow chamber body to generate respective hot gas streams, and plurality of outlets are connected to the second hollow chamber body.
US07707816B2
A gas turbine system burning heavy-oil modified fuel and a method of operating the gas turbine system, which covers from a stage of modifying heavy oil and producing gas turbine fuel to a stage of operating a gas turbine, including startup, ordinary shutdown and emergency shutdown of the gas turbine. The gas turbine system burning heavy-oil modified fuel comprises a reactor for mixing heavy oil and water to cause reaction, thereby separating and removing a heavy component from the heavy oil, a gas-liquid separator for separating hydrocarbon gas and modified oil obtained in the reactor from each other, a gas turbine combustor for burning the hydrocarbon gas supplied from the gas-liquid separator, and a gas turbine driven by combustion gas produced in the gas turbine combustor. The system further comprises another line for extracting the hydrocarbon gas externally of a relevant system region. The other line is branched from a line for supplying the hydrocarbon gas from the gas-liquid separator to the gas turbine combustor.
US07707814B2
A fuel-flow-rate control device, a power generation system, and a fuel-flow-rate control method which can prevent overshooting of a gas turbine output (gas turbine inlet temperature) and which can improve power generation efficiency are provided. The fuel-flow-rate control device includes a computing portion for obtaining a state quantity relating to operating conditions and temperature conditions of a gas turbine as an input signal and computing a fuel-flow-rate command for controlling a fuel flow rate supplied to a combustor based on the above input signal, and a second selection circuit for setting the above fuel-flow-rate command to be not more than a fuel-flow-rate upper limit. The fuel-flow-rate upper limit is a fuel flow rate at which the gas turbine inlet temperature is set to be not more than a predetermined upper temperature limit.
US07707810B2
An apparatus and method for varying the speed of a reel versus ground speed of an agricultural windrower, wherein a programmable control module in connection with a signal operated device operable for controlling operation of the reel, is programmed to operate in an automatic mode to control the reel speed as a percentage of the ground speed, while preventing the reel speed from falling below a minimum value.
US07707808B2
A cassette for a waste disposal device, the cassette including an outer wall, an inner wall, a flexible tubing positioned between the outer wall and the inner wall, and a rim having a top surface and a bottom surface. The rim is positioned between the outer wall and the inner wall and extends from a top surface of the outer wall toward the inner wall. The bottom surface of the rim faces the flexible tubing, and the rim includes a plurality of protrusions on the top surface of the rim to engage with a rotation mechanism of a waste disposal device.
US07707802B2
A film roping assembly comprises a roping pulley which is disposed upon the wrapping film dispensing carriage assembly. The roping pulley is vertically reciprocable so as to be movable transversely, across the width of the wrapping film, with respect to the direction in which the wrapping film is being dispensed. The roping pulley is initially disposed at its uppermost position and engages the upper edge portion of the film. As the roping pulley is moved vertically downwardly, the film is condensed or gathered so as to form a roped section of the wrapping film. The process may be repeated throughout a single wrapping operation so as to provide the wrapped film with both roped and non-roped sections.
US07707798B1
A screening device is provided with multiple channel upper and lower panel retaining members that allow multiple panels to be laterally moved past each other. Channel end caps, a panel rolling member assembly and close spacing of the upper and lower panel retaining members prevent removal of the panels from the screening device. A support structure uses angled castings and extrusion members for rapid custom screen device assembly that avoids long welding assembly times as well as subsequent weld failure due to screen device vibration. The panel rolling member assembly uses balls, rollers or wheels to easily move the panels in their channels. A trim member with oppositely faced channels engages upper and lower projections on the panel retaining members and covers fastener heads located in a recess in the panel retaining members.
US07707785B2
An adjustable connector with a rounded, concave seat and matching washer, a connection and a method of making a connection that ties a first building structural member to a second building structural member in conjunction with fastener means and an anchor member, especially a girder truss to the supporting wall in conjunction with screws and an anchor rod.
US07707784B2
A culm block and a method of manufacture are disclosed. The culm block comprises a plurality of straw stalks forming a first rigid wall and a second rigid wall as a result of an application of heat and pressure to the same and the inherent bonding agent found in the straw stalks. Preferably, the culm block further comprises a plurality of through-holes for receiving structural reinforcements or otherwise and a restraining device wrapped about the block for added structural support.
US07707778B2
A frame assembly for a window or patio door includes an integrally moulded unitary master frame having upper and lower horizontal members, opposed first and second vertical jamb members extending between the horizontal members, and a vertical mullion midway between the first and second vertical members. An integrally moulded unitary sash frame is slidably mounted within the master frame. The sash frame can be lifted within the master frame to facilitate installation and removal of the sash frame. The mullion can include a weather buffering chamber to reduce fluid penetration from an exterior to an interior side of the frame assembly.
US07707772B1
A spray catcher apparatus and method includes a fluid capture surface where the fluid capture surface is conformed to direct captured fluid from the surface. A support stake includes a first end and a second end and the first end is connected with the fluid capture surface. The second end is placed near an object to which the captured fluid is directed.
US07707771B1
A plant cultivation apparatus includes a water resistant sheet of material, with at least one opening formed in the sheet to enable growth of a plant through the opening. A fertilizer band, which can be contained within a membrane, is affixed to an underside of the sheet and includes a predetermined amount of a plant nutrient. The inventive apparatus is placed on top of a growing medium. With the fertilizer band in contact with the growing medium, a nutrient gradient is established so that plants growing through the openings formed in the sheet receive nutrition.
US07707766B2
A device for coupling to a fishing rod includes a handle which includes a member with an aperture for receiving a reel seat of a rod and an arm extending from the member comprising a grip for receiving one or more digits is provided. A device may also include a handle, which includes a cylindrical member for coupling onto a rod, an arm extending from the member and disposed at a selected angle thereto, where the arm includes a grip for receiving one or more digits. Methods for using the devices and coupling to a user to repetitively make desired casting movements are also provided.
US07707764B1
A light emitting fishing lure comprising: a translucent lure head having a cylindrical lure cavity passing longitudinally through the translucent lure head, a charging terminal located within the cylindrical lure cavity, an enable terminal located within the cylindrical lure cavity and electrically isolated from the charging terminal, a ground terminal located within the cylindrical lure cavity and electrically isolated from the charging terminal and from the enable terminal, an energy source, a control circuit board, a light emitting circuit board, and a convex lens formed by the outside surface of the translucent lure head; a leader secured to a fishing line and extending through the charging terminal, the enable terminal, and the ground terminal, in the cylindrical lure cavity and connecting to a fish hook; a lure skirt attached to the translucent lure head.
US07707756B1
An ironing board attachment assembly includes a clamp that is removably couplable to a panel of an ironing board. A mount is attached to the clamp and a coupler is rotationally coupled to the mount. An arm has a planar upper surface, a planar lower surface, a first end, a second end, and a pair of side edges. The first end of the arm is attached to the coupler. The arm has a longitudinal axis from the first end to the second end that is positionable at a selected angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the panel. The arm is extendable into a shirt sleeve to allow the shirt sleeve to be ironed at a selected angle with respect to the panel.
US07707755B2
A removable device for attaching two mechanical parts includes a pin removably locking a first part with respect to a second part, a retainer member on the pin and a resiliently loaded tension member which collaborate to prevent the pin from coming out of its locked position; the removable device further includes at least two inclined surfaces, the general shape of which is that of a projection oriented in the axial direction of the pin, such that when the pin rotates, the retainer member runs along the inclined surfaces and the pin moves between the locked position and unlocked position against a force exerted on the pin along a longitudinal axial direction of the pin exerted by the tension member.
US07707750B2
The ventilated shoe comprises an outer sole and at least two interchangeable inner soles. The inner sole in disposed in contact with and over the outer sole. The outer sole has ventilation ports at the toe portion and at the heel portion. The ventilation ports extend through the entire thickness of the outer sole. A support is provided to spacedly rest the inner sole over the outer sole in a manner to allow air to penetrate through the ventilation ports and to circulate between the outer sole and the inner sole. The inner sole may be air permeable and is used when the temperature is medium to high. Under cold temperature it is preferable to use an impermeable inner sole.
US07707746B2
An outsole for a footwear construction to provide added softness in the heel strike area of a foot while providing added stability to the outer edge of the outsole, comprises: a top layer contoured to the shape of a foot, thereby providing cradle support to the foot; and, a lower layer having a bottom most layer with a heel portion so constructed as to achieve different degrees of softness, the heel portion including a wedge-shaped piece positioned on the heel portion, positioned over the heel strike area and being of a softer durometer value material and having an outer edge of a harder durometer value material thereby providing added stability to the footwear construction and avoiding lateral collapsing. The top layer and bottom layer are cemented together, encapsulating the wedge-shaped piece in the footwear construction between the top layer and bottom most layer to form a stable walking platform for the footwear construction. The wedge shaped piece is apertured vertically, the number and size of the apertures in the wedge-shaped piece being larger than those in the outer edge area. The apertures in the wedge-shaped piece outer edge may be moon-shaped. A sock may be provided to cover the top contoured layer for added cushioning for a foot.
US07707745B2
A fluid-filled chamber for an article of footwear and a method for manufacturing the chamber are disclosed. The chamber may be incorporated into a sole structure of the footwear and includes a central area and a plurality of lobes extending outward from the central area. The lobes are in fluid communication with the central area and are formed from a first surface, a second surface, and a sidewall. The sidewall joins with the first surface with the second surface to seal the fluid within the chamber, but no internal connections are generally utilized to join interior portions of the first surface with interior portions of the second surface. The fluid within the chamber may be air at a pressure that is approximately equal to an ambient pressure.
US07707742B2
This invention relates generally to footwear with a shoe sole, including at least one insertable midsole orthotic. The insertable midsole orthotic is removably inserted within the shoe upper, the sides of which hold it in position. The shoe sole includes a concavely rounded side or underneath portion, which may be formed in part by the insertable midsole orthotic. The insertable midsole orthotic may extend the length of the shoe sole or may form only a part of the shoe sole and can incorporate cushioning or structural compartments or components. The insertable midsole orthotic permits replacement of midsole material which has degraded or has worn out in order to maintain optimal characteristics of the shoe sole and allows customization for the individual wearer to provide tailored cushioning or support characteristics for the purpose of orthopedic, podiatric, corrective, prescriptive, therapeutic and/or prosthetic purposes.
US07707741B2
A system and method for drying cavities loaded with high level waste (“HLW”) is devised. The invention utilizes a non-intrusive procedure that is based on monitoring the dew point temperature of a non-reactive gas that is circulated through the cavity. In one aspect, the invention is a method comprising: a) flowing a non-reactive gas through the cavity; b) repetitively measuring the dew point temperature of the non-reactive gas exiting the cavity; and c) upon the dew point temperature of the non-reactive gas exiting the cavity reaching and remaining below a predetermined dew point temperature for a predetermined time, discontinuing the flow of the non-reactive gas and sealing the cavity. In another aspect, the invention is a system designed to carry out the method.
US07707739B2
A scale is attached to a carrier by optically contacting. The optically contacting bonds are formed by raised surface regions of the scale set apart from each other. Additional measures, such as the provision of adhesive surfaces, provide a rigid and vibration-resistant joint.
US07707733B1
A support unit for a level indicator capable of being mounted on a geomatic pole, such as a prism pole or a GPS pole. A housing of the support unit is mounted on the geomatic pole. A first holder in the housing holds the level indicator and a second holder holds a tool, such as a stylus or a hex wrench, for use along with of the support unit. The level indicator is pivotally adjustable with respect to the housing for alignment with the geomatic pole when mounted thereon.
US07707731B2
This invention discloses a component marking device to allow components to be marked by using the rotation provided by a CNC type of machine or other machine tool, and which utilizes a stylus which shares the same approximate axis of rotation as the CNC machine and which utilizes rotating impact balls to impart a strong throwing force on hammer pins and a hammer to cause the sudden downward movement of the stylus as desired.
US07707721B2
In a method of manufacturing multiple transmission units with individually selectable gear ratios that vary from unit to unit, a gear pair having a desired transmission ratio is selected from a multiplicity of interchangeable gear pairs that includes both spiroplan gears and conventional crown gear and pinion combinations. The selected gear pair is then installed into a housing having first and second bearing sections configured to support bearings in which the shafts of the selected gear pair are rotatably mounted. The bearing sections are configured such that, for every gear pair that may be selected from among the multiplicity of gear pairs, the bearing sections support the first and second shafts in such a position and orientation that teeth of the gears engage with each other and a longitudinal axis of one of the gears of the gear pair is offset by a fixed distance from a longitudinal axis of the other. The fixed distance is maintained at a constant value which does not vary with or depend on the tooth configuration of the gear pair that is selected. A modular transmission system is thus provided, which can achieve a wide range of gear ratios, by an appropriate selection of interchangeable gear pairs, without need of modification of the basic components of the apparatus.
US07707718B2
Apparatuses and methods for preventing disengagement of electrical connectors in the assembly of computers. In one embodiment, a computer system includes a chassis, an electrical component contained within the chassis, an electrical connector engaged with a receptacle on the electrical component, and a retainer to prevent disengagement of the electrical connector from the receptacle. The retainer has a mounting portion that can attach to at least one of the electrical component or the computer chassis, and a connector interface adjacent to the electrical connector to prevent the connector from disengaging from the receptacle on the electrical component. In one aspect of this embodiment, the retainer is a one-piece retainer with a mounting portion that attaches to only one surface of the electrical component. In other embodiments, the retainer can be a two-piece retainer having a bracket and a movable retainer portion. The bracket can attach to two surfaces of the electrical component, and the movable retainer portion can be operatively coupled to the bracket so that it can be positioned adjacent to the connector to prevent the connector from disengaging from the receptacle. In either one-piece or two-piece form, the retainer can prevent disengagement of a center ribbon cable connector from a 3½-inch drive device.
US07707714B2
Production of microscopic and nanoscopic coils, by rolling up conductor layers during the removal of auxiliary layers from a substrate. By removing the auxiliary layer from the substrate, for example by virtue of a sacrificial layer situated in between being selectively etched away, the auxiliary layer folds back and, if appropriate, automatically rolls up upon continuation of the removal operation and a conductor track concomitantly rolls up in the process. The auxiliary layer may be formed by two layers having different lattice constants. It is possible to produce microcoils, microtransformers, or microcapacitors constructed from said microcoils, with diameters in the nanometers or micrometers range.
US07707710B2
A tool is disclosed for driving a slide under a wedge within a slot of an armature or field of a dynamoelectric machine. The tool comprises a frame including a pair of elongated rail members; a force application block located between the rail members; a drive connected to the frame, substantially intermediate opposite ends of the frame; a lead screw threadably engaged at one end with the force application block and connected at an opposite end to the drive such that the drive rotates the lead screw when actuated. Rotation of the lead screw causes axial movement of the force application block. The armature or field includes a core, and this core may have one or more vent slots for facilitating ventilation of the armature or field. A slot plate for locating the tool relative to the slide is present, and a portion of the slot plate extends into one or more vent slots. The slot plate establishes a reaction point for forces applied by the force application block to the stator slide.
US07707708B2
A tool for making a composite tubular structure, such as the inner skin of an acoustic liner, includes a base on which are mounted a plurality of sectors, each having an outer panel provided with a predetermined shaped surface. The predetermined shaped surface corresponds to a portion of the contour of the tubular structure to be formed. At least one of the sectors is fixed relative to the base while the remaining sectors are movable in a radial direction and separable from all the other sectors. The sectors are provided with air bearings to facilitate movement along a radial direction. Splice plates are used to form a joint between the outer panels of adjacent sectors. After composite material is applied on the outer panels, a vacuum bag is formed to surround the composite material and also the joint areas on the inner surface of the tool. The entire tool may be placed in an autoclave for curing. The thus-formed composite tubular structure may be remounted on the tool for bonding to additional exterior layers.
US07707705B2
Metallic guide elements having a functional area are made from profiled blanks by hot forming the profiled blanks and subsequently milling in a high speed milling cutter system the profiled blanks by a position-controlled milling cutter head with milling disks of a great diameter, wherein in the step of hot forming the profiled blanks are matched with regard to a cross-sectional mass distribution of the profiled blanks, respectively, to the subsequent step of milling such that by a partial cutting removal in the areas of the profiled blanks that become the functional area of the guide element narrow dimensional tolerances are produced. The material flow of the profiled blanks within the high-speed milling cutter system is controlled autonomously by an integrated stacking device that has manipulators and turning stations.
US07707698B2
An adjustable fastener includes a male part and a female part, both of which are preferably made of soft pliable, sewable plastic. The female fastener part preferably has two or more spaced apart openings. Each having a broad portion and a narrow portion. The male fastener part has a base with an upstanding riser with a flange at the end of the riser. The female fastener part is made of a single thin wall which is sewn to the fabric of the garment. The base of the male part is also made of a single thin wall which is sewn to the fabric of the garment. The single wall construction of the female fastener part makes it more flexible, less easily seen, and not felt so much by the wearer. The female fastener part is provided with a bend between the openings so that it lies flat against the back when the male and female parts are coupled to the tightest position. The center of the riser of the male part is offset from the center of the flange. This allows the flange to be made larger and the narrow portion of each opening in the female part to be made smaller.
US07707695B2
A locking mechanism for a headgear suspension using two racks, a pinion, a driver and a lockable knob. The two racks are positioned on the suspension such that they overlap and permit engagement of the gears on the driver with teeth on the rack such that when the lockable knob is in the unlocked position the driver tightens or loosens the racks to adjust the diameter of the suspension to the user's head size. The lockable knob of the invention operates on a pull, rotate, push and lock system. There are no metal parts and the lockable knob can be locked and unlocked with one hand, by the user.
US07707693B2
A connecting unit for loose ends of a traction device includes a body having a traction device passage to receive the ends of the traction device and a clamping device positioned in the traction device passage. The traction device passage has a first opening into which the ends of the traction device can be inserted. The clamping device is adapted to receive the ends of the traction device and has an adjustment mechanism which biases the clamping device in a direction of a wall of the traction device passage.
US07707689B2
A folder-type communication terminal is disclosed in which a gap generated between a first and a second body or a breakage of a side hinge arm can be reduced. The mobile communication terminal includes a first body and a second body rotatably coupled using a hinge, and at least one hinge-reinforcing member disposed between the hinge members of the first and the second bodies.
US07707680B2
The device comprises an output gearwheel (6), a gear cover (4) having a plastic sleeve open toward the output gearwheel (6) and a park position switch having first contacts mounted for rotation and second contacts fixed to the gear cover (4) and a driving means. The invention provides that the sleeve is embodied as a contact sleeve (8) having contact tracks (31b, 53a, 31), particularly along the inner surface of the contact sleeve (8). To enable sliding contact on rotation, the cylindrical member (10) of a driving disk (9) extends into the contact sleeve (8).
US07707679B2
A manual squeegee device for the movement of residual liquid on a surface, the squeegee device including a support element, first and second elongate blade holders and a coupling, the blade holders being in spaced apart generally parallel relationship, and each supporting a respective first and second non-absorbent flexible elongate blade each of which provides a wiping edge, the wiping edges lying in or substantially in a common plane, the support element being between the spaced apart blade holders and carrying the coupling, the coupling permitting of engagement with a handle, and permitting the handle in use to pivot universally relative to the support element.
US07707673B2
Systems and methods for hardening portions of ballet pointe shoes include applying quantities of a mixed two-part epoxy resin to broken-down or softer-than-desired portions of the shoes. In some embodiments, epoxy resin is applied to interior surfaces of the toe box and/or shank portions of the shoe. In some embodiments, epoxy resin can also be applied to select exterior portions of the shoes.
US07707667B1
A backboard pad assembly comprising a body pad and cranial pad with side wrappings and a back coverslip attached to the body pad. The side wrappings and back coverslip may be of one piece are typically of an elastic material and extend around an associated backboard so as to retain the body pad to the backboard. The body pad has a width that is less than the distance between side handholds of an associated backboard such that the handholds are not covered by the body pad and have a length such that any end handholds of the associated backboard are not covered by the body pad. The body pad follows the profile of the associated backboard. The body pad, cranial pad, side wrappings, and back coverslip are made of or are covered with a coating of material that is waterproof and chemically resistant and capable of being medically disinfected.
US07707660B2
A protective garment for a fire fighter or emergency worker is provided. The protective garment includes an outer shell and a drag harness located at least substantially within the outer shell. The drag harness includes a wearer portion, a gripping portion and a flap operably coupled to the gripping portion. The flap is releasably secured to the outer shell in a stored state. The flap and the gripping portion remaining operably coupled to one another and extend away from the outer shell in a deployed state to drag a wearer.
US07707648B2
A helmet 1 with a visor formed by integrally joining the preliminarily injection-molded visor 5 to a cap body 3, wherein an opening end edge 9 formed on the cap body is joined to the outer side of a joining wall 17 formed on the visor 5, and the joining wall 17 is held by the opening end edge 9 and a tongue-shaped part 31 formed on the inside of the cap body 3. The joined faces of the visor 5 and the cap body 3 are joined to each other by fusing, an intruding engagement part intruded in a through hole 22 formed in the joining wall 17 is formed at the opening end edge of the cap body 3, and the joining portion of the visor and the cap body is formed in annular shapes.
US07712147B2
Data, stored in MRAM-cells (12) should be protected against misuse or read-out by unauthorised persons. The present invention provides an array (10) of MRAM-cells (12) provided with a security device (14) for destroying data stored in the MRAM-cells (12) when they are tampered with. This is achieved by placing a permanent magnet (16) adjacent the MRAM-array (10) in combination with a soft-magnetic flux-closing layer (18). As long as the soft-magnetic layer (18) is present, the magnetic field lines (20) from the permanent magnet (16) are deviated and flow through this soft-magnetic layer (18). When somebody is tampering with the MRAM-array (10), e.g. by means of reverse engineering, and the flux-closing layer (18) is removed, the flux is no longer deviated and affects the nearby MRAM-array (10), thus destroying the data stored in the MRAM-cells (12).
US07712144B2
The present invention relates to a secure device for copy protection comprising an ID database (3) for storing identification numbers IDs for decrypting copy protected encrypted content, a transceiving means (5,2) for transmitting and/or receiving IDs to and/or from an external device via a short range transmission system and an ID handler (4) for controlling the transmission and reception of the IDs in accordance with predefined transmission and/or reception rights.The present invention further relates to a rendering device for executing copy protected content comprising a data source (18,19,20) for providing copy protected encrypted content, a receiving means (5,2) for receiving IDs for decrypting the encrypted content from a secure device (1) via a short range transmission system and a controller (11) for assigning to every copy protected encrypted content the respective ID for decrypting said content in order to execute the decrypted content.The present invention in addition relates to a method for copy protection and to a method for executing copy protected content.
US07712143B2
A trusted enclave for a software system of a computer node provides relatively high assurance protection of a section of the software system. The trusted enclave attempts to stop malware from compromising parts of the software system within the trusted enclave. If a software system process outside the trusted enclave becomes compromised, the compromised process may be prevented from compromising software system resources within the trusted enclave. Compromise of a process or resource of the software system refers to, for example, malware access, alteration or control of the process or resource.
US07712140B2
The present invention is directed to a distributed architecture of an information handling system, including a buried nucleus inaccessible for inspection without heroic means while the buried nucleus is in operation, and a trusted authority for generating a secure protocol. The secure protocol controls the operation of the buried nucleus.
US07712129B2
Method and system for user authentication in a federated computing environment. The method includes a first method for recording server authentication information, including: establishing a trusting relationship between a first and second server, obtaining an authentication policy of the second server, and registering the authentication policy of the second server within the first server. The method includes a second method for registering new user authentication information of a new user, including: verifying that the new user authentication information conforms to an authentication policy of the first server, and registering the new user authentication information in the first server. The method includes a third method for authenticating a user, including: receiving an access request from the user to access the federated computing environment, receiving notification based on input authentication information that the user has been authorized for the requested access, and permitting the user to access the federated computing environment.
US07712125B2
Among other things, while a primary video program is being presented through a primary communication channel on a video device, a remote sewer receives, through a secondary communication channel from a handheld wireless device that is within viewing distance of the video device, identification information that is generated automatically and sent in response to an action at the handheld wireless device of selecting the primary video program presented on the video device, the identification information not based on information received electronically from the video device, and interactivity material is delivered from the remote sewer through the secondary communication channel to the handheld wireless device, the interactivity material delivered from the remote server being matched with the primary video program based on the identification information, and being delivered for presentation on a display of the handheld wireless device, the secondary communication channel comprising a wireless local area network.
US07712114B2
Methods and apparatus to monitor audio/visual content from various sources are disclosed. An example method to monitor media content provided by a selected one of a plurality of media content sources for presentation by an information presenting device disclosed herein comprises determining first information based on a video signal corresponding to the monitored media content, determining second information based on an audio signal corresponding to the monitored media content, identifying the selected one of the plurality of media content sources based on a first classification decision resulting from one of the first information and the second information and a second classification decision resulting from the other of the first information and the second information, and identifying the monitored media content based on identification information associated with at least one of the video signal or the audio signal.
US07712112B2
An optical disk drive includes a spindle motor for rotating an optical disk, and an optical pickup head. On a base plate, a pickup moving motor moves the optical pickup head in a disk radial direction. A motor plate supports the spindle motor. A spacer holder has a small thickness, and is secured to the base plate. A spacer boss is disposed to project from the spacer holder toward the motor plate. A first hole is formed through the spacer boss. A retaining screw has first and second shaft portions. A screw hole is formed in the base plate, for engagement with the first shaft portion inserted through the first hole, to retain the retaining screw. A great diameter peripheral surface is positioned at the second shaft portion, for applying pressure to fit the spacer boss tightly on the motor plate. Further, the spacer is formed from plastic material.
US07712107B1
A system and method for integrating messages across multiple applications. The applications may be on one server or on several servers, and each application may service one or more e-clients. The system and method securely segregates the data for each e-client. Further, the system can be dynamically reconfigured by adding or deleting new messages and/or applications, without affecting the performance of the unchanged parts of the system. The various applications using the system need not be aware of the existence of the other applications.
US07712090B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for generating an executable program, including receiving serial compile commands in a pseudo-compiler to compile source code modules, scheduling the serial compiler commands in parallel compilers to compile the source code modules, compiling the source code modules in the parallel compliers to generate object code modules, sending compiler completion acknowledgements to a synchronizer and linking the object code modules in linkers in response to linker initiation commands from the synchronizer.
US07712085B2
Architecture that facilitates management of an application or service of a system. A catalog is provided that stores management information which is accessible to determine the status of the application of service. Code of the application or service to be installed on the system is attributed with management information. When installed, the application or service is processed to copy the management information into a manifest, which manifest is further stored in the catalog along with other manifests associated with different applications or services. The management information in a manifest is uniquely identified by a URI, which access to the management information is via the URI, and which leads to the associated application or service.
US07712082B2
A call stack includes at least one frame of managed code and at least one frame of unmanaged code. In a multithreaded environment, a request from a diagnostic tool to a tracing function for the call stack is made on a thread that is not associated with the call stack. The tracing function preserves a context for a thread associated with the call stack until the call stack tracing function ends. In a particular embodiment, a method grants access to a stackwalking function, such that when a point on the call stack is designated in a request for the stackwalking function, the stackwalking function commences at the point on the call stack. When no point on the call stack is designated in the request for the stackwalking function, a default position on the call stack is determined based on a last managed frame pushed onto the call stack and the stackwalking function commences at the default position on the call stack.
US07712081B2
A tool is provided for modifying the code of a multi-threaded computer program undergoing testing. The program executes in an environment that has a governing memory model. It is assumed that there is a global heap and a thread-local heap, which are synchronized from time to time. The modifications are of two types: (1) code instructions are reordered while remaining in compliance with the memory model; and (2) thread-local variables are added to functions, together with inserted heap synchronizing instructions. The modified programs are then used by a test generator to prepare test cases for execution. The modifications have the effect of changing the interleavings that occur among different threads, and increase the likelihood of exposing flaws that may become evident under different memory models.
US07712074B2
A method and apparatus applies an action to a software application by determining a target object for the input action. The determination of the target object is performed by identifying the target object through socially identifying object information relative to a reference object. Then, the input action is applied to the target object.
US07712064B2
Some embodiments of the invention provide a manufacturing aware process for designing an integrated circuit (“IC”) layout. The process receives a manufacturing configuration that specifies a set of manufacturing settings for a set of machines to be used to manufacture an IC based on the IC layout. The process defines a set of design rules based on the specified manufacturing configuration. The process uses the set of design rules to design the IC layout. Some embodiments of the invention provide a design aware process for manufacturing an integrated circuit (“IC”). The process receives an IC design with an associated set of design properties. The process specifies a manufacturing configuration that specifies a set of manufacturing settings for a set of machines to be used to manufacture the IC, where the specified set of manufacturing settings are based on the set of design properties. The process manufactures the IC based on the manufacturing settings.
US07712063B2
A critical path detecting unit for detecting critical paths for a design in which cells are placed on an integrated circuit and information concerning timing constraints. A representative-critical-path extracting unit extracts a representative critical path by having one critical path represent critical paths which share more intervals than a certain number, and which are similar to one another, out of critical paths which have been detected by the critical path detecting unit. A path-image generating unit renders the representative critical path, which has been extracted by the representative-critical-path extracting unit and reflects information concerning other critical paths, which are similar to the representative critical path, on the representative critical path.
US07712058B2
A method for designing an electronic component includes receiving a device criteria (e.g., a parametric value, procurement value, etc.) from a designer, querying a database for devices corresponding to the device criteria, querying the database for procurement data and/or engineering data associated with the corresponding devices, presenting the devices to the designer based on the procurement data, and receiving input from the designer identifying one of the presented devices as a selected device. In a particular method, the returned devices are sorted based on one or more procurement values (e.g., manufacturer, price, availability, manufacturer status, etc.), and presented to the designer in a ranked list. Objects representative of the selected devices are then entered into a design file, and the objects are associated with the device's engineering and/or procurement data. In a particular embodiment, the objects are associated with the engineering data by embedding the engineering data in the file object. Optionally, data can be associated with the objects via links to the database. Types of engineering data that can be associated with design file objects include, but are not limited to, device footprint data, device pinout data, device physical dimension data, parametric data, and packaging data. Additionally, connection data and annotation data can be entered into the design file objects by the designer.
US07712057B2
A method is disclosed of determining allowable antenna limits for semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) technology. In one embodiment, the method may include: determining antenna area on a gate; determining antenna area on a source/drain; determining a total gate insulator area between gate and source/drain nets; and calculating allowable antenna area as a function of the total gate insulator area between the nets such that a larger total antenna area is allowed for larger total gate insulator area between the nets.
US07712056B2
Variations are characterized in feature dimensions of an integrated circuit that is to be fabricated in accordance with a design by a process that produces topographical variation in the integrated circuit, the variations in feature dimension being caused by the topographical variations. The process includes lithography or etch. Predicted characteristics are verified to conform to the design, the characteristics including feature dimensions or electrical characteristics. A process is selected for use in fabricating the integrated circuit based on the relative predicted variations. Chip-level features of a design of an integrated circuit are verified for manufacture within focus limitations of a lithographic tool. Whether a design of a level of an integrated circuit can be lithographically imaged in accordance with the design is predicted, and if it cannot be, the design or processing parameters are adjusted so that it can be.
US07712055B2
Method and system for designing integrated circuits for yield are described. Integrated circuits are designed for yield by finding worst yield corners based on design, statistical, and environmental variables and optimizing the design in light of the worst yield corners found.
US07712054B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for populating a table in a business application. A computer-implemented method of displaying information on a computer display device includes displaying a first view on the display device, the first view including dropdown values and data in a table of rows and columns, the data received from a table node data structure stored in a memory, the table node data structure including node elements and attributes, and generating a second view in response to a change in a dropdown value by repopulating the table of rows and columns using attribute identifications (IDs).
US07712053B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for explicit filtering in ambiguous text entry. The invention provides embodiments including various explicit text entry methodologies, such as 2-key and long pressing. The invention also provides means for matching words in a database using build around methodology, stem locking methodology, word completion methodology, and n-gram searches.
US07712045B2
A resource manager can vary content for various display aspect ratios used to display information in a computing environment. This allows providing content that is more suitable and/or especially designed for display on a particular aspect ratio. It will be appreciated that resource manager can facilitate execution of the same computer program code for various aspect ratio as content displayed can be effectively adjusted by the resource manager. In order to support multiple aspect ratios, the resource manager can use an Aspect Ratio Adaptable Data Set (ARADS) that effectively supports displaying graphical content for various aspect ratios. The (ARADS) can include “base data” and “aspect-ratio-specific data” that can complement and/or replace the base data. The base data can be used as an initial basis for displaying graphics on any one of a plurality of different aspect ratios while the aspect-ratio-specific data can be specifically designed for and/or accommodate a particular aspect ratio.
US07712040B2
When reserved mail fails to be transmitted, an error message is promptly displayed in a partial field of a display unit for a predetermined period of time. A user operates a specific key in the predetermined period of time, thereby allowing the user to return to a screen for editing the failed mail. The user can promptly take an appropriate action on the failed reserved mail.
US07712033B2
The present invention is directed to a method of dynamically controlling and displaying an Internet browser interface, and to a dynamically controllable Internet browser interface. In accordance with the present invention, a browser interface may be customized using a controlling software program that may be provided by an Internet content provider, an ISP, or that may reside on an Internet user's computer. The controlling software program enables the Internet user, the content provider, or the ISP to customize and control the information and/or functionality of a user's browser and browser interface.
US07712025B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing techniques for document object model caching and validation. A client identifies a change of a user interface (UI) element that references a node of the DOM hierarchy. The client determines whether the change of the UI element can be applied to the DOM hierarchy by using an update function, for example, a delta renderer. If so, the client finds in the DOM hierarchy the node that is referenced by the UI element and modifies at least one attribute related to the node according to the change by using the update function. Otherwise, the client sets a dirty flag.
US07712024B2
Application program interfaces (API) are provided for labeling strings while a user is creating a document and providing user actions based on the type of semantic label applied to the string. A recognizer API is provided and includes properties and methods or instructions which allow recognizer plug-ins to semantically label strings of text or cells or information. An action API is provided and includes properties and methods that are called upon when a user initiates particular actions such as opening a web browser, going to a particular URL, or opening an instance of a word processing or spreadsheet program. After the strings are annotated with a type label, application program modules may use the type label to provide users with a choice of actions. If the user's computer does not have any actions associated with a type label, the user may be provided with the option to surf to a download Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and download action plug-ins for that type label. One or more recognizer plug-ins perform the recognition of particular strings in an electronic document. The recognizer plug-ins may be packaged with an application program module or they may be written by third parties to recognize particular strings that are of interest. One or more action plug-ins provide possible actions to be presented to the user based upon the type label associated with the string.
US07712019B1
An apparatus comprising a storage medium and a communicatively coupled processor are presented. The storage medium has stored therein a plurality of executable instructions which, when executed, implement an information server which, upon receiving a request including a resource identifier for an information page that may or may not exist, constructs and issues commands to retrieve the requested information and dynamically generates instructions to create the requested information page for provision to a requesting client if the information page does not exist.
US07712011B2
Provided are a Vestigial Side Band (VSB) digital television (DTV) receiver based on is A/53 of the Advanced Television System Committee (ATSC) that can secure backward compatibility of a low-ranked DTV receiver by using parity bytes added to robust data for error correction and obtain RS coding gain from the robust data, and a method thereof. The DTV receiver includes: a receiving unit for receiving a transmission signal including general data and robust data and converting the transmission signal into a base-band signal; an equalizer for determining a symbol level of the transmission signal; a trellis decoder for performing trellis decoding on a symbol of the determined level; a nonsystematic Reed Solomon (NRS) decoder for performing NRS decoding on the trellis-decoded robust data and correcting an error; and a restoring unit for restoring a digital video data stream with respect to the trellis-decoded general data and the NRS-decoded robust data.
US07712010B2
Systems, method, and computer program products for utilizing a spare lane for additional checkbits. Systems include computer, storage or communications systems with bitlanes for transferring error correcting code (ECC) words in packets over a bus in multiple cycles, a spare bitlane available to the bus, a spared mode and an initial mode. The spared mode is executed when the spare bitlane has been deployed as a replacement bitlane for carrying data for one of the other bitlanes. The initial mode is executed when the spare bitlane has not been deployed as a replacement bitlane. The initial mode includes utilizing the spare bitlane for carrying one or more additional ECC checkbits. The initial mode provides at least one of a more robust error detecting function for the bus than the spared mode and a more robust error correcting function for the bus than the spared mode.
US07712000B2
An ATE system is described for testing one or more DFT testing blocks contained in one or more DUTs when coupled to the ATE system. The ATE system includes hardware resources and software processes under the control of a DPK (Distributed Processing Kernel). The DPK couples the hardware resources and software processes as needed for a first DFT testing block to be enabled for testing only when such resources and processes are available and locked for the first DFT testing block. The DPK is coupled to the first DFT testing blocks via data channels and control channels that are selected as needed for having the first DFT testing block enabled for testing. The channels are under the control of an DUTs-ATE interface which is directed by the DPK for connecting the first DFT testing block to the locked hardware resource and the locked software processes. Each set up process corresponding to any subsequent DFT testing block requesting any hardware resource and any software processes that are already locked for use is paused until such locked resource and locked software processes are unlocked and assigned for having that subsequent DFT testing block enabled for testing.
US07711998B2
A test circuit arrangement for testing latch units is provided which includes a) a voltage generator configured to adjust a voltage potential difference between a first ground line and a second ground line of the latch units and/or to adjust a voltage potential difference between a first supply voltage line and a second supply voltage line of the latch units; b) combiner configured to combine logical outputs of the latch units; and c) determiner configured to determine the voltage potential difference between the first ground line and the second ground line and/or the voltage potential difference between the first supply voltage line and the second supply voltage line in a state when all of the latch units have identical logical outputs.
US07711996B2
A method and apparatus for testing a data transfer system. The method comprises the steps of storing a first table, the first table noting at least a time of issuance of at least one command and a time of completion of the command and comparing the time of issuance of the command and the time of completion of the command. A timeout condition is registered if the processor determines that a time longer than a predetermined time elapsed between the time of issuance of the command and the time of completion of the command.
US07711992B2
Systems and media for generating an improved regression suite by applying harvesting models and/or regression algorithms to tests utilized in verification of a system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a regression manager responsive to user input may be coupled to a harvester module, an analysis module, and a management module. In one embodiment, the harvester module is responsive to harvesting models defined in a modeling language, where the harvester module is coupled to a regression suite database. In another embodiment, a regression methodology may be defined from a collection of regression strategies and each regression strategy may be defined from a combination of harvesting models and/or regression algorithms. A regression generator to receive tests, to apply one or more regression strategies to the tests, to provide reports, and to allow user control may also be provided.
US07711991B2
A computer program product and computer system for error monitoring partitions in a computer system. Provided to each partition is a partition status indicator (PSI) denoting a RUNNING or FAIL status of the partition, and an error log area (ELA) for storing partition error entries. The ELA includes a partition identifier, an entry status indicator (ESI) indicating READ/UNREAD status for the error entry, and an error identifier. An error procedure performed for each first partition whose partition status indicator indicates the FAIL status includes: copying each error entry in the ELA of the first partition whose ESI indicates the UNREAD status into the ELA of a second (running) partition; setting the ESI to the READ status for each copied error entry in the ELA of the first partition; and having the ESI set to the UNREAD status for each copied error entry in the ELA of the second partition.
US07711990B1
A system includes a graphics processing unit with a processor responsive to a debug instruction that initiates the storage of execution state information. A memory stores the execution state information. A central processing unit executes a debugging program to analyze the execution state information.
US07711979B2
A method and apparatus for providing flexible access to storage resources in a storage area network is provided. One aspect of the invention relates to managing hosts and storage resources on a storage area network. At least one logical relationship among the storage resources is associated with each of a plurality of virtual identifiers. At least one of the plurality of virtual identifiers is then associated to an interface of each of the hosts.
US07711977B2
A method for managing HPC node failure includes determining that one of a plurality of HPC nodes has failed, with each HPC node comprising an integrated fabric. The failed node is then removed from a virtual list of HPC nodes, with the virtual list comprising one logical entry for each of the plurality of HPC nodes.
US07711968B2
A method (and system) of managing heat in an electrical circuit, includes using a thermal instruction appended to an instruction to be processed to determine a heat load associated with the instruction.
US07711960B2
Methods and arrangements to control access to cryptographic keys and to attest to the approved configurations of computer platforms able to access these keys, which include trusted platform modules (TPMs) are contemplated. Embodiments include transformations, code, state machines or other logic to control access to a cryptographic key by creating an authorization blob locking authorization data to access the cryptographic key to platform configuration register (PCR) values of a TPM, the PCR values representing a configuration of a computing platform. Embodiments may also involve generating a first TPM cryptographic key bound to PCR values, receiving a second TPM cryptographic key owned by software, and receiving evidence of the identity of an upgrade service controlling the upgrading of the software. Embodiment may also include certifying the first TPM cryptographic key; certifying the second TPM cryptographic key; concatenating the first certification, the second certification, and the evidence of the identity of the upgrade service; and signing the concatenation.
US07711956B2
Efficient access processing is performed when the service level of a server apparatus is low. There is provided a proxy apparatus including: a request sending unit for sending a first server request message based on a first client request message received from an information terminal to a destination server apparatus; a server status information storage unit for storing timeout information of the destination if a timeout of a first server request message is detected; a request monitoring unit for deciding to time out a second client request message received from an information terminal if timeout information of the destination of the second client request message is stored; and a proxy timeout response unit for sending a timeout response message corresponding to the second client request message that is decided to be timed out to the requesting information terminal.
US07711946B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that uses filesystem operations to initiate device naming and/or device discovery. The system operates by receiving a command to boot a computer system. In response to the command, the system loads a portion of a filesystem hierarchy that includes a device namespace into a memory of the computer system, wherein the portion of the filesystem hierarchy contains at least one entity which represents a device coupled to the computer system. The system can then perform a read-directory operation on the portion of the filesystem hierarchy or a lookup operation of a specific well-known device or directory to obtain a list of filesystem entities that correspond to devices attached to the computer system.
US07711944B2
A method and apparatus for securely updating and booting a code image is provided, where a code image is updated in a storage medium storing an operating system having a first region, on which a boot code is loaded, a second region, in which a first code image is stored, and a third region, in which the boot code and first check data for verifying the first code image are stored. Updating a code image includes storing a second code image in the second region, extracting information about a secure one-way function from the first check data, and generating second check data for verifying the second code image using the extracted information of the secure one-way function and storing the generated second check data in the third region. When the second check data is set as a parameter of the secure one-way function, the first check data is generated.
US07711939B2
A source terminated serial link can recover from a low power mode by turning on multiple current-mode drivers in a phased sequence where the phased sequence is related to a resonant characteristic of a power supply net.
US07711938B2
A pipeline video decoder and decompression system handles a plurality of separately encoded bit streams arranged as a single serial bit stream of digital bits and having separately encoded pairs of control codes and corresponding data carried in the serial bit stream. The pipeline system employs a plurality of interconnected stages to decode and decompress the single bit stream, including a start code detector. When in a search mode, the start code detector searches for a specific start code corresponding to one of multiple compression standards. The start code detector responding to the single serial bit stream generates control tokens and data tokens. A respective one of the tokens includes a plurality of data words. Each data word has an extension bit which indicates a presence of additional words therein. The data words are thereby unlimited in number. A token decode circuit positioned in certain of the stages recognizes certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and passes unrecognized control tokens to a succeeding stage. A reconfigurable decode and parser processing means positioned in certain of the stages is responsive to a recognized control token and reconfigures a particular stage to handle an identified data token. Methods relating to the decoder and decompression system include processing steps relating thereto.
US07711935B2
A system for speculative branch predictions. An embodiment of the system includes branch prediction logic, fetch logic, and branch identification logic. The branch prediction logic is configured to predict a branch path for a branch in an instruction stream. The fetch logic is coupled to the branch prediction logic. The fetch logic is configured to speculatively fetch an instruction corresponding to the predicted branch path. The branch identification logic is coupled to the branch prediction logic and the fetch logic. The branch identification logic is configured to mark the speculatively fetched instruction with a branch identifier using a universal branch identification format. The universal branch identification format includes a bit value at a bit position corresponding to the predicted branch path.
US07711933B1
A programmable device having a processing core is configured to use a subset of configuration memory cells as read/write memory. The subset of memory cells is a don't care set that includes configuration memory cells that can be set or reset without modifying the function or behavior of the configured circuits of the programmable device.
US07711928B2
A user is provided with means to sample memory hierarchy via software. This allows a user to enhance memory-level parallelism via software. A status of information needed for execution of a second computer program instruction is read in response to execution of a first computer program instruction. Execution continues with execution of the second computer program instruction upon the status being a first status. Alternatively, a third computer program instruction is executed upon the status being a second status different from the first status. Thus, execution of the first computer program instruction allows control of the memory hierarchy, which in turn give the user control of the memory hierarchy.
US07711927B2
An instruction preload instruction executed in a first processor instruction set operating mode is operative to correctly preload instructions in a different, second instruction set. The instructions are pre-decoded according to the second instruction set encoding in response to an instruction set preload indicator (ISPI). In various embodiments, the ISPI may be set prior to executing the preload instruction, or may comprise part of the preload instruction or the preload target address.
US07711926B2
A method, cache controller, and computer processor provide a parallel mapping system whereby a plurality of mappers processes several inputs simultaneously. The plurality of mappers are disposed in a pipelined processor upstream from a multiplexor. Mapping, tag comparison, and selection by the multiplexor all occur in a single pipeline stage. Data does not wait idly to be selected by the multiplexor. Instead, each instruction of a first instruction set is read in parallel into a corresponding one of the plurality of mappers. This parallel mapping system implementation reduces processor cycle time and results in improved processor efficiency.
US07711924B2
Provided are a method, system, and program for managing volumes in volume groups configured in a storage system. A first set of volumes is assigned to a first volume group and a first host is assigned to the first volume group. A second set of volumes is assigned to a second volume group and a second host is assigned to the second volume group. The first host may only access volumes in the first volume group and the second host may only access volumes in the second volume group, wherein one volume is assigned to both the first and second volume groups to be accessible to both the first and second hosts.
US07711923B2
Flash memory is accessed via mapping tables comprising a master mapping table and at least one secondary mapping table. The master mapping table contains indexes to the secondary mapping tables. The secondary mapping tables contain indexes to locations in the flash memory. The mapping tables are maintained in the flash memory. Upon initialization subsequent a safe power shutdown, the master mapping table is cached and secondary mapping tables are cached as needed. Upon initialization subsequent an unsafe power shutdown, the mapping tables are constructed in accordance with a multiple-phase process. In an example embodiment, the multiple-phase process comprises locating all the secondary mapping tables stored in the flash memory, determining which secondary mapping tables are valid, determining which secondary mapping tables are invalid, determining which sectors of the flash memory are free, and constructing the master mapping table and the secondary mapping tables from this information.
US07711919B2
A method of automated workflow processing includes transforming an object, A1, which is of class X, into an object which is of class Y. The method includes the steps of separating existing data elements of A1 from the object itself, generating new data elements corresponding to class Y, inserting the new data elements into object A1, and computing values for the new data elements, possibly based on values of the old data elements. Other objects that referred to A1 before the transformation continue to do so afterwards. Values of data elements prior to transformation can be preserved, e.g., to facilitate review, to facilitate further transformation, and/or to facilitate back transformation.
US07711918B2
Provided is an apparatus and method for operating a flash memory according to a priority order, in which a fast response is insured. The apparatus includes a time calculation unit which calculates an operation execution time required to perform a first operation, a remaining time calculation unit which calculates a remaining time until completion of the first operation based on the calculated operation execution time if a second operation having a higher priority than that of the first operation is requested during performing of the first operation, and an operation processing unit which compares the calculated remaining time with an operation suspension time requested to suspend the first operation and determines whether to suspend the first operation in accordance with a result of the comparison.
US07711915B2
This invention relates to a method for overcoming system administration blockage and refers particulars, though not exclusively, to a method for overcoming system administrator blockage of a device newly connected to a computer.
US07711914B2
A method is provided for use in a computer system for: (A) receiving notification of a virtual memory trap; (B) determining whether the virtual memory trap was triggered by an access to a region of memory identified as protected against access; (C) if it is determined that the virtual memory trap was triggered by an access to a region of memory identified as protected against access, determining whether the virtual memory trap was triggered by computer program code identified as suspect; and (D) if it is determined that the virtual memory trap was triggered by computer code identified as suspect, signaling a fault to a debugger executing on the computer system.
US07711901B2
A cache line replacement protocol for selecting a cache line for replacement based at least in part on the inter-cache traffic generated as a result of the cache line being replaced.
US07711892B2
A flash storage device having improved write performance is provided. The device includes a storage block having a plurality of physical pages and a controller for mapping the plurality of physical pages to a plurality of logical addresses at initialization or at run-time of the flash storage device and for writing data to the plurality of physical pages. When updating data previously written to one of the plurality of logical addresses, the controller is configured to write the updated data to a second physical page which is mapped to the logical address. Each of the logical addresses may be associated with a pointer field, which is for storing a pointer value indicating the invalidity of a physical page and/or the location of another physical page.
US07711885B2
A bus control apparatus includes a plurality of blocks configured to output a write command for writing data into memory via a bus, and a bus connection control unit provided in correspondence with each of the blocks. The bus connection control unit monitors signals between the bus and the block, and upon detecting a read command signal for reading data in a cause register of the block, blocks connection of a signal line between the block and the bus and outputs a dummy read command signal for the memory. The bus connection control unit releases blockage when a response signal for the dummy read command signal is received.
US07711884B2
A portable computer adapted for electrical connection to a docking station having multiple power modes of operation is described. The portable computer has one or more CPU chips which have at least two power modes of operation, a low power mode and a high power mode. When the portable computer is operated as a stand-alone computer, it operates in the low power mode. When the portable computer is operated while electrically connected to the docking station, it operates in a high power mode. The docking station has greater cooling capacity than the portable computer alone to provide enhanced cooling of the high power mode of operation.
US07711879B2
A data transfer method which is capable of transferring a predetermined amount of data in one transaction at only one time, and preventing the number of ports of a master chip and the number of signal lines connected between the master chip and slave chips from being increased. A single master chip and a plurality of slave chips which receive data transferred from the master chip are connected by a ring-like path. Data is transferred from the master chip to the slave chips via the ring-like path.
US07711870B2
An interface detecting circuit and interface detecting method are provided, whereby operations can be carried out depending on peripheral devices connected to USB terminals, and whereby the system can be simplified and software load can be reduced. A pull-down resistor is connected to an ID terminal of a Mini-A receptacle of a peripheral device, the voltage generated by the pull-down resistor, which is pulled down by the ID terminal of the Mini-A receptacle of the peripheral device, and a pull-up resistor, which is pulled up by the ID terminal of a Mini-B receptacle of a device, is detected in an analog fashion, using a detecting section comprised of comparators, and, via a logic section, a logic output is subjected to noise cancellation in a filter section and is memorized in a register section. The operations of other devices are determined according to the states memorized in the register section.
US07711866B2
The described embodiments relate to testing streaming media capture devices and/or computer systems. One exemplary method enumerates and tests multiple streaming media capture device which are operably associated with a computer. The method simultaneously exercises said computer's display and power states.
US07711863B2
A method and apparatus for variably enabling interaction across a USB interconnect between a host and a peripheral device capable of performing a plurality of functions including enabling selection and execution of a vendor-specific support software supporting peripheral devices of a specific vendor by sending a first identification data to the host indicating that the peripheral device is of the same specific vendor and indicating that the peripheral device performs at least one of the functions indicated to be supported by the vendor-specific support software, awaiting receipt of an indication from the host of a selected subset of the plurality of the functions of the peripheral device that are to be enabled, simulating a detachment from and attachment to the host; and enabling the vendor-specific support software to again be selected and executed by sending a second identification data to the host indicating that the peripheral device is of the same specific vendor and indicating that the peripheral device performs the selected subset of functions.
US07711858B2
A scheduling method and apparatus for use by a processor that controls storage devices of a data storage system is presented. The method allocates processing time between I/O operations and background operations for predetermined time slots based on an indicator of processor workload.
US07711855B2
In one implementation, a method includes obtaining a data entry from a user of a device, and obtaining a first time entry related to a first time zone. The first time entry and the first time zone are selected by a user of the device and the device converts the first time entry to a second time in a second time zone associated with a user of the device. The device then stores the data entry with the second time in the device. The method and device can thus be used to schedule a meeting in a selected local time in selected time zone, which is then converted to a local time in a time zone associated with the device.
US07711839B2
The present invention relates to a device and a method for the preparation of data to be sent as a continuous stream via a communication network. The device comprises means for obtainment of the data originating from a database, which contains at least two data stream entities for data associated respectively with different transmission throughputs, means of transfer of these data to a sending system, means of connection to one of these entities, and means of switching of the means of connection from one of the entities to another. The preparation device also comprises means of regular addition to the data transferred, of error correction codes. The means of switching switch from a first entity to a second entity of greater throughput, when this augmented data stream reaches the sum of the sending throughput associated with the second entity and of an additional throughput associated with an initial input of error correction codes of the second entity, and the means of addition reinitialize the addition of the codes to this initial input upon this switching.
US07711835B2
A method and apparatus for reducing disclosure of proprietary data in a networked environment includes a client node, an access control server, and an application server farm. The client node transmits a request for a file. The access control server receives the request for the file and makes an access control decision. An application server farm presents the contents of the file to the client node using an application program associated with a file type of the requested file.
US07711826B2
A remote survivable DHCP technique is described for facilitating communications between nodes of a computer network. According to a specific embodiment, the network include a remote survivable DHCP (RSD) system adapted to enable a DHCP relay agent to temporarily respond, during at least a portion of times when the DHCP server is down or unreachable, to DHCP-related requests from clients that have already received a valid DHCP lease offer from a DHCP server during at least a portion of times when the DHCP server is down or unreachable.
US07711817B2
In each of the information processing apparatuses connected to each other via a network, there is arranged a quality of service (QOS) table to which functions and performance thereof are registered. When an information processing apparatus is additionally linked with the network, a QOS table thereof is automatically registered to a local directory of the network such that an agent converts the contents of the QOS table into service information to be supplied via a user interface to the user. Thanks to the operation, information of functions and performance of each information processing apparatus connected to the network is converted into service information for the user. Consequently, the user can much more directly receive necessary services.
US07711812B2
A web service development tool and method that allows a functional web service developer to associate a developed functional web service with a Web service Description Language (WSDL) document that contains a reference to a separate monitoring web service. The separate monitoring web service is specified as a Universal Resource Identifier (URI) in the Web Service Description Language (WSDL) document for a functional web service being. The web service developer includes instrumentation functions in the functional web service to collect data related to the performance of the web service. This collected data is then made available to the monitoring web service to support analysis of performance data for the executing functional web service.
US07711801B2
A Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) client/server device and method of providing DHCP server services on a network uses a set of commands to convert the DHCP client/server device to function as a DHCP server. The DHCP client/server device is converted when a response message in response to a request message for an IP address from the DHCP client/server device over the network is not received within a predetermined time period.
US07711791B2
A method, apparatus and article of manufacture for processing a content stream at a client computer, the method comprising displaying a tagged content stream that was received from a media source by using a first media player, wherein the first media player is embedded in a Web page; and, when the first media player receives notification that a tag was found, muting the first media player; and displaying an untagged content stream by using a second media player, wherein the second media player is embedded in the Web page.
US07711786B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for preventing spam, including email spam and telephone spam, through the use of dynamic passcodes or dynamic signatures included with transmitted messages. Both the dynamic passcodes and dynamic signatures may be changed periodically or continually, according to an example embodiment of the invention. Qualified senders may include a dynamic signature that is automatically generated by the sender's node or exchange entity. The recipient's node or exchange entity can then use a graylist associated with the recipient account in verifying the qualified sender and/or dynamic signature. On the other hand, non-qualified senders may need to manually obtain a dynamic passcode from a dynamic passcode provider and include the dynamic passcode with the transmitted message. The dynamic passcode provider may be a public website using human interactive proofs. According to an embodiment, a non-qualified sender may be optionally pre-charged with a fee to obtain a dynamic passcode. The recipient of the message may then refund the charge if the received message is not spam.
US07711782B2
An event notification method in a wireless communications system can reduce the amount of transmission data in a wireless section and improve transmission efficiency by reducing the number of notifications with respect to an event which is frequently generated as a user sends a server an event notification request message including period information through a SIP-based client in order to request the notification with the specific event, and the server sends an event notification message to the client according to a period included in the period information or when a permitted time range is satisfied in order to notify the event when the corresponding event is generated.
US07711781B2
A technique for tracking one or more thresholds relating to the blocking of a particular screen name used on an IM system is disclosed. If the number of people who have blocked a particular screen name reaches a threshold amount, a determination is made that the screen name is being used by a spimmer or other bothersome person, and disciplinary action can be taken. In a preferred embodiment, the email address associated with a user name of a suspected spimmer is identified and all screen names associated with that email address are also subjected to disciplinary action, if desired. Thus, an IM company can suspend all screen names of a spimmer that are tied to the same email address, even though not all (or even none) of the screen names individually have reached a threshold level for discipline/suspension.
US07711778B2
Disclosed is a method for transmitting a software robot (sobot) message including a sobot having a genetic code. The method includes producing a sobot object, which has a genetic code, to be included in the sobot message according to a user input, generating a script file by scripting the produced sobot object, configuring the sobot message according to a user input, and transmitting the script file together with the sobot message.
US07711775B2
A component manager receives requests for component updates from a variety of sources, parses the requests and extracts URL information that identifies the location of a file containing the component resources. The component manager presents the URL to a download manager that asynchronously retrieves the component resources from the specified location and places the file in a staging area. Once the component resources have been downloaded, an install manager, also operating asynchronously from the component manager and the download manager, installs the component update.
US07711760B2
A device includes a computer processor and a file store coupled to the computer processor. The file store includes a hierarchal file system. A plurality of files is located in the hierarchal file system. Each of the plurality of files is associated with digital signature metadata determined by a content of the file. A plurality of directories is located in the hierarchal file system. Digital signature metadata is associated with each of the plurality of directories and determined by the digital signature metadata associated with the directories and the files that are direct descendants of the directory. An update module determines if an update to any of the plurality of files is available based on the digital signature metadata associated with a root directory in the plurality of directories.
US07711759B2
A recording medium, a method of controlling a file of the recording medium, and a method and apparatus for reproducing the same are disclosed. The recording medium includes at least one data area storing an original file system, which includes original data files, at least one normal file designating at least one of the original data files, and at least one remote file designating at least one additional data file, the at least one additional data file being required to be downloaded from an external source in order to play-back the at least one remote file.
US07711750B1
The present invention specifies database security at a row level and, optionally, at a column and table level. The systems and methods cluster one or more sets of rows with similar security characteristics and treat them as a named expression, wherein clustered data is accessed based on associated row-level security. The systems and methods specify a syntax that invokes row(s), column(s) and/or table(s) security via programming statements. Such statements include arbitrary Boolean expressions (predicates) defined over, but not restricted to table columns and/or other contextual data. These statements typically are associated with query initiators, incorporated into queries therefrom, and utilized while querying data. Rows of data that return “true” when evaluated against an aggregate of associated security expressions are said to “satisfy” the security expressions and enable access to the data stored therein. Such security expressions can be created and invoked via the Structured Query Language (SQL) database programming language.
US07711733B2
Methods, devices, and products are provided for targeting media. Descriptive information is received that describes media. The descriptive information is compared to a stored set of user-defined criteria. If the descriptive information contains any criterion, then the media is stored in memory, wherein the stored media is targeted to a user's communications device.
US07711731B2
A computing system and method receive a query; separate a plurality of information sources into individual elements of content (EOC); tag each EOC with metadata that indicate source, date, and other relevant information; pattern match each EOC; calculate the respective distance function from every EOC to every other EOC; and output EOC to a set of virtual buffers (404) containing appropriately related EOC less than a given distance value. The method further creates virtual summary buffers (406); then concatenates the EOC in each virtual buffer (404); applies a comparative analysis filter (318) to remove redundant sub-elements; and presents the results as summary digests (408).
US07711730B2
A method for generating an execution plan for updating and retrieving data from a database in a single process includes: receiving a statement by a server to update a database with a first set of data and to retrieve a second set of data from the database; building a first execution plan to update the database with the first set of data; building a second execution plan to retrieve the second set of data from the database; and building a single execution plan including a combination of the first and second execution plans. The single execution plan allows for the updating and retrieval of data with a single crossing of an interface between a client and the database. By performing both functions in this manner, the efficiency of performing such tasks on the database is significantly increased.
US07711729B2
Search and filtering of documents with different metadata schemata is enabled using a single index that supports a single schema through decorated namespaces. Each metadata schema submitted to a system is assigned a unique identifier and property names associated with the schema are prefixed with the unique identifier. A single-valued, decorated property is used to indicate whether a submitted document is part of a registered schema in the system. The single-valued properties are converted to a search index table that enables resource-optimized searching and filtering of documents eliminating documents of other schemata by simply checking the association property.
US07711728B2
A system and method for concurrent investigations of static data stored in one or more secondary storage devices of one or more target machines in a data communications network. The network includes an examining machine, a secure server, and various target machines. The examining machine transmits to the target machines a search request including a search key. The examining machine also streams to each target machine metadata information and file extents of the files to be searched. The target machines concurrently search the indicated file extents for the search key. The target machines then stream the search results to the examining machine.
US07711720B2
An application server includes a cache memory that stores in a correlated form a retrieval condition and a retrieval result, an update condition setting unit that sets a cache update condition that indicates when the cache memory is to be updated; and an update processing unit that reads the retrieval condition from the cache memory upon fulfillment of the cache update condition, retrieves data as the retrieval result from the database using the retrieval condition, and updates the retrieval result in the cache memory corresponding to the retrieval condition.
US07711714B2
A method and a device for managing a computer network, especially a technique for ensuring the security of a network. A computer network system in which computers are connected to each other through transmission lines, each computer stores the data which constitutes a moving type software exclusively used for security and transmitted together with a message when the computer transmits the message to another computer of the system, and executes the moving type software by using the stored data upon receiving a message from another computer.
US07711711B1
A networked storage system includes network-attached file system (FS) nodes implementing a distributed global file system. Each FS node includes a file system server and at least one storage system including storage resources (such as disk drives) representing portions of a global file system storage space. The FS nodes are organized according to respective cost-performance characteristics of the storage systems, generally ranging from a high-cost, high-performance characteristic to a low-cost, low-performance characteristic. A storage management system performs information lifecycle management (ILM) which includes allocating the FS nodes for storing data according to a mapping between an ILM-based data classification scheme and the cost-performance characteristics of the storage devices, as well as dynamically managing the placement of data among the storage devices according to the ILM-based classification of the data. The storage management system also performs global file system management including allocating a set of identifiers (e.g. segment identifiers) of the distributed global file system among the FS nodes, and dynamically adjusting the allocation of the identifiers among the FS nodes in response to the addition and removal of whole storage systems and/or storage resources within each of the storage systems.
US07711704B2
A tabular operation provider is provided for processing a data agnostic business intelligence query with relational operations, herein called a relational query against a multidimensional datasource. The tabular operation provider comprises a query interceptor, a query decomposer and a query replacer. The query interceptor detects and intercepts a relational query that is issued against one or more multidimensional data sources. The query decomposer decomposes expressions of the relational query into one multidimensional expression and one or more relational expressions. The query replacer replaces the relational query with a stack of operations expressed by the decomposed multidimensional expressions and/or the relational expressions.
US07711699B2
Presenting of real-world situational data on a dynamically updateable user interface is provided for by providing a dynamically updateable user interface that includes dynamic objects having variable characteristics and that correspond to real-world objects, receiving situational data that corresponds to a status of the one or more real-world objects, and conforming the one or more variable characteristics to be consistent with the situational data such that an observer of the one or more dynamic objects is informed of a current status of a corresponding real-world situation.
US07711693B2
Systems and methods for testing and deploying LDAP applications are disclosed. A test application may be tested in a test environment including a test directory. The test application may change data stored in the test directory. Furthermore, the test directory may be configured to receive changes from a production directory in a production environment. When the application is ready to be deployed, changes to the test directory are migrated to the production directory through reverse replication or application data migration. The application is configured to connect to the production directory, and the application is thereby deployed in the production environment.
US07711685B1
A method and system for an extensible macro language is provided. The system for providing the extensible macro language includes a parser and a macro handler for processing macro commands not previously defined in the macro language. The parser analyzes keywords in a macro language expression and recognizes one or more keywords representing macro commands that were not previously defined in the macro language. The macro handler receives the keywords in the macro expression and retrieves from a registry of keywords, an executable code or procedure associated with the keyword. The executable code is run to process the macro command represented by the keyword. The template language registry may be augmented to include any keywords and associated codes for extending the macro language.
US07711672B2
A computer implemented data processor system automatically disambiguates a contextual meaning of natural language symbols to enable precise meanings to be stored for later retrieval from a natural language database, so that natural language database design is automatic, to enable flexible and efficient natural language interfaces to computers, household appliances and hand-held devices.
US07711671B2
A computer implemented problem solving system utilizing an information storage infrastructure and a flexible development environment for data storage, includes a stored, user modifiable program including a problem solving rule set relevant to a problem to be solved, a stored, user modifiable set of vocabularies related to a problem to be solved, at least one stored, user modifiable knowledge set relevant to a problem to be solved, and stored, user modifiable individual user preferences relevant to a problem to be solved. A computer implemented problem solving method utilizing an information storage infrastructure and a flexible development environment for data storage, includes generating screen displays on a display screen, and entering a problem identified by an initial assessment to the computer at a designated place in one of the screen displays. The method further includes selecting from at least one of the screen displays at least one item from at least one of: a stored, user modifiable set of vocabularies related to a problem to be solved, at least one stored, user modifiable knowledge set relevant to a problem to be solved, and stored, user modifiable individual user preferences relevant to a problem to be solved and entering the at least one item to the computer at a designated place in one of the screen displays.
US07711651B2
Media and apparatus for managing usage of utilities are disclosed. Generally, each involves receiving representation of utility service usage at a load, receiving and storing in a storage device a usage range representation comprising at least one expected value of utility input to the load and/or at least one expected value of output from the load, and producing a control signal for use by a utility service controller when usage is outside of usage range representation. Control signal is operable to cause the utility service controller to regulate or interrupt the supply of the utility service to the load.
US07711650B1
Systems and methods for dispensing postage or other authorization information electronically by using a secure processor containing an amount of preauthorized postage which can be applied to any piece of mail or other item are shown. The generated postage as applied to an item is preferably scanned and decoded toward the goal of validation of the pre-paid rights or obligation to pay to send the article of mail. A plurality of criteria and checks may be used to accomplish validation. For example, the fact that the indicia can be decoded gives a basic comfort level of validation and a check against a central user database for validation criteria provides for validation according to embodiments.
US07711643B2
A self-service terminal, such as an automated teller machine (12), is described. The terminal (12) has a display (52), and includes means (44,84) for accessing a mobile portal (30), whereby the terminal (12) is operable to retrieve information adapted for viewing on a portable device, and to present at least some of the retrieved information to a user on the display (52). The terminal (12) may also include a printer (56) for providing a user with a printed version of some of the information presented on the display (52). A network of self-service terminals is also described.
US07711640B2
An apparatus for processing a composite trading order comprises an interface operable to display a composite value representing a weighted quantity of a plurality of trading products. The apparatus further comprises a processor operable to receive at least one input representing a composite trading order, wherein the at least one input comprises a quantity that is equal to at least a portion of the weighted quantity. The at least one input is usable to generate one or more constituent trading orders that, when filled, combine to satisfy the composite trading order.
US07711636B2
Information regarding individuals that fit a bad performance definition, such as individuals that have previously defaulted on a financial instrument or have declared bankruptcy, is used to develop a model that is usable to determine whether an individual that does not fit the bad performance definition is more likely to subsequently default on a financial instrument or to declare bankruptcy. The model may be used to generate a score for each individual, and the score may be used to segment the individual into a segment of a segmentation structure that includes individuals with related scores, where segments may include different models for generating a final risk score for the individuals assigned to the particular segments. Thus, the segment to which an individual is assigned, which may be determined based at least partly on the score assigned to the individual, may affect the final risk score that is assigned to the individual.
US07711631B2
A graphical interface and method are provided for displaying market information corresponding to a tradeable object. One graphical interface includes a chart region for displaying historical market data in relation to a first value axis, and a market grid region in alignment with the chart region. The market grid region comprises a plurality of areas for receiving commands from a user input device to send trade orders, and the areas are displayed in relation to a second value axis. A plurality of values displayed along the second value axis is a subset of values displayed in relation to the first value axis, and can be modified to a new plurality of values that corresponds to a new subset of values on the first value axis.
US07711626B2
Methods of the present invention identify an asset allocation model and at least one security associated there with. An investment account portfolio is stored that includes at least one substitute security associated with the identified at least one security. A virtual portfolio is then generated that includes the identified at least one security. A tax lot is created for the identified at least one security to identify a total value for the at least one security, and the method determines whether the virtual portfolio complies with the asset allocation model. The identified at least one security associated with the asset allocation model is restricted from the investment account portfolio.
US07711602B2
The present invention is directed to systems and methods for supply chain management. An order for one or more products is received from a buyer or a seller. For each product in the received order, a buyer and a seller are determined. In some instances, multiple buyers and/or sellers may be determined. A product shipment configuration and a logistics plan are generated. A transporter is determined. The generated product shipment configuration is transmitted to a buyer, a seller, a transporter or combinations thereof. The generated logistics plan is transmitted to a buyer, a seller, a transporter or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, event data related to the generated logistics plan is received. In some such embodiment, exception reports are generated from the received event data. These processes, or subsets thereof, can in certain instances be implemented on a system processor in communication with a system data store, or be stored in the form of executable instructions on one or more computer readable media.
US07711596B2
A business method that improves brand identity by effectively allocating product development resources and prioritizing projects based on a systematic approach of defining assumptions that drive brand development and assessing a product development portfolio thereon.
US07711595B2
A method and system for generating a value proposition for a company in an industry is provided. Specifically, under the present invention, operational metrics and possible solutions are identified for the industry. Then, the impacts of the solutions on the operational metrics are assessed. Once the impacts have been assessed, a current operational performance of the company is compared to an operational performance of one or more companies within the industry to expose performance gaps. Then, a value proposition is generated by identifying a solution based the impacts to address the exposed performance gaps.
US07711592B2
A system is configured by a movement record acquiring unit that acquires a cargo movement record through data communication with a communication apparatus included in a transportation means to store the cargo movement record into a cargo movement record database, a load amount identifying unit that identifies cargos having the overlapping periods between the loading time and unloading time and transported by the same transportation means among the cargos to store a load record into a load record database, an average load amount calculating unit that calculates an average value of the past load amount in the loading period as an average load amount, an energy consumption calculating unit that calculates the energy consumption of each cargo, and an output processing unit that outputs the energy consumption of each cargo to an output interface.
US07711590B2
Embodiments of the invention provide methods for effecting a desired business solution. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of aspects of a business are analyzed. Each aspect corresponds to an element of a particular domain of a set of domains wherein the plurality of aspects corresponds to elements from at least two domains. A modification of each element that will result in a desired outcome in regard to the corresponding aspect is determined. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the business solution development process identifies and provides exit criteria pertaining to each stage of the business solution development process. For one embodiment of the invention a set of metrics are defined and tracked to measure the effectiveness of the business solution.
US07711587B2
Systems and techniques for presenting travel information to a user are described. A code that includes predetermined travel parameters specified by the user is included in a web page. Access to the web page by a user is detected. A travel query is populated with the predetermined travel parameters and a variable parameter based on identification information associated with the user. Cached travel options that are obtained from prior queries and that satisfy the travel query are presented to the user.
US07711573B1
A computer system and method for managing access to a resume database. For each skill or experience-related phrase in a resume, the system computes a term of experience based on an experience range associated with a contextual use of the phrase in the resume. The term of experience for a phrase that occurs multiple times in the resume is the summation of the term of experience for each occurrence of the phrase associated with a different contextual use. The system stores each phrase and the term of experience in a parsed resume. The resume database also stores job descriptions that include required phrases and a required term of experience for each required phrase. The job descriptions also store a required level of education or field of specialization, and a required salary range. A recruiter searches the resume database to find matching resumes that satisfy a job description.
US07711571B2
A method and apparatus are presented for providing language translation assistance to a user of a mobile terminal. The terminal makes available a number of language translation services to the user, and the mobile terminal has a database for storing translation data. If the translation data is insufficient to cover a present or anticipated context of the mobile terminal, then the terminal sends a context change signal, and subsequently receives a data update signal that includes updates to the database. The terminal is then able to provide a changed language translation service to the user, utilizing the updates to the database.
US07711570B2
Controls are provided for a web server to generate client side markups that include recognition and/or audible prompting. The controls comprise elements of a dialog such as a question, answer, confirmation, command or statement. A module forms a dialog by making use of the information carried in the controls.
US07711564B2
The presently claimed invention relates generally to steganography and fingerprinting or hashing. In one embodiment, a method includes: obtaining a first set of plural-bit data, the first set of plural-bit data corresponding to at least a portion of steganographically encoded data in a media signal in the form of a digital watermark; obtaining a second set of plural-bit data, the second set of pural-bit data corresponding to a fingerprint or hash of the media signal. THe fingerprint or hash includes a reduced-bit representation of the media signal, and the first set of plural-bit data is not dependent on information in the second set of plural-bit data. The method further includes carrying out a first action associated with the first set of plural-bit data; and carrying out a second action associated with the second set of plural-bit data. Other embodiments are described and claimed as well.
US07711557B2
An audio signal reduction device that generates a gap period in accordance with a noise generation period of noise included in an input audio signal. Noise is removed from the audio signal, and the level envelope of the audio signal is continuously detected. A coefficient for the level envelope in the gap period is generated in accordance with the level envelope detection and is used to modulate an interpolated signal. The noise-removed audio signal and the modulated interpolated signal are mixed; and the mixed signal is output in a period corresponding to the gap period, while the audio signal is output, as is, not in the gap period.
US07711555B2
Digital audio data are divided into a plurality of frames, each of which includes a desired number of sub-band samples, which are gradually increased in a range between “16” and “1024”, and are then compressed by way of psychoacoustics analysis and quantization, whereby compressed data are realized with a high compression ratio and small tone-generation latency. The compressed data are decoded by way of inverse quantization and sub-band synthesis, so that decoded data are sequentially written into a memory (e.g., a FIFO memory). Decoding is appropriately turned on or off in response to a presently vacant capacity of the memory.
US07711552B2
A filter apparatus for filtering a time domain input signal to obtain a time domain output signal, which is a representation of the time domain input signal filtered using a filter characteristic having an non-uniform amplitude/frequency characteristic, comprises a complex analysis filter bank for generating a plurality of complex subband signals from the time domain input signals, a plurality of intermediate filters, wherein at least one of the intermediate filters of the plurality of the intermediate filters has a non-uniform amplitude/frequency characteristic, wherein the plurality of intermediate filters have a shorter impulse response compared to an impulse response of a filter having the filter characteristic, and wherein the non-uniform amplitude/frequency characteristics of the plurality of intermediate filters together represent the non-uniform filter characteristic, and a complex synthesis filter bank for synthesizing the output of the intermediate filters to obtain the time domain output signal.
US07711548B2
Disclosed are a method and system for enabling multi-language support for data. A piece of data is captured and translated into a plurality of languages. The original data and all of the translations are stored in the same database instance, for retrieval and presentation in any of a group of languages. The preferred embodiment of the invention provides a design and implementation of generalized database tables to implement the features of NLS Locales and NLS Text Groups, in order to enable the storage and retrieval of dynamic, textual data in multiple languages, concurrently, in a single database instance. The invention enables the scenario wherein a piece of data captured in one language is dynamically translated into all supported languages, and all translations are stored in the same database instance, for retrieval and presentation in any of the supported languages.
US07711545B2
A statistical machine translation (MT) system may include a compound splitting module to split compounded words for more accurate translation. The compound splitting module select a best split for translation by the MT system.
US07711544B2
A method of generating a markup language text template comprises identifying a variable text element in a source language text string and assigning a first predefined symbol to the variable text element, identifying a grammatical rule for the variable text element and assigning a second predefined symbol to the variable text element based on the identified grammatical rule, determining whether to assign supplemental information to the variable text element, wherein the first predefined symbol, the second predefined symbol, and the supplemental information if assigned represent a token, and repeating the identification of a grammatical rule, assignment of first and second predefined symbols, and determination of whether to assign supplemental information for remaining variable text elements in the source language text string so as to complete a markup language text template comprising one or more tokens.
US07711542B2
A system provides multilanguage text input in a handheld electronic device. The system includes one or more applications implemented in the handheld electronic device. The applications include a text input application requiring access to language data usable thereby. One or more language databases contain language data from a plurality of different languages usable by at least one of the applications including the text input application. An interface provides the applications with access to at least some of the different languages of the language data of the one or more language databases, in order that the applications including the text input application receive the different languages.
US07711537B2
According to a method of data processing, a data set including at least one entry specifying a signal group by a predetermined signal group name is received by a data processing system. In response to receipt of the data set, the entry in the data set is processed to identify the signal group name. Signal group information associated with an event trace file containing simulation results is accessed to determine signal names of multiple signals that are members of the signal group. Simulation results from the event trace file that are associated with instances of the multiple signals are then included within a presentation of simulation results.
US07711534B2
A method and system comprises extracting resources required to run a discrete test case or set of associated test cases on a design. The method and system further includes building a simulation model based on the extracted resources and executing the simulation model using only the extracted resources, exclusive of an entire design, to test a specific function or group of interrelated functions represented by the discrete test case or set of associated test cases for design verification, and correlating the simulation results with the test plan.
US07711528B2
A program causes a computer to perform a step 1 of reading a model from a storage apparatus; a step 2 of computing difference equations by replacing variables with numeric values of a time-series that are stored in the storage apparatus; a step 3 of determining ranges of parameters of the model using a quantifier elimination method and a step 4 of verifying numbers of significant figures that show an accuracy of a computation by the determined ranges of parameters of the model.
US07711524B2
A method and system generate a boundary of a Schmoo plot. In accord with the method, a plurality of seed points having a resolution that is less than or equal to ½ the acquisition resolution indicated by a smoothness of a representative Schmoo boundary are selected. A coarse boundary search is performed to identify a plurality of test points that are within an acquisition resolution of the boundary. The test points that comprise the coarse boundary are interpolated to produce a fine estimate of the boundary.
US07711516B2
The method estimates movement of a solid mobile in a medium capable of generating disturbances defined by a three-variable vector, wherein the movement is defined by a six-variable vector and the solid is equipped with at least one sensor sensitive to acceleration having at least three sensitive axes and at least one sensor sensitive to the magnetic field having at least three sensitive axes. The method for estimating the movement of a solid includes a step of calculating a nine-variable vector consisting of the six-variable movement vector and of the three-variable disturbance vector and a step of weighting the nine-variable vector capable of transforming the nine-variable vector into a vector with not more than five variables to be estimated.
US07711514B2
Various computer-implemented methods, carrier media, and systems for generating a metrology sampling plan are provided. One computer-implemented method for generating a metrology sampling plan includes identifying one or more individual defects that have one or more attributes that are abnormal from one or more attributes of a population of defects in which the individual defects are included. The population of defects is located in a predetermined pattern on a wafer. The method also includes generating the metrology sampling plan based on results of the identifying step such that one or more areas on the wafer in which the one or more identified individual defects are located are sampled during metrology.
US07711513B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system for identifying a running speed of an integrated circuit is provided. An asynchronous multi-rail circuit is configured to receive input data and transmit output data. A completion detection circuit is configured to generate a completion detection signal for the asynchronous multi-rail circuit. A variable clock generator configured to be driven by at least the completion detection signal. A synchronous circuit element configured to receive at least a portion of the output data and configured to be clock driven by a clock signal from the variable clock generator. A period of the clock signal represents a running speed of the asynchronous circuit.
US07711503B2
System and method for integrating the internal and external quality control programs of a laboratory
A system and method that enables a laboratory to integrate its internal and external quality control programs to thereby control the quality of its laboratory testing services. The system has a storage device and a processor operable to maintain in the storage device a database identifying a plurality of laboratory tests and the corresponding internal laboratory statistical data, group statistical summary data and control rules. The processor is also operable to calculate a control range for a specified laboratory test by applying the group statistical summary data (and, in some cases, the internal laboratory statistical data) to the control rule corresponding to the specified laboratory test. Preferably, the processor is also operable to receive a test result from a laboratory instrument, and determine whether the test result falls within the calculated control range for the specified laboratory test. Various exemplary embodiments of the system and associated method are provided.
US07711501B2
Flowmeters are described in which a sensor signal received from a sensor that is attached to vibratable flowtube, so as to determine properties of a fluid within the flowtube, contains a drive signal component and a coriolis mode component. The flowmeters are operable to determine drive parameters of the drive signal component, as well as coriolis parameters of the coriolis mode component. By analyzing the sensor signal based on the drive signal parameters, and not on the coriolis signal parameters, the flowmeters are able to provide stable and accurate determinations of the properties of the fluid.
US07711496B2
A process system adapted for processing of or with a material therein. The process system includes: a sampling region for the material; an infrared photometric monitor constructed and arranged to transmit infrared radiation through the sampling region and to responsively generate an output signal correlative of the material in the sampling region, based on its interaction with the infrared radiation; and process control means arranged to receive the output of the infrared photometric monitor and to responsively control one or more process conditions in and/or affecting the process system.
US07711495B2
For automatic identification of microorganisms collected on a carrier, a color image of the carrier surface with collected microorganisms is recorded and digitalized. The digitalized image is converted into a grayscale image and optionally converted subsequently into a silhouette image. When microorganisms are present, an image is produced with full-surface labeled objects of a first grayscale and a background of a second grayscale. Objects are identified in the grayscale and/or silhouette image by a model-based comparative method. Contours of the objects are marked in the color or grayscale image. Features of the objects in the color image and/or grayscale image are determined. The objects are classified based on the features. The classified objects are indicated and/or saved as species, name and/or code. Non-classified objects are indicated and/or saved as color, grayscale and/or silhouette image. Non-classified objects are subsequently discarded or added as a new case to the classification system.
US07711490B2
This invention relates to methods and systems for in silico or bioinformatic modeling of cellular metabolism. The invention includes methods and systems for modeling cellular metabolism of an organism, comprising constructing a flux balance analysis model, and applying constraints to the flux balance analysis model, the constraints selected from the set consisting of: qualitative kinetic information constraints, qualitative regulatory information constraints, and differential DNA microarray experimental data constraints. In addition, the present invention provides for computational procedures for solving metabolic problems.
US07711488B2
Apparatus and methods to monitor contamination levels in a formation fluid arc disclosed. An example method involves obtaining first property data indicative of a first fluid property of a formation fluid and second property data indicative of a second fluid property of the formation fluid. A correlation between the first and second property data is generated and third data is fitted to the correlation. A fitting parameter is determined based on the third data indicative of an amount of change of the first property data relative to an amount of change of the second property data.
US07711487B2
The present invention relates to methods, systems, and apparatus for inducing fractures in a subterranean formation and more particularly to methods and apparatus to place a first fracture with a first orientation in a formation followed by a second fracture with a second angular orientation in the formation. The first and second fractures are initiated at about a fracturing location. The initiation of the first fracture is characterized by a first orientation line. The first fracture temporarily alters a stress field in the subterranean formation. The initiation of the second fracture is characterized by a second orientation line. The first orientation line and the second orientation line have an angular disposition to each other.
US07711485B2
A merge support system includes a first detection unit and a second detection unit for detecting a position and a speed of an approaching vehicle in a traffic on a main lane and a position and a speed of a subject vehicle, an information provision unit for providing information for a driver of the subject vehicle and a control unit for calculating a merge speed of the subject vehicle relative to the traffic on the main lane and a merge position relative to the traffic on the main lane. The control unit calculates the merge speed and the merge position on the main lane based on the position and the speed of the approaching vehicle and the subject vehicle, and the control unit controls the information provision unit for providing a calculation result of the merge speed and the merge position for the driver of the subject vehicle.
US07711484B2
A method and a system for avoiding collisions between aircraft. The method includes computing a default fly out maneuver regarding how the aircraft shall be maneuvered during a fly out action, predicting a fly away path including a prediction of the position of the aircraft during the fly out maneuver, sending information about the own fly away path to the other aircrafts, receiving information about fly away paths from the other aircrafts, detecting an approaching collision, and activating the fly out maneuver upon detecting an approaching collision. The method further includes carrying out the following steps after activation the fly out maneuver: receiving the current position of the aircraft, and calculating a compensated fly out maneuver for the aircraft based on the current position of the aircraft, the previously predicted position, and the default fly out maneuver.
US07711478B2
A novel mapping paradigm is provided for the visual display of information in the form of an improved navigational aid. Unlike today's road maps which use a point-arc-polygon paradigm, the new mapping paradigm uses a compressed linear-pictographic-topological design that typically depicts roads as vertical linear pictograms. Further, the display has a columnar layout, whereby the descriptive elements are grouped together by type, and displayed one above the other in columns. In this manner, the mapping paradigm also serves to increase traveler safety, provide navigation assistance during address-less trips, create valuable advertising space and new promotional opportunities, and dramatically increases the travelers' communications and entertainment options.
US07711475B1
A method of obtaining navigation information includes creating a first itinerary for a navigation route corresponding to a travel event for a first individual. Navigation information is searched for related to at least one location along the first itinerary via a situational network established with a plurality of devices corresponding to other individuals searching for navigation information. The navigation information found in the searching is received. The first itinerary is altered based on the received navigation information.
US07711473B2
A navigation apparatus is disclosed comprising update functions to update nationwide updated version map data using route-specific update data, and to update the nationwide updated version map data to the next nationwide updated version map data using nationwide update data. A map update processing portion of this navigation apparatus performs updates of map data in the background of navigation control, gives priority to update processing using the route-specific update data over update processing using the nationwide update data, and, if map files to be updated using route-specific update files included in the route-specific update data have not been updated using the nationwide update data, performs updates using the nationwide update data, and then performs updates using route-specific update files.
US07711470B2
When a variable valve lift control apparatus is in a steady condition, a fluctuation control is performed. In the fluctuation control, a target lift amount is increased by a fluctuation width during an up-time and then the target lift amount is decreased by the fluctuation width during a down-time which is longer than the up-time to be returned to an original value. A decreasing amount of the integral term is greater than the increasing amount thereof. Consequently, the integral term can be made smaller than the original value. Even when a control duty is a larger value due to a hysteresis, the fluctuation control gradually decreases the increment of the integral term and converges the control duty to the small value.
US07711462B2
A system and method for providing customized help to a vehicle user when a vehicle problem is detected. The method includes detecting vehicle data that indicates a condition of a vehicle and obtaining profile data comprising an estimated mechanical skill level of a user. The method further includes providing instructions, based upon the profile data and the vehicle data, to the user for addressing the condition.
US07711461B2
In a fault diagnosis data recording system including a plurality of nodes interconnected by a multiplex communication line, a first node is provided to perform fault detection of the first node, and a second node connected to the first node via the multiplex communication line is provided to have a storage unit. The first node and the second node are configured to store at least a part of result data of the fault detection performed by the first node, into the storage unit of the second node.
US07711458B2
A system which operates a digitally controlled model railroad transmitting a first command from a first client program to a resident external controlling interface through a first communications transport. A second command is transmitted from a second client program to the resident external controlling interface through a second communications transport. The first command and the second command are received by the resident external controlling interface which queues the first and second commands. The resident external controlling interface sends third and fourth commands representative of the first and second commands, respectively, to a digital command station for execution on the digitally controlled model railroad.
US07711457B2
The invention relates to a navigation aid method of an aircraft comprising a step for positioning an execution order in a flight plan then in a flight path. When the order is for deferred execution, that is, comprises a condition, estimating the position of the aircraft when the condition associated with the order is satisfied, modifying the flight plan based on the estimated position according to the order, computing a new flight path based on the flight plan.
US07711454B2
An irrigation controller has run-times that are modified as a function of a calculated volumetric irrigation amount and a preferred irrigation amount. The preferred irrigation amount is at least partly based on an evapotranspiration (ETo) value and the area of the irrigated site. The calculated volumetric irrigation amount is based on flow meter data and inputted irrigation run-times. Preferably the flow meter is a water meter that measures water distributed to the irrigation system and to other water using devices at the irrigated site, and the flow data is based on signature data. In addition to flow data, water pressure may be measured that corresponds with the flow data. It is anticipated that the function will involve the dividing of the preferred irrigation amount by the calculated volumetric irrigation amount to arrive at a modifying factor.
US07711449B2
An automated personal pill dispenser has one or more chambers for holding a supply of pills. A feed mechanism is associated with each chamber and is selectively operable to dispense an incremental number of pills from each respective chamber. A programmable controller is coupled to control and operate the feed mechanism. The controller has a timer, a memory and an input means and is programmably operable by the user and/or by remote input from a smart card, PDA or various networks such as one having access to data from a pharmacy. The programming presets at least one of a time and a number of pills to be dispensed from each chamber. The controller operates an alarm to alert the user and operates the feed mechanism to dispense pills at the preset time and number, also detecting the user's access to obtain the dispensed pills.
US07711444B2
An audio input/output control apparatus, in which the speed difference between writing speed in writing audio data to a ring buffer and reading speed in reading out the audio data under a constant speed is calculated. When a read-address is forcibly changed according to the speed difference, between the signal level of the audio data corresponding to a read-address before the change and the signal level of the audio data corresponding to a read-address after the change, an address position at which the signal level change is less than a predetermined value is determined as a read-address after the change. So, the amount of signal processing can be significantly reduced, and the quality of audio data can be maintained.
US07711442B2
Disclosed is an audio signal processor that determines the type of audio processing to be performed utilizing an audio processing device (APD) and a removable module. The APD includes a digital signal processor (DSP) that modifies an input audio signal in accordance with a signal processing instruction set. The removable module includes the signal processing instruction set, and when the removable module is coupled to the APD, the signal processing instruction set is transferred to and implemented by the DSP of the APD to perform an audio processing function upon the input audio signal. The removable module may also include a user interface having at least one control to set a control parameter that is transferred to the DSP of the APD to further modify audio processing. The APD may also include a multi-state footswitch whose functionality can be determined by the DSP.
US07711441B2
Plural energy beam sources are aimed at an energy receiving device by way of feedback control signals. Each energy beam is uniquely modulated by way of amplitude, polarization and/or coning patterns to enable individual detection and control. Sensors detect individual energy beams incident to the energy receiving device and provide corresponding detection signals. Control electronics receive the detection signals and derive one or more control signals that are coupled to the plural energy sources. Aircraft and other vehicles are thus provided with electrical and/or thermal energy without the need for source-to-vehicle cabling or substantial on-board energy resources.
US07711431B2
A method for stimulating a particular area of a brain using a stimulation device includes detecting a spatial structure of a head and determining electrical and/or magnetic properties of at least one part of anatomical structures of the head. An energy amount to be provided by the stimulation device for stimulating the particular area of the brain is calculated automatically based on the spatial structure of the head and the determined electrical and/or magnetic properties of at least one part of the anatomical structures of the head.
US07711430B2
Methods and devices for treating anaphylaxis, anaphylactic shock, bronchial constriction, and/or asthma include providing an electrical impulse to a selected region of the vagus nerve of a patient suffering from anaphylaxis to block and/or modulate nerve signals that would regulate the function of, for example, myocardial tissue, vasodilation/constriction and/or pulmonary tissue.
US07711429B1
Methods, lead retention assemblies and systems may provide a secure connection of electrical leads to an implantable medical device, such as a pacemaker or a defibrillator. The method may include: providing a lead retention assembly including a support member, a first side clamp and a second side clamp, a first port and a second port each defining a respective receptacle in conjunction with the support, and a fastener configured to urge both the first and second side clamps toward the support upon actuation of the fastener; providing at least two electrical lead bodies each including a respective proximal end portion; inserting the respective proximal end portions into the respective receptacles to be in electrical communication with a respective electrical contact in the respective receptacles; and actuating the fastener to thereby clamp the proximal end portions of the respective electrical lead bodies within the first and second ports.
US07711427B2
An implantable active medical device is disclosed and includes a hermetically sealed housing defining a sealed housing interior, a power source and electronics in electrical communication and disposed within the sealed housing interior, and a lead connector projecting into the sealed housing interior. The lead connector includes a closed end, an open end, an outer surface, and an inner surface defining a lead aperture. The lead connector includes one or more electrically conducting contact rings spaced apart by electrically insulating rings. The one or more electrically conducting contact rings are in electrical communication with the electronics and the lead connector provides a hermetic seal between the lead connector outer surface and the lead connector inner surface.
US07711423B2
Impedance, e.g. sub-threshold impedance, is measured across the heart at selected cardiac cycle times as a measure of chamber expansion or contraction. One embodiment measures impedance over a long AV interval to obtain the minimum impedance, indicative of maximum ventricular expansion, in order to set the AV interval. Another embodiment measures impedance change over a cycle and varies the AV pace interval in a binary search to converge on the AV interval causing maximum impedance change indicative of maximum ventricular output. Another method varies the right ventricle to left ventricle (VV) interval to converge on an impedance maximum indicative of minimum cardiac volume at end systole. Another embodiment varies the VV interval to maximize impedance change. Other methods vary the AA interval to maximize impedance change over the entire cardiac cycle or during the atrial cycle.
US07711421B2
A method of performing a medical procedure is provided. The medical procedure includes stimulation of a patient's heart while stimulating a nerve of the patient in order to modulate the patient's inflammatory process. More particularly, the medical procedure includes pacing the ventricles of the patient's heart while stimulating the vagal nerve of the patient. Systems and devices for performing the medical procedure are also provided.
US07711417B2
Described is a system and method which includes the following steps. A plurality of interventional agents are administered to a patient until the patient attains a predetermined plane of anesthesia. Brain waves of the patient are amplified and digitized before and after the administering step to generate a first set of digital data. The brain waves of the patient are amplified and digitized during a medical procedure to generate a second set of digital data. Separate trajectories for at least two different indices of an anesthetic state of the patient are computed during the medical procedure as a function of a comparison of the first and second sets of digital data. The indices include a Depth Index (DI), a Memory Index (MI) and a Pain Index (PI). The DI corresponds to a depth of anesthesia of the patient, the PI corresponds to a sensitivity of the patient to pain and the MI corresponds to an ability of the patient to form and store memories.
US07711403B2
A method of estimating an amount of a substance in a bodily fluid from the color of a tissue surface of a subject includes capturing an image including at least a portion-of-interest of the subject and at least a reference portion of a color reference, the image being a digital image of pixels of at least one color, the image including a component value for each pixel for each of the at least one color, obtaining a first value associated with at least one component value corresponding to the portion-of-interest of the subject, obtaining a second value associated with at least one component value corresponding to the reference portion, and calculating an estimated amount of the substance using the first and second values.
US07711392B2
A system and method for provisioning a primary mobile device from a secondary mobile device, including storing at the secondary mobile device provisioning data for the primary mobile device, the provisioning data including information used by the primary mobile device for communicating over a wireless network; establishing a direct wireless communications link between the secondary mobile device and the primary mobile device; and sending the provisioning data over the communications link from the secondary mobile device to the primary mobile device and storing the provisioning data at the primary mobile device.
US07711384B1
A method and computer-readable medium for displaying group call status information and participant status information for a group call are provided. Users participating in a dispatch group session (call) are provided with details about the group itself (group status) and the users participating in the group (participant status). When changes are made to the group call, the group call status information and the participant status information may be updated and displayed in real time.
US07711382B2
A method for providing dynamic group call among a group of users both wireless (10-30) and wireline (40) places the selectability of the call in the hands of an originating user (10). An originating user (10) may make a fixed number of entries (80). The originating user (10) can create a dynamic group call, add a group call list for later execution, add a member to the group call list, or create a dynamic group call list and immediately execute a group call (92). The method for dynamic group call also provides for selecting a time to live for each group call entry (81) in database (60). This parameter time to live is directly selectable by the originating user (167) or the server. In addition, any member to a previous or existing group call may rejoin or reestablish the dynamic group call (220).
US07711376B2
At least three base stations transmit a specific signal pattern at given intervals. This allows a mobile station that received this signal pattern to locate itself by using the positional information about the base stations, sending timing (or information on phase shift from the reference time) of each signal pattern from the base stations, and signal pattern receiving time information. At least one of the above base stations changes the sending timing of the signal pattern. On this occasion, the mobile terminal or station is notified of the altered reference time offset (or information on phase shift from the reference time) of the sending timing or updated sending timing of the signal pattern.
US07711374B2
A system and method that provide dynamic reconfiguration of communication resources in a multi-transceiver configuration. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise communicating a first portion of a first communication using a plurality of transceivers. A determination may be made to reallocate at least one of the plurality of transceivers for a second communication. A second portion of the first communication may be communicated using the plurality of transceivers less the reallocated transceiver(s), and the second communication may be communicated using at least the reallocated transceiver(s). Various aspects of the present invention may also comprise communicating a first communication utilizing a first transceiver and a second communication utilizing a second transceiver. A determination may be made to utilize the first and second transceivers in a MIMO configuration to communicate next information. The next information may then be communicated utilizing the first and second transceivers in a MIMO configuration.
US07711372B2
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method includes determining, at a base station, at least one usability factor providing a relative measure of the desirability of receiving control of a mobile unit. The method also includes communicating, from a base station to a remote controller, the determined at least one usability factor for comparison to at least one usability factor of another base station as determined at the other base station and communicated to the remote controller. The method also includes taking control, by the base station, of the mobile unit in response to receiving a signal from a controller to take control of the mobile unit in response to comparison of the controller of the at least one usability factor determined by the base station and the at least one usability factor determined by the other base station.
US07711371B2
A system and method for analysis of a wireless communications network is disclosed. A map of a physical environment integrating communications hardware for implementing a wireless communications network is defined. Client service requirements and regions for the wireless communications network are defined. Mesh point constraints and mesh linkage constraints for the wireless communications network are defined. The communications hardware is placed on the map at initial locations. Whether at least one of the defined mesh point constraints and mesh linkage constraints have been met by at least one mesh link between communications hardware based upon the initial locations of the communications hardware in the communications network is calculated. In one embodiment, the at least one calculation is displayed as a visualization on the defined map.
US07711366B1
Tools and techniques for providing seamless enterprise and consumer mobility are described. More particularly, the tools manage network connections between a communications device and two or more networks. A first network has a first type, and a second network has a second type different type than the first network. When the communications device is proximate the first network, a first device detection signal is generated. Also, a first presence signal is associated with the first network, and varies in response to a condition of a connection between the communications device and the first network. The first presence signal indicates whether the condition of the connection permits an ongoing communication to use the first network. When the condition of the connection does not permit the ongoing communication to continue using the first network, the communication is handed over to the second network.
US07711363B2
An apparatus and method provides for controlling communications from multiple base stations to a mobile station in a communication system. A mobile station transmitter transmits from the mobile station channel quality indicator data of a first base station. The data is covered with Walsh code assigned to the first base station. A base station receiver receives the transmission of the channel quality indicator data of the first base station. The mobile station transmitter punctures the transmission of the channel quality indicator data of the first base station with null channel quality indicator data, and covers the null channel quality data with Walsh code assigned to a second base station of the multiple base stations to indicate a desire to switch a source of transmission of traffic data from the first base station to the second base station.
US07711360B2
A method includes providing a first set of location data using a first coordinate system that corresponds to a first building and a second set of location data using a second coordinate system that corresponds to a second building. A third set of location data is generated from the first and second sets of location data by converting the first set of location data from the first coordinate system to a third coordinate system and converting the second set of location data from the second coordinate system to the third coordinate system.
US07711349B2
Apparatus, and an associated method, for automatically reporting on the occurrence of a vehicular emergency. A vehicular-positioned transceiver searches for the presence of a paired transceiver positioned in proximity to the vehicular-positioned transceiver. The paired transceiver, forming part of a mobile station operable in a cellular communication system, is identified and used upon the occurrence of the vehicular emergency automatically to generate a report message that is routed to a public safety access point.
US07711343B2
The present invention relates an RF tuner module that comprises one or more standard RF connectors. As, relative big, standard RF connectors are widely in use but at the same time there is a pressure to make products smaller an RF tuner module design is size constrained. The invention describes a measure to make an RF tuner module, with a standard RF-connector, smaller by extending one of the shielding sides of the RF tuner in order to facilitate a proper mounting of the RF connector to the RF tuner module.
US07711338B2
The present invention relates to a method for controlling a frequency in a receiver, in particular in a receiver used in a telecommunications system. To keep precise clock frequency even when the synchronization signal from base-station is missing the method comprises the steps of: determining a change of an internal reference oscillator frequency relative to the frequency of the received signal from a transmitting station, determining a frequency control value for controlling the internal reference oscillator frequency, storing at least one value indicating the change of the internal reference oscillator frequency, and controlling the internal reference oscillator frequency in accordance with the frequency control value, that has been determined either in accordance with the change of the internal reference oscillator frequency relative to the frequency of the received signal in case that the signal from the transmitting station has been received (S20), or in accordance with the stored value(s) indicating the change of the internal reference oscillator frequency in case that the received signal has been missed (S30).
US07711337B2
An embodiment of the present invention an apparatus, comprising an adaptive impedance matching module (AIMM) adapted to minimize the magnitude of an input reflection coefficient seen at an RFin port under boundary conditions of a variable load impedance ZL, a tuner connected to the AIMM and including a plurality of variable reactance networks with independent control signals, wherein node voltages are sampled within the tuner; and a microcontroller or digital signal processor (DSP) calculates complex reflection coefficient information from the sampled voltages, the microcontroller or DSP providing a coarse and fine tune function that feeds bias signals to control impedance matching.
US07711335B2
A receiver for receiving and processing digital satellite radio signals includes multiple antenna modules for receiving digital satellite radio signals, multiple processing circuits for converting digital satellite radio signals to low-IF or 0-IF signals, diversity circuitry for selecting from among multiple low-IF or 0-IF signals, and additional processing circuitry for extracting audio and/or data from the selected signals. The system also includes automatic and manual switches for selecting from among multiple antennas, and for reducing power consumption of antenna and processing circuitry.
US07711332B2
An antenna for suppressing harmonics of a signal transmitted from the antenna, the signal having a carrier with an imposed modulated data signal, the antenna including a modulator associated with a controlled variable impedance in series, the modulator being operable to modulate in accordance with the data signal, and being configured to produce a voltage across the antenna corresponding to a voltage provided by the controlled variable impedance.
US07711331B2
In a transmission power amplifier apparatus, a signal calculator divides an input signal into a plurality of N constant amplitude signals having a substantially identical predetermined constant amplitude value and having predetermined phases different from each other, and N power amplifiers amplify electric powers of the N constant amplitude signals under same predetermined operating condition. A power combiner combines the electric powers of the N power-amplified constant amplitude signals, and outputs a combined output signal. A controller controls the signal calculator to detect an amplitude value of the input signal, to detect an average value and one of a maximum value of the amplitude value of the input signal and a peak-to-peak value of the amplitude value for a unit time interval based on the detected amplitude value of the input signal, and to divide the input signal into the N constant amplitude signals having a constant amplitude value and different phases.
US07711329B2
An adaptive filter suitable for fabrication on an RF integrated circuit and used for transmit (TX) leakage rejection in a wireless full-duplex communication system is described. The adaptive filter includes a summer and an adaptive estimator. The summer receives an input signal having a TX leakage signal and an estimator signal having an estimate of the TX leakage signal, subtracts the estimator signal from the input signal, and provides an output signal having the TX leakage signal attenuated. The adaptive estimator receives the output signal and a reference signal having a version of the transmit signal, estimates the TX leakage signal in the input signal based on the output signal and the reference signal, and provides the estimator signal. The adaptive estimator may utilize an LMS algorithm to minimize a mean square error between the TX leakage signal in the input signal and the TX leakage signal estimate in the estimator signal.
US07711325B2
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus comprises a wireless communication device configured to conduct wireless communication with an external apparatus, a switch connected to a radio frequency circuit of the wireless communication device, and configured to couple an RF signal input and output port of the radio frequency circuit to one of a wireless communication antenna and a cable connected to the external apparatus, and a control module configured to control the switch to switch a mode of conducting communication with the external apparatus between a wireless communication mode and a wired communication mode, a wireless signal being transmitted and received between the external apparatus and the wireless communication device through the wireless communication antenna in the wireless communication mode, the wireless signal being transmitted and received between the external apparatus and the wireless communication device through the cable in the wired communication mode.
US07711323B2
A wireless communication apparatus that communicates data with an external wireless apparatus in a wireless communication range includes a controller and a wireless communication interface device is provided. The wireless communication interface device includes a transmitting unit that transmits response request data to the external wireless apparatus, a counter that counts time for determining whether or not a time limit for waiting for the response data has elapsed, a storage unit that stores the response data, a receiving unit that receives first response data from the external wireless apparatus and that instantaneously receives second response data without an instruction from the controller when the time limit has not elapsed, a frame length checking unit that checks a frame length of the received response data, and an error detector that performs error detection on the response data.
US07711321B2
A low profile mobile in-motion antenna and transmit/receive terminal system for two-way “VSAT” type satellite communication using FSS service, preferably in Ku band, supporting at the same time TV signal reception from the same satellite or a separate DBS satellite located at the same or nearby geo-stationary orbital position.
US07711320B2
A satellite communication system is disclosed which provides at least one satellite employing multiple beams to a plurality of user terminals. A gateway is employed to connect to either a PSTN or an Internet communicating with the user terminal over the constellation so that the users within a given frequency range are distinguished one from the other employing orthogonal codes. The user terminal has the capability of either initiating or receiving packet data messages.
US07711307B2
A cleaning device and a blade which is provided in the cleaning device and which has an edge portion to be pressed against a surface of a photoreceptor, so as to scrape toner are arranged so that: the blade includes (a) a blade main body constituting a main body portion of the blade and (b) a fluorocarbon resin layer formed in an edge portion, which is to make contact with the photoreceptor, of the blade main body, the fluorocarbon resin layer being made of a resin material, the resin material being filled in irregularities of a smooth surface of the blade main body. With this, even when the cleaning device is provided in a high-speed machine using small-particle toner with no corner, it is possible to extend the life of the photoreceptor without reducing a cleaning property.
US07711302B2
Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including: a sheet feeding tray to store a sheet; an image forming section to form an image on the sheet; a fusing section to fuse the image; a controlling section to perform cleaning of the fusing section when a sheet has been nipped in the fusing section at an occurrence of a jam by passing a sheet through the fusing section after the jam is relieved; an operating section to set an allowed condition of a sheet; and a memory section to store an allowed condition, wherein the controlling section determines whether the sheet feeding tray stores a sheet which satisfies the allowed condition, and when the sheet feeding tray stores the sheet which satisfies the allowed condition, selects the sheet feeding tray and controls the sheet feeding tray to feed the sheet and controls the fusing section to pass the sheet.
US07711301B2
An image transfer device provided in an image forming apparatus in which, employing an endless belt as an intermediate transfer member, image transfer is performed at nip positions of a primary transfer portion and secondary transfer portion. Generation of warp in the transferred image resulting from transmission of fluctuations in load and torque of the endless belt generated at the nip position of one transfer portion nip to the nip position of the other transfer portion is prevented. The endless belt is turned between rollers and the endless belt is individually driven at the primary transfer portion and secondary transfer portion by drive sources to generate deflection between the primary transfer portion and the secondary transfer portion.
US07711295B2
A toner cartridge has a control board mounted therein and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using the same. The toner cartridge includes a toner tube having a mounting part on which a control board is mounted, a control board cover for covering the mounting part to mount the control board therein, and a sealing cover for sealing the toner tube.
US07711293B2
A toner bottle that is composed of a main part, a toner loading portion, a bottle cap that can hermetically close and open a toner loading opening in the toner loading portion, and a bottle-side toner discharge port. This toner bottle is constructed such that the bottle cap that encloses the toner loading opening has a locking projection which can limit the rotation in the loosening direction while the toner loading portion has a cap locking projection which will engage the locking projection and can limit the rotation in the loosening direction.
US07711280B2
An image forming apparatus comprising a fixation device having a heating part for heating and fixing a toner image formed on a recording medium is provided, which comprises a rotational velocity detecting part for detecting a rotational velocity of a conveyance roller for conveying the recording medium and a control part for estimating a surface temperature of the recording medium based on the rotational velocity of the conveyance roller detected by the rotational velocity detecting part, for estimating a temperature change of the heating part at a time of fixation based on the estimated surface temperature, and for determining a heating control variable of the heating part based on the temperature change.
US07711279B2
An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a charging member for being supplied with a charging voltage which is a DC voltage not having an AC voltage component and for contacting the bearing member to electrically charge a surface of the bearing member using an electric discharge; a transfer member for transferring onto a transfer material a toner image formed on the surface of the bearing member by developing the electrostatic latent image, at a transfer position; wherein the charging potential of the charging member is different between when the charging member provides a first region with a potential and when the charging member provides a second region with a potential, thus providing a predetermined potential difference between the first region and the second region, and wherein the transfer member is not supplied with a voltage when the second region is at the transfer position, where the first region is a region on the image bearing member which has been charged by the charging member and which is to be an image forming region, and the second region is a region of the image bearing member which is a non-image-forming region in an immediately previous rotation of the image bearing member and which corresponds to the first region on the bearing member.
US07711277B2
A toner density estimating method for a two-component developer is provided. The toner density estimating method includes: sensing photo-reflectance of a test pattern having a plurality of grayscales formed by using toner; calculating a rate of change of the photo-reflectance according to the grayscales of the test pattern; and estimating a toner density based on the rate of change. Accordingly, it is possible to accurately estimate the toner density irrespective of the influence of changes in temperature, humidity, or other external factors.
US07711274B2
An image forming apparatus is provided which is capable of preventing a drop in productivity even if a consumable such as toner is not replenished as expected. The image forming apparatus has a feature of shifting to a mode of saving the consumable if an arrival time of the consumable is determined to be later than a time when the consumable needs to be replenished, on the basis of the shipping status information on the consumable obtained from a management server and the calculated time when the consumable needs to be replenished.
US07711267B2
In one implementation, a system detects that a fiber within a fiber optic cable has failed and automatically causes a location of a faulty portion of the fiber to be identified in response to the detecting. In another implementation, a central office includes a first optical patch panel operably coupled to an optical fiber and a second optical patch panel configured to couple the first optical patch panel to a test device. The optical fiber is automatically coupled to the test device in response to one or more signals from a remote management device.
US07711260B2
There is disclosed a digital camera which detects a focus of a lens unit by a method selected from a plurality of focus detection methods based on information on the lens unit taken from the lens unit attached to the digital camera. As an example of a focus detection method, there is a method by a phase difference system or a contrast system, but the method is not limited to this example.
US07711255B2
A camera-equipped portable terminal facilitating convenient transmission of taken photographs and method therefor are provided. The portable terminal has a display unit for displaying at least one input address, a camera module for taking one or more photographs of target objects, a wireless communication module for transmitting the photographs taken by the camera module to the input address through wireless communication, and a controller. The controller controls address display of the display unit, target-object image display of the camera module through the display unit in response to a photography mode command during display of the input address, a photograph-taking operation of the camera module in response to a photograph-taking command, and photograph transmission of the wireless communication module. As a result, photographs taken for transmission can be rapidly and conveniently transmitted to a destination address.
US07711254B2
A blur correction device is disclosed, which acquires a plurality of time-division images, each captured for a time-division exposure time having a period that is an integral multiple of an image reading cycle of an image pickup device, to generate a blur-corrected image from the plurality of time-division images. According to this blur correction device, since the exposure times for the plurality of time-division images are substantially continuous, an image in which the trajectory of a moving body is continuous can be obtained.
US07711247B2
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.
US07711246B2
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.
US07711243B2
Embodiments of methods and apparatus for recording at least two broadcast programs that are consecutive in time can consecutively record the plurality of programs (e.g., consecutively) on a recording medium without a process of creating and recording navigation information between programs. Navigation information for the recorded section can be created and recorded on the recording medium after the consecutive recording of the plurality of programs is completed. Such navigation information can consider the consecutive broadcast programs as a single entity or a plurality of individual entities (e.g., for play back).
US07711234B2
The housing of a telecommunications cabinet can be replaced without recabling the internal components by removing a panel arrangement from a cable access region of the cabinet to reveal an open end of the cable access region that is continuous with the open side of the cabinet. The frame is uncoupled from the cabinet and the cabinet is slid away from the internal components. The fiber optic cables pass through the open end of the cable access region and through the open side of the cabinet.
US07711225B2
A sample slide, launch system, and method for microscopy having a fiber insertion portal terminating within the sample slide and having a fiber insertion axis such that when an optical fiber is inserted within the fiber insertion portal the optical fiber is positioned so to deliver an EMR to a surface of the sample slide at a desired angle.
US07711221B2
The present invention discloses an optical device able to luminesce, whereby the optical device comprises, inter alia, a luminescent source that is directly or indirectly mechanically coupled to a low-order mode waveguide, such that light emitting from the luminescent source is optically coupled into the low-order mode waveguide. In embodiments of the invention, the distance D between point sources of the luminescent source and the waveguide is about equal to or smaller than the decay length of the exponential tails of the modes supported by the waveguide, thereby obtaining an optical coupling efficiency of at least 3%. Additional and alternative embodiments are claimed and disclosed.
US07711209B2
According to one embodiment, a first correlation calculator calculates a correlation between first pixel blocks, and detects as first reference pixels actual pixels contained respectively in the first pixel blocks with the highest correlation. A second correlation calculator calculates a correlation between second pixel blocks, and detects as second reference pixels actual pixels contained respectively in the second pixel blocks with the highest correlation. The first pixel blocks include pixels arranged in a plurality of rows and columns The second pixel blocks include pixels arranged in at least one row less than the rows of the first pixel blocks and a plurality of columns. An interpolation calculator calculates, when the first reference pixels are located perpendicular to the actual pixel lines, the pixel value of the interpolation pixel based on the second reference pixels.
US07711194B2
An image processing method includes: when performing quantization processing on pixel values of an image, regarding each pixel of a plurality of pixels of the image, calculating a quantization error value of the pixel, where the quantization error value corresponds to a difference between a quantized value of the pixel after the quantization processing for the pixel and an original value of the pixel before the quantization processing for the pixel; and adjusting original values of a plurality of neighboring pixels of the pixel before the quantization processing for the neighboring pixels according to the quantization error value, a plurality of weighted values, and a plurality of random numbers, where the plurality of weighted values respectively correspond to relative locations of the plurality of neighboring pixels with respect to the pixel.
US07711193B2
A facility is provided for recognizing blank and nearly blank images. In various embodiments, the facility receives an indication of an image, creates an analysis image based on the received image by detecting edges, determines an edge ratio for the analysis image, determines whether the edge ratio exceeds a threshold and, when the edge ratio does not exceed the threshold, identifies the received image as a blank image. The facility can include an edge detector component that creates an analysis image based on a selected image by detecting edges in the selected image, a calculator component that calculates an edge ratio for the analysis image, and an analysis component that determines whether the calculated edge ratio exceeds a threshold.
US07711167B2
A fissure detection method for lung lobe segmentation in 3D image data is disclosed. In this method, 3D lung image data is filtered using one or more filters based on at least one of planar structures coupled with vessel suppression, curvature computations, and local gradient magnitude and direction comparisons. Fissures are detected in the 3D lung image data based on the filtered 3D lung image data, and lung lobes are segmented from the 3D lung image data based on the detected fissures.
US07711163B2
A method and system for guiding imaging reading for colon screening includes scrolling through a succession of two dimensional (2D) cross-sectional images of a colon in respective image planes. A point of intersection with a current image plane with the centerline of the colon is marked in a first color in the current cross-sectional image. As the scrolling proceeds and a new current cross-sectional image in a respective image plane is observed. a new point of intersection is marked in the current cross-sectional image in the first color and the prior point of intersection is projected onto the new current cross-sectional image and marked in a second color.
US07711162B2
An exemplary method of combining two images to form a fused image is provided. A hierarchical structure for each of a plurality of volumes is built. All blocks in each of the hierarchical structures that intersect a slicing plane are found. Each of the plurality of volumes is divided into stacks of parallel slices, and the parallel slices are sorted by visibility order. A next slice in the sorted parallel slices is chosen. The next slice belongs to a current volume. Rendering parameters are changed if the current volume is different from a previous volume associated with the chosen slice in a previous iteration of the step of choosing the slice. Based on the rendering parameters, the next slice is rendered by intersecting the slicing plane with the blocks corresponding to the current volume. The steps of choosing the slice, changing the rendering parameters, and rendering the slice are repeated until all of the sorted parallel slices are rendered.
US07711161B2
Method and apparatus for determining the quality of alignment of a pair of volumes of data of medical images is disclosed. The method for validating the alignment includes selecting one or more points in the first volume and one or more points in the second volume, determining the average distance between the one or more points in the first volume and the one or more points in the second volume, determining a distortion category based on the average distance, determining an average noise level in the first and second volumes, and assigning a Q value indicative of the quality of the alignment based on the distortion category.
US07711160B2
A method, system, and apparatus of determining optimal viewing planes for cardiac image acquisition, wherein the method includes acquiring a set of sagittal, axial, and coronal images of a heart, where the axial and coronal images intersect with the sagittal image orthogonally, and where the heart has a natural axis and a left ventricle (“LV”) with a bloodpool, a bloodpool border, and an apex. The method also includes making a map of the bloodpool border, and using the map to create a full coordinate frame oriented along the natural axis.
US07711151B2
The invention provides a computer software means for determining physical characteristics of an unrestrained animal by enabling a user to interact with one or more images of the unrestrained animal on a graphical user interface connected to a computer. Using the graphical user interface, the user is able to designate piecewise linear and circumferential measurements of selected animal features on the one or more images. The computer software program receives one or more selected images of an unrestrained animal, displays the one or more images on the graphical user interface, receives a user designated animal type and calibration measurements of animal size indicia, receives user selected measurements of animal physical characteristic from the one or more images and adjusts the measurements based on the calibration measurements of animal physical size, and displays the selected images, adjusted and computed measurements and estimated measurement error on the graphical user interface.
US07711150B2
A system in a moving surveillance vehicle operates in background mode to capture images of license plates of neighboring moving vehicles, which may occupy lanes other than the lane in which the surveillance vehicle is moving. The images are used to determine the license plate numbers of the moving vehicles, which are then checked against a database to determine whether there are any potential law enforcement-related problems that require the attention of the operator. If so, the system alerts the operator using an audible tone, visual prompt, vibration, or in some other suitable manner. The entire process, including generation of the alert can occur autonomously of the operator.
US07711149B2
A computer-implemented method for indicating positions of and directions to battlefield entities in a soldier's head-mounted display using annotated arrows which indicate units both in and out of the soldier's field of view. The method includes a Unit Identifier (100) for associating units in aerial imagery with soldiers on the battlefield, a Commander Presenter (102) for presenting the aerial imagery and unit positions to a commander, a Unit Annotator (104) for enabling commanders to identify unknown units, and a Soldier Presenter (106) for identifying and labeling units that appear in a soldier's head-mounted display.
US07711147B2
A time-to-contact estimation device for estimating a time to contact of a moving body to an object in surroundings of the moving body, includes: an image sensor provided on the moving body, and continuously capturing time-varying images of the surroundings of the moving body; a brightness change calculation unit calculating brightness changes in pixels between the time-varying images captured one after another; and a time-to-contact calculation unit calculating optimized brightness gradients based on the brightness changes calculated by the brightness change calculation unit, and calculating the time to contact of the moving body to the object based on the optimized brightness gradients.
US07711139B2
[Problem to be Solved] To provide a digital information carrier which enables blending of cluster information carrier comprising of image objects joined together to other viewable content (a character, an image, background, etc.) of a document, to seamlessly unify a printed document and an electronic document when accessing the cluster information carrier by an image recognition means, such as partial scanning, and to perform a method for finding positional information and processing commutative with the written contents of the document without incorrect recognition at high speed and a method for recognition.[Solution Means] A digital information carrier comprising of a plurality of image objects as constituent elements, containing a cluster information carrier constituted by at least two image objects, and having bit data correlated to the relative relationship of at least two image objects concerned serving as configuration elements were used. In addition judgment conditions of whether the two image objects concerned serving as configuration elements constitute a cluster information carrier were correlated to the above-mentioned cluster information carrier. Furthermore, configuration of a logical block obtained by unifying a plurality of unit information carriers which are the minimum units at the time of decoding bit data from a digital information carrier was realized, and configuration of a new logical block was enabled by replacing at least one of the configuration elements of the concerned logical block with the above-mentioned unit information carrier adjacent to the logical block concerned.
US07711136B2
An electronic device includes a housing, a plurality of microphones, and a plurality of guide tubes. The plurality of microphones are disposed in the housing. The plurality of guide tubes extend from the housing toward the plurality of microphones, whereby the plurality of microphones in the housing receives external sound via the guide tubes.
US07711132B2
The object is to ensure that device signals intended, for example, to inform hearing aid wearers about program changes or the end of a battery's life are perceived independently of ambient noise. Provision is therefore made, for instance, for reducing the level of the input signal with the aid of a gain adjuster (12) so that a device signal from a generator (4) driven via a control element (6) such as, for example, a program-changing switch, and via a control logic (5) can be perceived. Other possible solutions are to change the level of the device signal as a function of the level of the input signal or to mute the input signal while the device signal is fed out.
US07711124B2
A method for attenuating the low-frequency noise generated at the outlet (18) of an exhaust line (14). A signal representing the noise to be attenuated is defined; a first high-frequency acoustic wave (F1) is emitted from a first transducer (22) into an attenuation region (26) of the exhaust line (14), the first acoustic wave having a carrier frequency higher than 50 kHz; and a second high-frequency acoustic wave (F1+Δfcb) is emitted by a second transducer (24) into the attenuation region (26) of the exhaust line, the second acoustic wave having the carrier frequency of the first high-frequency acoustic wave (F1) and containing a low-frequency counter-noise signal (Δfcb) which is out of phase with the signal representing the noise to be attenuated.
US07711118B2
The security system for a protected object comprises a first wireless module, a central controller, and a remote authorization server. The first wireless module and the central controller are disposed in the protected object. The first wireless module transmits an authorization request with an authorization ID (identification) of the protected object, and receives an authorization response. The central controller is coupled to the first wireless module, and allows the protected object to operate in accordance with the authorization response. The remote authorization server, responsive to the authorization request, generates the authorization response from an authorization record thereof in accordance with the authorization ID, and transmits the authorization response.
US07711115B2
A descrambler adapted as an integrated circuit (IC) according to one embodiment. The descrambler comprises a control word ladder logic to produce, among other data, a control word to descramble incoming scrambled content. The descrambler further comprises copy protection key ladder logic to recover a copy protection key for encrypting descrambled content before subsequent transmission to a digital device.
US07711114B2
A traitor tracing enabling system assigns sequence keys to a media player to enable better tracability with fewer actual variations in the content. The system comprises a technique for increasing a number of sequence keys, allowing a finer granularity in a traitor tracing process with little increase in sequence key storage or in bandwidth required to transmit sequence keys to a media player. The present system comprises a variation table which maps the sequence keys to the individual variations in the file, such that multiple sequence keys can be mapped to a single variation.
US07711111B2
A mobile phone at least includes a first back cover, a second back cover and a main body. The first back cover has a first fastening part on its inner wall. The second back cover has a first interfering part on its inner wall. The first back cover and the second back cover are assembled with the main body. The main body has a resilient hook including a resilient arm, a second fastening part and a second interfering part. One end of the resilient arm is fixed to the main body, and the second fastening part is provided on the other end of the resilient arm. The second interfering part is provided on the resilient arm. When the second back cover is separated from the main body, the first interfering part pushes against the second interfering part to drive the second fastening part to separate from the first fastening part.
US07711106B2
A system and method for adding contact information to a personal network address book is provided. Contact information is added to the address book by analyzing a billing database or call detail record in order to determine telephone numbers which meet predetermined criteria set by a user. Telephone numbers meeting the predetermined criteria are extracted and transferred to the user. The user is prompted for a nickname corresponding to each extracted telephone number. The nickname and the corresponding telephone number are then stored in the personal network address book. In a voice activated dialing system, the user is able to speak the nickname in order to initiate the dialing process.
US07711104B1
The present invention is directed to a system for tracking a contact center operation. The system includes a tracking agent 232 operable to (a) receive a notification indicating a change in agent focus from a first work item to a second work item; (b) determine whether the first work item involves a communication medium different from the second work item; and (c) when the first work item involves a communication medium different from the second work item, cause termination of a timer with respect to the servicing of the first work item and initiation of a timer with respect to the servicing of the second work item. The first and second work items are concurrently assigned for servicing to the agent.
US07711101B2
The present invention provides a technique for directly calling telephones via a shared telephone number, which telephones do not have telephone numbers in the address space of the Public Switched Telephone Network. This is particularly useful for visitors and guests who are, for example, temporarily at a hotel, school campus, or business.
US07711100B2
A system and method for controlling financial transactions is disclosed. A customer, using a wireless device, identifies a point of sale and the amount of a transaction at that point of sale is first communicated to a central service and then transmitted to the wireless device for display at the wireless device. The customer can either accept the transaction amount to complete the transaction or reject the amount to cancel the transaction. The customer may have to enter a password or personal identification number to verify the authorization to use the wireless financial system. The customer is billed for the transaction via credit, debit, ATM or other methods, such as the wireless carrier or an internet provider.
US07711094B1
A system including an IP device configured to provide registration data, a Service Bureau configured to store location information of the IP device and provide routing data based on location information of the IP device, location server configured to receive registration data from the IP device, and location database configured to store location information of the IP device, wherein the location server queries the location database to determine whether the registration data matches the location information stored at the location database.
US07711093B2
A set of telecommunications test plugs. A first test plug has a first test plug printed circuit board having circuit traces for establishing first predefined near end crosstalk between at least two of pairs of wires. The first predefined near end crosstalk is at a first level of a first defined range. A second telecommunications plug has a second printed circuit board having circuit traces for establishing a second predetermined level of near-end crosstalk. The circuit traces are positioned to establish second predefined near end crosstalk between at least two of pairs of wires. The second predefined near end crosstalk is at a second level of a second defined range.
US07711089B2
A visualization or imaging system involves inducing and/or detecting Compton scattered X-rays to provide information or a visual representation of a portion of an individual. In one approach, the Compton scattered X-rays are converted to a visible or detectible representations through scintillation.
US07711083B2
To enable an artifact free reconstruction even in the case of large regions of interest and with scanning paths of below 360°, provision is made for a method, with which a three-dimensional image volume is reconstructed from a number of two-dimensional projection images of a region of interest, which were recorded about the region of interest during a rotation of a recording system, comprising an x-ray source with a focal point and a detector, by calculating the gray scale values of the voxels of the image volume by back projection of the projection images, with which each two-dimensional projection images is composed in each instance from at least two individual projection images to form an extended two-dimensional projection image, with the respectively at least two individual projection images being recorded with a constant relative position between the focal point and the region of interest.
US07711081B2
A method is disclosed for compiling computer tomographic representations using a CT system with at least two angularly offset ray sources. A first ray cone with a relatively larger fan angle and a second ray cone with a relatively smaller fan angle scan an object circularly or spirally. The first ray cone generates a first dataset A and the second ray cone generates a dataset B. The dataset B of the smaller ray cone is supplemented with other data at the edge to give an expanded dataset B+ for reconstruction of the CT representation. The expanded dataset B+ of the second, smaller ray cone and the dataset A of the first, larger ray cone is subjected to a convolution operation to give datasets B+′ and A′. Finally, a back projection to reconstruct sectional images or volume data is respectively carried out from the convoluted datasets B+′ and A′. The dataset B is supplemented with data of the dataset A and supplementary data are removed from the dataset B+′ after the convolution but before the back projection.
US07711077B2
A method and a system for providing ISI compensation to an input signal in a bifurcated manner. ISI compensation is provided in two stages, a first stage compensates ISI components induced by characteristics of a transmitter's partial response pulse shaping filter, a second stage compensates ISI components induced by characteristics of a multi-pair transmission channel. First stage ISI compensation is performed in an inverse response filter having a characteristic feedback gain factor K, during system start-up. Second stage ISI compensation is performed by a single DFE in combination with a MDFE operating on tentative decisions output from a Viterbi decoder. As the DFE of the second stage reaches convergence, the feedback gain factor K of the first stage is ramped to zero.
US07711074B2
A synchronization extraction apparatus for a communication system and a method thereof are disclosed. A frame synchronization is obtained in a manner that the sum of an input signal and a delay signal is obtained without obtaining a simple correlation value between the input signal and the delay signal, and then a correlation value between a summed signal and the delay signal is obtained. The synchronization extraction apparatus and method can reduce the implementation complexity and power consumption in obtaining the frame synchronization, and thus increase the battery cycle of a terminal provided with the synchronization extraction apparatus or method.
US07711072B2
Baseband (BB) input units input baseband received signals. An initial weight data setting unit sets weighting coefficients to be utilized in the interval of a training signal as initial weighting coefficients. A gap compensating unit compensates control weighting coefficients with a gap error signal and outputs the updated weighting coefficients acquired as a result of the compensation. A weight switching unit selects the initial weighting coefficients in the interval of the training signal and selects the updated weighting coefficients in the interval of the data signal. Then the weight switching unit outputs the selected initial weighting coefficients and updated weighting coefficients as the weighting coefficients. A synthesizing unit weights the baseband received signals with the weighting coefficients and then sums them up.
US07711066B2
A multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) communications system is provided for conveying signals over a MIMO channel. The system includes a precoder for precoding a signal based upon a uniform channel decomposition scheme. The system further comprises a transmitter in communication with the precoder for conveying the precoded signal over a subchannel of the MIMO channel.
US07711064B2
In a multivalue modulation type with one pilot symbol inserted for every 3 or more symbols, signal points of each one symbol immediately before and after a pilot symbol are modulated using a modulation type different from that for pilot symbols. In this way, it is possible to suppress deterioration of the accuracy in estimating the reference phase and amount of frequency offset by pilot symbols and improve the bit error rate characteristic in the signal to noise ratio in quasi-coherent detection with symbols whose symbol synchronization is not completely established.
US07711060B1
Systems and techniques relating to processing multiple data streams transmitted over a wireless channel. In general, according to at least one implementation, a technique includes: obtaining multiple data streams to be transmitted over a wireless channel using spatially diverse transmission; and applying data rotations to respective data streams, in connection with interleaving the multiple data streams, where the applying includes using data rotation values with respective data streams such that the data rotation values plotted against stream indices correspond to a non-monotonic function. The data rotation values can be independent of a total number of the multiple data streams to be transmitted. The data rotation values can be fixed constants. The same data rotation values can be used with respective data streams irrespective of a selected frequency band. The data rotations can include subcarrier rotations. The data rotations can include column rotations.
US07711056B2
A transmitting and receiving arrangement as well as a method for transmission of monitoring and/or payload data in a transmitting and receiving arrangement for a wirefree communications system has a device which processes baseband for processing digital signals to form a baseband signal and a device which processes radio frequency for conversion of the baseband signal to a radio frequency signal. Monitoring and/or payload data are/is transmitted in the form of data packets via at least one channel of a channel-oriented link between the device which processes baseband and the device which processes radio frequency.
US07711049B2
A method for fast macroblock mode decision is disclosed. The method includes: (A) determining if a motion cost at the origin (0, 0) or a prediction motion vector (PMV) for a 4n*4n macroblock is smaller than a first threshold; (B) if the motion cost is smaller than the first threshold, determining a macroblock mode as 4n*4n and ending the method; (C) if the motion cost is not smaller than the first threshold, using an adaptive diversity search strategy to perform motion estimation on four 2n*2n blocks associated with the 4n*4n macroblock; (D) determining if all motion costs of the four 2n*2n blocks in step (C) are smaller than a second threshold; and (E) if step (D) determines that the motion costs of the four 2n*2n blocks are smaller than the second threshold, determining the macroblock mode as 2n*2n and ending the method.
US07711046B2
Blocks in two different frames are subjected to Hadamard transform by first and second Hadamard transform circuits, and a sum component and a difference component are calculated for the components of the two blocks corresponding to each other to perform three-dimensional Hadamard transform, so that detection is made as to whether or not these blocks include a motion. While the sum component and the difference component are encoded for the block determined as including a motion, a motion detection result, rather than the difference component, is encoded for the block determined as including no motion. As a result, a high compression ratio can be achieved in video encoding with a small-scale circuit.
US07711042B2
A second-order Volterra filter has a quadratic section including a plurality of multiplication units that multiply a first input signal with a second input signal. One of the multiplication units employs a signal not delayed from the first input signal, as the second input signal. A remaining one of the multiplication units employs a signal delayed a preset time from the first input signal, as the second input signal. The one of the multiplication units includes a multiplier that multiplies the signal output from the one of the multiplication units and a signal output from each of one or more delay units, each with a preset coefficient. A step gain parameter for updating each preset coefficient of a multiplier of the remaining one of the multiplication units is twice a step gain parameter for updating each preset coefficient of the multiplier of the one of the multiplication units.
US07711039B2
A transceiver module can share a common connector with a rechargeable battery connection. The transceiver module can be protected from the high voltages applied by a battery charger. Determining when the voltage applied at a connector exceeds a reference voltage and electrically decoupling the transceiver module from the connector when the reference voltage is exceeded can protect the transceiver module. The reference voltage can be set at a level so that the transceiver is decoupled from the connector when the voltage at the connector reaches a voltage that is unsafe for the transceiver.
US07711034B2
A wireless communication system (10). The system comprises a user station (12). The user station comprises despreading circuitry (22) for receiving and despreading a plurality of slots received from at least a first transmit antenna (A121) and a second transmit antenna (A122) at a transmitting station (14). Each of the plurality of slots comprises a first channel (DPCH) comprising a first set of pilot symbols and a second channel (PCCPCH) comprising a second set of pilot symbols. The user station further comprises circuitry (50) for measuring a first channel measurement (α1,n) for each given slot in the plurality of slots from the first transmit antenna and in response to the first set of pilot symbols in the given slot. The user station further comprises circuitry (50) for measuring a second channel measurement (α2,n) for each given slot in the plurality of slots from the second transmit antenna and in response to the second set of pilot symbols in the given slot. The user station further comprises circuitry (52) for measuring a phase difference value (φ2(n)) for each given slot in the plurality of slots in response to the first channel measurement and the second channel measurement for the given slot and in response to a ninety degree rotation of the given slot relative to a slot which was received by the despreading circuitry immediately preceding the given slot.
US07711023B2
A semiconductor laser device has a multilayer structure including a first clad layer, an active layer, and a second clad layer stacked successively on a semiconductor substrate in order of increasing distance from the semiconductor substrate. At least one of the first clad layer and the second clad layer has a compressive distortion with respect to the semiconductor substrate. At least one of the first clad layer and the second clad layer includes a semiconductor layer having a tensile distortion with respect to the semiconductor substrate.
US07711018B2
The luminance of a laser diode is a function of laser diode drive current. The luminance is also a function of other factors, such as age and temperature. A laser projection device includes laser diodes to generate light in response to a commanded luminance, and also includes photodiodes to provide a measured luminance. The commanded luminance and measured luminance are compared, and drive currents for the laser diodes are adjusted to compensate for changes in laser diode characteristics.
US07711013B2
A modular ultrafast pulse laser system is constructed of individually pre-tested components manufactured as modules. The individual modules include an oscillator, pre-amplifier and power amplifier stages, a non-linear amplifier, and a stretcher and compressor. The individual modules can typically be connected by means of simple fiber splices.
US07711012B2
The yield of a semiconductor device is improved which has a large-scale logic circuit or which has both a logic circuit and a memory. A basic circuit block is provided with an input/output circuit. A transmission line and a branch line connect the input/output circuits so that information can be exchanged through the input/output circuits between one basic circuit block and another basic circuit block. The memory in each basic circuit block or in each input/output circuit can be programmed from the outside to designate the destination of a signal. By thus changing the program in the memory, the transmission destination of a signal can be changed to give various functions efficiently with a limited circuit scale. Moreover, if a basic circuit block fails another basic circuit block substitutes for it to improve the yield drastically.
US07711011B2
A play-out apparatus and method for switching a channel in a digital multimedia broadcasting receiver are provided which can decrease a delay occurring in a channel switching time. A demultiplexer demultiplexes a signal received from a transmitter and outputs video data. A time stamp adapter changes a time stamp for indicating a play-out time of the video data such that the video data can be immediately output from a playback buffer without a Coder-Decoder (CODEC) delay, and outputs the video data including the changed time stamp. The playback buffer buffers and outputs the video data output from the time stamp adapter according to the changed time stamp. A video decoder decodes and outputs the video data output from the playback buffer according to the changed time stamp. A display unit plays the decoded video data out.
US07711006B2
A data merge unit is provided for providing an interleaved data stream, the data stream including data frames received on two or more input channels, wherein data frames from each of the two or more input channels are arranged in time-slots of the interleaved data stream. The data merge unit comprises an input unit to receive data frames from two or more input channels, a frame merge buffer arranged to receive data frames from the two or more input channels via the input unit and store said data frames; and, an output generator to generate the interleaved data stream, the output generator being configured to select complete data frames from the frame merge buffer and arrange said complete data frames in the interleaved data stream.
US07710993B1
A method is provided for pseudo wire processing in a packet forwarding device in which a packet is processed based on whether the ports through which the packet is transmitted are real or pseudo wire ports. The inbound and outbound port information is encoded using a predefined range of index values such that index values falling within one range of values are used for passing real port information, and index values falling within another range of values are used for passing pseudo wire port information. The index values are used in a manner that facilitates efficient performance of pseudowire processing for the packets in the switch fabric component of the packet forwarding device.
US07710990B2
A receive queue provided in a computer system holds work completion information and message data together. An InfiniBand hardware adapter sends a single CQE+message data to the computer system that includes the completion information and data. This information is sufficient for the computer system to receive and process the data message, thereby providing a highly scalable low latency receiving mechanism.
US07710981B2
In one embodiment, a system is configured to generate a time reference where the system includes a bi-directional loop configured to have a first propagation speed in a first direction and a second propagation speed in a second direction, wherein the first propagation speed is substantially equal to the second propagation speed. In one embodiment, the system further includes a plurality of system elements coupled to the bi-directional loop, wherein each respective system element of the plurality of system elements is configured to determine a time reference common to each as an average arrival time at the respective system element of a first signal transmitted in the first direction over the bi-directional loop and a second signal transmitted in the second direction over the bi-directional loop.
US07710977B2
A mobile communications base station has a service quality detection unit that monitors and measures communication qualities of wireless terminals currently located in the service area, and a packet classification unit that classifies packets addressed to the wireless terminals into two or more groups based on the measured communication qualities. The base station also has a buffering delay measuring unit that measures buffering delay of the packets for each of the groups. A transmission priority detection unit of the base station determines the order of priority for transmitting the packets based on the measured buffering delay in comparison with a prescribed threshold value. A resource allocation unit of the base station allocates the radio resources to the packets based on the order of priority to transmit the packets to the associated wireless terminals.
US07710966B1
Routing nodes in communications networks use policies and certain fields, called selection fields, in packet headers to make routing decisions. When routing over a trunk, a specific trunked link over which to forward a packet must be selected. Policies and selection fields can be used in a way that causes the packets in data streams to be distributed more evenly across the trunked links than is currently done.
US07710960B2
Data packets transmitted over a wireless network are suppressed by hardware at the transmitting end and expanded on the receiving end. This conserves bandwidth as well as reduces the processing resource requirements in both the subscriber station and the base station. An extended header element is added to a data packet that is to be transmitted over the wireless network. The extended header element contains an index that is used along with an identifier to access a rule. The rule is used to determine which bytes are to be suppressed at the transmitter and expanded at the receiver.
US07710959B2
A source endpoint connected via a Virtual Local Area Network to a first access port and a destination endpoint connected to a second access port. Two or more network processing devices indirectly connected through a backplane interconnect to transmit data between the source and destination endpoints according to a protected port status of the first and second access ports.
US07710954B2
A method of handling data packets in a series of network switches includes receiving an incoming data packet at a data port of a first switch of the series of network switches. A module id bitmap of the incoming data packet is resolved and a bit corresponding to the first switch of the module id bitmap is examined to determine if the bit is set. A destination address of the incoming data packet is resolved when the corresponding bit is set and the incoming data packet is forwarded or dropped based on the destination address. When the corresponding bit is not set, the incoming data packet is forwarded to a next switch of the series of network switches. A network switch configured to allow for cascading of data packets is also disclosed.
US07710953B2
The invention includes an apparatus and method for switching packets through a switching fabric. The apparatus includes a plurality of input ports and output ports for receiving arriving packets and transmitting departing packets, a switching fabric for switching packets from the input ports to the output ports, and a plurality of schedulers controlling switching of packets through the switching fabric. The switching fabric includes a plurality of virtual output queues associated with a respective plurality of input-output port pairs. One of the schedulers is active during each of a plurality of timeslots. The one of the schedulers active during a current timeslot provides a packet schedule to the switching fabric for switching packets through the switching fabric during the current timeslot. The packet schedule is computed by the one of the schedulers active during the current timeslot using packet departure information for packets departing during previous timeslots during which the one of the schedulers was active and packet arrival information for packets arriving during previous timeslots during which the one of the schedulers was active.
US07710952B1
A network device includes one or more processing units and an external memory. Each of the one or more processing units includes a centralized counter configured to perform accounting for the respective processing unit. The external memory is associated with at least one of the one or more processing units and is configured to store a group of count values for the at least one processing unit.
US07710951B2
The invention relates to a signaling method for a network system. In this solution, a common analog read signal is fed via a signaling channel to all nodal units under control of a control unit. The read signal is modified by modification means units at each nodal unit for identification of the nodal unit and data indicating the state of each nodal unit is added to the read signal. In the control unit, the state of each nodal unit is determined based on the modification made and the read signal.
US07710941B2
A method for restitution of data flows or data packets transmitted over a network, using at least two restitution appliances that are at least indirectly connected to the network, for a synchronized and error-free restitution. To synchronize the restitution by the at least two restitution appliances, either one of the restitution appliances, as the master, provides its internal clock as the reference, and the other restitution appliances, as the slaves, coordinate their internal clock with that of the master by the network and restitute the data flows or data packets according to the coordinated clock, or the internal clock of an external appliance also available on the network is used as the master, and all restitution appliances, as the slaves, co-ordinate their internal clock with that of the master by the network, and restitute the data flows or data packets according to the coordinated clock.
US07710938B2
A check is carried out for those stored transport formats which have been declared as being temporarily permissible by a mobile radio base station to determine whether these transport formats satisfy a selection criterion which is specific to that mobile radio device. The transport format used for data transmission is selected exclusively from those transport formats which satisfy the selection criterion which is specific to that mobile radio device.
US07710934B2
A method and apparatus for keeping information included in routing tables consistent throughout a wireless network are provided. The method includes enabling a mesh access point to generate data and transmit the data, gathering a plurality of pieces of information about a plurality of stations associated with the mesh access point, classifying the plurality of pieces of information into a plurality of blocks, generating a checksum for each of the blocks, and transmitting the checksum.
US07710927B2
A method for using a wireless digital base station to receive, process and transmit a plurality of communications having independent data rates establishing a first communication channel having a first data communication rate to support a first communication; determining the data rate required to support the first communication; selecting one or more transmission channels, from a plurality of available transmission channels, required to support said required data rate; and transmitting the first communication using one or more selected transmission channels. The plurality of available transmission channels includes at least one B or D channel.
US07710918B2
A pilot designing method in an uplink OFDMA system is provided. In the uplink OFDMA system, communications are carried out in a frame divided into time-frequency lattices, and each time-frequency lattice includes a plurality of data symbol periods and a plurality of pilot symbol periods intermittently arranged with respect to the data symbol periods. The frame is divided into a plurality of blocks. The blocks are allocated to the terminals. A predetermined allocated pilot time-frequency lattice is shared between adjacent terminals.
US07710916B2
A method of establishing connection between a first mobile station (MS) and a second MS in a mobile communication system is disclosed. More specifically, the method includes transmitting to at least one base station (BS) a service message which includes information of at least one service type supported by the first MS and the second MS. Here the at least one service type relates to a multimedia service supported by each of the first MS and the second MS. Furthermore, the method includes transmitting a request message which includes information of at least one service type selected by the first MS, receiving a response message which includes information of the selected service type which is supported by both the first MS and a second MS, and transmitting a connection complete message between the first MS and the second MS for communication using the selected service type.
US07710915B2
A system and method are provided for managing information in a wireless network. The information can be utilized during handoff of a client from an access point to an access point. The method includes a first frame being generated and transmitted by the client to the access point through the access point. The frame includes a request for the information, wherein the information includes at least a target beacon transmission time (TBTT) of the access point. The method also includes the client receiving a second frame containing the information from the access point through the access point.
US07710910B2
A wireless base station that performs data communication using a plurality of sub carriers, and repeatedly generates frame patterns comprising one combination or more of at least two types of frames in which the number of common pilots in each is different, and transmits data for mobile terminals having poor receiving quality in a frame having a large number of common pilots, and transmits data for mobile terminals having good receiving quality in a frame having a small number of common pilots.
US07710909B2
A wireless communications system employs code-division multiple access information transmission techniques where the uplink and downlink transmission bandwidths are unequal. The higher bandwidth is an integer multiple of the lower bandwidth. The present system requires a base station and a subscriber unit to have two pseudo-random code generators which can be clocked separately. Alignment of the uplink and downlink pseudo-random spreading codes is achieved by truncating the code sequence for the lower speed link at the conclusion of a complete code sequence for the higher speed link.
US07710905B2
A method and system for link latency determination in a Mobile IP network determine an unloaded network delay; set a current estimated delay; initiate a current round trip estimation process; and set a retry timer. If the retry timer expires before the process completes, the method and system update the predetermined backoff period and repeat the preceding two steps. After re-registration, the method and system reset the current estimated delay time. The link latency determination optimizes the re-registration process between a mobile device and an agent device, thereby enhancing mobile device communications, minimizing network loading, and optimizing network traffic levels.
US07710901B2
Ethernet provider backbone transport (PBT) paths are controlled utilizing Generalized Multi-protocol Label Switching (GMPLS) signaling protocol. A path between edge nodes is identified by a combination of a VID and destination MAC address in a VID/MAC tuple populated in the forwarding tables of intermediary nodes. To establish the PBT path, a path calculation is performed from the originator node to the terminator node through the network. The originating node then sends a GMPLS label object with a suggested VID/MAC to identify the path to the terminator. The intermediary nodes or bridges forward the object to the terminating node. The terminating node then offers a VID/MAC tuple in a GMPLS label object in response. When the intermediary nodes forward the response from the terminating node to the originator, the appropriate forwarding labels are then installed in the forwarding tables of each node utilizing the associated VID/MAC tuples.
US07710898B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a method and an apparatus for automatic verification of a zone configuration of a plurality of network switches. In one method embodiment, the present invention accesses an actual zone configuration comprising a plurality of network switching devices, the actual zone configuration for defining the switching devices which are actually part of the zone. Additionally, a machine-readable map of the network is accessed, the map providing a pre-determined zone configuration defining the switching devices which should be part of the zone. An automatic verification is performed, wherein the verification verifies that the actual zone configuration of network switching devices correlates with the pre-determined zone configuration defined by the machine-readable map.
US07710887B2
The present disclosure provides a method for providing network protection. A method according to one embodiment may include detecting an infected data packet at an in-line device. The method may further include receiving a first instruction from the in-line device at a central management server, the instruction identifying the origin of the infected data packet. The method may also include receiving a marking instruction from the central management server at an infected endpoint device and marking outgoing data packets at the infected endpoint device to create marked data packets. Of course, many alternatives, variations and modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment.
US07710879B2
The present invention provides a system and method for improving the quality of real-time multimedia sessions wherein each endpoint of a real-time packet stream transmits (1) feedback reports that describe the quality of the stream received by the endpoint and (2) forward reports that are based on the feedback reports received by the endpoint and that describe the quality of the stream received by the other, remote endpoint. The forward reports are used by routers to re-route packets around problems in the network that are located between the router and the remote endpoint.
US07710859B2
A fault-tolerant router includes first and second router matrix card. The first and second router matrix cards receive a common set of 4n parity encoded input digital audio data streams and respectively generates therefrom, first and second sets of M output digital audio streams. As the first and second sets of data streams propagate along the first and second router matrix cards, respectively, one or more health bits are set whenever an error or other type of fault condition is detected. First and second parity check circuits are configured to detect parity errors and/or assess the relative health of the first and second sets of data streams and one of the two sets of data streams is selected as the output of the fault-tolerant router based upon either the parity error analysis, health analysis or both.
US07710858B1
A FFT module for a baseband processor of a receiver includes an input for receiving a timing window correction signal. In response to the timing window correction signal the FFT module adjusts a timing window for processing groups of samples within an input queue of the FFT module.
US07710857B2
A method and system for coherent detection in which an OFDM symbol is multiplied by the complex conjugate of the previous OFDM symbol, which is obtained by one OFDM symbol delay and a complex conjugation circuit. This soft decision is passed through a QPSK slicer to obtain a hard decision. The soft decision is then divided by the hard decisions. The channel phase change between the two OFDM symbols is then obtained. For the first OFDM symbol, the channel is computed. A channel estimate for each ODFM symbol is computed from corresponding channel estimates and channel phase difference estimates. The channel phase difference between each two OFDM symbols is computed. The channel phase difference is passed through an exponent operation and multiplied by the soft decision to obtain a refined soft decision that is then passed through another QPSK slicer to obtain the final hard decision.
US07710856B2
In at least some embodiments, a system may comprise one or more devices configurable to communicate according to a first protocol that implements a first data packet, and one or more devices configurable to communicate according to a second protocol that implements a second data packet having a predetermined quadrature component. The one or more devices configurable to communicate according to the second protocol associate detection of the predetermined quadrature component with a function that is not supported by the one or more devices that communicate according to the first protocol.
US07710855B2
The present invention relates to an optical recording medium containing a first substrate, a first information layer, an intermediate layer, a second information layer and a second substrate in this order, wherein the first information layer contains a first recording layer disposed on the first substrate and the second information layer contains a reflective layer, a second recording layer containing an organic dye and a protective layer which are disposed on the second substrate in this order; and the second recording layer contains an organic dye which is at least one elected from the group consisting of the specified squarylium metal chelate compounds.
US07710852B2
An optical disc according to the present invention includes a plurality of recording layers; a receiving section for receiving, from outside an optical disc, a switching instruction for switching a target layer to be targeted for recording or reproducing information among the plurality of the recording layers; and a switching section for switching the target layer among the plurality of recording layers, based on the switching instruction received.
US07710851B2
A variable gain amplifier (203: VGA) for amplifying an amplitude of a signal extracted by a pickup (202), an A/D converter (204) for converting the amplified signal into digital, and an amplitude detecting circuit (206) for detecting amplitude information from the digital information, are provided. A gain control circuit (205) for calculating a control value for the VGA (203) is calculated from the detected amplitude information, and an envelope generating circuit (207) for executing an operation of absorbing transfer characteristics of the VGA (203) from the control value for the VGA (203) and the amplitude information, are provided to generate an envelope extracted by the pickup (202). When the characteristics of the VGA (203) vary, a degree of the variation is calculated from the amplitude information of the signal extracted by the pickup (202) and amplitude information obtained by fixing the control value for the VGA (203), and characteristic correction is executed.
US07710850B2
A data reproducing method reproducing data recorded in a super resolution information storage medium in a form of marks having magnitudes less than a resolving power of an incident light beam, and an apparatus thereof. The data reproducing method includes irradiating a first beam having a resolving power causing a super resolution phenomenon and a second beam having a resolving power not causing a super resolution phenomenon into different places on the information storage medium, detecting a first reproduction signal based on the first beam and a second reproduction signal based on the second beam, and compensating for and calculating a temporal delay between the first reproduction signal and the second reproduction signal. Therefore, a signal reflected from a peripheral area of a reproduction beam spot other than a super resolution area can be excluded, thereby improving reproduction signal characteristics.
